Body of 4-year-old Johnathan Boley found days after going missing in Walker County

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The body of a 4-year-old boy who went missing in Walker County before the end of 2025 has been found.

Walker County Sheriff Nick Smith confirmed that the remains of Johnathan Boley had been found Friday morning, just a couple of miles outside his home in Jasper.

“Like so many of you across our community, we’re devastated by this news,” Smith said. “Johnathan was an adventurous boy and loved the outdoors.”

Smith did not offer any further details on the case, adding that the investigation was ongoing.

Boley and his dog, Buck, were last seen walking away into the woods away from his father’s property off Hwy. 195 in Jasper at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday. At the time of his disappearance, Boley was wearing a yellow Mickey Mouse shirt, black pants and clothing from the TV show “Paw Patrol” as temperatures in the area dipped into the 30s at night.

Smith said deputies found Boley’s dog alive next to his body.

Since Boley’s disappearance, his father, Jameson Boley, has been arrested and charged with previous warrants of chemical endangerment and unlawful manufacturing of a destructive device. Jameson Boley was first arrested Thursday after explosive materials were found in his home as law enforcement searched for his son.

On Friday, District Judge Allison M. Jones set Jameson Boley’s bond at $300,000, citing him being a “danger to the community” due to the presence of explosives at his home where children were.