Christopher Wright, 73, has been sentenced to 35 years in prison for the murder of Richard Dyson, who disappeared in November 2019. Karl Schwalbe, 72, received a three-year sentence for perverting the course of justice.
Mr Dyson, 55, was last seen alive on 17 November 2019 and was reported missing eight days later. His body was discovered in July 2025, dismembered and encased in concrete inside a blue barrel within an old cattle trailer.
Detective Constable Tom Ryan found the remains after reviewing phone records and speaking to farmer Ian Ollerenshaw. Mr Ollerenshaw's 2019 diary entry noted Wright dropping off the trailer at Alderthwaite Farm.
A post-mortem examination confirmed Mr Dyson had been shot with a shotgun before his body was dismembered. An ID card belonging to Christopher Wright was found alongside Mr Dyson's remains.
Police searches of Wright's farm in 2025 uncovered a large arsenal of weapons, including dozens of guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition, swords, axes, daggers, crossbows, and tripwires.