After Helle Crafts, a 39-year-old flight attendant, initiated divorce proceedings against her husband, Richard, she expressed concerns to her attorneys, stating that if anything were to happen to her, it should not be dismissed as an accident. Richard, who had a history of being physically abusive, deceived Helle by falsely claiming to have cancer and was in possession of multiple firearms. Following Helle’s discovery of his infidelity, she vanished on November 18, 1986, upon returning home from a flight originating in Frankfurt, Germany.
Despite her disappearance, it took weeks before a colleague, Rita Buonanno, reported Helle missing. Richard, a former pilot and part-time police officer, provided conflicting alibis when questioned about his wife’s whereabouts, raising suspicions. The absence of Helle’s body hindered immediate arrest.
However, further investigation uncovered unsettling details. Prior to Helle’s disappearance, Richard rented a U-Haul truck and a wood chipper, claiming it was for tree-cutting purposes. A witness, Joseph Heinz, reported seeing Richard near Lake Zoar with a wood chipper late at night. Subsequently, police discovered human remains, including blonde hair, bone fragments, teeth, and clothing belonging to Helle at the scene.
Additionally, a chainsaw with blonde hair entangled in its chain was retrieved from the Housatonic River. Substantial evidence led to Richard’s arrest for Helle’s murder, despite the absence of her physical body. Following two trials, Richard was convicted and sentenced to 50 years in prison. This case marked the first instance in Connecticut where a murder conviction was secured without a body.
In 2020, Richard Crafts, then 82 years old, was granted early release for good behavior after serving 30 years of his 50-year sentence.
