The Murder of Maddie Clifton: Killed by the Boy Next Door

The Murder of Maddie Clifton: Killed by the Boy Next Door

From True Crime Society by True Crime Society

June 4, 2026 · 45 min

About this episode

This episode discusses the chilling case of Maddie Clifton, who was murdered by a boy from her neighborhood in 1998.

Skip straight to the case: (6:00) In the fall of 1998, a tight-knit Florida neighborhood came together with a single mission: find missing eight-year-old Madelyn Clifton. Flyers covered telephone poles, search parties combed the streets, and worried neighbors opened their homes to help. A chilling truth was hiding in plain sight. The person who knew exactly what had happened to Maddie wasn't a stranger lurking in the shadows - it was a boy from just down the street. Almost thirty years later, this case is still making headlines. In May 2026, Josh withdrew his resentencing application in a bid to work on and prove his rehabilitation after being incarcerated. Do you think Josh Phillips should ever be freed? Read our blog for this case Be sure to join us on Patreon for weekly exclusive episodes and all episodes are ad-free - Patreon.com/truecrimesociety Join us on Instagram for the latest crime news - Instagram.com/truecrimesociety This episode is sponsored by: Quince - Elevate your summer wardrobe. Go to Quince.com/tcs for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too

People in this episode

Host: True Crime Society

Topics covered

  • murder
  • missing person
  • neighborhood
  • rehabilitation
  • true crime

Keywords

  • Maddie Clifton
  • Josh Phillips
  • murder case
  • Florida
  • true crime
  • rehabilitation
  • missing child

Sponsors

Quince

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