Family members said Alexander Metcalf Sr. had been staying with his grandson after another death in the family.
CINCINNATI, Ohio — A 22-year-old man remained jailed Monday after Green Township police said he used a belt to strangle his grandfather during a May 15 killing at a home west of Cincinnati.
Elijah Ray McCulloch is being held at the Hamilton County Justice Center on aggravated murder and murder charges. Court records list his bond at $2 million. Police identified the victim as Alexander Metcalf Sr., whose family said he had spent his final days caring for McCulloch after McCulloch’s father was found dead days earlier.
Alexander Metcalf Jr., the victim’s son, said his father stayed with McCulloch each night because the younger man was grieving and had long struggled with mental health. Metcalf Jr. said McCulloch had been expected to attend a mental health appointment Friday, but the appointment was canceled by a doctor. “We don’t know why it happened exactly,” Metcalf Jr. said, adding that the family believes a mental break may have played a role.
Hamilton County court records say McCulloch choked his grandfather with a belt and then left the home because he knew police would be called and was trying to hide. Police have not released a full account of what happened inside the home before the killing. The case has left relatives preparing to bury two family members within days of each other.
Metcalf Jr. described his father as a loving man who gave what he had to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He said his father was with McCulloch because no one else was. “He spent his final days taking care of the person who took his life,” Metcalf Jr. said.
The case is now moving through Hamilton County court. McCulloch is due back in court May 26. Prosecutors have filed murder-related charges, and police have said the investigation centers on the May 15 death at the Green Township home.
Metcalf Jr. said the family wants the public to understand why his father was there. “My dad was there because he loved Elijah,” he said. “He was there because nobody else was.”
McCulloch remained in custody as of Monday, with his next court appearance scheduled for May 26.
Author note: Last updated May 20, 2026.