Paul Durousseau
Southeastern U.S. Serial Killer
CLASSIFICATION: Serial Homicide
LOCATION
Jacksonville, Florida
TIME PERIOD
1997-2003
VICTIMS
7 confirmed
In a series of heinous crimes, Paul Durousseau, an American serial killer, murdered seven young women, including two pregnant victims, across Georgia and Florida from January 6, 1997, to January 20, 2003. Durousseau, who was born on August 11, 1970, in Beaumont, Texas, was apprehended on June 17, 2003, following a lengthy investigation that linked him to the murders through DNA evidence and witness testimonies. He was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder and initially sentenced to death, which was later commuted to life imprisonment. Investigators also suspect Durousseau may have committed additional murders while stationed in Germany during the early 1990s, although those cases remain unconfirmed. He is currently incarcerated at the Northwest Florida Reception Center.
Investigators and the public theorize that Paul Durousseau may have committed additional murders while stationed in Germany during the early 1990s, as German authorities suspect him in several local cases. There is also speculation regarding the potential connection between his military background and his criminal behavior, suggesting a pattern of violence that escalated after his enlistment. Additionally, some believe that his crimes may have been influenced by personal issues stemming from his tumultuous childhood and early life experiences.
The Jacksonville Strangler: The Chilling Tale of Paul Durousseau
Early Life and Beginnings
Paul Durousseau's story begins in Beaumont, Texas, where he was born on August 11, 1970. After his father abandoned the family, Paul and his mother relocated to Los Angeles, California, to live with her family. Little is known about his childhood, but at 19, he graduated from Reseda Charter High School in 1989 and took up work as a security guard.
Paul’s first brush with the law occurred on December 18, 1991, and January 21, 1992, when he was charged with carrying a concealed firearm. Seeking a new path, he enlisted in the United States Army in November 1992. It was during his deployment in Germany that he met Natoca, whom he married in Las Vegas in 1995. The couple found themselves at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1996. However, a shadow loomed when Paul was arrested on March 13, 1997, for kidnapping and raping a young woman, charges from which he was later acquitted in August of that year. Despite his acquittal, Paul was caught with stolen goods, court-martialed, and dishonorably discharged in January 1999.
The couple moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where they had two daughters. Paul struggled to maintain employment, leading to frequent arguments over financial stress. In a troubling incident, police advised Natoca on filing a restraining order after Paul allegedly assaulted her. She later testified about his violent anger when she mentioned divorce. By 1999, he had spent 48 days in jail for domestic battery.
Despite his criminal background, Paul found work as a school bus driver and an animal control worker in 2001, and by 2003, he was driving a taxi for Gator City Taxi Company. It was through this job that he met several of his victims. A misstep by the City of Jacksonville, which failed to conduct a proper background check, allowed Paul to obtain his taxi driver permit.
Neighbors described him as a lewd womanizer, often propositioning young women and even hitting on a girl he thought was as young as 13 or 14.
The Murders
Paul Durousseau’s reign of terror began shortly after he was acquitted of rape charges. Between 1997 and 2003, he murdered seven young women, two of whom were pregnant. His victims were young, single African-American women whom he typically met through his work. After gaining their trust, he would enter their homes, bind them, and proceed to rape and strangle them with a cord.
On September 7, 1997, 26-year-old Tracy Habersham’s nude body was discovered in Fort Benning, Georgia. She had been missing for 48 hours after leaving a party. Although not a suspect at the time, DNA evidence later linked Paul to her murder, to which he confessed following his arrest.
In 1999, Paul raped and murdered 24-year-old Tyresa Mack in her apartment. Witnesses saw him leaving her home with her television. In 2001, he was arrested for raping another young woman in Jacksonville, spending 30 days in jail and receiving two years’ probation.
The horror continued on December 19, 2002, when the body of 18-year-old Nicole L. Williams was found wrapped in a blue blanket in a ditch in Jacksonville, two days after she disappeared.
New Year’s Day 2003 brought another grim discovery. Family members of 19-year-old Nikia Kilpatrick found her body in her apartment, strangled with a cord two days prior. Her two sons, aged 11 months and two years, were found alive but malnourished. Nikia was six months pregnant at the time of her death.
