Minnesota man reports wife missing after strangling her to death and burying her body in crawlspace
HENNEPIN, MINNESOTA: A 28-year-old man from Minnesota, who claimed that his wife had disappeared, has reportedly been charged with murder after her body was found buried in a crawlspace in their home. The husband, identified as Joshua David Fury, has been charged with second-degree murder for allegedly strangling his 28-year-old wife Maria Pew Fury.
Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman, in a statement on Tuesday, May 5, said that Fury has been accused of killing Maria by putting a plastic bag over her head and burying her body. He had reported his wife missing on April 20. However, authorities found her body just two days later in the same house.
Authorities reported to the couple's Maple Grove house on 11000 block of Red Fox Drive after Fury claimed that his wife had vanished and her cellphone was found inside the house. Officials launched a two-day large-scale search with combing teams on the ground and searching by helicopter, according to the Daily Mail.
Detectives, on May 2, served a search warrant at their home after sniffer dogs detected human remains in four feet tall crawl space under the house. Officials, after obtaining the search warrant, began digging in the crawl space at their home and discovered Maria's body around 1.30 am. Police said that the preliminary cause of Mary's death was asphyxiation from a plastic bag over her head and nose.
When officials interviewed Maria's family, friends and mother, they found out that the couple was having marital issues and alleged that Fury was "controlling and possessive," according to reports. Maria's mother revealed that her daughter had decided to leave him.
Fury, who initially gave multiple statements after his arrest, insisted that he had not harmed his wife, and suggested Maria's former boyfriends' involvement in her death. However, he later confessed saying he killed his wife by strangling her as he put a plastic bag over her head, police revealed.
The 28-year-old also told officials that his mental health had been affected following the murder, claiming that he suffers from depression and had attempted to commit suicide.
Maria's family released a statement in the case, saying: "Maria Pew is a victim of a horrific, unthinkable crime. But we will not allow her to be remembered that way; Maria would hate it if the world saw her as a victim. Maria was so much more. She was our daughter, our niece, our cousin, our friend; she loved her family and was fiercely loyal. A happy, strong, resilient, supportive, and caring individual, Maria did so much in her 28 years. But she also left behind hopes and dreams, and she left undone infinite possibilities."
The family has reportedly asked people to support Cornerstone, which is an organization that works with families experiencing domestic violence. They had also initiated a fundraiser in Maria's name.
Meanwhile, Fury is expected to make his first court appearance on Wednesday, May 6. Reports state that prosecutors are seeking bail of nearly $2 million in his case.