Three people who were allegedly playing a game of Russian Roulette have been charged in connection with the death of a Cole County man Thursday afternoon.
Allison Maize, 21, of Henley, is charged with tampering with physical evidence and making a false report.
Lucas Abbett, 21, of Henley, is charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter, tampering with physical evidence and making a false report.
Ryan Buckley, 21, of Jefferson City, is charged with tampering with physical evidence.
The three are believed to have been involved in the death of Casey Pitman, 23, who was killed at a residence in the 6000 block of Upton Road in Henley.
Cole County Sheriff's Department probable cause statements say Abbett called authorities at 12:48 p.m., saying Pitman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the throat area.
However, investigators say they soon discovered Pitman and the three others were playing with the gun while using methamphetamine.
"Abbett described spinning the cylinder, playing a game of Russian Roulette, and pulling the trigger while in his possession," the statement read.
At first, according to Abbett, the gun was not loaded, but at some point, he put a live round in one of the chambers and handed the gun to Pitman.
"Abbett said he assumed Pitman had watched him put the bullet in the gun," the statement read. "He watched as Pitman pointed the gun at his throat and then heard the shot."
Abbett said the group decided to get rid of the gun and the narcotics after Pitman was shot, to make the scene look like a suicide had occurred.
Abbett said he was the owner of the gun used by Pitman, a SKS rifle. He said Buckley had taken the gun after the shooting, but Abbett called him and told him to bring the gun back so they could make the suicide story stick.
A neighbor said just prior to authorities arriving on the scene, they saw a vehicle speeding away from the home.
Buckley was found at his residence. In the back seat of his vehicle, authorities found the rifle.
Maize, who said she owned the home where the shooting occurred, initially said she wasn't with Pitman when he was shot and didn't know how it happened.
Deputies said she later admitted to being in the room when the shooting occurred, and it was later determined she was involved in coming up with the plan to make the death look like a suicide.
An autopsy was conducted Friday in Columbia, but final results won't be available for some time, according to authorities.