Man Reported Missing Found Dead 8 Months Later When Wife Looked For Holiday Decorations

A man who was reported missing was discovered dead eight months later by his wife when she was looking for holiday decorations in their Troy, Illinois home, KTVI reports.

On April 27, 2022, Jennifer Maedge reported her husband Richard missing. She told authorities that she spoke with him the day before, during a phone call in which he said he would leave work early. By the time she got home, her husband was nowhere to be found even though his car was parked outside. His keys and wallet were also left in the home, and Troy police were unable to locate him despite searching the home twice. 

Approximately eight months later on Dec. 11, 2022, Maedge discovered her husband’s body inside a concealed closet area when she was looking for decorations for the Christmas season. His body was inside the small storage space, and according to Madison County deputy coroner Kelly Rogers his body was in a mummified state. The coroner report from Steve Nonn, released last week, shows that he died by suicide and no foul play is suspected.

During the two searches of the home, which was described as a “hoarder home,” police said there was a “sewer-like” odor but were unable to identify the source of the smell. Eventually the family contacted a plumber, who put a cap on a sewer pipe in the basement, which effectively eliminated the odor. Rogers added that the reason there likely wasn’t a strong smell coming from his body is due to its mummified state, as bodies that have advanced beyond decomposition don’t always have a strong smell.