NY NY - Michael Taus, 24, West Islip, 18 June 2010

This is also the first I'm reading of this very frustrating, sad, and baffling case. I've read and re-read the thread and looked for recent news and there's nothing to be found. Like others who have posted here, I have a West Islip connection (or had one), a close college friend who is born & raised in WI, and is about the age Michael should be now. I couldn't find anything indicating where Michael went to high school, if not the public schools there is a private school where my friend went. I may have to reconnect with him to see if he knew MT or knew of him.

It appears that LE hasn't commented at all regarding this case asking for help or leads, releasing any information in quite some time. The last official word from Suffolk Cnty Police was what? Over a year ago? Have they not found anything at all? Did the forensics from his car and computer search show nothing at all? Cell phone pings provided no info? His dog was never seen? For something to happen to a solid young man and a pitbull with no witnesses and no trace is pretty significant. His car detailing business + him being a young man makes me think he may have had techy gadgets like GPS in his Jetta... was there ever information released that there were signs of robbery? I can't recall reading if his wallet, ID, credit cards, etc were missing or found.

I apologize for not quoting the post but shortly after Michael went missing, a WS'er called Suffolk PD to inquire about the case and reported back here on the thread.. .again I'm sorry for not including that in my post here. It was the most information we've been able to obtain from authorities yet it was perplexing. I wonder if it would be appropriate to inquire with them again to see if the case is still being worked or if it's gone cold... I hope it's still active and I hope Michael's family gets the answers they deserve.

The dog's presence in this case is particularly strange and upsetting to me, as a dog lover. It raises so many additional questions. It could be worth sending the JVM show an email about Michael's story, as if the case isn't puzzling enough on its own after 2 1/2 years, she may take particular interest in the dog being a dog lover herself.
 
Speaking as a local, there seems to be a general lack of follow-up in recent cases. In Islip alone, there was an 18 year-old male murdered in November of last year. At the beginning, there was a lot of local media coverage of him as a missing person...once he was recovered, the local news reported it to be a homicide. Since then, there have been NO follow-up stories as to potential suspects, etc. Last week, Newsday reported a 48 year-old man found dead of suspicious circumstances in his driveway, also in Islip. This story also has not been followed-up on in the press. I'm not sure if resources are tied up investigating the local Gilgo/Craigslist homicides on Ocean Parkway, no idea how the system works? I can tell you that many locals have expressed frustration with the lack of media follow-up on stories involving violent crimes (especially!) I find it hard to believe Suffolk P.D. (highest paid in country) are neglecting to investigate these cases, but who knows?!?!
 
Does anyone know what specific dating sites Michael Taus used? I know that it was reported that he was using "several". Match.com was one that was mentioned, but not the one I'm interested in.

I'm looking at ties to a certain "Crew" that I've discovered as being associated with a certain online dating site and another local homicide. I read the comment from the Newsday article and the word "crew" stuck out like a sore thumb, since that's what these guys refer to themselves as. If you have any idea how I can acquire this info, please let me know.
 
looks like he was on a few, one being match.com. I took this quote from the first page of this thread

Taus’ parents said their son had been on several social networking sites during the third week of June.



"I always used to tease him whenever he was going out on a date with a girl from Match.com,” said Taus.
 
Walton Ward went missing from Indianapolis Indiana bar after a blind date from okcupid.com didn't show on 10/23/12. He was found in the white river the next day.
 
Does anyone know what specific dating sites Michael Taus used? I know that it was reported that he was using "several". Match.com was one that was mentioned, but not the one I'm interested in.

I'm looking at ties to a certain "Crew" that I've discovered as being associated with a certain online dating site and another local homicide. I read the comment from the Newsday article and the word "crew" stuck out like a sore thumb, since that's what these guys refer to themselves as. If you have any idea how I can acquire this info, please let me know.


bbm - is there one site you're considering or you're looking for that info?

I can do some searching but I'm wondering if his profile(s) would still be up or if LE might have taken it down during the initial investigation.
 
Almost April 2013 - approaching 3 years now.

I cannot believe this guy just *poof* vanished from my town just blocks away from where I am typing this. Someone knows something, please talk the police. I cannot even begin to imagine what his mother is going through, as a 25 year old guy I can only think of how my parents would feel and it hurts. Even if he is dead I wish that his family can have closure.
 
May 19th now.

I cannot locate the Facebook page for him (Looking for Michael Russel Taus or something along those lines) ... has it been taken down? Does this mean Michael has been located?
 
May 19th now.

I cannot locate the Facebook page for him (Looking for Michael Russel Taus or something along those lines) ... has it been taken down? Does this mean Michael has been located?

https://www.facebook.com/groups/142643139095291/

Here's the Finding Michael Taus facebook page, but there's not been a post in almost a YEAR. And there are only 5 members....
 
https://www.facebook.com/groups/142643139095291/

Here's the Finding Michael Taus facebook page, but there's not been a post in almost a YEAR. And there are only 5 members....
Thanks! For some reason I couldent find it last night.

Ive communicated with his mother in the past (most recently in early 2012), I feel horrible for her. I can't even begin to imagine what this is like for her.
 
this case also haunts me, living on LI. i often think of him and his dog.
 
I know it's been said, but this reminds me of the Walton ward case. Also I'm interested in the "crew" tip as well
 
Just started reading this thread, and I wonder if Michael may have sensed that something wasn't quite right about this date, and he decided to bring Romeo for protection.
 
Any updates? The lack of info from police and family seems odd, even with it being a guy. You'd think the family would still be all over it. He seems young to be on multiple dating sites. The fact that he was excitedly picking out clothes with his dad makes me think that it was a date he was planning on, not a cover for something else. If it was for a cover, why wouldn't he just casually mention it on the phone? You guys have posed some great questions - I'd love to hear answers from LE.

Any idea when he moved to LI if he wasn't in yearbooks? Did calling vets ever pan out? Is there a way to contact inspctrgadget to find out if there's an update on dating sites? Not that it probably means anything but were the dog dishes found in the car?
 
Bumping for Michael! So very sad, very haunting case. Someone out there knows something!
 
Wow, I remember reading and commenting on Michael's case a few years ago. I came away thinking that it was such a weird case. I really thought that they were going to find him quickly. It's been a few years now and no updates. I checked the FB page, which was started for him and nothing. This is just so sad. I pray that Michael's family gets the answers that they've been searching for!
 
First time I've read this thread. I think the "internet date" was just a cover or a story to tell his parents, and that LE investigated this angle and found no evidence that there was in fact a date, which is why they were rather evasive when our poster spoke to them.

What he could've been hiding.. well there has been plenty of speculation already, most of it more eloquent than I could put, so I won't rehash old ground. It's just a shame the case has gone so cold after generating so little interest from the start.

Actually, this just occurred to me - could the parents have overemphasised the internet date aspect, to try and gain more attention for their son? I just say this as I've seen other more recent cases where medical conditions, vulnerability etc have been mentioned in relation to missing people. Maybe it was based on a throwaway remark made by Michael, that his family knew people would find interesting or memorable about his case. I certainly wouldn't blame them.
 

Members online

Online statistics

Members online
169
Guests online
2,194
Total visitors
2,363

Forum statistics

Threads
589,966
Messages
17,928,456
Members
228,022
Latest member
Jemabogado
Back
Top