Mother of Ortonville shooting suspect said she didn't see it coming

Michael Joseph Quigley found inside homeowner's car

ORTONVILLE, Mich. – Michael Quigley has been charged with eight counts of assault with intent to murder and firearm charges at his arraignment Friday. His bond was set at $8 million.

Quigley had allegedly shot both his estranged wife and her friend before leading law enforcement officers on a 20-hour manhunt that closed schools in the region. 

"He went to that home with the intent to kill both those persons," Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor Andrew Starr said.

Quigley's mother is devastated, and even in hindsight, said there's nothing she saw that could have led to this.

"None of us know why this even happened," Denise Quigley said.

Prosecutors said that Michael Quigley had been spiraling. He was being treated for mental illness and was arrested on Nov. 10 for a hit-and-run. At this time, his wife had filed for divorce.

She had asked for a personal protection order the very day she was shot.

"There were a lot of events that led up to this," Denise Quigley said. "We  didn't see this coming."

911 call released in arrest of Ortonville double shooting suspect

Authorities released the 911 call Friday afternoon of the 34-year-old suspect in the Ortonville double shooting being taken into custody.

Michael Joseph Quigley was charged with two counts of assault with intent to murder, first-degree home invasion. assault with a dangerous weapon and felony firearms violations.

Quigley was taken into custody Wednesday. A homeowner noticed the windows on one of his windows was foggy when he pulled into the driveway.

He approached and pulled Quigley from the vehicle. He told the 911 operator that he had the man face down on the ground as he waited for deputies.

Listen to the full 911 call below:

Quigley, a father of four, was arraigned Friday morning.

Prosecutors said Quigley had built a floor-to-ceiling shrine with pictures of his family and their pets at his parent's home. He allegedly left a lengthy letter before the shooting.

Quigley had been living at his sister's home for several weeks. Prosecutor's said he recently stole prescription medications from her house and had been abusing them.

Bond was set at $8 million.

Quigley wanted in double shooting

Quigley is accused of shooting his estranged wife and a man at a home in the 90 block of Village Court in Ortonville. The shooting happened before 10 p.m. Tuesday.

The victims were taken to the hospital in critical condition, but they are now stable.

A 3-year-old girl -- the male victim's daughter -- was in the home when the shooting happened, police said. She was not injured and is safe with other family members.

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office said Quigley pushed his way through a door into the apartment where the victims were visiting.

"He pushed his way into the apartment where an argument took place between those present. At this time, Quigley fired off multiple shots using a .22-caliber silver revolver," reads a statement from the Sheriff's Office. "One bullet struck the male victim in the eye and another bullet struck the female victim in the back of the head."

Police found Quigley's truck when they arrived at the shooting scene. There was no other sign of Quigley until around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, when his cellphone and the .22-caliber handgun were found in a bush near the scene.

Homeowner finds suspected shooter in fogged-up car

The homeowner who helped police end a long manhunt in Oakland County spoke to Local 4 after he discovered the fugitive hiding on his property.

The man didn't want to give his name, but he described how he found Quigley, who was wanted in connection with the Tuesday shooting of his estranged wife and her friend at an apartment in Ortonville.

"About 5:15 this afternoon, a resident here in the township contacted our sheriff's dispatch expressing concerns over one of his vehicles on his property," said Sgt. Gary Miller, of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office. "Approximately five minutes later, the suspect was taken into custody without incident."

The homeowner said he noticed something was wrong when he pulled into his driveway and couldn't see into his other vehicle because the windows were so foggy.

"I was pulling down the driveway," he said. "I saw the windows were fogged up. I stopped to check it out and he was under a blanket in the back."

The homeowner said he pulled Quigley out of the car and called 911.

"I had him on the ground," he said. "I stayed on the phone with 911 and within minutes the SWAT team came out of the woods and took it from there."

You can watch the full interview with the homeowner in the video posted above.

Quigley looked 'disheveled and tired'

The homeowner said he was armed when he pulled Quigley out of the car.

"I told him that it was over, that everything was OK, that I wasn't going to harm him," he said.

The homeowner said Quigley was "disheveled and tired."

He said his family was inside the house while he was dealing with Quigley.

"My neighbor came out to let his dogs out and I was whistling to him to get his attention, and he came out," he said. "Before he even got to me, the SWAT team came out of the woods and told him to go back in."

He said the SWAT team was within 50 yards of the spot where he found Quigley.

Police began the manhunt Tuesday night, and continued searching for nearly 24 hours. They believed Quigley was armed and dangerous until they found a .22-caliber handgun and a cellphone in a bush near the shooting scene.

"I haven't really slept," he said. "I haven't slept. I went to work. I work really close, so we were on high alert there, too. I'm just glad it's over and I really just want to have a pizza with my wife and daughter for our 15th anniversary."

He said he's not sure how long Quigley had been hiding in the car, but it looked as if he had been awake for a long time.

"It looked like he had been up for a long time," he said. "(He looked) cold, and he didn't really respond except for doing exactly what I told him to.

"I just told him to get on the ground and that everything was over, and that I had a weapon on him and I'm calling 911, and that's about it."

He said he was "absolutely" concerned that Quigley might have had a weapon, which is why he was armed during the incident.

"Once I got him facedown, that was it," he said.

Police 'relieved' after long manhunt ends

Miller said he's "very relieved" that the search ended with an arrest.

"It's been a tremendous effort by everyone," Miller said. "I can't help the residents of the township and the people of the village for all the calls they gave us. ... It was a great effort by everyone and we're glad it's over."

Miller said Quigley is being held at the Oakland County Jail and will be interviewed by detectives.

Quigley doesn't have any injuries.

"I've been on the phone with the FBI, the Border Patrol was out here," Miller said. "Our Violent Crime Task Force with the FBI came out for assistance. We have K-9 units from West Bloomfield and Rochester City. The (Michigan State Police) were getting ready, we told them once these dogs get a little tired we were going to bring their dogs over to relieve them. So just a tremendous effort."

You can watch the full update from Miller below:

Couple was going through divorce

Quigley's estranged wife filed for divorce Nov. 7, according to officials.

"We know that he was distraught over their separation," said Capt. Gary Miller, of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office.

Police said the woman was in the process of obtaining a personal protection order against Quigley and was due for a hearing Wednesday.

Quigley recently involved in hit-and-run

Police said Quigley was arrested Friday and held in the Oakland County Jail in connection with a hit-and-run crash.

He was released on bond the following day, when he voluntarily checked himself in to Common Ground, where family members said he was seeking treatment for an opiate addition, police said.

Manhunt causes school closures

The search forced several school districts to close Wednesday as a precaution.

Quigley was wrestling coach

Lake Orion Community Schools said Quigley was a wrestling coach at a middle school in the district. The district would not say at which middle school he was working. The district said he was a seasonal coach and never worked as a teacher in the district.

Previous coverage


About the Authors:

Derick is the Lead Digital Editor for ClickOnDetroit and has been with Local 4 News since April 2013. Derick specializes in breaking news, crime and local sports.

Local 4 Defender Shawn Ley is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been with Local 4 News for more than a decade.