Eight days later, 20-year-old Shawanda Denise McCalister, also pregnant, was found raped and strangled in her apartment, echoing the Kilpatrick crime scene. She was murdered on Paul’s first day driving a cab for Gator City Taxi.
The bodies of 17-year-old Jovanna Jefferson and 19-year-old Surita Cohen were discovered on February 5, 2003, in a ditch near a construction site on New Kings Road in Jacksonville. Police estimated that Jefferson was killed around January 20, and Cohen 10 days later. Witnesses recalled seeing the young women with a taxi driver fitting Paul’s description the night they vanished.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
Paul Durousseau was finally arrested on June 17, 2003, and charged with five counts of murder. On December 13, 2007, he was sentenced to death by lethal injection for the murder of Tyresa Mack. He remained on Florida's death row at Union Correctional Institution until January 2017, when the Florida Supreme Court overturned his death sentence, citing the unconstitutionality of a split jury decision in capital cases. In December 2021, after another split jury decision, Paul was resentenced to life in prison without parole.
Sources
For a more detailed account, visit the original Wikipedia article on Paul Durousseau.
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First Murder
Paul Durousseau begins his killing spree, targeting young women.
Tracy Habersham Found
The body of 26-year-old Tracy Habersham is discovered, later linked to Durousseau.
Nicole Williams Found
18-year-old Nicole L. Williams' body is found, marking another victim of Durousseau.
Nikia Kilpatrick Found
19-year-old Nikia Kilpatrick is found murdered in her apartment, pregnant at the time.
Last Victims Found
Bodies of Jovanna Jefferson and Surita Cohen are discovered, linked to Durousseau.
Durousseau Arrested
Paul Durousseau is arrested and charged with five counts of murder.
Sentenced to Death
Durousseau is sentenced to death by lethal injection for the murder of Tyresa Mack.
Death Sentence Overturned
Florida Supreme Court overturns Durousseau's death sentence due to a split jury.
Resentenced to Life
Durousseau is resentenced to life in prison without parole.
In a series of heinous crimes, Paul Durousseau, an American serial killer, murdered seven young women, including two pregnant victims, across Georgia and Florida from January 6, 1997, to January 20, 2003. Durousseau, who was born on August 11, 1970, in Beaumont, Texas, was apprehended on June 17, 2003, following a lengthy investigation that linked him to the murders through DNA evidence and witness testimonies. He was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder and initially sentenced to death, which was later commuted to life imprisonment. Investigators also suspect Durousseau may have committed additional murders while stationed in Germany during the early 1990s, although those cases remain unconfirmed. He is currently incarcerated at the Northwest Florida Reception Center.
Investigators and the public theorize that Paul Durousseau may have committed additional murders while stationed in Germany during the early 1990s, as German authorities suspect him in several local cases. There is also speculation regarding the potential connection between his military background and his criminal behavior, suggesting a pattern of violence that escalated after his enlistment. Additionally, some believe that his crimes may have been influenced by personal issues stemming from his tumultuous childhood and early life experiences.
The Jacksonville Strangler: The Chilling Tale of Paul Durousseau
Early Life and Beginnings
Paul Durousseau's story begins in Beaumont, Texas, where he was born on August 11, 1970. After his father abandoned the family, Paul and his mother relocated to Los Angeles, California, to live with her family. Little is known about his childhood, but at 19, he graduated from Reseda Charter High School in 1989 and took up work as a security guard.
Paul’s first brush with the law occurred on December 18, 1991, and January 21, 1992, when he was charged with carrying a concealed firearm. Seeking a new path, he enlisted in the United States Army in November 1992. It was during his deployment in Germany that he met Natoca, whom he married in Las Vegas in 1995. The couple found themselves at Fort Benning, Georgia, in 1996. However, a shadow loomed when Paul was arrested on March 13, 1997, for kidnapping and raping a young woman, charges from which he was later acquitted in August of that year. Despite his acquittal, Paul was caught with stolen goods, court-martialed, and dishonorably discharged in January 1999.
