Bio

Michael Wayne Jackson was born in 1945. Before the 1986 killings, Jackson had spent time in prison and had also undergone psychological evaluation. He had a history of violent and erratic behavior. He had been released from prison several months before the crime spree that later made him the subject of a major multi-state manhunt.

By September 1986, Jackson was living in Indianapolis, Indiana. He had recently been assigned to United States Probation Officer Thomas E. Gahl, who worked for the U.S. Probation Office for the Southern District of Indiana. Gahl had been a probation officer for 11 years and was conducting supervision work when he went to Jackson’s home on the morning of September 22, 1986.

Murder Story

On September 22, 1986, United States Probation Officer Thomas E. Gahl went to Michael Wayne Jackson’s home in Indianapolis, Indiana. Gahl was conducting a routine supervision visit after Jackson had recently been added to his caseload. When Gahl received no answer at the front door, he turned back toward his vehicle.

Jackson then came out armed with a shotgun and shot Gahl at close range. Gahl died from the attack. He became the first United States probation officer killed in the line of duty by a parolee. His death later led the U.S. Probation Office for the Southern District of Indiana to dedicate the office in his memory.

After killing Gahl, Jackson fled from Indianapolis and continued a violent crime spree. He was accused of killing James B. Hall, a grocer or market owner in Indiana, during the same day’s events. Jackson then continued westward through Illinois and into Missouri in stolen vehicles.

During the spree, Jackson also killed Earl Dallas Finn, a motorist in Missouri. Reports state that Finn was shot while driving. Jackson was also accused of several abductions, robberies, and vehicle thefts as he attempted to avoid capture. The crimes triggered a major law enforcement response involving local police, state officers, and the FBI.

Jackson eventually reached the Wright City, Missouri, area. On September 22, 1986, he engaged in a gunfight with police and wounded a Wright City officer. He then fled on foot into a wooded area after crashing or abandoning a stolen vehicle. His disappearance caused widespread fear in Wright City and surrounding areas, where residents locked their doors, armed themselves, and schools and police remained on high alert.

The manhunt lasted 11 days. Jackson was considered heavily armed and dangerous. Reports stated that he had painted his face silver and black and had vowed not to be taken alive. Authorities searched the Wright City area while residents waited for news of his capture.

On October 2, 1986, police received information that a man matching Jackson’s description had been seen hitchhiking. Officers focused their search on an abandoned barn near Wright City. When officers entered the barn, they heard a muffled shotgun blast. At first, police did not know whether Jackson had fired at them or had killed himself.

Authorities surrounded the barn and attempted to get him to surrender. They used a bullhorn, helicopters, searchlights, and tear gas before entering the structure. Jackson’s body was later found in the loft of the barn. Officials determined that he had died from a self-inflicted shotgun wound to the head. He was identified through fingerprints.

Michael Wayne Jackson died on October 2, 1986, before he could be arrested, tried, or convicted for the killings. He was 41 years old. His confirmed victims were Thomas E. Gahl, James B. Hall, and Earl Dallas Finn.