Top Story

Lincoln man missing for 6 months had feared for his life, ex-girlfriend told police

Prefer us on Google Learn More

A Lincoln man remains missing more than six months after family members told investigators they were concerned something might be wrong.

Police have released little information on the case, but a woman they interviewed in October about 35-year-old Phillip Madlock's disappearance told them Madlock had worried "some people might be trying to kill him."

The case was not immediately publicized by police or by Madlock's family, as sometimes happens in missing persons cases involving suspicious circumstances.

Still, court documents show police haven't abandoned their efforts to find Madlock or figure out what happened to him.

Madlock's brother first reported him missing July 10, saying he hadn't heard from him in two weeks.

At the time, a sister called his disappearance out of character and said she feared something might be wrong, police said in a Nov. 22 affidavit requesting a search warrant for Madlock's phone records.

People are also reading…

In October, police tracked down a former girlfriend, who said Madlock hadn't spoken with her since she kicked him out of her home July 18.

It was unusual for him to sever ties with everyone, the woman said.

Before their falling out, she said, Madlock had told her about several disturbing incidents that started while he was on a trip to the Dominican Republic over the summer.

There, Madlock said he met a woman and quickly became adamant that he needed to send her money to buy a home, the former girlfriend told police.

He also talked of borrowing $2,000 from "some Crips in California" who he was unable to pay back, she said.

The strange behavior apparently continued when he returned to the U.S. on June 19.

Madlock asked his former girlfriend "if he could stay with her and 'lay low' because some people might be trying to kill him," she told investigators, according to the November search warrant affidavit.

He started receiving pictures on his cellphone from unknown people, showing his former residence, the former girlfriend told police. And he frequently checked windows to see if anyone was watching him.

In late June, a different, unknown woman from Omaha threatened retaliation by her family after Madlock denied being the father of her child, the former girlfriend told police.

Investigators made the request for phone records after learning Madlock's cellphone had been registered for two years under a pseudonym — "Pablo Escobar" — which his family had never heard him use, the affidavit said.

Police had already traced Madlock's phone to the Des Moines, Iowa, area between July 25 and Aug. 15, the affidavit said.

Wednesday, Lincoln Police Chief Jeff Bliemeister said the investigation is ongoing and declined to provide further details so as not to jeopardize police efforts.

Madlock is 5-foot-10 and weighs 195 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.

Police ask that anyone with information on Madlock or his whereabouts call 402-441-6000.

Madlock

Courtesy photo

Reach the writer at 402-473-2657 or rjohnson@journalstar.com.

On Twitter @LJSRileyJohnson.

Riley Johnson

Riley Johnson

Local government reporter

Close

Phillip Madlock

Madlock