Michael Richard was found dead in late December 2021 in a bright yellow loaner Hyundai Sonata left near the partially burned Knights Inn motel in Bessemer. He was 46 and from Hoover, Alabama; the medical examiner determined a single gunshot to the heart caused his death. His wallet was missing when officers located him, though his phone remained and he was identified by an Amazon employee badge.

Richard was a prominent urban explorer who posted on TikTok under the name AloneInTheDark and had more than 325,000 followers. His family say they had warned him not to visit the abandoned motel. No arrests or publicly identified suspects have been announced, and investigators note the motel’s isolation and lack of surveillance have complicated the inquiry. The family has worked with Crime Stoppers, distributed flyers, and offered a $10,000 reward.

Anyone with information about Michael’s movements that day, or who saw the yellow Hyundai near the motel, is asked to contact the Bessemer Police Department.