James Nichols neighbors knew he had a problem with hoarding, they just didn’t know how bad it was.
In one of the seven dumpsters of junk on his property police found the remains of his first wife. JoAnn Nichols went missing in 1985, her body was found by a contractor wrapped in plastic behind a fake basement wall.
But police in Poughkeepsie, New York won’t be able to charge Nichols with the murder. He died a few days ago at the age of 82.
A forensic review determined JoAnn was tied up and killed by a blow to the head.
Nichols had always claimed his wife had left him and even had a note written on a typewriter. He also told cops she had called him once on Christmas Eve.
Neighbors told the Poughkeepsie Journal they were always a little wary. “Ultimately, we all said he did it, we automatically all said that he did something with her.'”