CHILLICOTHE, Ohio – A convicted sex offender with a long history of evading authorities is once again on the run after his latest release from prison in January.
Michael Owes, a name long associated with crime in Chillicothe, is wanted for failing to register as a sex offender—a condition of his release. Owes had been serving time for a previous failure to register and for leading Chillicothe Police on a dangerous high-speed chase.
This isn’t the first time Owes has slipped through the cracks. In 2023, he was on the run for over a year after skipping his registration requirements. His original conviction stems from a 2019 plea deal that reduced his charges from rape to gross sexual imposition. The victim was just five-years-old at the time of the crime. Owes was originally sentenced to only two-years in prison for GSI.
A History of Evasion and High-Speed Chases
Authorities have long struggled to keep Owes in custody. In May 2023, Chillicothe Police received a tip that he was at the AutoZone on North Bridge Street. When officers arrived, Owes threw his vehicle in reverse and took off, weaving through traffic at high speeds. He nearly collided with oncoming vehicles and ran multiple red lights before he was finally captured the next day and taken into custody.
Possible Links to Local Missing Women
Owes has been named as a person of interest in the deaths of two local women. While he has never been charged in connection with those cases, his name has surfaced in several documentaries about Chillicothe’s missing women.
Now, authorities are once again searching for him.
Owes should be considered dangerous, and anyone with information on his whereabouts is urged to contact local law enforcement immediately.