Michael Madison

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Michael Madison
Michael Madison (serial killer).png
Madison in East Cleveland Police Dept. Booking Photo
Born (1977-10-15) October 15, 1977 (age 44)
East Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Conviction(s)Murder
Criminal penaltyDeath
Details
Victims3
Span of crimes
2012–2013
CountryUnited States
State(s)Ohio
Date apprehended
July 19, 2013

Michael Madison (born October 15, 1977) is a convicted serial killer from East Cleveland, Ohio who is known to have committed at least three murders, all of whom were women. He was arrested and charged in 2013. In 2016, he was sentenced to death. Madison is currently being held on death row.

Early life[]

Madison was born October 15, 1977, to Diane Madison and John Baldwin as the result of an accidental pregnancy. However, Baldwin has denied that he was the father and had no contact with Madison.[1]

Arrest[]

On July 19, 2013, police responded to reports of a foul odor, investigated a garage leased to Madison and discovered a decomposing body lying inside. Two more bodies were found the following day – one in a backyard and the other in the basement of a vacant house. The bodies of the three women were found 100 yards (91 m) to 200 yards (180 m) apart and were each wrapped in plastic bags. After obtaining a search warrant, police entered Madison's apartment and found "further evidence of decomposition." After a brief standoff with police at his mother's house, Madison was taken into custody without incident.[2][3]

The victims were identified as:

  • Shetisha Sheeley, 28, who had been missing since September 2012.[4]
  • Angela Deskins, 38, a resident of Cleveland who was reported missing in June 2013.[5]
  • Shirellda Helen Terry, 18, who was last seen July 10, 2013, leaving a Cleveland Elementary School where she had a summer job.[6]

On July 22, 2013, Madison was charged with three counts of aggravated murder. His bail was set at six million dollars and he also waived his right to a preliminary hearing.[7]

Trial and conviction[]

On October 31, 2013, Madison's attorney David Grant entered a not guilty plea to an updated indictment that included aggravated murder charges; prosecutors had announced that they were now seeking the death penalty, a move his attorney had tried to prevent but had expected. The 14-count updated indictment includes two counts each of aggravated murder for each victim, three counts of kidnapping, three counts of gross abuse of a corpse, one count of rape, and one count of weapons possession by an ex-convict. He had originally been registered as a sex offender in 2002 after serving four years for an attempted rape conviction, having had previous drug convictions in 2000 and 2001.[8]

Madison's trial began April 4, 2016.[9] On May 5, 2016, Madison was found guilty in the murders of Shirellda Terry, Shetisha Sheeley and Angela Deskins.[10] The jury spent less than one day deliberating before returning a guilty verdict on all 13 counts. Madison told the court he planned to appeal to the Ohio Supreme Court.[11] On May 20, 2016, the jury recommended that Madison should be sentenced to death.[12] On June 2, 2016, Cuyahoga Common Pleas Judge Nancy R. McDonnell sentenced Madison to the death penalty.[13] During the sentencing, Madison was seen smirking which caused Van Terry, the father of victim, Shirellda Terry, to lunge at Madison in anger over his daughter's murder. Terry was released without charges.[14]

The Ohio Supreme Court voted unanimously to uphold the death sentence for Madison on July 21, 2020.[15]

Mother's killing[]

Three years after his conviction, Madison's mother, Diane Madison, was killed at her home on June 22, 2019. She died from multiple stab wounds. Three of her grandchildren were also injured in the attack.[16] Her grandson, 18-year old Jalen Plummer was charged with his grandmother's murder and three counts of attempted murder. He pled guilty to all charges and was sentenced in June 2021 to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years.[17][18]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Serial killer Michael Madison's childhood abuse used as defense to avoid death penalty". Cleveland.com. January 11, 2019.
  2. ^ After 3 bodies found, mayor warns: 'There might be more victims', CNN.com, 21 July 2013
  3. ^ East Cleveland sex offender Michael Madison to be charged Monday in deaths of 3 women, police say, Associated Press, 21 July 2013
  4. ^ "Shetisha Sheeley identified as second East Cleveland murder victim, family confirms". newsnet5. Retrieved 23 July 2013.
  5. ^ "1 of 3 East Cleveland victims identified". CBS News. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  6. ^ "Third female victim in Ohio slayings identified". CBS News. Retrieved 24 July 2013.
  7. ^ "Ohio man charged with murder after 3 bodies found". The Seattle Times. Retrieved 22 July 2013.
  8. ^ "Ohio sex offender pleads not guilty to slayings, could get death". NBC News. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
  9. ^ "Michael Madison's ex says the accused serial killer 'can't stand the female species'". cleveland.com. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  10. ^ "Michael Madison found guilty of murdering three women in East Cleveland". cleveland.com. Retrieved 5 May 2016.
  11. ^ "East Cleveland serial killer Michael Madison convicted on 13 counts: 'He will never do this again'". cleveland.com. Retrieved 6 May 2016.
  12. ^ "Jury recommends death penalty for East Cleveland serial killer Michael Madison". cleveland.com. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  13. ^ "East Cleveland serial killer Michael Madison sentenced to death". cleveland.com. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
  14. ^ "Van Terry lunges at his daughter's killer Michael Madison in court video". news.com.au. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  15. ^ "Ohio Supreme Court upholds death sentences of East Cleveland serial killer Michael Madison". cleveland.com. July 21, 2020.
  16. ^ Christina Maxouris. "Ohio serial killer's mother was stabbed to death in the home where her son had been arrested". CNN. Retrieved 2019-06-24.
  17. ^ Bingel, Julia. "Cleveland man sentenced to life in prison for killing grandma, stabbing 3 other family members". www.cleveland19.com.
  18. ^ "Man charged in slaying of serial killer Michael Madison's mother, stabbing of three sleeping kids in Cleveland". www.cleveland.com. June 24, 2019.
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