Richard Earl 'Rick' Lawrence, a 61-year-old male resident of Perry, Missouri, died on May 5, 2014, in a rural area of Monroe County near Stoutsville. He was an avid outdoorsman who had moved to the area near Mark Twain Lake to enjoy his retirement years fishing and hunting. Lawrence had been employed as a journeyman lineman for Ameren UE for over three decades before retiring and settling into his home near the lake, where he often spent time with his family and friends.
On the morning of his death, Lawrence was turkey hunting with a partner, Kevin Sanders, near County Road 520 in the vicinity of Mark Twain Lake. The two men were in the woods when Sanders discharged his firearm, striking Lawrence. Investigators from the Missouri Department of Conservation and local authorities responded to the scene, where Lawrence was pronounced dead from the gunshot wound. Sanders reported to officials that he had mistaken Lawrence for a turkey when he fired the fatal shot.
The incident was investigated as a hunting accident by the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Monroe County Sheriff's Office. Such investigations typically focus on whether the shooting was a result of negligence or a tragic error in identification during the hunt. Reports from the time detailed the circumstances of the mistaken identity but did not immediately indicate the filing of criminal charges against Sanders. Lawrence was survived by his wife, children, and grandchildren, and was remembered by his community as a dedicated family man and outdoor enthusiast.
