Michael Madison was born on October 15, 1977, to Diane Madison and John Baldwin. His birth was the result of an accidental pregnancy. However, Baldwin denied being his father and had no contact with him.

Michael had a very difficult childhood. His mother was severely abusive, and her boyfriends also mistreated him. Later in life, Michael admitted that he had mixed feelings about his mother’s death.

On July 19, 2013, police were called to a garage in East Cleveland, Ohio, after receiving complaints of a foul odor. There, they discovered a decomposed body wrapped in plastic. This led them to find two more bodies in nearby abandoned houses. All three victims were women who had been strangled and wrapped in plastic.

Police quickly identified Michael Madison as a suspect because he lived nearby. They arrested him the next day. Madison confessed to the murders, admitting that he was influenced by Anthony Sowell, another serial killer from Cleveland.

During the trial, Madison was found guilty of multiple charges, including aggravated murder. On June 2, 2016, he was sentenced to death. The judge called his actions "horrific" and said the crimes showed a disregard for human life.

Michael Madison was held on death row in Ohio. He continued to appeal his sentence, but the appeals were denied.