BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. — A man has been arrested in connection with the murder of 65-year-old Emmanuel Grant Jr., Baltimore County Police announced.
Police have charged Michael West, 47, with first-degree murder in Grant's death.
According to charging documents, Grant's sister called police on November 11, saying she could not reach her brother, who is diabetic and lived alone.
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Officers responded to Grant's home in the 1800 block of Snow Meadow Lane but could not make contact with anyone at the apartment.
MVA records revealed that Grant owned two vehicles: a 2016 Buick Encore and a 2019 GMC truck. The GMC was parked in front of the apartment building, but the Buick was not there.
Grant's sister called police again on November 12 to request another wellness check, but officers were still unable to make contact with anyone.
This time, officers forced entry through the front bedroom window and found Grant lying on the living room floor.
According to charging documents, Grant was discovered with his shirt pulled up to his head, duct tape on his mouth, and blood on his upper torso.
The medical examiner ruled Grant's death a homicide after discovering multiple stab wounds.
At 4 p.m., investigators found Grant's Buick in the 6100 block of Falls Road, just two miles from his house.
Family members told police that Grant had recently begun a relationship with another man, later identified as Michael West.
Detectives determined that West had been inside Grant's home after discovering he had been using Grant's internet for TextNow, a service that allows users to text and call through Wi-Fi or cellular data.
Surveillance video shows West and Grant together at Harpers Farm BP gas station on November 9 and at Home Depot on November 11.
Additional video from Grant's home shows both men exiting the building and leaving in the Buick at 11:28 a.m. on November 11.
After purchasing items and leaving the store together, Grant and West returned to the home at 12:28 p.m. Grant was never seen again on surveillance after that time.
Around 6 p.m., lights on Grant's Buick were turned on while parked in front of his apartment building. For about an hour, someone wearing dark clothing can be seen going back and forth from the Buick carrying items.
That same person got into the driver's seat of the Buick at 7:02 p.m. and drove to Falls Road, where the vehicle was later abandoned near the Falls Road Light Rail Station.
Surveillance from the station shows West walking onto the light rail train after it stopped at the Falls Road station. He was seen carrying a hair dryer, bike pedal exerciser, and a backpack while wearing the same clothes he had on earlier with Grant.
Charging documents state that West got off the light rail near Baltimore Street at 7:51 p.m., where eight minutes later, he withdrew hundreds of dollars from Grant's bank account.
After reviewing all evidence, detectives determined West committed the crime.
He is currently being held without bail at the Baltimore County Detention Center.
