MoFreePress is releasing an audio recording involving Sgt. Detective Salerno of the Osage Beach Police Department and Melissa DeVries, which is raising questions about how local authorities and prosecutors are handling a dispute that spans multiple jurisdictions and agencies.
The recording follows Det. Salerno’s reported attempt to obtain a search warrant in an effort to locate the vehicle in question.
According to DeVries, she filed a police report against her ex-partner, Robert Cody Jr., the father of her two children. DeVries alleges she allowed Mr. Cody to borrow her 2013 Chevy Tahoe under the condition that it be returned prior to an upcoming court date. She claims the vehicle has not been returned.
DeVries further alleges that during a visit involving their children, Mr. Cody entered her bedroom under the pretense of searching for Tylenol. She later discovered that the vehicle’s title and spare key were missing from her home.
DeVries also states that she filed a theft report in November, and that the case remains pending with the Camden County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office. According to DeVries, she was informed that the matter has not moved forward because an interview with Mr. Cody has not yet been completed. She further claims that, to her knowledge, the issue involving the vehicle title has not yet been formally submitted for prosecution.
In a separate recorded conversation, an investigator identified as Andrew with the Missouri Department of Revenue can be heard stating that an individual resembling Mr. Cody. appeared on camera at the Eldon license office transferring the vehicle title into his name.
MoFreePress has also received a copy of a text message between DeVries and Salerno in which Det. Salerno reportedly states that he spoke with Jeff Smith at the Miller County Prosecutor’s Office regarding this case. This communication has not been independently confirmed by MoFreePress.
The situation involves multiple agencies and jurisdictions, including local law enforcement and state officials.
Recording Raises Questions
In the recording being released by MoFreePress, Sgt. Detective Salerno can be heard stating that the Miller County Prosecutor’s Office does not consider the matter to be a criminal case.
MoFreePress agrees with Det. Salerno and is equally as befuddled. If this set of facts does not warrant further legal scrutiny, it raises serious questions about how such cases are being evaluated.
Relevant Missouri Law
Under Missouri law:
- RSMo 570.030 (Stealing) defines the offense as appropriating property or services of another with the purpose to deprive them thereof, either without consent or by means of deceit.
- RSMo 569.080 (Tampering in the First Degree) includes knowingly receiving, possessing, selling, or unlawfully operating another person’s vehicle without consent.
- Additional statutes may apply in cases involving alleged fraudulent transfer or misuse of title documentation.
Missouri courts have historically held that consent obtained under limited conditions does not extend to permanent deprivation or unauthorized transfer of ownership, and that actions exceeding the scope of permission can meet the threshold for criminal conduct.
Accountability and Public Interest
The release of these recordings highlights a broader issue: how cases involving property, alleged deception, and overlapping jurisdictions are evaluated by prosecutors.
While MoFreePress is not making a legal determination, the facts and recordings—particularly in light of an attempted search warrant, the reported delay in prosecutorial action, and the lack of confirmed response from both law enforcement and the Miller County Prosecutor’s Office—raise questions about whether the situation has been fully examined under applicable Missouri law.
In the same recording, Sgt. Detective Salerno can also be heard emphasizing the importance of voting.
As this is an election year, cases such as this may factor into how residents evaluate decisions made by those in positions of legal authority. Voters in Miller County will ultimately decide who is entrusted with prosecutorial discretion and how such cases are handled moving forward.
Ongoing Coverage
MoFreePress will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.
Disclaimer:
All individuals mentioned in this report are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. MoFreePress is reporting on allegations, statements, and publicly available or provided information, and is not making any determination of guilt.