On a humid September day in 1997, a man walking his dog discovered the nude body of 26-year-old Tracy Habersham in a ditch near Fort Benning, Georgia. She had been strangled. What investigators couldn't know then was that her death marked the beginning of a six-year killing spree.

Part 1 of 2

VICTIM PROFILE:

Paul Durousseau's victims shared heartbreaking commonalities. They were young African American women—many of them mothers—struggling to build better lives. Tyresa Mack was raising three small children. Nikia Kilpatrick was six months pregnant when she died; her two young sons, aged 11 months and 2 years, were found alive but malnourished beside her body two days later. Shawanda McCalister was also pregnant. These women trusted the wrong person, and that trust cost them everything.

CASE SIGNIFICANCE:

Between 1997 and 2003, Durousseau used his various jobs—security guard, taxi driver—to identify and gain access to vulnerable women. His method was consistent: gain trust, enter their homes, bind them, sexually assault them, then strangle them with whatever cord was available. A phone cord. A coaxial cable. An extension cord tied in a distinctive military-style slipknot. His victims included Tracy Habersham, Tyresa Mack, Nicole Williams, Nikia Kilpatrick, Shawanda McCalister, Jovanna Jefferson, and Surita Cohen. German authorities also suspect him in additional unsolved murders near U.S. military bases during his Army deployment.

CONTENT WARNINGS:

This episode contains detailed discussion of sexual assault, strangulation, domestic violence, and child endangerment. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

KEY DETAILS:

• Durousseau was born in Beaumont, Texas in 1970 and experienced significant brain trauma in utero and as a toddler. He was later diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
• After graduating high school in 1989, he enlisted in the Army in 1992 and was stationed in Germany, where he married fellow soldier Natoca Spann.
• In 1997, while stationed at Fort Benning, he was arrested for kidnapping and rape but was acquitted. Less than a month later, Tracy Habersham was found murdered—DNA would eventually link Durousseau to her death.

RESOURCES:

For case documentation, sources, and additional information, visit: https://www.mythsandmalice.com/show/obscura/

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233.

CREDITS:

Research and narration by Justin Drown. Obscura is an independent true crime documentary podcast dedicated to telling the stories of forgotten victims with unflinching honesty and scholarly research. All information presented draws from court records, police reports, and verified news archives.

SUPPORT OBSCURA:

Join the Obscura community on Patreon for ad-free episodes, extended content, and exclusive behind-the-scenes access: https://www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast/

[Part 2 of 2]

On February 24th, 2005, nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford vanished from her bedroom in Homosassa, Florida—taken through an unlocked door while her family slept. The girl who was afraid of the dark, who couldn't sleep without her stuffed purple dolphin, was about to become the center of one of the most heartbreaking cases in American true crime history.

Jessica was a cheerful third-grader who loved singing, helping others, and spending time with her dachshund, Corky. She lived with her father Mark and grandparents Ruth and Archie in a small community where neighbors knew each other. The night she disappeared, she'd just returned from church, been tucked into bed by her grandmother, and fell asleep clutching her favorite toy. By morning, both Jessica and her dolphin were gone.

This case matters because it exposed critical failures in sex offender monitoring and directly resulted in Jessica's Law—legislation that now protects children across the United States with mandatory minimum sentences and lifetime electronic monitoring for predators.

Content Warning: This episode contains detailed discussion of child abduction, sexual assault, and murder. It includes graphic details about the victim's captivity and death. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

In This Episode:

• The Investigation: How law enforcement conducted a massive three-week search involving hundreds of volunteers, bloodhounds, helicopters, and multiple agencies—while Jessica was hidden just 65 yards from her home the entire time.
• The Perpetrator: John Evander Couey, a registered sex offender with a history of violence who was living with his sister next door to Jessica, and how systemic failures allowed him to reoffend.
• The Aftermath: The heartbreaking discovery, Couey's confession, his death before execution, and how Jessica's death led to the creation of Jessica's Law and Jessie's Place Children's Advocacy Center—saving countless children through strengthened protections.

Resources: If you or someone you know needs support, please contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit www.missingkids.org. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) provides 24/7 support at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). Jessie's Place in Citrus County continues Jessica's legacy by providing free services to abused and traumatized children—learn more about their vital work and how to support them.

This episode was meticulously researched using court documents, police reports, forensic testimony, and news archives from the investigation and trial. All facts have been verified against primary sources.

Support Obscura: Obscura is an independent production dedicated to uncovering forgotten cases with unflinching detail. Join our Black Label community on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended cuts, ad-free listening, and exclusive research materials at https://www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast.

On February 24th, 2005, nine-year-old Jessica Lunsford vanished from her bedroom in Homosassa, Florida—taken through an unlocked door while her family slept. The girl who was afraid of the dark, who couldn't sleep without her stuffed purple dolphin, was about to become the center of one of the most heartbreaking cases in American true crime history.

