Michael Dudley: The Landlord Behind the Suitcase Murders Featured in Netflix’s ‘Worst Roommate Ever’

A group of teenagers filming a TikTok video along a Seattle beach stumbled upon something they never expected to find: suitcases containing human remains. The discovery in June 2020 triggered a murder investigation that eventually led police to Michael Dudley, a landlord who had rented a room to the two victims.

Years later, the case continues to draw attention through Netflix’s true-crime series Worst Roommate Ever, leaving many viewers wondering where Dudley is now and what happened to the couple who disappeared from his home.

A Couple Who Suddenly Disappeared

Jessica Lewis, 35, and her boyfriend, Austin Wenner, 27, had been renting a room from Dudley in Burien, Washington, near Seattle. The couple had moved into the property in late 2019.

According to investigators, a dispute reportedly developed over rent before the couple were killed on June 9, 2020.

Ten days later, teenagers exploring Alki Beach discovered suitcases containing human remains. Additional remains were subsequently found in the Seattle area, and investigators identified the victims as Lewis and Wenner.

The discovery shocked the local community. The teenagers’ footage of the find spread widely online, bringing unexpected public attention to the investigation.

How Investigators Traced the Case to Dudley

Police investigating the deaths searched Dudley’s home and found evidence that included bullet holes, spent ammunition and blood in the room where the couple had stayed.

Dudley was arrested in August 2020 and charged with two counts of second-degree murder. During the legal proceedings, he maintained his innocence and disputed the prosecution’s account of the killings.

The case eventually went to trial, where jurors considered the physical evidence and other information presented by prosecutors.

Where Is Michael Dudley Now?

In April 2023, Dudley was sentenced to 560 months in prison — more than 46 years — after being convicted of the murders of Lewis and Wenner.

He is serving his sentence at Washington State Penitentiary. Given his age at sentencing, the length of the sentence effectively means he could spend the rest of his life in prison.

Dudley has continued to challenge aspects of his conviction. In August 2025, a Washington appellate court upheld the convictions, and a request for reconsideration was denied in October 2025.

The case has also been revisited in Worst Roommate Ever, which examines how an arrangement that began with a landlord renting a room to a couple ended in two deaths and a lengthy criminal investigation.

For the families of Jessica Lewis and Austin Wenner, the case is not simply a story that went viral. It is the loss of two loved ones whose remains were discovered by chance, turning a disturbing online video into the beginning of a search for justice.

Source:  distractify