Washington County Man Charged with Murder in Death of Disabled Son

Washington Co., Mo. (KFMO) - A three-month-long homicide investigation has led to the arrest of a Washington County man in connection with the death of his 21-year-old autistic son.

In March, deputies with the Washington County Sheriff's Office were called to a residence where they discovered the victim deceased, severely malnourished, and lying nude on the floor of a bedroom in what authorities described as deplorable conditions. The room was littered with trash, empty food containers, and human feces.

An autopsy revealed the victim weighed only about 55 pounds at the time of death. The medical examiner determined the cause of death to be asphyxiation from choking on fecal matter. Investigators noted the victim’s knees were locked in place, indicating he had been immobile in the same position for a prolonged period. Detectives say evidence led them to believe the young man had been eating his own feces in an attempt to survive due to extreme starvation.

The victim’s father, 56-year-old Lawrence Andrew Riehl, was taken into custody and has been formally charged with Second-Degree Murder and Abuse of a Disabled Person. He is being held without bond.

The investigation is ongoing.