In a deeply disturbing case that has gripped the public, Maureen Rickards, aged 50, has been found guilty of murdering her 65-year-old husband, Jeremy Rickards, and then burying his body in their backyard in Canterbury, Kent. The horrifying details came to light during a trial at Maidstone Crown Court, where the jury carefully considered the evidence presented against her.
Jeremy Rickards was reported missing after his daughter received a series of puzzling messages from his phone. At first, Maureen claimed that her husband had gone to Saudi Arabia, but later she suggested he might have planned to end his own life. This prompted his daughter to contact the authorities about his disappearance. Jeremy’s body was eventually found buried in a duffle bag in the couple’s garden on June 26, 2024.
During the trial, testimonies revealed a grim picture of the couple’s home life. Witnesses reported hearing strange noises, with one tenant stating they “heard something heavy being hauled down the stairs at night.” A neighbor, Oksana Kandaurova, also recalled noticing a strong, unpleasant smell while working in her garden, describing it as “from rubbish or an animal corpse”.
The prosecution pointed to a history of domestic abuse leading up to Jeremy’s death. A post-mortem examination showed that he had suffered serious injuries, including “recent rib fractures” and evidence that he had been “strangled weeks before”. In a particularly chilling detail, it was revealed that Maureen had recorded herself making threats against Jeremy, saying she would “do him harm or kill him.”
James Fisher of the CPS described Maureen as “a callous abuser” who created a “web of lies” to cover up her husband’s murder. “She subjected her partner to a campaign of sustained abuse, before viciously murdering him,” he said. Fisher stressed that despite her efforts to manipulate the story of her husband’s disappearance, justice had finally been served: “Maureen lied about the cruelty and violence she inflicted on Jeremy … [she] has never taken responsibility for her actions nor shown any remorse for murdering Jeremy.”
The trial also revealed that after Jeremy’s death, Maureen used his bank cards to purchase groceries and cleaning supplies, all while pretending he was still alive and away. Police discovered that Jeremy’s body had initially been hidden in a closet in the couple’s bedroom, where investigators found large amounts of blood, consistent with the victim lying on the floor.
Sources: Crown Prosecution Service, BBC News, People
Published: Mar 17, 2025 8:45 PM UTC