A gun-obsessed landlord has been jailed for life for shooting and dismembering a man he suspected of stealing his firearms. Christopher Wright, 73, was found guilty of murdering Richard Dyson, whose remains were discovered in a concrete-filled barrel in a trailer last year, six years after he vanished.
Details of the crime
Richard Dyson was last seen alive on November 17, 2019. Prosecutor Peter Moulson KC told Sheffield Crown Court that Wright made two calls that night to his close friend Karl Schwable. The second call, at 23:05, lasted 14 seconds, and CCTV showed Schwable's vehicle heading towards Parkside Cottage at 23:23.
Moulson said: "It is the prosecution's case that Christopher Wright shot and killed Richard Dyson that night and immediately sought assistance from his friend who went and remained there."
Discovery and investigation
Two days after the murder, Wright's bank card was used to buy materials from a builders' merchants. A day later, he arranged to leave a trailer at a nearby farm. The trailer remained undiscovered for years until Richard's remains were found inside a concrete-filled barrel.
South Yorkshire Police released photos showing the trailer, a diary entry from the farm owner noting "Chris Wright dropped an old trailer here?", and a collection of weapons found at Wright's home, including guns, an axe, swords, and saws.
Verdict and sentencing
Wright was also convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, preventing a lawful burial, and multiple firearms offences. His accomplice, Karl Schwable, 72, was found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice for knowing about the murder. Schwable later confessed to seeing Richard after he was shot but claimed he did not help afterwards.
On Thursday, Wright was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 35 years, while Schwable was jailed for three years.
