Man electrocuted while attempting to cut copper wire near Labadie Power Plant, deputies say
🔪 A Beaufort man, identified as 34-year-old Cody Lashly, died after an electrocution incident near the Labadie Power Plant.
⚡ Deputies found Lashly dead Sunday morning on Labadie Power Plant Road while allegedly attempting to steal copper wire.
⚙️ The Franklin County Sheriff's Office determined a pole snapped and fell onto the lines during his attempt to cut them.
🔋 Lashly was electrocuted when electric lines contacted him after the pole fell, according to the investigation.
🛑 Ameren Missouri confirmed no company personnel were involved in the incident and operations were not impacted.
🕵️ The investigation into the death remains ongoing as of Monday.
Bullish Signals
- , Operations near the Labadie Power Plant were not impacted by the incident.
- No Ameren personnel were involved with the incident.
Risk Factors
- Fatal electrocution death occurred near a core operational facility (Ameren), potentially raising safety or security concerns despite company denial of involvement. Incident involving theft of copper wire from electric poles highlights vulnerabilities in infrastructure protection and external threats to grid integrity.
Full Analysis
A Beaufort man tragically died after being electrocuted near the Labadie Power Plant on Sunday, March 22, 2026, according to reports from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. Deputies were dispatched to the scene at the 200 block of Labadie Power Plant Road shortly after discovering a deceased man at the location near the outer edge of Ameren property. The investigation determined that the victim was attempting to steal copper wire by cutting it from electric utility poles when the pole unexpectedly snapped and fell, causing live electric lines to contact him and resulting in his death.
Franklin County Sheriff's Office deputies confirmed the identity of the deceased as 34-year-old Cody Lashly on Monday, with the ongoing investigation continuing into Tuesday, March 24, 2026. During the incident, Ameren Missouri addressed concerns regarding their involvement with the utility lines, stating through a spokesperson to 5 On Your Side that no Ameren personnel were involved with the incident near their facility and that electrical operations were not impacted by the event. The circumstances surrounding Lashly's death remain under review as authorities investigate the theft attempt and subsequent accident at the power plant boundary.
