Teen Sentenced in Death of Michael Adam Milam
Thomas Riggio receives nine years for fatal hit-and-run.
The teenage killer of beloved Montrose bartender Michael Adam Milam has been sentenced in a New Orleans criminal court. On January 30, 2026, 19-year-old Thomas Riggio of Chalmette, Louisiana, was sentenced to nine years out of a maximum possible 10 years by Orleans Parish Judge Kimya Holmes for the charge of hit-and-run resulting in death.
During the sentencing, Michael’s siblings and roommate spoke on his behalf and gave victim impact statements to the court. Michael’s older brother, Jeffry Faircloth—a founding member of the City of Houston’s LGBTQ Advisory Board and a former president of PFLAG Houston—forgave Riggio from the witness stand. He testified how he shared a very special and unique bond with his brother Michael because they were both gay men.
Faircloth expressed to OutSmart that he hoped Riggio would build the strength and courage to uncover his self-worth and hoped that Riggio will make the choice to ask for help and do the necessary work to become a better human being and a better man while in Louisiana prison.
Riggio took the witness stand in his defense and expressed remorse for killing Michael and thanked Faircloth directly by name for having the courage to forgive him. Riggio also stated that he sincerely wishes to do the work to change his life and come out of this situation a better person who will allow Michael’s memory to live on through him.
Michael Adam Milam was killed on Saturday, July 12, 2025, in the early morning hours in New Orleans while riding his bicycle home from work. He had moved to New Orleans approximately a month before to begin bartending in the LGBTQ French Quarter community at the historic Lafitte’s in Exile bar.
Evidence in the case involved two young men who testified to detectives that Riggio committed the crash and then refused to stop. Riggio told them he would turn himself in when he got home. Hours later into the next day, the two young men realized he had not done so and, with their parents, decided to contact the police. Further evidence came to light that the group had been drinking at two bars as minors just before the crash. A toxicology report showed that Riggio had traces of alcohol and cocaine in his system eight to 10 hours after the crash. Riggio also had two previous reckless driving incidents in the New Orleans area before the crash that took Michael’s life.
Michael was widely acknowledged as a prominent Houston LGBTQ bartender. He was voted Best Male LGBTQ Bartender of the Year in the OutSmart 2023 Gayest & Greatest Readers’ Choice Awards.
Michael worked at numerous LGBTQ bars in Houston, including JR’s Bar and Grill, the Eagle, Buddy’s, Tony’s Corner Pocket, Slick Willie’s, and Michael’s Outpost. His passing is a tragic and devastating loss to the Houston LGBTQ community. He is loved and missed by hundreds and thousands of people in the LGBTQ community throughout Houston, New Orleans, and across the nation.
