Grayson Walton, an 11-month-old boy from Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, was found dead inside a home in Cleaton after being reported missing while in the care of 19-year-old Elijah Drew Mayes. Mayes has been charged with murder, first-degree criminal abuse, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse, and possession of a controlled substance, according to the Central City Police Department.
An infant’s disappearance in western Kentucky unraveled over the course of a single day — first as a missing child case, then as a story built on a shifting alibi, and finally as a homicide investigation.
A Disturbance Call That Became a Search
Police were called to a home in the 800 block of Harrison Avenue in Central City around 5:10 p.m. on Saturday, September 12, after a report of a disturbance. When officers arrived, they spoke with Grayson’s father, who told them his son was supposed to be in the care of Elijah Mayes while he was at work.
According to a Central City Police Department press release, Mayes initially told officers that a family friend had picked Grayson up around 10 p.m. the previous night, Friday, September 11. Officers tracked down the woman Mayes named. She told investigators she had never picked up the child.
The Story Falls Apart
With Mayes’s explanation contradicted, investigators kept working. A relative of Grayson’s told police that the last time they’d seen the child was around 10 p.m. Friday — with Mayes, at a residence roughly four miles away on Hillview Street in the Cleaton community.
Detectives obtained search warrants for both the Harrison Avenue home and the Hillview Street property, along with a vehicle connected to the case. At the Harrison Avenue residence, officers said they found what they believed to be methamphetamine. At the Hillview Street home, the search led investigators to Grayson. He was found dead inside.
Charges Filed
Mayes was taken into custody and charged with murder, first-degree criminal abuse, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse, and first-degree possession of a controlled substance. He’s being held at the Muhlenberg County Detention Center. It wasn’t immediately clear when he’s scheduled to appear in court.
As with any criminal charge, these remain allegations. Mayes is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
What Remains Unknown
Authorities have not disclosed how Grayson died, and investigators have not explained why Mayes allegedly gave police a false account involving another woman. Both remain open questions in what police describe as an active, ongoing investigation, with multiple federal, state, and local agencies assisting.
