206 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.
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Description
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Michael Darnell Harris

Overview

Michael Darnell Harris (born March 7, 1963) is an American convicted serial killer and rapist from Michigan. He received multiple life sentences for four murders and one rape committed between 1981 and 1982, and is suspected in additional elderly-woman homicides. Although he maintains his innocence and DNA testing raised questions, his convictions remain intact.

Victim details

  • Edna Ryckaert, age 78 – strangled October 18, 1980 (Lansing; suspected)
  • Edith Crossette, age 83 – strangled February 14, 1981 (Lansing; suspected)
  • Ula Curdy, age 79 – strangled November 2, 1981 (Lansing; convicted)
  • Denise Swanson, age 79 – strangled November 30, 1981 (Lansing; convicted)
  • Florence Bell, age 91 – throat slashed January 8, 1982 (Ypsilanti; suspect)
  • Marjorie Upson, age 85 – raped & strangled September 28, 1982 (Ypsilanti; convicted 2001)
  • Louise Koebnick, age 84 – raped & strangled September 30, 1982 (Ann Arbor; convicted 2001)
  • Lenora Nayrhardt, age 68 – beaten and raped December 7, 1982 (Jackson; convicted)

Key dates & legal outcomes

  • December 7, 1982: Arrested at Jackson shelter for rape of Lenora Nayrhardt
  • January 12, 1983: Charged with Ula Curdy’s murder after fingerprints on chair
  • May 19, 1983: Convicted of Nayrhardt's assault and rape; sentenced to 60–90 years
  • September 27 & November 3, 1983: Found guilty of Curdy and Swanson murders; received life without parole for each
  • December 2001: DNA evidence leads to additional charges in Upson and Koebnick murders
  • 1993: Convicted of Upson and Koebnick murders; received two more life sentences
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Victims
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Confirmed Victims: (0)
Suspected Victims:
  • Edna Ryckaert Age: (77), Date of Death: 1980-10-18
  • Edith Crossette Age: (83), Date of Death: 1981-02-14
  • Ula Curdy Age: (79), Date of Death: 1981-11-02
  • Denise Swanson Age: (79), Date of Death: 1981-11-30
  • Florence Bell Age: (91), Date of Death: 1982-01-08
  • Louise Koebnick Age: (84), Date of Death: 1982-09-30
  • Killer's Details

    Michael Darnell

    Harris

    March 7, 1963 (age 61) Muskegon Heights, Michigan, United States

    Michael Stiggles

    Male

    Black

    Murder (x4)

    Life imprisonment (x4)

    4-10

    1981 - 1982

    Michigan

    December 7, 1982

    Muskegon Correctional Facility

    07/14/2025