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.

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