After more than seven months of searching for her missing husband, an Illinois woman discovered his remains in a closet at their home, according to a recent autopsy report from the coroner’s office.

On March 2, Madison County Coroner Steve Nonn disclosed an autopsy report that shed light on the circumstances of the discovery, Fox News reported.

Troy resident Richard Maedge, who died by suicide in April, reportedly called his wife Jennifer and informed her of an early return from work.

Jennifer reported her husband Richard missing on April 27 after finding his car parked outside their home but unable to locate him. Despite a thorough search of the Maedges’ residence, police were unable to locate Richard.

The Maedges’ residence was described as a “hoarder home” and emitting a sewer-like odor by chief deputy coroner Kelly Rogers, according to FOX 2 St. Louis.

Despite Jennifer’s call to the police regarding the foul odor, officials were still unable to locate its source. However, a plumber who was called to the house believed that it was caused by sewer gas leaking from the pipes in the basement.

Jennifer made the gruesome discovery of her husband’s body on December 11 when she went to gather Christmas decorations from a closet and stumbled upon his corpse.

By that point, his body had undergone advanced decomposition and had become mummified. Rogers explained that mummified bodies do not always emit a strong odor, which is why it took so long for Richard’s body to be discovered.

Written by staff