Eldon man charged with abandoning a corpse

MILLER COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man wanted for questioning regarding a death and drug investigation is now in custody, according to the Miller County Sheriff's Office.

Deputies took Kendrick Terrell Cook, 33, of Eldon into custody late Friday night. He was charged with drug possession and is being held in the Miller County Jail without bond.

Cook is now charged with abandoning a corpse. A court date for either case has not been set.

The Sheriff's Office issued a warrant for his arrest last Tuesday after court documents say deputies investigated a death at a home in Eldon last Monday.

A press release from the sheriff’s office states Cook allegedly ran away before law enforcement arrived.

While investigating, according to a probable cause statement, investigators found a baggie on the floor of the living room of the home that contained a white powder as well as a modified straw that was describe to be used to inhale cocaine. The straw was then tested and showed positive for cocaine, according to the statement.

Text messages reviewed by law enforcement appeared to show the victim and Cook received cocaine and “were going to party one last time before they separated due to the defendant finding out that the victim had been unfaithful in their relationship,” court documents say. Cook and the victim had been living in the apartment together since 2022, the statement says.

Cook’s mother allegedly told deputies that she arrived to the apartment to drop off his children. She told deputies that Cook was apparently nervous and “not acting right and appeared to be on some type of substance.”

The investigation is ongoing.