Audrain County inmate’s assault claims forwarded to prosecutor
The Warren County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is reviewing whether criminal charges are warranted after an investigation into claims that an Audrain County deputy assaulted a jail inmate.
The Callaway County Sheriff’s Office investigated allegations that the deputy assaulted inmate Richard Henry in June. Henry is accused in the death of Leon Wilder II of Columbia, who was found bleeding from gunshot wounds near the Boone County line in July 2017. Authorities believe Henry shot Wilder after another man arranged a methamphetamine deal between them.
The charges against Henry include first-degree murder, armed criminal action, first-degree robbery, drug trafficking and abandoning a corpse. His trial was moved to Warren County, though Audrain County prosecutor Jacob Shellabarger is still prosecuting the case.
Audrain County Sheriff Matt Oller asked Callaway County to investigate Henry’s assault allegations.
Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism said Wednesday that he had referred the investigation to the Warren County prosecutor.
Ultimately, the Prosecuting Attorney is the lawful charging authority and the one to determine whether criminal acts occurred, whether that is by Sheriff Oller, his staff, or inmate Richard Henry,” Chism wrote in an email. “By not making any arrest decisions myself, but referring the case to the Prosecuting Attorney for her comprehensive legal review, the public can be assured this investigation was handled appropriately.”
Shannon Dieckman with the Warren County prosecutor’s office said the office received the files Wednesday and they would be referred to a prosecuting attorney in the office soon. She said a timeline for completing the review had not been set.
