Hollywood plans put Billy Milligan in spotlight again

LANCASTER – A local man's life, first documented in police and court records, then in a famous book, may appear on movie screens.

It was front-page news when Billy Milligan, then just a 20-something, was selected out of a mugshot lineup by a rape victim on Oct. 27, 1977. The Eagle-Gazette printed the headline "Accused rapist local man" the next day, detailing the rape and kidnapping reported near Ohio State University's campus.

Milligan became famous when he was the first to use multiple personality disorder as a successful defense in U.S. history at his trial in 1978. Author Daniel Keyes' wrote a book "The Minds of Billy Milligan," several years later. The book details each of Milligan's 24 distinct personalities, along with his realization in jail that he was arrested for the rape and kidnapping of three women.

Milligan's life has kept public interest over nearly the past 40 years, and with the news of Leonardo DiCaprio possibly starring as the Lancaster native in the upcoming film, his notoriety could last much longer. The Hollywood Reporter first reported the story, saying that DiCaprio, after 20 years of waiting, may finally act as Milligan in an upcoming film.

It's hard to tell whether the announcement of the film project prompted a resurgence of Keyes' book, but on Tuesday, there were 43 people on a waiting list to check out a copy of the book at the Fairfield County Main Library and its affiliates.

Milligan's famous 1978 rape trial was not his first experience with the criminal justice system. His criminal record started when he lived in Lancaster.

While Lancaster Police Chief Dave Bailey said he was working in Columbus at the time of crimes, he said he is familiar with Milligan and that he has history with the Lancaster Police Department. Milligan was first convicted of rape and assault in 1973 and later convicted of robbery and possession of stolen property two years later.

Milligan was a student whom many of his peers and teachers recall as artistic, quiet and odd, according to a Facebook frenzy of locals commenting after news of the new movie about Mulligan's life broke earlier this week.

"He was a strange character," said David Foraker, who attended Stanbery and Lancaster High School with Milligan. "To tell you the truth, I thought he was more of a con artist than anything else."

Foraker is among those who have a difficult time believing Milligan suffered from multiple personality disorder. He said it's possible, but he doubts it.

"I'm not a doctor or anything, but he if he did have all these personalities, it's sad that he would have to go through life like that," he said.

While Foraker and Milligan grew up on the same side of town and attended school together for a number of years, Foraker said they were never particularly close. In fact, he said he can't remember Milligan being close with anyone.

"He was kind of a loner, kept to himself all the time," Foraker said.

Foraker was part of the class of 1973. He said Milligan should have been, but he was either expelled or dropped out the year prior. The last time Milligan was pictured in a Lancaster High School yearbook was 1971, when he was a sophomore.

Milligan did not attend high school reunions, although he was invited. Foraker did hear from Milligan many years later when Milligan sent him a friend request on Facebook.

Aside from being remembered as odd, Foraker and others have mentioned his artistic ability and love for painting.

"Portraits were his expertise," Foraker said. "He was a good artist."

Several years after the trial, Foraker saw a couple of Milligan's paintings in a resident's home while he was working for the cable company.

After the Facebook request, Foraker saw more of Milligan's paintings on his Facebook page and said remembered thinking they were impressive.

"It was like you were looking at a photograph," he said of the portrait.

Foraker said he sent Milligan a message saying he wished they had been closer in school, but nothing ever came of it. Milligan reportedly died of cancer in December at age 59 at a nursing home in Columbus.

sroush@lancastereaglegazette.com

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Twitter: @SpencerRoushLEG