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Suspects Accused Of Kidnapping, Murder After Body Of Missing Man Found
By: WOUB News Team
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ATHENS, Ohio – The body of a man who went missing last month has been recovered in Athens County, and four men are charged with crimes related to his death.
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office began the search for Christopher Meadows after the early morning hours of July 25. That search ended on Tuesday when police recovered his body from a five-foot grave in Shade, according to a release from the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office.
Ronnie Smith allegedly directed Benjamin Cochran and William Milam to kidnap Meadows the day he was reported missing, according to authorities. Meadows died during the kidnapping.
The three men, with assistance from James Pascol, took Meadows’ body into a wooded area in Shade, dug the grave and buried him.
The Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Athens Major Crimes Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification and the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office executed a search warrant to recover Meadows’ body on Tuesday.
Authorities including the Athens County Sheriff’s Office, Athens Major Crimes Unit and the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office then went to apprehend Smith at his Meigs County home. A search warrant was issued after authorities smelled marijuana from the home, according to authorities in Meigs County. They blocked off part of the road around Smith’s house, fearing he had holed himself in. However, Smith was not at the home.
He was later located on Love Street in Logan and taken into custody with the assistance of the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office, Hocking County Sheriff’s Office and the Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Smith was arrested on felony charges of kidnapping and murder and is currently being held at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail on a $1 million bond.
James Pascol was arrested in Shade by the Athens County Sheriff’s Office on the same day as Smith.
Pascol has been charged with abuse of a corpse and tampering with evidence. He is currently being held at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail on a $100,000 with 10 percent permitted bond.
William Milam was taken into custody on Wednesday in Nelsonville by the Athens County Sheriff’s Office. Ben Cochran was also taken into custody on Wednesday in The Plains.
Both were arrested on felony charges of kidnapping and murder and are currently being held at the Southeastern Ohio Regional Jail on a $1 million bond.
This case was investigated by the Athens County Sheriff’s Office with assistance provided by the Athens County Prosecutor’s Office, Athens Major Crimes Unit, Bureau of Criminal Investigation and Identification, and Meigs County Sheriff’s Office.