Five Accused Of Stealing Lion Carcass

The Muskingum County Prosecutor’s Office has filed theft charges against five people who tried to steal a lion carcass from a Muskingum County farm. It happened after Terry Thompson freed his exotic animals last month then committed suicide. Prosecutor Mike Haddox says that 21-year Joseph Jakubisin of Cambridge, 21-year-old Brian Matthews of Kimbolton, 20-year-old Richard Wedlich of Cambridge and 21-year-old Cody Wilson of Byesville will be charged with misdemeanor theft. Haddox says a juvenile involved in the case will not be identified. The Sheriff’s Department says they stopped the group after they loaded the lion’s body into the back of a Jeep several hours after the animals had been set free. Sheriff’s Deputies were forced to kill 48 wild animals after Thompson opened their cages on October 18th and then committed suicide.