Columbia man accused of dumping body in trash bin into Perche Creek

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was charged Tuesday with dumping a body enclosed in a trash bin into Perche Creek in Boone County last week.

Andrew B. Acton, 53, was arrested Monday after a surveillance photo showed his Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck with a trash bin in the bed entering Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area on May 11, according to a probable cause statement. A boater found the bin in the Perche Creek at the Providence Landing on Old Plank Road on Sunday, reporting a smell of decomposition, the statement says.

The remains of an adult were found inside, investigators say.

Prosecutors charged Acton with abandoning a corpse and evidence tampering.

Acton was pulled over and arrested Monday night, and told investigators that he could not remember anything about May 11 except for driving around all day. He did not deny dumping the trash bin, the statement says.

The victim has not been publicly identified, and the statement did not hint at Acton's alleged motive.

No hearing had been set as of Tuesday morning.