Jessica was a cheerful third-grader who loved singing, helping others, and spending time with her dachshund, Corky. She lived with her father Mark and grandparents Ruth and Archie in a small community where neighbors knew each other. The night she disappeared, she'd just returned from church, been tucked into bed by her grandmother, and fell asleep clutching her favorite toy. By morning, both Jessica and her dolphin were gone.

This case matters because it exposed critical failures in sex offender monitoring and directly resulted in Jessica's Law—legislation that now protects children across the United States with mandatory minimum sentences and lifetime electronic monitoring for predators.

Content Warning: This episode contains detailed discussion of child abduction, sexual assault, and murder. It includes graphic details about the victim's captivity and death. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

In This Episode:

• The Investigation: How law enforcement conducted a massive three-week search involving hundreds of volunteers, bloodhounds, helicopters, and multiple agencies—while Jessica was hidden just 65 yards from her home the entire time.
• The Perpetrator: John Evander Couey, a registered sex offender with a history of violence who was living with his sister next door to Jessica, and how systemic failures allowed him to reoffend.
• The Aftermath: The heartbreaking discovery, Couey's confession, his death before execution, and how Jessica's death led to the creation of Jessica's Law and Jessie's Place Children's Advocacy Center—saving countless children through strengthened protections.

Resources: If you or someone you know needs support, please contact the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) or visit www.missingkids.org. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) provides 24/7 support at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). Jessie's Place in Citrus County continues Jessica's legacy by providing free services to abused and traumatized children—learn more about their vital work and how to support them.

This episode was meticulously researched using court documents, police reports, forensic testimony, and news archives from the investigation and trial. All facts have been verified against primary sources.

Support Obscura: Obscura is an independent production dedicated to uncovering forgotten cases with unflinching detail. Join our Black Label community on Patreon for bonus episodes, extended cuts, ad-free listening, and exclusive research materials at https://www.patreon.com/obscuracrimepodcast.

Apopka, Florida. October 30, 1990. When 10-year-old Christine McGowan's stepfather entered her bedroom to wake her for school—he found her lifeless body face down in bed, the sheets beneath her soaked in blood. The door to their home stood slightly ajar. His white construction truck—keys left in the ignition the night before—had vanished.

Christine McGowan was a child who spent her afternoons watching her neighbor at The Lighthouse Mission halfway house craft decorative wooden boats. She stood in the autumn sun asking if she could watch him work, fascinated by his woodworking skill. She had no way of knowing that Elmer Leon Carroll—the seemingly harmless craftsman next door—was a twice-convicted child molester living under pastoral supervision. On the night of October 29, 1990, Carroll's schizophrenic delusions reached a breaking point. Witnesses at Lockhart Tavern watched him drink beer after beer, wrapping his jacket around a chair and holding long conversations with it about demons, devils, and the coming apocalypse. Hours later, he entered the McGowan home through an unlocked door.

This case exposes the catastrophic failures of Florida's 1990s halfway house system and sex offender monitoring. Carroll had served approximately two years and four months of a six-year sentence for child molestation, then served just over seven years for a second offense—both times released with minimal supervision directly into residential neighborhoods. The Lighthouse Mission placed a known predator with untreated severe mental illness next door to a family with a young daughter. The investigation moved swiftly—Carroll was apprehended within hours after stealing the family's truck—but the preventable nature of Christine's death haunted the community for years. Her case became a catalyst for examining how convicted sex offenders with documented psychiatric disorders were supervised after release.

This episode contains detailed discussion of child sexual assault, graphic autopsy testimony, and descriptions of fatal violence against a child. This content may be disturbing. Listener discretion is strongly advised.

Key Details:

• The Investigation: Wildlife officer Carl Young spotted Carroll walking on State Road 520 away from the stolen truck just hours after the murder. A box cutter, razor blade, and keys matching the stolen vehicle were found in his possession.
• Forensic Evidence: Medical examiner Dr. Thomas Hegert testified that Christine died from asphyxiation due to manual strangulation—a process taking 3-4 minutes during which she remained conscious for 1-2 minutes. The autopsy revealed severe sexual trauma and blunt force injury to her head.
• The Penalty Phase: The jury recommended death by unanimous 12-0 vote. Carroll was executed on May 29, 2013—nearly 23 years after Christine's murder. He refused to make a final statement, and Christine's family members watched him die.

Resources: If you or someone you know has experienced childhood sexual abuse, the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline provides confidential 24/7 support at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or online at rainn.org. The Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline offers crisis intervention and professional counseling at 1-800-422-4453.

Credits: Research, writing, and narration by Justin Drown. Production and sound design by Justin Drown. This episode utilized court documents, medical examiner testimony, and contemporary news reporting from the Orlando Sentinel.

