Man gets nine years for role in Audrain Co. homicide

A Columbia man received a nine-year prison sentence for his role in an Audrain County homicide.

Judge Wesley Dalton sentenced Justin Traughber to nine years in prison on Nov. 16 for second-degree drug trafficking. As part of the plea, prosecutors agreed to defer prosecution on four other charges – second-degree murder, robbery, tampering with a motor vehicle and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Traughber was one of three people accused of killing Leon Wilder in July 2017. Wilder’s body was found near the border line between Boone and Audrain counties, and law enforcement arrested Traughber, Richard Henry and Arline Diedrich shortly afterwards.

A deferred prosecution agreement involves one side agreeing to do something in exchange for the prosecutor waiving action on some charges. Audrain County Prosecutor Jacob Shellabarger could not give any details on the agreement, since the court ordered it sealed by agreement of the two sides.

Diedrich pleaded guilty to drug trafficking in July, and received a 10-year prison sentence. Shellabarger said he had a deferred agreement with her, as well, but could not comment on its contents.

Henry, the man accused of shooting Wilder, faces a four-day trial for first-degree murder starting Jan. 14. Shellabarger said he will not seek the death penalty.

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