Matthew Joseph Medlin’s series of mugshots is quite unique and shocking. He has been arrested multiple times for various crimes, leading to several stints in jail. What sets his case apart is his dramatic physical transformation captured in mugshots spanning 18 years.
Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Medlin’s criminal record dates back to his late teens. Now 41, his recent mugshot looks drastically different from his initial one. Over nearly two decades, police reports and booking photos reveal a pattern of escalating legal issues, including burglary, assault charges, and confrontations with law enforcement.
In 2014, Medlin grabbed headlines by escaping from the Columbia River Correctional Institute just days before his scheduled release. He was eventually apprehended at a nearby fast-food establishment. Serving time for offenses like sex abuse, assault, and burglary, the methamphetamine addict sustained injuries from razor wire while fleeing, prompting a police dog search.
Repeated encounters with the law continued over the years, with local reports detailing Medlin’s erratic conduct. In one instance, he allegedly licked a man’s face, causing a disturbance in public while under the influence of meth and resisting arrest, leading to a prolonged standoff.
For many observers, Medlin’s narrative goes beyond criminality, shedding light on the devastating impact of substance abuse and recurrent imprisonment on an individual. Initially appearing as a clean-cut, youthful man with short hair and clear skin in early mugshots, his recent images portray a stark transformation into a gaunt, heavily tattooed figure sporting a pink mohawk.
His journey began with an 18-year-old Medlin in his first 2002 police mugshot, showing minimal changes a year later. Despite looking healthy in 2006, his appearance took a drastic turn by 2007, becoming more unconventional. Sporting tiger stripes in his hair and additional face tattoos in 2013, his features grew more emaciated within weeks. By 2015, he was nearly unrecognizable, donning a haunted expression and acquiring more facial markings. This evolution continued with varying hairstyles, culminating in his 2020 appearance characterized by demon tattoos and a pink mohawk.