The body of a missing man was discovered in a mummified state nearly eight months after he was reported missing by his wife, New York Post reported.

On April 22nd, 2022, Richard Maedge was reported missing by his wife of 19 years. Jennifer Maedge told officers that she had spoken to him the day beforehand over the phone, and that he told her he was coming home early. When she arrived to their house in Troy, Illinois, Jennifer saw that the 53-year-old’s car was in their driveway, and that his keys and wallet were inside, but Richard was nowhere to be seen. Local authorities searched the home twice, but Richard couldn’t be located.

According to officers from the Troy Police Department, the Maedge’s home was described as a “hoarder home,” which made the search for the missing husband challenging. Despite bringing in a K-9 unit for tracking in and around the house, Richard Maedge was not found.

Around eight months later, on December 11th, Jennifer Maedge discovered her husband’s remains inside a concealed part of a closet while she was searching for Christmas decorations. His body was within a small storage space, in a mummified state, which is why there was no odor post mortem. A coroner report released Thursday reveals that the cause of death was suicide, and no foul play was suspected.

Marilyn Toliver, the sister of the deceased, has made many complaints about the Troy Police Department’s efforts to find her brother. Meanwhile, his widow praised the investigation, saying that she was grateful for their help. She has since commented that her sole focus is grieving her late husband so that she can move on.