In the late summer of 1986, 32-year-old Michael Pierce Madden was a senior at Western Washington University, living in the city of Bellingham, Washington. He was last seen by his landlady on September 15, 1986, at his home. Madden, a veteran, supported himself with a Veterans Affairs disability pension while attending school full-time. After that September day, he was never heard from again, leaving behind his personal belongings and a life that seemed to have been abruptly interrupted.
His disappearance was considered uncharacteristic by those who knew him, and foul play was suspected from early on.
The circumstances surrounding Michael's disappearance quickly became suspicious. Shortly after he was last seen, a man named William Milligan, who lived in the same apartment building, took actions that raised red flags. Milligan rented a post office box in Madden's name and diverted his pension checks, as well as a substantial $7,000 GI Bill check intended for Michael's education, to that address. Furthermore, Milligan sold Michael's silver Audi just a few days after he went missing. When questioned, Milligan claimed Madden had given him the car as payment for a loan.
Investigators soon discovered that William Milligan, who also used the alias Christopher Carr, had a troubled past. He had escaped from an Ohio mental hospital in July 1986, where he had been committed in 1978 after being found not guilty by reason of insanity for raping three women. Milligan was diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder. He was the last known person to see Michael Madden and provided conflicting accounts to the police. Despite being a strong suspect in Madden's disappearance, Milligan was never charged in connection with the case. The investigation into what happened to Michael Madden remains unresolved, and he is still considered an endangered missing person. Foul play is strongly suspected in his case, which has left his loved ones without answers for decades.Last Seen: Sep 15, 1986
