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Farmer guilty of 'body in barrel' murder of lodger

Victoria ScheerSheffield Crown Court
South Yorkshire Police A side-by-side composite containing two head-and-shoulders portrait photographs against a plain light grey background. On the left side, Wright is facing directly toward the camera. He has short, light-coloured hair that appears slightly tousled. Several small red marks are visible on the forehead, and another red mark is visible on the chin. The eyes are partially open, and the face is evenly lit. He is wearing a dark-coloured top, of which only the upper neckline and shoulders are visible. On the right side, Schwalbe is also facing directly toward the camera. He has very little hair on the top of the head, with some light-coloured hair remaining around the sides. A full white beard and moustache cover the lower face. He is wearing a multi-coloured plaid shirt with green, blue, yellow, and purple tones visible near the collar and shoulders.South Yorkshire Police
Christopher Wright (left) asked his childhood friend Karl Schwalbe (right) to help him hide the body of Richard Dyson

A farmer accused of shooting his lodger and dismembering his body has been found guilty of murder.

Richard Dyson, 55, disappeared in November 2019, but his remains were not discovered inside a concrete-filled barrel in a trailer on a farm near Barnsley for nearly six years.

Prosecutors told jurors at Sheffield Crown Court how Christopher Wright killed Dyson when he tried to steal a gun from him before disposing of the body with the help of his childhood friend Karl Schwalbe.

On Tuesday, Wright was convicted of murder and Schwalbe was found guilty of perverting the course of justice.

Wright was also found guilty of conspiracy to pervert the justice, preventing a lawful burial and six firearms offences.

The court previously heard Dyson had been living in his car outside Wright's cottage on Sheffield Road in Hoyland, often helping him with various jobs like cutting hedges, mending tractors and driving him to appointments.

South Yorkshire Police A man in his mid-50s with grey hair. He is sitting in an armchair and squinting at the camera.South Yorkshire Police
Richard Dyson went missing in 2019 and his remains were discovered in 2025

The last call from Dyson's phone was made on 17 November 2019 and he was reported missing. Both Wright and Schwalbe, of Dike Hill, Low Harley, in Rotherham, were interviewed by police in the months after but denied knowing what had happened.

Jurors heard Wright was a "weapons fanatic" and "a collector", who owned a number of vintage firearms, old farm machinery and musical instruments.

Dyson's ex-partner recalled how several months before his disappearance, Dyson had found a machine gun at Wright's farm and kept it because it was "worth a lot of money".

Prosecutors said Wright became "greatly angered" when he found out about the theft and killed him "with a shotgun immediately to hand".

Crown Prosecution Service A composite of three separate photographs showing three long firearms laid horizontally on a sheet of brown paper. A white measuring scale runs parallel to each firearm, indicating that the weapons have been photographed for documentation or evidential purposes. In the top photograph, a rifle with a dark wooden stock and a black metal barrel is displayed. The firearm has a mounted telescopic sight positioned above the receiver. The barrel is relatively long and extends to the left side of the image, while the wooden butt stock is on the right. A pistol-style grip is incorporated into the stock design. The firearm is placed on a creased brown paper surface, and a measuring scale is visible along the upper edge of the photograph. In the middle photograph, a traditional long gun with a dark wooden stock and fore-end is shown. The firearm has a single long barrel extending almost the full width of the image. The stock and trigger area are located on the right side, while the muzzle points toward the left. A measuring scale runs along the bottom of the photograph. The firearm has a classic sporting-gun appearance with a simple wooden finish and metal barrel.Crown Prosecution Service
Some of the firearms found at Wright's property

Wright, who had worked as a butcher in the past, then called Schwalbe for assistance to hide the body.

In July 2025, a review of mobile phone data uncovered that Wright had called the owner of nearby Alderthwaite Farm in Hoyland three days after Dyson disappeared.

Farmer Ian Ollerenshaw told the court Wright had asked if he could store a livestock trailer on his land while he was "tidying up" his own farm, and noted the events of that day in his diary.

