In the spring of 1992, a shadow fell over the city of Terre Haute, Indiana, with the tragic death of Michael “Mick” McCown. A 40-year-old male, McCown was found deceased on April 27th inside Sylvia's Ceramics, a shop owned by his mother where he also worked. The cause of his death was a gunshot wound, an act of violence that left the community in shock and his family devastated.
His body was discovered by a customer in the afternoon, and it was determined he had been shot in the back of the head while stocking shelves.
Investigators soon began to see a chilling connection between McCown's murder and a series of other homicides that had occurred along Interstate 70 in the preceding weeks. Law enforcement officials believed his death was the work of a serial offender who would come to be known as the 'I-70 Killer.' This individual was linked to the murders of several women who worked in small shops located near the interstate. A prevailing theory in McCown's case was that he was a victim of mistaken identity. At the time of his death, he had long hair, often worn in a ponytail, and it is speculated that his killer may have believed he was a woman.
For decades, the murder of Michael McCown and the other victims of the I-70 Killer have remained unsolved. Despite extensive investigations and the identification of a potential pattern, no arrests have been made and no definitive suspect has been publicly named in connection with these crimes. In 2021, a multi-agency task force was formed to re-examine the cold cases, bringing new technologies and a fresh perspective to the investigation in the hopes of finally bringing closure to the families of the victims. As of now, the case continues to be an open investigation, a painful reminder of a violent spree that cut short the lives of several innocent people.
