A 19-year-old Lawrence man has been arrested in connection with last week’s beating of 20-year-old Travis Adams.

Barry L. Sterling was arrested this morning and booked into Douglas County Jail on suspicion of attempted first-degree murder, according to Sgt. Mike Pattrick, a Lawrence Police spokesman.

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Pattrick said police believe Sterling led Adams outside Adams’ apartment, and hit Adams with a crowbar on the head multiple times.

Pattrick said police recovered a crowbar during a search of Sterling’s home in the 700 block of Wellington.

Sterling was expected to be formally charged this afternoon in Douglas County District Court.

The arrest ends a week-long investigation into what happened to Adams, who was hospitalized June 1 after his mother found him unresponsive and covered with blood inside their apartment at Westgate Apartments, 4641 W. Sixth St.

Adams had facial injuries, cuts on his ears and multiple skull fractures, police said.

Police had been unable to get much information from Adams, who remains in critical condition at a Kansas City-area hospital, Pattrick said.

Pattrick said police had to start “at ground zero” in their investigation, and came up with Sterling as the suspect after talking with numerous acquaintances of Adams.

“The hard work has paid off,” Pattrick said.