Joshua Maddux, an 18-year-old from Woodland Park, Colorado, disappeared on May 8, 2008, after leaving home for a walk. A nature lover and free spirit, Joshua had endured multiple family tragedies, including his older brother’s suicide two years prior. Despite his hardships, he remained optimistic and close to his family.
Days of searching turned into years with no clues until, in August 2015, construction workers demolishing an abandoned cabin just two blocks from Joshua’s home made a grim discovery. Inside the cabin’s chimney, they found Joshua’s mummified body wedged upside down in a fetal position. He was only wearing a thin thermal shirt; his other clothes were neatly folded nearby.
Teller County Coroner Al Born conducted an autopsy, finding no trauma, drugs, or suspicious marks. Initially ruled an accidental death caused by hypothermia after getting stuck in the chimney, complications emerged. The cabin owner claimed a steel mesh blocked the chimney’s top, making entry nearly impossible. Born later suggested it might have required two people to position Joshua in the chimney.
Despite multiple theories and police tips, including one suspect linked to violent crime, the case remains an unsolved mystery — a tragic and baffling story that still haunts Joshua’s family and community.
