Illinois woman discovers dead husband in closet months after disappearance
Officials searched the Troy, Illinois, residence multiple times for traces of Richard Maedge
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A recent Illinois coroner's autopsy report revealed how a woman discovered her dead husband in her home more than seven months after he went missing.
Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn released an autopsy report on March 2 detailing the situation.
Troy resident Richard Maedge committed suicide in April. Before he died, he called his wife Jennifer and said he was coming home early from work.
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Jennifer found that Richard's car was parked outside their house but could not find him. She reported him missing a day later on April 27.
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Police conducted a thorough search of the Maedges' residence but could not find Richard.
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According to FOX 2 St. Louis, chief deputy coroner Kelly Rogers described the house as a "hoarder home" and said it smelled sewer-like.
When Jennifer called the police to report the odor, officials still could not find a cause. A plumber believed it was sewer gas leaking from pipes in the basement.
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Jennifer eventually found her husband's body on December 11. She went to gather Christmas decorations in a closet and discovered his corpse.
By that point, his body advanced beyond decomposition and was mummified.
According to Rogers, mummified bodies don't always have a strong odor, which is why it took so long to find.
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Authorities do not suspect foul play in Maedge's death.