Grand Junction, CO - On February 3, 2022, officers with the Grand Junction Police Department were dispatched to conduct a welfare check on an individual underneath the 5th Street Bridge. Upon arrival, officers discovered a male deceased in a sleeping bag. Drug paraphernalia was found nearby, and the decedent, later identified as Kurt Abney age 26, was initially believed to have died from an accidental overdose.
In January 2023, investigators received information indicating that Abney’s death may not have been accidental. Investigation revealed that Abney had been held at gunpoint by an individual and forced to ingest a lethal dose of methamphetamine.
Following a thorough investigation, detectives identified the suspect as 27-year-old Joshua Mayfield. A warrant was obtained for his arrest on the following charges:
- Manslaughter
- Assault in the Second Degree
- Felony Menacing
- False Imprisonment
- Distribution of a Schedule II Controlled Substance
On September 16, 2025, GJPD detectives located Mayfield in Cleburne County, Arkansas, and worked with the United States Marshal’s Office and the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office to take him into custody. Detectives with the Grand Junction Police Department interviewed Mayfield in Arkansas and formally charged him in connection with the death of Abney.
The Grand Junction Police Department is working in coordination with the Mesa County District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement authorities in Arkansas regarding Mayfield’s extradition to Mesa County.
The Grand Junction Police Department extends its gratitude to the Cleburne County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Marshal’s Office for their coordinated efforts in the arrest of Mayfield.
This investigation remains active, and no additional information is available at this time.