The Livingston County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) has been busy with a variety of investigations.  Lately we have experienced several recent death investigations in addition to assisting on two pursuits and arrests over the weekend:

February 27 about 12:05 p.m. LCSO responded to a location in the Wheeling area regarding a deceased person.  Investigation shows the person was intent on committing suicide on February 21.  The deceased male was alone in the home with pets until the 27th when his death was discovered.  Various forms of evidence support the death as being suicide.  The LCSO was assisted by Chillicothe Department of Emergency Services and a deputy coroner.

March 02 at 6:55 a.m. LCSO was summoned to an address in north Livingston County where Deputies subsequently dispensed Narcan and attempted CPR on the adult female, but were unsuccessful.  Investigation continues and the preliminary investigation supports accidental drug overdose.  LCSO is awaiting the toxicology and lab report on the evidence.  CDES and a deputy coroner also responded to the scene.

March 06 afternoon LCSO summoned to a home in north Livingston County for an unattended death investigation.  Deputies forced entry into the home and found the elderly male occupant deceased.  Preliminary investigation suggests the person had passed several days ago and only indications are for natural causes at this time.  The body was turned over to the coroners office.

LCSO is still waiting on reports from the county coroner on other recent death investigations from Poosey Conservation Area on February 19, 2022.

Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of the deceased.

Over the weekend LCSO staff assisted other agencies in two separate incidents where pursuits were taking place.

The first was Sunday, March 06 about 12:06 a.m. Caldwell County officers were in pursuit of a stolen vehicle from Independence and traveling east on U.S. 36 at an extremely high rate of speed and requested assistance from the LCSO.   Deputy Wilson was in the right position and successfully deployed the spike strips near Utica on the stolen vehicle.  Although the car had a flat tire it continued to Chillicothe where a CPD officer used a spike strip and further disabled the vehicle.  Shortly thereafter officers arrested Bobbie Jo Harter, 40 without further incident.  Ms. Harter was released to the Caldwell County Sheriff.

On Sunday, March 06 about 10:16 p.m. LCSO deputies assisted Chillicothe PD as one of their officers had a vehicle fleeing when at traffic stop was attempted.  The felony fugitive subsequently fled on foot and a combination of CPD and LCSO staff tracked the suspect quite some distance and were able to arrest Truitt Matthew Caudill, 37, Wheeling on a Missouri Parole Warrant and other charges including methamphetamine violation(s), resisting arrest and traffic offenses. 

Both pursuits were stopped and dangerous people arrested due to the excellent TEAM work by area law enforcement.

Sheriff Steve Cox