In the autumn of 2011, a sense of unease settled over Delton, Michigan, with the disappearance of 53-year-old Paul Frederic Atchley. He was last seen on September 1, 2011, while staying with his roommate, Harold Ordway, at Ordway's parents' house. Atchley, a man with graying hair and blue eyes, had been residing in the back of Ordway's pickup truck on the property. The circumstances surrounding his disappearance would soon point to a grim and unsettling conclusion, leaving a community searching for answers and a family grappling with an unbearable loss. The initial report of his disappearance was filed on September 6, 2011, marking the official beginning of a long and complex investigation into what happened to Paul Atchley.
The day after Atchley was last seen, a significant development in the case unfolded. His roommate, Harold Ordway, was involved in a traffic accident in Plainwell.
At the scene of the crash, law enforcement officers made a disturbing discovery in the bed of Ordway's truck: a blood-soaked mattress, a cellphone, and a hat. The blood found on the mattress was later confirmed to be that of Paul Atchley. Investigators noted that Ordway had blood on his clothing and appeared to have grass and dirt stains on his pants, further deepening the suspicion surrounding him. Despite extensive searches of the Ordway family property and the surrounding 160 acres, no trace of Atchley was ever found.
The investigation into Atchley's disappearance soon uncovered another disturbing layer. Authorities learned that another of Ordway's roommates, Michael VanBuskirk, had also been reported missing just days before Atchley, last seen on August 27, 2011. VanBuskirk's remains were later discovered in October 2011 in Kalamazoo County. The focus of the investigation intensified on Harold Ordway, who was eventually charged with second-degree murder in connection to Atchley's death in 2013. As part of a plea deal, Ordway also admitted to causing the death of Michael VanBuskirk. It was alleged that Atchley may have been killed because Ordway had confided in him about the earlier murder of VanBuskirk. Despite the legal resolution that held Ordway accountable for these tragic deaths, the case of Paul Atchley remains open in a fundamental way, as his body has never been recovered, leaving his loved ones without the closure of a final resting place.Last Seen: Sep 1, 2011
