Wife Finds Missing Husband’s Mummified Body In Their Christmas Closet 8 Months After His Suicide

An Illinois wife found the mummified corpse of her husband buried in a closet at their home - eight months after she reported him missing .

Richard Maedge, 53, was first reported missing on April 27 2022 and police searched the home he shared with his wife, Jennifer, in Troy at least twice to try and find him. 

Jennifer did not discover Richard's body until December 11, which was eight months after he had gone missing. She found his body while searching for Christmas decorations in a hidden storage area within a closet located in their bedroom, which was infrequently visited.

On Thursday, a report released by the coroners confirmed that Richard had died by suicide. According to the report, his body had undergone decomposition to such an extent that it had become mummified by the time it was found.

The police coroner told KTVI mummified bodies don't give off odors, which may have helped Richard go undiscovered for so long.

According to Jennifer's statement to the Troy police, Richard had gone missing on April 27, 2022, after he contacted her to inform her that he would be leaving work early. When she returned home, she discovered Richard's car parked outside, along with his wallet and keys inside the house, but he was not there. The police subsequently initiated a search for the father of three, starting with a sweep of the crowded house.

They reported the foul smell inside, but decided Richard wasn't there.

Jennifer later contacted the police again to inform them that the unpleasant odor still persisted. Following her call, the police revisited the house for a second search, but their efforts proved fruitless. Eventually, Jennifer sought the services of a plumber who visited the house and reported that the smell resembled that of sewer gas, as per KTVI. The plumber then capped one of the sewer pipes, and according to Jennifer, the odor diminished.

As per the police, the closet where Richard's remains were ultimately discovered was situated in a hidden location within the house. "I had made up my mind to decorate the Christmas tree, and while searching for a box of Christmas ornaments, I stumbled upon him," Jennifer informed the Belleville News-Democrat.

Marilyn Toliver, Richard's sister, criticized the police department, stating that they could have done more to locate her brother.

The Troy police department, in response, released a comprehensive list of the steps they had taken to locate Richard, which included thorough searches of the property and the surrounding vicinity. Despite this, Jennifer expressed gratitude towards the police for their efforts.

Jennifer expressed her thoughts to Fox 2, saying that although the outcome was not what they had hoped for, at least they can now lay him to rest. She also mentioned feeling her husband's presence close to her during the time he was missing.

According to police, there is no indication of foul play in Richard's death.

According to the coroner, there were no signs of any other injuries or evidence that would suggest any suspicious circumstances surrounding Mr. Maedge's death.