Overview

Last seen: August 19, 1998
Location: Downtown Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin
Age when missing: 26
Date of birth: June 8, 1972
Physical description: White male, 5’4″, approximately 140 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes; wore glasses
NamUs: MP11022

Main circumstances: Johnson was experiencing homelessness and had reportedly stayed at shelters around Madison. Very little is publicly known about his activities on the day he disappeared. Wisconsin authorities say he may have been experiencing an undiagnosed mental illness. No publicly documented evidence reviewed establishes what happened to him after his last known sighting.

Anyone with information about Danius W. Johnson’s disappearance should contact the Madison Police Department or the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Danius W. Johnson Missing Person Case: What Happened to the Madison Man Who Vanished in 1998?

Danius W. Johnson was 26 years old when he disappeared from downtown Madison, Wisconsin, on August 19, 1998. More than 28 years later, Johnson remains listed as missing by the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults.

Johnson was born June 8, 1972. At the time he disappeared, he was described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and 140 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He wore glasses.

Last Seen: August 19, 1998

According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s current missing-person listing, Johnson was last seen on August 19, 1998, in downtown Madison in Dane County. He was homeless at the time and was known to stay at shelters in the Madison area. Authorities have released very little information about what Johnson was doing, where specifically he was going, or who may have seen him immediately before his disappearance.

There is also no publicly documented description of the clothing Johnson was wearing when he disappeared.

Some secondary databases display October 7, 1998 as Johnson’s missing date. However, the Wisconsin Department of Justice currently identifies August 19, 1998 as the date he was last seen, and that is the date used here.

Circumstances Surrounding Danius Johnson’s Disappearance

Johnson was experiencing homelessness and had reportedly stayed at homeless shelters in the Madison area before he vanished. The current Wisconsin Department of Justice page says he may have been suffering from an undiagnosed mental illness.

Older sources contain differing descriptions of his mental-health history. For example, an older Websleuths discussion reproducing information attributed to the Doe Network characterized Johnson as having been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia and not taking medication. Because the current Wisconsin DOJ listing uses the more cautious description of a possible undiagnosed mental illness, the older characterization should not be treated as independently verified current law-enforcement information.

There is no publicly documented evidence in the sources reviewed establishing that Johnson was the victim of a homicide. His case remains a missing-person case, and the available official information does not explain what happened after he was last seen in downtown Madison.

Why the Case Remains Difficult

One of the most striking aspects of Johnson’s disappearance is how little publicly available information exists about his final known movements. The Wisconsin DOJ specifically notes that little is known about Johnson on the day he disappeared.

There is no publicly identified final destination, vehicle, traveling companion, confirmed later sighting, or detailed sequence of Johnson’s movements after his last known appearance in downtown Madison in the official material reviewed.

His circumstances may also have made reconstructing those movements particularly difficult. Johnson did not have a permanent residence and reportedly used shelters in the Madison area, potentially leaving investigators with fewer conventional records from which to establish his activities.

Latest Information on the Investigation

As of September 2026, Johnson continues to appear on the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s active missing-person clearinghouse. The state listing currently gives his age as 54 and continues to ask anyone with information to contact the Madison Police Department.

His NamUs case number is MP11022. A January 2025 update in the long-running Websleuths discussion noted that his NamUs profile remained active, and a May 2025 post continued to reference his Doe Network file.

Johnson also continued to receive public attention in 2025. A September 2, 2025 community post about long-term missing people from Madison and surrounding Dane County included Johnson among the unresolved cases and pointed readers toward additional case information.

No credible public source located for this update reports that Johnson has been found, that remains have been identified as his, or that authorities have publicly announced a resolution. The Wisconsin DOJ’s continuing active listing is the strongest current official indication that the case remains unresolved.

Very Brief Case Summary

Last seen: August 19, 1998
Location: Downtown Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin
Age when missing: 26
Date of birth: June 8, 1972
Physical description: White male, 5’4″, approximately 140 pounds, brown hair, blue eyes; wore glasses
NamUs: MP11022

Main circumstances: Johnson was experiencing homelessness and had reportedly stayed at shelters around Madison. Very little is publicly known about his activities on the day he disappeared. Wisconsin authorities say he may have been experiencing an undiagnosed mental illness. No publicly documented evidence reviewed establishes what happened to him after his last known sighting.

Anyone with information about Danius W. Johnson’s disappearance should contact the Madison Police Department or the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults.