True crime Friday: Michael Madison, The East Cleveland Serial Killer

Michael Madison is a convicted serial killer and sexual assaulter. Madison murdered three women between 2012 and 2013. He was arrested and charged with the crimes in 2013. Madison received a death sentence. He is currently being held on death row in a prison in the state of Ohio.

Michael Madison's Early Years

Michael Madison was born on October 15, 1977. His parents were Diane Madison and John Baldwin. Madison never knew his father because his father would not have anything to do with his son. Baldwin has denied that he was the father. Michael’s mother was very abusive to him. She also allowed her boyfriends to abuse him. The boy never had a loving relationship with either of his parents. He was beaten almost daily with his mother showing the child no mercy.

Police Respond to the Scent of Decay

Police responded to reports of a foul odor in Madison’s neighborhood. It led them to investigate a garage leased to Madison where they discovered a decomposing body inside. Two more bodies were found the following day. One of the bodies was found in the backyard of the garage and the other in the basement of a vacant house. The bodies of the three women were found wrapped in plastic garbage bags. Police entered Madison's apartment and found evidence of decomposition. After a brief standoff with police at his mother's house, Madison was taken into custody without incident.

The Victims of Michael Madison

• Shetisha Sheeley, 28
• Angela Deskins, 38
• Shirellda Helen Terry, 18

Lady Justice

Madison was charged with three counts of aggravated murder in July of 2013. His bail was set at six million dollars. Madison waived his right to a preliminary hearing. Madison pled not guilty. His attorney David Grant entered a not guilty plea to an updated indictment that included sexually motivated aggravated murder charges. There was a 14-count updated indictment of which included 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. The court also reported that Madison was registered a sex offender in 2002.

Madison was found guilty in the murders of Shirellda Terry, Shetisha Sheeley and Angela Deskins. The jury recommended that Madison should be sentenced to death. On June 2, 2016, Cuyahoga Common Pleas Judge Nancy R. McDonnell sentenced Madison to death. During the sentencing, Madison was seen smirking. The smirking caused Van Terry, the father of the victim, Shirellda Terry, to lunge at Madison in anger over his daughter's murder. Terry was released without charges. Madison has stated that Anthony Sowell, who was also a serial killer from Ohio was his role model. Madison appealed his sentence to the Ohio Supreme Court. The Ohio Supreme Court voted unanimously to uphold the death sentence for Madison on July 21, 2020.

Diane Madison

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. Her grandson, 18-year old Jalen Plummer was charged with his grandmother's murder and three counts of attempted murder. He pleaded guilty to all charges and was sentenced in June 2021 to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years. After hearing of his mother’s death Michael Madison said he had mixed feeling about her murder. He did not go into details. Diane Madison has been accused of not only abusing her son but her grandchildren as well. Michael Madison has continued to suffer abuse at the hands of other prisoners while serving his death sentence.

Reference

Michael Madison - Wikipedia

Michael Madison's ex says the accused serial killer 'can't stand the female species' - cleveland.com

Serial killer Michael Madison's childhood abuse used as defense to avoid death penalty - cleveland.com

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