Audrain County Sheriff’s Office requests outside investigation of possible inmate assault

The Audrain County Sheriff’s Office has asked the Callaway Sheriff’s Office to investigate a possible assault of an Audrain County inmate by jail staff.

According to Callaway County Sheriff Clay Chism, his office was asked to investigate the incident on Sunday, June 25.

Richard Henry II, a current inmate at the jail, said he was assaulted, according to the Audrain County Sheriff’s Office.

“We’re on a fact-finding mission,” Chism said.

Henry and Arline Diedrich are both charged in Audrain County with first-degree murder, among other charges, in the death of Leon Wilder III, 30, of Columbia, in July 2017.

Audrain County Sheriff Matt Oller requested the investigation by Callaway County to keep the investigation fair and transparent.

The Callaway County Sheriff’s Office will not make a final decision in the investigation. It will send its findings to the Audrain County Prosecutor’s Office, which will decide whether or not to file charges.

Sheriff Chism said he hopes to complete his part of the investigation in the next three to four weeks.