50 Years After Wife's Death, Husband Convicted of Murder | True Crime Daily Brief
Episode 422, Aug 10, 2022, 03:00 PM
Nearly 50 years after his wife's death, an 86-year-old man was sentenced to life in prison.
According to court records, Richard Pierce was convicted of first-degree murder and disinterment of a corpse April 29 and received the mandatory life sentence Friday, Aug. 5. The disinterment conviction led to Pierce serving an extra three years in Door County, according to WBAY-TV.
In 1975, Carol Jean Pierce, Richard Pierce's wife, disappeared from their home in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and wasn't reported missing for almost three months. According to a detective who worked on the case, Pierce kept his wife's body at their house before moving it years later.
According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Richard Pierce was arrested in October 2018 in Cheboygan, Michigan, where he reportedly moved after Carol Jean disappeared in September 1975. According to reports, he was a member of the Coast Guard and was about to retire.
Carol Jean and Richard Pierce "would often get into heated arguments" in front of friends or guests, according to Pierce's criminal complaint. A friend of Carol Jean reported that "her marriage to the defendant was volatile."
In one instance, Carol Jean told her neighbor that she believed the defendant was going to kill her due to bruises on her body.
Pierce and other Coast Guard members returned to Sturgeon Bay on Sept. 5, 1975. He reportedly returned the following day and said Carol Jean had "taken off" and withdrawn $20,000 from their savings account.
On Sept. 8, 1975, Pierce told his shipmates Carol Jean had left him. When Pierce's neighbor and his neighbor's wife checked on him, they noticed several of Carol Jean's items remained in the house, including her makeup and cat.
He moved to Cheboygan, Michigan, Sept. 22, 1975, just as he had planned before his wife disappeared. Carol Jean's mother called the Sturgeon Bay Police on Oct. 14, 1975, concerned about her daughter's welfare because she had not heard from her since August. On Nov. 29, 1975, he reported her missing.
According to an acquaintance, Pierce's behavior did not change significantly between Carol Jean's disappearance and his retirement.
"Pierce's demeanor didn't change whatsoever after Carol Jean disappeared, and it seemed he couldn't care less about Carol Jean's welfare," said another witness.
In October 1975, Pierce met Rose Marlene Box at a bar, and the two married in June 1978.
Pierce killed his wife, according to the criminal complaint, because he "gained numerous advantages resulting from Carol Jean's disappearance, including an unencumbered pension; most of their marriage's valuable possessions; land and a home in Michigan; a new girlfriend weeks after Carol Jean disappeared; and the benefit of Carol Jean's silence."
Pierce argued that his wife had left him and ran away, and that he was innocent, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Apparently, cadaver dogs searched his property in 2018 and detected the scent of human remains, but no remains were found.
As Carol Jean's sister said during the sentencing hearing, "Richard Pierce is a heartless, cold, lying monster, and now he is a murderer. I hope and pray he rots in prison."
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According to court records, Richard Pierce was convicted of first-degree murder and disinterment of a corpse April 29 and received the mandatory life sentence Friday, Aug. 5. The disinterment conviction led to Pierce serving an extra three years in Door County, according to WBAY-TV.
In 1975, Carol Jean Pierce, Richard Pierce's wife, disappeared from their home in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and wasn't reported missing for almost three months. According to a detective who worked on the case, Pierce kept his wife's body at their house before moving it years later.
According to the Green Bay Press-Gazette, Richard Pierce was arrested in October 2018 in Cheboygan, Michigan, where he reportedly moved after Carol Jean disappeared in September 1975. According to reports, he was a member of the Coast Guard and was about to retire.
Carol Jean and Richard Pierce "would often get into heated arguments" in front of friends or guests, according to Pierce's criminal complaint. A friend of Carol Jean reported that "her marriage to the defendant was volatile."
In one instance, Carol Jean told her neighbor that she believed the defendant was going to kill her due to bruises on her body.
Pierce and other Coast Guard members returned to Sturgeon Bay on Sept. 5, 1975. He reportedly returned the following day and said Carol Jean had "taken off" and withdrawn $20,000 from their savings account.
On Sept. 8, 1975, Pierce told his shipmates Carol Jean had left him. When Pierce's neighbor and his neighbor's wife checked on him, they noticed several of Carol Jean's items remained in the house, including her makeup and cat.
He moved to Cheboygan, Michigan, Sept. 22, 1975, just as he had planned before his wife disappeared. Carol Jean's mother called the Sturgeon Bay Police on Oct. 14, 1975, concerned about her daughter's welfare because she had not heard from her since August. On Nov. 29, 1975, he reported her missing.
According to an acquaintance, Pierce's behavior did not change significantly between Carol Jean's disappearance and his retirement.
"Pierce's demeanor didn't change whatsoever after Carol Jean disappeared, and it seemed he couldn't care less about Carol Jean's welfare," said another witness.
In October 1975, Pierce met Rose Marlene Box at a bar, and the two married in June 1978.
Pierce killed his wife, according to the criminal complaint, because he "gained numerous advantages resulting from Carol Jean's disappearance, including an unencumbered pension; most of their marriage's valuable possessions; land and a home in Michigan; a new girlfriend weeks after Carol Jean disappeared; and the benefit of Carol Jean's silence."
Pierce argued that his wife had left him and ran away, and that he was innocent, according to the Green Bay Press-Gazette. Apparently, cadaver dogs searched his property in 2018 and detected the scent of human remains, but no remains were found.
As Carol Jean's sister said during the sentencing hearing, "Richard Pierce is a heartless, cold, lying monster, and now he is a murderer. I hope and pray he rots in prison."
If you like TRUE CRIME TODAY - Be sure to search and subscribe wherever you download podcasts!
Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/true-crime-today-a-true-crime-podcast/id1504280230?uo=4
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0GYshi6nJCf3O0aKEBTOPs
Stitcher http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/real-ghost-stories-online-2/dark-side-of-wikipedia-true-crime-disturbing-stories
iHeart https://www.iheart.com/podcast/270-Dark-Side-of-Wikipedia-Tru-60800715
Amazon https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/565dc51b-d214-4fab-b38b-ae7c723cb79a/Dark-Side-of-Wikipedia-True-Crime-Dark-History
Google Podcasts https://www.google.com/podcasts?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hdWRpb2Jvb20uY29tL2NoYW5uZWxzLzUwMDEyNjAucnNz
Or Search "True Crime Today" for the best in True Crime ANYWHERE you get podcasts!
Support the show at http://www.patreon.com/truecrimetoday