Leslie Griffith, an Emmy Award-winning television journalist best known for hosting the Ten O’clock News on KTVU Channel 2, passed away on Aug. 10 in her hometown of Lake Chapala, Mexico, according to KTVU. She was 66 years old.
Griffith died “from the consequences of Lyme Disease since she was infected by a tick while residing in Oregon in 2015,” a family member told KTVU.
Griffith began her career in media as a newspaper reporter for the Associated Press and Denver Post after being born in Tomball, Texas.
She began working for KTVU as a weekend reporter and anchor in 1986, and with hard work and an alto voice, she rose to become a powerful force in Bay Area media, according to the East Bay Times. In 1998, she took over as co-anchor of the Ten O’clock News for Dennis Richmond after Elaine Corral left. 2006 saw her resignation from KTVU.
On social media, many paid tribute to Griffith and shared their sorrow at her demise. Sal Castaneda, a reporter with KTVU, tweeted, “Sad news.” “Leslie Griffith, a longtime KTVU anchor, has passed away. When I first began working with her and Dennis, I considered it to be a major issue.”
