Maple Grove man who killed wife and hid her body in crawl space kills himself in jail

July 27, 2020 at 1:44PM
Joshua Fury
Joshua Fury (Marci Schmitt/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

A Maple Grove man who was to be sentenced this week for killing his wife and hiding her body in a crawl space under their home killed himself in jail.

Joshua Fury, 29, died by suicide at Hennepin County jail on Saturday night, according to the Medical Examiner's Office.

Fury was charged in May with second-degree murder with intent in the killing of Maria Fury, 28. He faked her disappearance April 30 and buried her in the crawl space under their home in the 11000 block of Red Fox Drive.

On July 14, he pleaded guilty and was expected to be sentenced Friday to 38 years. With credit for time served and conditions of the plea agreement, he was looking at 25 years in prison.

Fury was housed in a cell by himself at the time of his death, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. Deputies found him unresponsive in his cell during inmate health and wellness checks. Deputies and paramedics performed CPR to no avail.

Charging documents said he attempted suicide after killing his wife.

Leading up to the murder, the couple had been arguing about her leaving him, according to prosecutors, and marital problems worsened with the pandemic.

Police searched for Maria Fury with helicopters and on the ground, in area lakes and woods. She was found in their home May 2.

Her family created Maria's Voice in her honor, along with a fundraiser to benefit Cornerstone, a local domestic violence agency. Nearly $28,000 has been raised.

Kim Hyatt • 612-673-4751

Maria Fury
Maria Fury (Marci Schmitt/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

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Kim Hyatt

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Kim Hyatt reports on North Central Minnesota. She previously covered Hennepin County courts.

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