Sheslay Free Mike — the story of a man they just couldn’t leave alone

I recently came across a story I hadn’t heard of before. Even though it happened decades ago, it’s still captivating. It seems that all those tragedies could have been avoided if they had just left the man alone, or at least, if they had treated him with real humanity, especially since they kept interfering with his life.

Michael Eugene Oros — or, as he later came to be known, Sheslay Free Mike. He didn’t seek fame, didn’t crave power, didn’t want to ruin anyone’s life. He just wanted to disappear — into the taiga, into solitude, away from noise, control, and the system.

But it was this very attempt to live by his own rules that turned him into a “threat to society.”

📍 Born in the U.S., in Portland. In 1972 — he moved to Canada. Settled in remote areas of British Columbia, started living in the wild, off the grid.

Eventually — yes, conflicts began: thefts, unlawful entries. But it all happened against a backdrop of isolation, alienation, and distrust of authorities.

The police described him as a dangerous man. But let’s be honest — if they had just let him live peacefully in the woods, without pressure, wouldn’t things have turned out differently?

🐕 During his first arrest in 1982, Mike surrendered without resistance. He didn’t shoot, didn’t threaten. He just raised his hands.

And how did the system “repay” him?

They put down his dogs. Just like that. Even though they didn’t attack anyone. Just because they were “too much trouble.”

📍 In 1984, trapper Günther Lischy, a German immigrant living nearby, went missing. His remains were found months later. Police later tried to link his death to Oros, claiming there had been a conflict between them.

But to this day, no one really knows what happened. No direct witnesses, no clear evidence. There was even a theory that it was Lischy who may have triggered the confrontation — supposedly, he saw a strange, reclusive loner living in seclusion with resources: hunting grounds, equipment, hidden supplies. Some believed Lischy might have tried to “take over” his territory, not realizing who he was dealing with.

The system wasn’t interested in that version. It didn’t care about nuance. It needed a villain — and it found one.

📍 In 1985, Oros shot and killed RCMP Corporal Michael Buday. Then he himself was killed on the spot.

It’s a tragedy. For everyone. But wasn’t it the system that drove him to the point where, in his mind, murder became the only way out?

He hid in the forests. He lived the way he wanted. The system couldn’t allow that. Because if one person can “disconnect,” then maybe another can too. And after that — control falls apart.

📚 There’s a book — Descent into Madness by Vernon Frolick. It doesn’t justify Oros, but it doesn’t demonize him either. It’s a story of collapse. Psychological pressure. Loneliness.

🧠 The question isn’t whether he was dangerous. The question is: why can’t the state tolerate someone living outside its structure? And how far is it willing to go to make sure no one ever does?