‘Zombie Mike’ wanted for rapes may be in South Carolina

Federal officials are on the hunt for a man who may be in South Carolina after he allegedly raped a wheelchair-bound victim and the spouse of a friend.

U.S. Marshals are searching for Michael Steven Hawkins, 29, for allegedly sexually assaulting a victim in Schenectady, N.Y. Hawkins is charged with first degree aggravated sex abuse for raping a mentally-challenged and wheelchair-bound victim June 10, 2012. The victim was reportedly abused just a few feet away from her family after they went to bed.

Hawkins remained undetected by authorities until the following year when he allegedly raped again.

Hawkins was also charged with first-degree rape for allegedly sexually assaulted the wife of a friend Nov. 8, 2013. The friend had invited Hawkins to his Rotterdam, N.Y., home for a family gathering.

Authorities believe Hawkins may have fled New York after his crimes, and his current whereabouts are unknown. He has personal ties to Pennsylvania, Virginia, Oregon, California and Florida. Officials believe he could be traveling with carnival companies in South Carolina or elsewhere on the East Coast.

Friends nicknamed Hawkins “Zombie Mike” due to his poor hygiene. He is also known to have a temper and abuse alcohol. Acquaintances described Hawkins as someone who could hide anywhere, including wooded areas, and could survive off of scraps.

He is a white male who is 5-feet 9-inches tall and about 160 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He also has a 1.5-inch scar on his face, a scar from a burn on his right arm and a chest tattoo of the Grim Reaper.

“The Schenectady and Rotterdam Police departments, along with the Marshals, have dedicated countless man-hours during this fugitive investigation,” U.S. Marshal David McNulty. “With the public’s help, we are confident Hawkins will be arrested.”

The U.S. Marshals are offering a reward up to $5,000 reward for information that leads to Hawkins’ arrest, which can be anonymous.

Anyone with information about Hawkins’ whereabouts can contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-800-336-0102 or usms.wanted@usdoj.gov or by calling Crimestoppers at 1-888-CRIME-SC.

This story was originally published April 8, 2016 at 11:09 AM with the headline "‘Zombie Mike’ wanted for rapes may be in South Carolina."