The This murderer was certainly not a normal man. He was a willful and cold-blooded killer.

Those words were printed in the days following the hanging of a Louisiana man who would become known as one of America's earliest serial killers.

Usabe Vadrine, earliest serial killers.

Usabe Vadrine murdered five men in Evangeline Parish in the early 20th century.

At that time folks weren't familiar with a serial killer term, but when you hear you Zabe's story, you understand why the label fits the man, the killer, who was so focused on his image and final words that when sentenced to death

he asked for and was granted time to write his memoirs before he was executed for his crimes.

Welcome to Southern Mysteries, exploring history and mysteries

of the American South.

I'm your host, Shannon Ballard Ballard and this is the story of the

serial killer Yuseb Vadrine was born in the quiet town of Ville Platt in Evangeline Parish, Louisiana, on July 12, 1898.

He was known as a hard-working and well-behaved young man who never displayed violent

tendencies.

His 1918 World War I draft registration card described 20 year old Uzabe as a tall, medium-built man with blue eyes and light brown hair.

And photos of Uzabe show a dash. blue eyes and light brown hair.

And photos of Uzabe show a dashing young man.

His wife Lillian and the few who were close to Uzabe in his early 20s said something seemed to shift in him.

He was described as increasingly emotional, with dark moods and fits of weeping for days.

At the age of 23, his inner darkness turned to outward violence and murder.

Evangeline Parish farmer, Pierre Bedrine, who shared the same last name but was not related

to Yuseb, mentioned to fellow farmers that several hogs had been stolen from his farm.

Now Pierre claimed Uzab had been seen around the place on the days the hogs went missing.

When word of this got back to usabe, he became unbalanced.

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