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Michael Jefferson Adams
Disappeared from Abilene, Texas
June 8, 1987
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Many tips have come in over the years regarding what ultimately happened to Mike. In the past, most of those tips went nowhere. Since the launch of the website, however, we've been fortunate enough to reach individuals with knowledge about Mike's case who have been willing to provide a steady stream of credible tips directly through our pages. While investigators have not been able to share with us every detail that they know about what may have happened to Mike, the amount of credible tips that we're continuing to receive has sparked a renewed interest in Mike's open and active investigation.
On the Details Of Disappearance page, you'll find information about the last time that Mike was seen, and speculative tips and information that we're hoping to receive more details about. The Case Discussion section, however, is where |
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you can find facts about Mike's case that have been verified as accurate. The details in this section have been culled from Mike's investigators, family, friends and co-workers. This section will be updated each time a new tip or research item has been verified as credible.
This list was last updated on September 21, 2009.
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- Recently, some members of the Alardin and Rodriguez families contacted the Abilene Police Department to complain that our search for answers that we believe they have about Michael's disappearance amounted to harassment. We have simply informed them that we have reason to believe they have important information regarding Michael, and this is based on numerous tips that have come in about his disappearance. If so, we hoped they would do the right thing and come forward. If, however, they were hoping these complaints would act as deterrents to prevent us from continuing the search for Michael, let us be clear; it has not, and will not, work. If you have information, it's important that you come forward now. (Added 9/21/09)
- We are searching for an ex M-System employee named John Boles. We believe John left Abilene for Florida shortly after Michael disappeared. John was allegedly in the parking lot when Mike left the store on the night of his disappearance. We're hoping he can verify some information for us. If you know how to reach John Boles, please contact us. It's important that we speak with him. (Added 9/10/09)
- Mike left the store between 10:30 and 11:00 PM.
- Mike had been sent home earlier in the day to change his clothes. He was wearing khaki pants, when his manager insisted he change into black pants. When he arrived home, Mike complained to his parents that his boss had humiliated him in front of others. He dropped his wallet while changing his pants, and returned to work.
- Mike was not scheduled to close the store on June 8, 1987. He was originally scheduled until 2 PM. It wasn't until his manager, Steve, informed him at about 1 PM that he wanted Mike to go home and change that Mike was aware he would be working until store closing.
- It is difficult to overlook the fact that Mike's co-worker, Chito Alardin, drove a car that matched the description given by Beverly. This is particularly curious since Chito freely admits that he drove most of the way home with Mike on the Missing:Reward video.
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- On the Missing:Reward video produced in 1991, Chito claims that he and Mike left the store together at about 11 PM. In this version, Mike and Chito share a short chat in the parking lot, and then Mike offers Chito a bottle of warm beer from the trunk of his car.
- When Mike first went missing in 1987 both Chito and another employee, Abel Gonzalez, claimed to have been in the parking lot together talking after their shift ended. At that point, Mike left the store, alone, and got into his car without any interaction between himself, Chito and Abel. Both witnesses claim the three drove out of the M-System parking lot together, with Mike sandwiched in between Chito and Abel.
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- Chito Alardin has yet to come forward to explain the discrepancies in these two accounts.
- A third employee was known to be in the parking lot as well. He was waiting for a fourth employee to arrive as Mike closed and left the store.
- Mike, Chito and Abel all lived in the same neighborhood. It would not have been unusual for them to be driving home together.
- In 1996, Abel was scheduled to meet with a Private Investigator regarding Mike's disappearance. Abel drowned in Phoenix in a rafting accident two days before this meeting was to take place.
- In the Missing:Reward video, Mike's co-worker, Anita Wilburn, stated that she saw Mike with a bat two nights before he disappeared. Mike had the bat because he would sometimes work overnight security for merchandise that was left out for sale in the parking lot during the frequent M-System tent sales. Mike generally worked alone while watching the merchandise and had the bat for protection.
- Mike witnessed a theft in the back room of the store a few nights before he went missing. He didn't indicate that he knew the person taking items from the store.
- Mike told the store manager about it the next morning, but he was reprimanded for being in the back room in the first place. He told Michael his job was in the front of the store, and that he had no reason to be in the back.
- Mike had the store keys the night of the theft. His keys were never recovered after his disappearance.
- A key was needed to open the door to the back part of M-System, where the merchandise was being taken from. Another store employee - with a key - would have had to have opened that door in order to let the person into the store who Mike saw stealing.
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- Mike had numerous clashes with Steve, the store manager.
- In January 1987, just after Mike's early High School graduation, he had been promoted to a full-time position that included some management responsibility. Mike began having some difficulty with a few employees who believed that they had been passed over for the position in favor of the younger Mike.
- All M-System co-workers given a polygraph test in the months following Michael's disappearance passed, with the exception of one. His test was "inconclusive".
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- Though his test was inconclusive, his car did not match the description given by Beverly.
- Mike had written a formal complaint letter to the M-System corporate office over the problems with the store manager. He was preparing to send the letter a few days before he went missing, but had changed his mind. The letter covered the morale issues among the store employees, but focused specifically on the mistreatment of special needs employees by the store management.
- Mike's store personnel file was empty when investigators requested it from Steve.
- A male employee from the Pioneer Street store, who sometimes "floated" to the Mockingbird store, was allegedly attacked and beaten by a few Mockingbird employees a few days before Mike disappeared. This employee quit the same day Mike was reported missing. We are trying to locate this employee.
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