VILLA RIDGE MISSOURI, A man from Villa Ridge has been charged in connection with the death of another man who was electrocuted during a suspected copper wire theft incident.
According to authorities, the incident came to light on Sunday, March 22, 2026, around 10:40 a.m., when an Ameren employee discovered the body of Cody Lashly while inspecting power lines during a reported outage near Labadie in Franklin County.
Emergency responders pronounced Lashly dead at the scene, according to court records.
Investigators reported finding a DeWalt grinder equipped with a cutting wheel attached to an approximately eleven-foot pole near the body. The scene also included a broken telephone pole and downed power lines.
Additionally, pieces of a vehicle’s side mirror, including part of the mirror housing, were recovered at the location. Lashly was found with burn injuries on his hand and cheek.
Authorities believe Lashly attempted to cut a telephone line using the grinder, which was located close to an active power line.
As part of the investigation, officials reviewed surveillance footage from nearby businesses in Labadie. The footage showed a black Dodge Ram traveling toward the area at approximately 8:21 a.m. with two individuals inside.
About 12 minutes later, at 8:33 a.m., the same truck was seen leaving the area with only one person inside. The reported power outage occurred shortly before the vehicle departed.
Investigators also noted that both side mirrors of the truck appeared intact when it entered the area, but the driver’s side mirror appeared damaged when it exited.
Authorities later identified the vehicle as belonging to 41-year-old Jerry A. Hendrickson.
According to court documents, Hendrickson told investigators that Lashly had asked him for a ride to the location and had previously hidden cutting equipment near the pole.
Hendrickson stated that he positioned his truck near the pole while Lashly stood in the truck bed. He reported that after Lashly cut the wire, the telephone pole broke and the lines fell into the truck bed.
He further stated that Lashly then jumped to the ground, where he was electrocuted upon contact.
Prosecutors have charged Hendrickson with damage to a critical infrastructure facility, abandonment of a corpse, and attempted stealing involving $750 or more.
