Richard Dyson disappeared without a trace in November 2019, sparking an extensive investigation. It was not until July 2025 that Detective Constable Tom Ryan uncovered a critical piece of evidence: a 2019 diary entry belonging to a local farmer, Ian Ollerenshaw. This note detailed how Christopher Wright had dropped off an old cattle trailer at his property years earlier.
Upon investigating the trailer, authorities found a blue barrel hidden under debris. Inside, they discovered human remains encased in concrete. Subsequent forensic analysis confirmed the body belonged to Dyson, who had been shot and dismembered. Police also recovered an ID card belonging to Wright at the scene.
The investigation revealed that Dyson had been living and working on Wright’s farm in Barnsley at the time of his death. During court proceedings, it emerged that Wright, a former butcher, had amassed an enormous collection of illegal weapons, ranging from axes to various firearms. Prosecutors argued that Wright murdered his lodger, potentially due to a dispute over theft, and enlisted his childhood friend, Karl Schwalbe, to help conceal the crime.
In July 2026, a jury convicted Wright of murder and sentenced him to 35 years in prison. Schwalbe received a three-year sentence for his role in obstructing the investigation. For Dyson’s daughter, the discovery finally brought a sense of closure after years of uncertainty.