Ollerenshaw, who like Wright was a tenant of the Wentworth Estate, said the trailer was towed onto his land by a Fordson vintage tractor, but that he did not look inside it once it was parked.

Dyson's body was later discovered in a concrete-filled barrel inside the padlocked trailer alongside Wright's ID.

Crown Prosecution Service A large, enclosed trailer standing on a patch of dry grass and dirt in an outdoor yard surrounded by trees and miscellaneous stored materials. The trailer is painted predominantly blue and has a weathered appearance, with visible rust, dirt, and wear on the metal frame. It is mounted on two axles with four large tyres, which are also worn and muddy. The structure is tall and box-shaped, with curved metal roofing panels running along the top. A metal rail framework extends above the roof, creating a raised rack-like structure around the upper edge of the trailer. The side of the trailer is made up of multiple blue metal panels secured by hinges and fasteners. Near the front left side, there is a small access door with a handle. The rear section consists of large wooden panels framed by blue metal supports. The wood is heavily weathered and discoloured, with patches of green staining or moss growth visible across the surface.Crown Prosecution Service
Richard Dyson's body was found inside an old cattle trailer on a farm in Barnsley

Investigators later uncovered bank transactions from Wright's trip to Allendale Building Supplies on 19 November 2019, when he purchased cement.

They were able to offer evidence of Schwalbe's involvement by showing phone records of two late-night calls made by Wright to his friend on the night of Dyson's death.

CCTV footage also showed Schwalbe's Toyota Hilux travelling towards Wright's address and leaving around an hour later.

Both men denied any recollection of that meeting, but covertly recorded conversations captured after police interviews in 2021 exposed their lies.

Crown Prosecution Service A worn and heavily stained paper card or document inside what appears to be a transparent plastic sleeve. The document is lying on a rough wooden or cardboard surface and is covered with dirt, scratches, dark marks, and signs of age, making much of the text difficult to read. The card contains printed text in black capital letters. The upper section appears to read: WORSBIRD COMMUNITY PROGRAMME AIRFIELD GARAGE HOYLAND COMMON BARNSLEY Some letters are obscured by dirt and damage, so parts of the text are difficult to confirm with complete certainty.Crown Prosecution Service
Christopher Wright's ID was found inside the trailer

The prosecution were also able to charge Wright with multiple firearms offences, as it was discovered his licence to own them had been revoked in 2016.

Jurors took 12 hours and 30 minutes before reaching their verdicts following a seven-week trial.

Mr Justice Barry Cotter told the defendants he would sentence them on 6 August, adding: "You have been found guilty of the charges against you.

"Christopher Wright, there is only one sentence I can pass and that is life imprisonment. Karl Schwalbe, a custodial sentence is inevitable."

Schwalbe was granted bail until the next hearing "on merciful grounds" due to his health, while Wright was remanded in custody.

Along the left-hand side of the road, several police vehicles are parked on the verge and roadside. Closest to the camera is a large dark blue police van with high-visibility yellow and blue markings. The rear doors feature bright fluorescent red and yellow chevron patterns designed to improve visibility. Further ahead, another marked police van is parked behind it. In the distance, a third emergency vehicle displaying similar chevron markings is also visible.
Police at the scene at Alderthwaite Farm in 2025

Jamie Barton, from the Crown Prosecution Service, said despite Wright's attempts to thwart police investigations and cover up his crimes, his guilt was exposed in court.

"Wright brutally murdered Richard Dyson, and then enlisted his lifelong friend to help cover his tracks," she said.

"Schwalbe may not have pulled the trigger, but his lies and actions were part of a deliberate attempt to stop justice ever being delivered."

Leading the work on the investigation, Det Ch Insp Andy Knowles from South Yorkshire Police said Dyson's family had "endured an unimaginable wait for answers".

"Throughout this long investigation, (his daughter) Bethany and Richard's wider family have shown extraordinary strength by attending court every day and listening to heartbreaking evidence, testimonies and defence," Det Ch Insp Knowles said.

"No verdict can erase what they have been through, but I hope it brings them a measure of clarity and the first steps towards healing.

"Today, we remember Richard."

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