Support Obscura: Join our community at patreon.com/obscurapodcast for ad-free episodes, extended cuts, and exclusive Black Label cases. Visit mythsandmalice.com/show/obscura for full episode archive and case resources.

In January 2025, Nguyen Dat, a 35-year-old Vietnamese man living in Ha Dong, voluntarily sought his own execution—fulfilling a years-long sexual obsession with decapitation. Through extreme pornography forums and dating apps, Nguyen publicly advertised his desire to be beheaded, eventually connecting with an unnamed butcher who shared his fatal fetish.

The killing occurred between January 25 and February 24, 2025, in a makeshift execution chamber. Graphic video footage—leaked to Vietnamese and Chinese Telegram groups—shows Nguyen's decapitation as he reached sexual climax. The butcher then dismembered his body with professional precision, documenting the process across 11 videos and 98 photographs. Evidence suggests the killer cannibalized Nguyen's remains, cooking parts of his body into Vietnamese dishes. When concerned citizens reported the leaked footage to authorities, they discovered Nguyen had been missing for five years.

This case represents only the third confirmed consensual homicide motivated by mutual sexual gratification—and the first where execution footage was publicly leaked. Obscura examines this disturbing intersection of extreme fetishism, voluntary death, and the dark corners of online subcultures where such transactions occur.

[BLACK LABEL CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains extremely graphic descriptions of violence, dismemberment, and cannibalism.]

Explore more obscure true crime cases at mythsandmalice.com/show/obscura. Join Obscura on Patreon to unlock the entire back catalogue ad-free, plus exclusive Black Label premium episodes—darker, longer cases released monthly. Dive deeper into the cases mainstream media forgot.

KEYWORDS: true crime, true crime podcast, Nguyen Dat, Vietnam crime, consensual homicide, voluntary execution, cannibalism case, Ha Dong Vietnam, decapitation, dismemberment, sexual homicide, extreme fetish, guro, murder case, Armin Meiwes, Zambian Meat case, 2025 crime, obscure true crime

On the windy night of October 23, 1995, Dr. Debora Green's three children—thirteen-year-old Tim, ten-year-old Kate, and six-year-old Kelly—went to bed in their beautiful new home on Canterbury Court in Prairie Village, Kansas. By 12:20 AM on October 24, their lives would be forever shattered by a fire that investigators would later determine was no accident.

Part 1 of 2

The Perfect Life, Unraveling

Debora Green seemed to have everything. Born Debora Jones in 1951, she possessed a genius-level IQ of 165, excelled academically, and graduated from the University of Kansas School of Medicine in 1975. She married cardiologist Dr. Michael Farrar in 1979, and together they built what appeared to be an enviable life: successful medical practices, three bright children, and an opulent home in an exclusive Kansas City suburb. But beneath the surface, the marriage was crumbling under the weight of Debora's volatile temper, heavy drinking, and Michael's emotional withdrawal.

By the summer of 1995, Michael had moved out and filed for divorce. Between August and September, he experienced repeated bouts of mysterious, severe gastrointestinal illness that hospitalized him three times. Despite extensive testing, doctors couldn't determine the cause of his symptoms. What Michael didn't know was that Debora had discovered a deadly secret: ricin, a naturally occurring poison extracted from castor beans—and she was serving it to him in his food.

The Fire

When firefighters arrived at 7517 Canterbury Court in the early morning hours of October 24, they found Debora and Kate outside the burning home. Tim and Kelly were still inside. Despite heroic efforts by first responders, Tim succumbed to severe burns and Kelly died from smoke inhalation. Kate had escaped by climbing onto the garage roof and jumping to safety. Investigators immediately noticed something disturbing: Debora appeared eerily calm as her children burned to death inside.

Arson investigators quickly determined the fire was no accident. Trails of accelerant led directly back to Debora's bedroom, and forensic evidence suggested she had deliberately cut off the children's escape routes. The investigation expanded when police connected Michael's mysterious illness to castor beans found in Debora's purse during a September domestic disturbance call. Toxicology tests revealed ricin antibodies in Michael's blood.

This Is Part 1

This episode covers Debora Green's early life, her marriages, the deterioration of her relationship with Michael Farrar, and the events leading up to the October 1995 fire. Part 2 will examine the investigation, Debora's arrest and trial, and the aftermath of this unthinkable crime.

Primary Source: This episode draws extensively from Ann Rule's authoritative 1997 book Bitter Harvest: A Woman's Fury, A Mother's Sacrifice, along with court documents, news archives, and forensic reports from the Johnson County investigation.

Resources:

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or visit thehotline.org.

Join the Patreon: For hundreds of hours of bonus episodes, Black Label content, and ad-free listening, visit patreon.com/obscuraacrimepodcast

Connect: Follow Obscura on Instagram @obscuraacrimepodcast