Where is the Kidnapper Today?

On January 19, 2013, Cynthia Hartman fled to her neighbor’s house in Hay Township, Michigan, Gladwin County, claiming she was being held hostage by her then-boyfriend Shaun M. Cleary. He had two head wounds, later determined to be gunshot wounds, and was immediately taken to the hospital. Police immediately arrested Cleary, revealing his previous conviction for assault with intent to kill his ex-fiancée. Investigation Discovery’s ‘Cabin in the Woods’ episode titled ‘Five Days in Hell’ explores Cleary’s criminal actions and the destruction he caused to those around him.

Shaun Cleary Had Two Relationships After Being Released From Prison

Shaun Michael Cleary first came to police attention in 2000 after his then-fiancee Penny S. Doane reported him. In October of the same year, he managed to escape from the shed where Cleary had imprisoned him after stabbing him four times and drugging him. According to him, the attack occurred when he was trying to end their engagement. In September 2001, he was convicted of assault with intent to commit murder and sentenced to eight to 20 years in prison.

After his release from prison, Cleary connected with a woman from Chesaning, Michigan, through a dating app. Their first date took place in July 2010 when he took her and her son to see a movie, and they started dating in September 2010. Cleary claimed to be a financial trader working in Midland, Michigan, and said his office would move to Chicago in October 2010. She returned to Michigan in March 2011 because her office was opening a branch in Troy, she said, and she also needed to care for her father, John Cleary. On October 28, 2011, the charges against him were dismissed, and he proposed to her later that month. The couple planned to marry in July 2013, but their perception of their relationship was far from reality.

Cynthia Hartman met Cleary in a joint trigonometry class during the fall 2012 semester at Delta College in Michigan. He introduced himself as a Midland apartment owner who worked with engineers for an international company and claimed to be a former member of the military. He explained that his employer enrolled him at university to study engineering. By November 2012, he and Cynthia had started dating. She was a mother of three who had recently separated from her husband and was growing closer to Cleary. When he invited her to move to his father’s cabin in Hay Township, Gladwin County, Michigan, she felt ready to move forward.

Shaun Cleary Took Cynthia on an Errand While Holding His Hostage

Over the following months, Shaun Cleary continued both relationships; He told his fiancée in Chesaning that he was frequently on business trips to places like Paris and England, sometimes disappearing for days at a time. He did not suspect anything, as he was a constantly caring and attentive partner. However, after his father’s death on December 25, 2012, he noticed a change; He became increasingly distant and met with her less often. He explained that he needed space to process his loss. Meanwhile, Cynthia Hartman became increasingly uneasy about her relationship with him. She began to reconsider her decision and hoped to reconcile with her estranged husband, and finally decided to leave Cleary on January 15. That morning, Cleary left for work, unaware of Cynthia’s intention to leave. When he returned later, he was still at home. He told her that he was writing a letter to her and asked her to wait in his bedroom. Instead, he came back with a .22-caliber rifle and shot her twice.

The first bullet fractured his skull but did not penetrate, while the second grazed his forehead. According to Cynthia, he then tried to strangle her by taping her hands, feet and head. He said he put pressure on his chest to restrict his breathing, but gave up the effort after about 10 minutes. Cynthia recalled that after the initial attack, Cleary calmed down but continued to watch her closely, carrying his rifle at all times and refusing to leave her alone. Her hands and legs were bound with duct tape, and she said the man even attempted to drown her in a nearby lake. Despite his injuries and restrictions, he took her out on errands three times: once to get more duct tape, another time for pizza, and a third time for tacos. He even untied her once and brought her to the restaurant, but she was too scared to try to escape.

Meanwhile, Cleary’s fiancée from Chesaning became increasingly concerned about his absence. He hadn’t seen her in weeks, and she promised to come meet him soon. Cynthia’s ordeal continued until January 19. Around 9pm that night, Cleary went to take a shower and begged him not to tie her wrists again. She felt that he was becoming increasingly hostile and was afraid that her time was up. When Cleary entered the bathroom, Cynthia took the opportunity to escape and managed to hide under a tarp in a nearby neighbor’s yard. He went out to follow her, but when he didn’t see her, he got in his car and drove off to search the area. Seizing her chance, Cynthia came out of hiding and warned the neighbors that she was being held hostage. They immediately called the police, who quickly caught Cleary in his vehicle.

Shaun Cleary Serving Sentence Today in Michigan Prison

Shaun Cleary was initially held on $75,000 bail; He was facing charges of assault with intent to commit murder, unlawful imprisonment, felony firearm and possession of a firearm. On January 2, 2014, he pleaded no contest to one count of assault with intent to commit murder. In response, the prosecutor’s office dismissed the charges of unlawful imprisonment, possession of a firearm, and possession of a firearm, as well as the charges of prisoners possessing weapons and attempting to escape from prison.

Cleary, who is classified as a habitual offender, was sentenced to an enhanced prison sentence of 365 months to 65 years. As he was being led out of the courtroom, he turned to Cynthia and said, “See you soon.” Cleary is currently incarcerated at Bellamy Creek Prison in Ionia, Michigan, and will be eligible for parole in 2042.

Read more: The Best Kidnapping and Hostage Movies of All Time