Missing man found dead in closet in his home — eight months later

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An Illinois man has been found dead in his own home serveral months after his wife reported him missing.

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The New York Post reports that missing man Richard Maedge died by suicide, according to the report made by Madison County coroner Steve Noon. There was no suspicion of foul play and he had no other injuries.

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His remains were mummified when he was found.

Despite complaints of a foul odour in the house and three police searches — one with cadaver dogs — Maedge’s body was not located until the dead man’s wife, Jennifer Maedge, looked into a concealed closet for Christmas decorations.

The Madison County chief deputy coroner, Kelly Rogers, said police had described the house as a “hoarder home.” This likely hindered a thorough search.

Police had reported a sewer-like smell in the house when they first searched the property, and Jennifer Maedge asked them to search again when she too smelled something off.

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A plumber’s visit to deal with the smell of “sewer gas” seemed to get rid of the odour.

Maedge was reported missing by his wife on April 27, 2022 and his body was found eight months later, on Dec. 11, 2022, according to the Troy Police department.

When reporting that he was missing, Jennifer Maedge told police she’d spoken to her husband the day before he disappeared. He had told her he was leaving work early, but for all she knew, he never came home again. 

His car, wallet and his car keys were in the house.

Law & Crime reports that the case is still under investigation, and that Maedge’s sister, Marilyn Toliver, has expressed her unhappiness with the way the case was handled.

She wants answers from the police as to how the search for her brother was conducted.