The Woodchipper Murder: Conviction Without A Body

Helle Nielsen Crafts lived a remarkable life. Born and raised in Denmark, she eventually settled in Newtown, Connecticut, after marrying airline pilot Richard Crafts in 1975. The couple had three children, and Helle balanced her role as a mother with her career as a globe-trotting flight attendant.

But beneath the surface of her seemingly idyllic life, trouble brewed. And in November 1986, Helle vanished under circumstances so chilling they would haunt Connecticut's legal history forever.

The Disappearance of Helle Crafts

In the months leading up to her disappearance, Helle's marriage was showing signs of strain. Suspicious of Richard's behavior, she discovered a series of long-distance phone calls that hinted at infidelity. When she confronted him, his anger confirmed her suspicions. Determined to uncover the truth, Helle hired a private investigator, Keith Mayo.

Mayo had no difficulty confirming her fears. He captured photos of Richard embracing another flight attendant outside her New Jersey home, evidence Helle planned to use in divorce proceedings.

On November 18, 1986, after returning from a flight from Germany, Helle was last seen by friends who dropped her off at her Newtown home. That night, a snowstorm swept the area. When friends and loved ones couldn't reach her in the following days, they grew increasingly concerned.

Richard offered various explanations for her absence, including visits to her mother in Denmark and a vacation in the Canary Islands. Eventually, he stopped making excuses altogether, claiming he didn't know where she was.

Friends, however, suspected foul play. They were aware of Richard's temper and remembered Helle's chilling warning: "If something happens to me, don't assume it was an accident." Her private investigator shared their suspicions and reported her missing on December 1.

A Grim Investigation Unfolds

Helle's case initially faced resistance. Richard, a part-time police officer in Southbury and a volunteer in Newtown, had connections in local law enforcement, which led authorities to dismiss early concerns. However, Mayo persisted and escalated the case to the county prosecutor, ultimately bringing the Connecticut State Police on board.

When investigators searched the Crafts' home on December 26, they found pieces of carpet missing from the master bedroom. A nanny working for the family recalled seeing a dark stain, roughly the size of a grapefruit, on the now-missing carpet. Detectives also noted bloodstains on the mattress.

A deeper dive into Richard's recent purchases raised red flags. Among them were a freezer (which was nowhere to be found), new bedding, and the rental of a woodchipper.

The break in the case came from Southbury snowplow driver Joseph Hine. On the night of the snowstorm, Hine had seen a rental truck towing a woodchipper parked near Lake Zoar. Investigators searched the area and uncovered chilling evidence: metal fragments, bone chips, and human tissue.

Among the recovered remains were a pink-polished fingernail, a tooth crown, 2,660 blonde hairs, and three ounces of tissue. Forensic testing confirmed the blood type matched Helle's, and a forensic dentist matched the tooth crown to her dental records.

Divers searching Lake Zoar found a chainsaw stained with blonde hair and tissue. Although its serial number had been filed off, forensic experts restored it, tracing the purchase back to Richard Crafts.

Reconstructing a Gruesome Crime

Investigators pieced together a horrifying sequence of events. Richard likely struck Helle in the head with a blunt object, causing the bloodstains found in their bedroom. Her body was then stored in the recently purchased freezer until it froze solid. Using a chainsaw, Richard dismembered her body and fed the pieces into the woodchipper, scattering remains near the lake.

Breaking Legal Ground

Proving murder without a body is notoriously difficult. In this case, Helle's remains - particularly the tooth crown - allowed the state medical examiner to issue a death certificate on January 13, 1987. Richard Crafts was promptly arrested.

During the trial, prosecutors bolstered their theory by demonstrating how a pig carcass run through a woodchipper produced bone fragments similar to those found at the lake. The trial began in May 1988 in New London due to intense media coverage.

The jury deliberated for 17 days, but one holdout prevented a unanimous verdict, resulting in a mistrial. A second trial, held in Norwalk, concluded with a guilty verdict on November 21, 1989. Richard was sentenced to 50 years in prison.

Aftermath

Richard Crafts served his time quietly, earning early release for good behavior in January 2020. He was transferred to a halfway house in Bridgeport.

The case of Helle Crafts remains a chilling example of how forensic science and determined investigation can bring justice even without a body. Her story serves as a haunting reminder of the darkness that can lurk beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary lives.

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