What Happened to Billy Milligan? Where is Billy Milligan Now?
by Sangamithra | Updated Jul 07, 2023
What Happened to Billy Milligan?
Billy Milligan died of cancer on December 12, 2014, in Ohio. Billy Milligan, a 22-year-old individual, was taken into custody in 1977 after being accused of the abduction, theft, and sexual assault of three women in the vicinity of the Ohio State campus. He was imprisoned for his crimes and provided with public defenders to handle his legal proceedings.
However, using a comprehensive psychiatric assessment, Milligan made a startling revelation. He claimed that he had not committed any of the aforementioned crimes. Instead, he stated that Ragen was the one who had stolen the money, and Adalana was the one who had added sexual assault.
As the process continued, it revealed the existence of eight more distinct identities within Milligan’s psyche. After thorough consideration of the evidence and psychiatric findings, on December 4, 1978, Billy Milligan was declared not guilty by reason of insanity of all nine criminal charges brought against him. This verdict acknowledged that Milligan’s mental state, characterized by the presence of multiple personalities, contributed to his actions, thus absolving him of legal culpability.
Milligan was the first defendant who was not found guilty on the basis of multiple personality disorder. According to his doctors, the abuse he had gone through in his childhood by his stepfather, Chalmer Milligan, was the cause of his disorder. Billy splits into 10 and later into 24 separate personalities that have little knowledge of each other's actions. Chalmer Milligan died in 1988 at the age of 61. He always denied the allegations against him.
Where is Billy Milligan Now?
Billy Milligan died of cancer in 2014 at the age of 59. Billy Milligan spent the majority of his life in a highly publicized and scrutinized case. Milligan was sent to many psychiatric hospitals, where they reported that he had ten different personalities. Later on, an additional 14 personalities were included. Milligan received treatment from Psychiatrist David Caul, MD, who diagnosed the additional 14 personalities.
In 1988, Milligan was released after spending a decade in psychiatric hospitals. He was discharged from the Ohio mental health system and the Ohio courts on August 1, 1991. In 1996, he lived in California, and thereafter, his location remained unknown. After several years in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, Milligan eventually moved back to Columbus, Ohio, where his sister purchased him a mobile home.
He was diagnosed with cancer in 2012. He spent his remaining life painting there until he died of cancer in 2014.
Billy Milligan
William Stanley Milligan was born on February 14, 1955, in Miami Beach, Florida. He was known for a highly publicized court case in Ohio in the 1970s. He was the first defendant with no guilt on the basis of Multiple personality disorder. His life story was popularized by Daniel Keyes’s award-winning non-fiction book, "The Minds of Billy Milligan."
Daniel Keyes’s follow-up books were released in Japan, Taiwan, France, and Ukraine under the name The Milligan Wars. Several attempts were made by Hollywood to film Daniel Keyes’s writing. Even James Cameron co-wrote a screenplay with Todd Graff for a film version. After Cameron left the project, Warner Bros. continued to develop it, starring Leonardo Dicaprio.
In 2021, they adapted it as a ten-episode television series on Apple TV, starring Tom Holland, rather than the Unrealized Dicaprio project. In 2021, Netflix released a four-part documentary entitled Monsters Inside: The 24 Faces of Billy Milligan, directed by Olivier Megaton.
Multiple Personality Disorder
Multiple personality disorder is popularly known as dissociative identity disorder and is referred to as split personality disorder. It is a member of the family of dissociative disorders and remains a controversial diagnosis.
It is characterized by the presence of two distinct personalities in one person. Genetic and biological factors play a role.
There is no medication for DID. Treatment generally involves supportive care and psychotherapy. This usually persists without treatment.
The Crowded Room
"The Crowded Room" is an enthralling psychological miniseries that takes inspiration from Billy Milligan and Daniel Keyes' non-fiction novel "The Minds of Billy Milligan," published in 1981. Akiva Goldsman serves as the creator of the series, which boasts an impressive ensemble cast including Tom Holland, Amanda Seyfried, Emmy Rossum, Sasha Lane, Will Chase, Lior Raz, Laila Robins, and Henry Eikenberry.
The plot revolves around the character Danny Sullivan, portrayed by Tom Holland, who becomes entangled in a New York City shooting incident in 1979, leading to his arrest. The narrative unfolds through a series of interviews between Danny and interrogator Rya Goodwin, played by Amanda Seyfried.
As these interviews progress, Danny gradually unveils the intricate layers of his life, delving into his mysterious past that ultimately shaped his involvement in the fateful event. Throughout this introspective journey, Danny confronts his past and grapples with pivotal moments, gradually uncovering a life-altering revelation.
What Happened To Billy Milligan? - FAQ
Billy Milligan died of cancer on December 12, 2014, in Ohio
Billy Milligan died of cancer in 2014 at the age of 59. Billy Milligan spent the majority of his life in a highly publicized and scrutinized case.
Billy Milligan was known for a highly publicized court case in Ohio in the 1970s. He was the first defendant with no guilt on the basis of Multiple personality disorder.
Multiple personality disorder is popularly known as dissociative identity disorder. It is characterized by the presence of two distinct personalities in one person.
Billy Milligan died of cancer in 2014 at the age of 59.