Infant Grayson Walton, 11 Months, Found Dead in Cleaton; Elijah Mayes, 19, Charged with Murder

An 11-month-old boy was found dead in a Cleaton home after being reported missing in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky. Elijah Mayes, 19, faces murder charges.

Murder charge after 11-month-old found dead in Cleaton home

An 11-month-old boy, Grayson Walton, was discovered dead inside a residence on the 300 block of Hillview Street in Cleaton, Kentucky, following a missing-child investigation in Muhlenberg County, wbko.com reports.

The case began on Saturday, 12 September, at approximately 5:10 p.m., when the Central City Police Department responded to a disturbance report on the 800 block of Harrison Avenue. Officers made contact with the child's father, who said Grayson had been left in the care of Elijah Mayes, 19, of Central City, while he was at work.

During an initial interview at the scene, Mayes told officers that a family friend had collected the child at around 10 p.m. on Friday, 11 September. That person was subsequently located and interviewed; she denied having picked up the child. A relative also stated that the last time they saw Grayson, he was with Mayes at the Hillview Street address in Cleaton.

As the investigation continued, additional interviews were conducted at the Central City Police Department. Investigators obtained a search warrant for the Harrison Avenue property and a vehicle associated with it. During the execution of that warrant, a shard of suspected methamphetamine was found in a dresser drawer in a back bedroom, a room Mayes's mother confirmed her son occupies. Officers Guffery and Topper Phillips recovered the substance.

A second search warrant was then obtained for the Hillview Street home in Cleaton. During the search of that property, officers found Grayson Walton dead inside the residence.

Mayes was arrested and transported to the Muhlenberg County Detention Center. He has been charged with murder, first-degree criminal abuse, and tampering with physical evidence, according to court documents.

The Muhlenberg County Sheriff's Office confirmed to wbko.com that it is not involved in the investigation. The Central City Police Department, which is leading the case, had not responded to a request for comment at the time of publication.

Source: Google News MT — Crime (en)