A jury at Sheffield Crown Court has found Christopher Wright guilty of murder after the disappearance of Richard Dyson, 55, in November 2019. Mr Dyson's remains were recovered nearly six years later inside a concrete-filled barrel on a trailer at a farm near Barnsley.
Verdicts and related offences
Wright was convicted not only of murder but also of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, preventing a lawful burial and six firearms offences. His childhood friend, Karl Schwalbe, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice. Both men had faced questioning in the months after Mr Dyson went missing but denied knowing what had happened.
Jurors heard that Mr Dyson had been living in his car outside Wright's cottage on Sheffield Road in Hoyland and had assisted Wright with jobs including cutting hedges and mending tractors. Prosecutors told the court that Wright killed Mr Dyson after he attempted to steal a gun from him.
Jurors were told Wright was a "weapons fanatic" and "a collector", who owned a number of vintage firearms.
How the case unfolded
The prosecution described how Wright disposed of Mr Dyson's body with the help of Schwalbe. Evidence recovered from the farm included firearms and items linked to the investigation. The last call from Mr Dyson's phone was recorded on 17 November 2019, after which he was reported missing.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 17 November 2019 | Last call made from Richard Dyson's phone; he was subsequently reported missing |
| July 2025 | Remains discovered inside a concrete-filled barrel on a trailer at a farm near Barnsley |
| Trial date (Sheffield Crown Court) | Jury returned guilty verdicts against Christopher Wright and Karl Schwalbe |
Local context and implications
The case drew attention locally because of the length of time between Mr Dyson's disappearance and the discovery of his remains, and because it involved properties and connections within the Barnsley area. The convictions will have implications for public confidence in rural safety and the handling of firearms, and they follow a lengthy police investigation and prosecution by the Crown Prosecution Service.
- Victim: Richard Dyson, 55
- Convicted for murder: Christopher Wright
- Convicted for perverting the course of justice: Karl Schwalbe
Sentencing details and any further court directions will follow in due course. The convictions close a six-year gap between Mr Dyson's disappearance in 2019 and the discovery of his remains in 2025, but will also prompt questions locally about how missing-person reports and rural policing are handled in the interim period.
