By 2019, Rick was released from prison, and turned up at the Builder's Yard in Weatherfield on 31 March; demanding £9,000 owed to him by local builder Gary Windass (Mikey North). However, Gary did not have the money on him, but assured Rick he would get him his money as soon as he could. Rick threatened Gary and later showed up outside 8 Coronation Street, where he told Gary he had until 6pm the next day to get him his money; and pointed out the fact that 9 years ago, an ex-customer of his named "Joe McIntyre", used to live at the same house; until he accidentally drowned. Gary uses the money that Peter Barlow (Chris Gascoyne) gives him as a bribe to pay off Rick, but he later returns after Sarah Platt (Tina O'Brien), Leanne Battersby (Jane Danson) and Toyah Battersby (Georgia Taylor) break into his office and steal his customer's passports. Assuming Gary took the passports, Rick and Gary have a showdown in the woods where in self defence, Gary hits Rick in the head with a rock and buries his body in the woods, Later as the area became too crowded along with dogs sniffing the area, Gary then moves the body elsewhere.
