The autopsy of an Illinois man who mysteriously disappeared in April 2022 finally revealed how his body was hidden from his wife inside their own home for eight months.
Richard Maedge died by suicide in the spring, but his body wasn’t found until shortly before Christmas, despite being inside his family home that he shared with his wife, Fox59 reported Monday. Maedge’s wife, Jennifer, told local law enforcement that her husband disappeared after leaving work early. His car, wallet, and keys were left at the home, but he was never heard from again.
Police initially searched the Maedge property for Richard, finding no trace of him, the outlet continued. Madison County’s chief deputy coroner, Kelly Rogers, said that police described the couple’s property as a “hoarder home.” While there, they reportedly picked up on a “sewer-like” odor.
REPORT: Coroner Says He Cried, Couldn’t Eat For A Week In Most Heinous Crime He’s Ever Seen https://t.co/fW0coOo8sO
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) April 28, 2022
Maedge’s wife called police at some point after the initial search and disappearance to report an odor, leading to a second search of the property. No body was uncovered during this second search, but police once again noticed the odor.
Nearly eight months after Maedge’s disappearance, he was found by his wife inside a concealed closet area. She was looking for a tote bag filled with Christmas decorations. Instead, she found her husband’s body.
Rogers explained to Fox59 that Maedge’s body had gone past the decomposition stage, and was technically in a mummified state when it was discovered. His death was ruled a suicide. (RELATED: Police Say California Man Trimming Trees Died Falling Into Wood Chipper)
This is far from the first time such a strange death has occurred. In 2022, a man who was killed 15 years prior was found mummified inside a home in Australia, the New York Post reported. Police also found a partially mummified body inside a donation bin in South Carolina in early January.