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Man abandoned friend's corpse after botched copper wire theft, police say

👮 Jerry A. Hendrickson, 41, was charged with abandoning a corpse and causing damage to critical infrastructure following a botched theft attempt at the Labadie Power Plant.

⚡ The victim, 34-year-old Cody Lashly, was pronounced dead at the scene after being electrocuted when a snapped power pole sent wires crashing onto his truck.

🔧 Hendrickson and Lashly were attempting to steal copper wire using a modified DeWalt grinder attached to a 12-foot pole near the plant on Sunday morning.

🚛 Surveillance footage captured two men in Hendrickson's Dodge Ram arriving at the site, with one leaving the truck bed to cut wires during the theft attempt.

📉 Investigators found evidence of the electrocution including snapped telephone poles, downed power lines, and a broken vehicle side mirror near the body.

🗣️ Court documents allege Hendrickson told police he fled out of fear after realizing Lashly had been killed, though he claimed to have quickly separated the truck from the live wires.

⚖️ Hendrickson faces charges for abandoning the corpse of Cody Lashly as well as causing damage valued at $750 or more and attempted theft.

🤕 The incident occurred outside the Labadie Power Plant on Labadie Power Plant Road, where an Ameren employee discovered the body around 10:40 a.m.

👥 Police confirmed that Hendrickson and Lashly were longtime friends before the fatal incident occurred during the power line tampering.

Risk Factors
  • A fatal electrocution occurred during a botched theft attempt at the Labadie Power Plant, resulting in the death of 34-year-old Cody Lashly.
  • Defendant Jerry A. Hendrickson faces charges for abandoning Lashly's corpse and causing damage to critical infrastructure.
  • The incident involved the snapping of a telephone pole and downed power lines after attempting to cut AT&T wires, posing severe public safety risks.
  • Hendrickson is charged with attempted theft of $750 or more, highlighting criminal intent toward utility assets.
  • Court documents confirm Hendrickson was charged specifically for abandoning the corpse in addition to the property damage and theft charges.
Full Analysis
A Villa Ridge man named Jerry A. Hendrickson, 41, was charged with abandoning a corpse, damaging critical infrastructure, and attempted theft after a botched copper wire theft resulted in the electrocution of his friend, Cody Lashly. The incident occurred on Sunday morning around 10:40 outside the Labadie Power Plant on Labadie Power Plant Road, where an Ameren employee inspecting a reported outage discovered Lashly's body. First responders pronounced Lashly, who was 34 years old, dead at the scene. Investigators found evidence including a DeWalt grinder attached to a 12-foot pole near Lashly's body, a snapped telephone pole, downed power lines, and pieces of a broken vehicle side mirror. Police determined that Hendrickson had been using a modified grinder to cut AT&T wires located next to power line wires when the pole snapped due to tension after the wire was severed, causing the wires to fall on his Dodge Ram truck. Surveillance footage showed Hendrickson's truck arriving at the area two hours prior with two occupants and leaving shortly after with only the driver and a damaged rearview mirror. Court documents state that during an interview, Hendrickson admitted Lashly had asked him for a ride and retrieved a grinder stashed nearby. Hendrickson recounted his account to police, stating that he maneuvered the truck under the power pole while Lashly stood in the truck bed to cut the wire. Once the wire was cut, the pole snapped, dropping electrified wires onto the truck. Hendrickson claimed he believed Lashly jumped from the truck and became electrocuted when the truck touched the grounded wires. After realizing Lashly was dead, Hendrickson told police he fled out of fear, despite acknowledging that the two had been longtime friends.