Gloria Dickinson, 56, was found dead on Oct. 27 in a house located at 41 North Douglas Ave., where neighbors said she lived for several years with Beedy. Dickinson’s family reported her missing in October, after not seeing her since Sept. 13.
According to a Springfield Police Division incident report, police searched the left half of the duplex on Oct. 18 last year, after Dickinson’s relatives reported her missing.
Beedy gave officers permission to search the space, but police found nothing.
Dickinson was found weeks later on the other half of the duplex. Assistant prosecutor Rebekah Sinnott on Monday said Dickinson was found covered in trash and debris that “clearly didn’t fall from the sky.”
Final autopsy findings show that Dickinson’s body was in an advanced state of decomposition, which limited the coroner’s internal organ examination. Her cause of death is listed as “undetermined,” according to the final report.
Prosecution recommended a prison sentence for Beedy, who has two prior felonies.
Attorney Seth Schertzinger, who was representing Beedy, said the incident was the “worst possible case of hoarding” and requested community control or treatment at a residential facility for the man.
Several friends and relatives of Dickinson submitted letters to O’Neill detailing the impact the case had on them. One person, her brother James, was permitted to speak during Monday’s sentencing.
“You knew, all along, that Gloria was deceased, lying a few feet away,” he said through tears. “She deserved so much better from you.”
Beedy declined to make a statement during the hearing.
Fliers honoring Dickinson were found posted around the neighborhood where she once lived on Friday afternoon.
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