A six-year investigation into the disappearance of Richard Dyson culminated in the conviction of two men after a detective discovered a crucial diary entry. Det Con Tom Ryan identified an old cattle trailer mentioned in a diary as the key to solving the 2019 murder.
Richard Dyson, 55, was last seen alive on November 17, 2019, and was reported missing eight days later when he failed to meet his daughter, Bethany. "He was by all accounts a very good father, and he was regularly in contact with his daughter Bethany who was, I believe, 19 at the time of his disappearance. It was totally out of character," Ryan recalled. "It was clear that he had disappeared off the face of the Earth."
Dyson had been living in his car at Parkside Cottage on Christopher Wright's farm in Barnsley and assisting with farm jobs. A search of the farm uncovered illegal weapons belonging to Wright but no sign of Dyson. However, his phone records indicated it had never left the farm premises.
Police suspected from the outset that Wright, 73, and his childhood friend, Karl Schwalbe, 72, were responsible for Dyson's death. "We very much suspected their involvement, but without a body it's very difficult to prove murder," Ryan stated.
The Breakthrough
The investigation gained significant traction when Det Con Ryan encountered a diary entry referencing an old cattle trailer. This detail, combined with other evidence, allowed police to pinpoint the location where Dyson's remains were likely disposed of.
This clue led investigators to a blue animal trailer, which was subsequently searched. Evidence recovered from the trailer was instrumental in the prosecution of Wright and Schwalbe.
Conviction and Sentencing
On July 28, Wright and Schwalbe were convicted for their roles in Dyson's disappearance and murder. Wright was sentenced to 35 years in prison for murder, while Schwalbe received a three-year sentence for perverting the course of justice. The convictions concluded a six-year wait for answers for Dyson's family.
