Michelle Eileen McNamara was an American true crime author born on April 14, 1970, and passed away on April 21, 2016. She was renowned for her work on the true crime book I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer. Michelle's persistent research and writing significantly contributed to coining the term 'Golden State Killer' for the serial killer later identified as Joseph James DeAngelo.

The book was published posthumously in February 2018 and served as a major influence for the 2020 HBO documentary series I'll Be Gone in the Dark. Beyond her notable book, Michelle was also the founder of the blog "True Crime Diary," which focused on lesser-known crimes and cold cases.

In 2005, Michelle married comedian Patton Oswalt, and together they had a daughter, born in 2009.