The couple moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where they had two daughters. Paul struggled to maintain employment, leading to frequent arguments over financial stress. In a troubling incident, police advised Natoca on filing a restraining order after Paul allegedly assaulted her. She later testified about his violent anger when she mentioned divorce. By 1999, he had spent 48 days in jail for domestic battery.
Despite his criminal background, Paul found work as a school bus driver and an animal control worker in 2001, and by 2003, he was driving a taxi for Gator City Taxi Company. It was through this job that he met several of his victims. A misstep by the City of Jacksonville, which failed to conduct a proper background check, allowed Paul to obtain his taxi driver permit.
Neighbors described him as a lewd womanizer, often propositioning young women and even hitting on a girl he thought was as young as 13 or 14.
The Murders
Paul Durousseau’s reign of terror began shortly after he was acquitted of rape charges. Between 1997 and 2003, he murdered seven young women, two of whom were pregnant. His victims were young, single African-American women whom he typically met through his work. After gaining their trust, he would enter their homes, bind them, and proceed to rape and strangle them with a cord.
On September 7, 1997, 26-year-old Tracy Habersham’s nude body was discovered in Fort Benning, Georgia. She had been missing for 48 hours after leaving a party. Although not a suspect at the time, DNA evidence later linked Paul to her murder, to which he confessed following his arrest.
In 1999, Paul raped and murdered 24-year-old Tyresa Mack in her apartment. Witnesses saw him leaving her home with her television. In 2001, he was arrested for raping another young woman in Jacksonville, spending 30 days in jail and receiving two years’ probation.
The horror continued on December 19, 2002, when the body of 18-year-old Nicole L. Williams was found wrapped in a blue blanket in a ditch in Jacksonville, two days after she disappeared.
New Year’s Day 2003 brought another grim discovery. Family members of 19-year-old Nikia Kilpatrick found her body in her apartment, strangled with a cord two days prior. Her two sons, aged 11 months and two years, were found alive but malnourished. Nikia was six months pregnant at the time of her death.
Eight days later, 20-year-old Shawanda Denise McCalister, also pregnant, was found raped and strangled in her apartment, echoing the Kilpatrick crime scene. She was murdered on Paul’s first day driving a cab for Gator City Taxi.
The bodies of 17-year-old Jovanna Jefferson and 19-year-old Surita Cohen were discovered on February 5, 2003, in a ditch near a construction site on New Kings Road in Jacksonville. Police estimated that Jefferson was killed around January 20, and Cohen 10 days later. Witnesses recalled seeing the young women with a taxi driver fitting Paul’s description the night they vanished.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
Paul Durousseau was finally arrested on June 17, 2003, and charged with five counts of murder. On December 13, 2007, he was sentenced to death by lethal injection for the murder of Tyresa Mack. He remained on Florida's death row at Union Correctional Institution until January 2017, when the Florida Supreme Court overturned his death sentence, citing the unconstitutionality of a split jury decision in capital cases. In December 2021, after another split jury decision, Paul was resentenced to life in prison without parole.
Sources
For a more detailed account, visit the original Wikipedia article on Paul Durousseau.
No Recent News
No recent news articles found for this case. Check back later for updates.
No Evidence Submitted
No evidence found for this case. Be the first to submit evidence in the comments below.
Join the discussion
Loading comments...
First Murder
Paul Durousseau begins his killing spree, targeting young women.
Tracy Habersham Found
The body of 26-year-old Tracy Habersham is discovered, later linked to Durousseau.
Nicole Williams Found
18-year-old Nicole L. Williams' body is found, marking another victim of Durousseau.
Nikia Kilpatrick Found
19-year-old Nikia Kilpatrick is found murdered in her apartment, pregnant at the time.
Last Victims Found
Bodies of Jovanna Jefferson and Surita Cohen are discovered, linked to Durousseau.
Durousseau Arrested
Paul Durousseau is arrested and charged with five counts of murder.
Sentenced to Death
Durousseau is sentenced to death by lethal injection for the murder of Tyresa Mack.
Death Sentence Overturned
Florida Supreme Court overturns Durousseau's death sentence due to a split jury.
Resentenced to Life
Durousseau is resentenced to life in prison without parole.