Chandra Poudel-Rimal: Husband charged with murder as Ohio woman found dead a week after she went missing

Warning: This article contains a recollection of crime and can be triggering to some, readers’ discretion advised.

CUYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO: A 33-year-old woman previously reported missing from Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, was discovered deceased in a wooded area near the Summit Metroparks Freedom Trail in Kent on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.

Chandra Poudel-Rimal was last seen on the morning of February 21, 2024, and her husband, James Rimal, 33, reported her missing. He has since been charged with the murder.

The husband informed the police that he woke up in their Cuyahoga Falls residence to find his wife absent.

A week after she disappeared, Chandra was found deceased.

Authorities have deemed her death suspicious but refrained from elaborating until autopsy results are released on Wednesday.

What are the charges against James Rimal?

According to Cleveland19, Police searched the 1300 block of Middlebury Road in Kent and found the body of the 33-year-old woman around 11 am.

Her husband had called the police to report her disappearance after waking up around 9 am, noticing her absence.

An arrest warrant was issued for James Rimal, who is presently hospitalized.

Along with murder and abuse of a corpse, James Rimal is charged with strangulation, tampering with evidence, domestic violence, and making false alarms, according to investigators.

Investigators interviewed couple’s neighbors

Investigators promptly began interviewing neighbors to locate the missing Chandra Poudel-Rimal.

The couple's shocked neighbor Dave Stuhltreher said, "It’s a shame, I mean we’re all just trying to figure out why in the world this happened. We’re all in shock."

Stuhltreher mentioned that the couple and their three children had lived at their home on Beachwood Circle for less than five years.

He added, "The family is very quiet. We see the kids playing in the street sometimes. We’ve had a community picnic out in the street a few years ago. We’ve only seen the husband maybe once, maybe twice mowing the lawn.”

What did relatives say about the Rimal couple?

A few days ago, 19 News interviewed James Rimal’s uncle, Dil Rimal, who recalled visiting the house with another relative to inquire about Chandra's whereabouts.

“Two of us went to the house and asked, ‘Where is Chandra?’” Dil Rimal said. James reportedly answered, "I’m not sure. When I woke up she was not there."

James reported his wife’s disappearance to the police late Wednesday afternoon, but only after relatives insisted.

“We were a little bit suspicious where she has gone,” Dil said. “I asked if she has taken any phone, ID, car -- he said she didn’t take anything. So what dress was on? He said, ‘I’m not sure.’ I said, ‘Let’s go to the Cuyahoga Falls police station.’”

Police have stated that James Rimal is currently hospitalized and poses no threat to public safety.

Earlier this week, a family member mentioned that James had checked himself into the hospital following his wife’s disappearance.

Anyone with information has been urged to contact the Cuyahoga Falls Police Department at 330-928-2181.