Step-grandfather of 11-month-old boy found dead arrested in connection to infant’s death

MUHLENBERG CO., Ky. (WFIE/Gray News) - Another arrest has been made in connection with the investigation into a baby’s death in Kentucky.

Jeff Barnett is charged with tampering with physical evidence.

His citation shows he had a warrant and was arrested at a gas station in Graham.

Barnett’s address is listed as the same home on Hillview Street in Cleaton where police say the body of 11-month-old Grayson Walton was discovered.

Police said that he is Walton’s step-grandfather.

What happened

According to a press release, Central City police were called out to a home on Harrison Avenue for a disturbance on Saturday, Sept. 12. When they got there, officers said they spoke with Walton’s father, who said Walton was supposed to be in the care of Elijah Mayes while he was at work.

Mayes told officers a friend picked Walton up on Sept. 11. That friend denied picking him up, police said.

A family member said they last saw him on Friday.

Investigators searched a home and car and found suspected methamphetamine.

A second home was searched. There, they found Walton’s body.

Mayes was charged with murder, criminal abuse in the first degree, tampering with physical evidence, abuse of a corpse and possession of a controlled substance - 1st (methamphetamine). He appeared in court Thursday morning.