On the evening of October 17, 2006, at around 8.30 p.m., a 28-year-old former sergeant in the United

States Army named Zachary Bowen jumped from the seventh floor of the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel in

New Orleans, Louisiana. Needless to say, he did not survive the fall. But while that was a tragedy in itself, it would only prove to be the tip of the iceberg when it came to the true horror of the situation. That's because, once his suicide note was found, it would tell police to go to his apartment, as it was there they would discover the remains of his girlfriend

Addie Hall. She had been murdered by him weeks before, then subsequently chopped up and cooked in their

oven. Immediately upon finding that scene, investigators began trying to determine how such an

incident could have occurred. What they'd eventually realized, though, was that the case was more than just a simple murder.

No, it was a complex tale of violence, mental instability, and the damaging effects of untreated

post-traumatic stress disorder, and one that might have been avoided had circumstances been

just a little bit different.

This is Monsters. Zachary Bowen was an average American child growing up. Born on May 15, 1978, he spent

much of his youth in Bakersfield, California, with it being there that he gained a reputation

for his laid-back and charming personality, someone who loved to joke around with his friends

as much as he loved to go to metal gigs and let loose for

a few hours.

Of course, behind that exterior though, there was a troubled young man, one who struggled

with depression throughout high school.

But then it's not uncommon for a teenager to fall into depression when their parents

get divorced, as Zachary's did around that time.

So to try to get a fresh start and get his head right again, he moved away from California

with his father during his late teens, as by that point his relationship with his mother had

degenerated pretty badly. From there, the pair would travel around the United States, visiting various party places

before eventually settling in New Orleans.

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