Offender Record · OFF-2026-060
Paul Durousseau (photo from the Radford University biography)
Paul Durousseau
Also known as The Jacksonville Strangler, The Jacksonville Serial Killer
Sex
Male
Race
Black
Height
6'6"
Born
1970
Custody
Incarcerated
States
FL, GA, CA, TX, DE
Distinguishing features6'6" tall (per document)
Custody
Resentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole on December 10, 2021 (per News4Jax and Death Penalty Information Center). Originally sentenced to death on December 13, 2007.
This record documents arrests, charges and convictions reported by courts, law enforcement agencies and news organizations. Every statement is tied to a cited source with an archived copy. A charge is an accusation, not proof of guilt; a person charged is presumed innocent unless convicted. Solve the Case does not allege that this person committed any offense beyond what the cited records state, and this record is not a suggestion that the person is connected to any unsolved case. How records are built, corrected and removed.
Summary of the record
Paul Durousseau is a serial killer convicted of the first-degree murder and sexual battery of 24-year-old Tyresa Mack in Jacksonville, Florida on July 26, 1999. Durousseau was initially sentenced to death in December 2007, but this sentence was overturned by the Florida Supreme Court in 2017 due to constitutional violations, and he was resentenced to life in prison without parole in December 2021. He was arrested in February 2003 and charged with five counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of five additional Jacksonville women killed between December 2002 and February 2003, but those murder charges were dropped by prosecutors. He is suspected of murdering seven young women total between 1997 and 2003, including two victims who were pregnant. He operated as a taxi driver and security guard.
Documented Arrests, Charges and Convictions
Dispositions are shown exactly as the cited records report them. Pending charges are updated when a court acts; a record with no remaining conviction or pending charge is removed from the site.
Offense date Jan 06, 1997, Columbus, Georgia
Kidnapping and rape
U.S. Army Fort Benning Court Martial · Court-Martial · Arrested Mar 13, 1997 · Acquitted Acquitted
Durousseau was arrested on March 13, 1997, for kidnapping and rape of a young woman in Columbus, Georgia. He was acquitted in a court-martial in August 1997.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Durousseau, Paul; Paul Durousseau; Paul Durousseau
Offense date Sep 05, 1997, Fort Benning, Georgia
Murder of Tracy Habersham, 26 years old (Fort Benning, Georgia)
Fort Benning Military Police / Columbus, Georgia authorities · Arrested Feb 06, 2003
Tracy Habersham, 26, disappeared on September 5, 1997, after dancing with Durousseau at a nightclub near Fort Benning. Her nude body was found on September 7, 1997, in a wooded area. She had been strangled with a cord and sexually assaulted. Durousseau was not initially a suspect, but DNA evidence later linked him to her murder. He confessed to her murder after his arrest.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Durousseau, Paul; Paul Durousseau; Paul Durousseau
Offense date Jul 26, 1999, Jacksonville, Florida
Murder of Tyresa Mack, 24 years old - rape and murder
Duval County State Attorney · Duval County Circuit Court · Docket Florida Supreme Court Case No. SC08-68 · Arrested Feb 06, 2003 · Convicted Convicted · Sentence: Sentenced to death December 13, 2007; resentenced to life without parole December 10, 2021
Tyresa Mack, a 24-year-old mother of three, was strangled with a white telephone cord in her Jacksonville apartment on July 26, 1999. Her body was found on her bed. Durousseau was seen leaving with a television. DNA evidence and witness testimony linked him to the crime.
SourcesAccused Serial Killer Sentenced To Death; Paul Durousseau; After death sentence thrown out, convicted killer gets life in prison; IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA PAUL DUROUSSEAU v. STATE
Offense date Jun 24, 2001, Jacksonville, Florida
Rape of adult woman in Jacksonville
Jacksonville Sheriff's Office · Arrested Jun 24, 2001 · Charged (pending) Charged (pending) · Sentence: 30 days in jail, 2 years probation
Durousseau was arrested on June 24, 2001, for raping a woman in her home. He spent 30 days in jail and received two years probation in a deal that kept his DNA out of the police database.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Durousseau, Paul; Paul Durousseau; Taxi driver Paul Durousseau accused of killing 5 women in Jacksonville
Offense date Dec 17, 2002, Jacksonville, Florida
Murder of Nicole L. Williams, 18 years old
Duval County State Attorney · Arrested Feb 11, 2003 · Charges dismissed Charges dismissed
Nicole Williams, 18, was reported missing December 17, 2002. Her body was found December 19, 2002, wrapped in a blue blanket at the bottom of a ditch. She had been strangled. Murder charge was part of a five-count indictment but was dismissed by prosecutors in November 2007.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Durousseau, Paul; IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA PAUL DUROUSSEAU v. STATE; Paul Durousseau
Offense date Dec 29, 2002, Jacksonville, Florida
Murder of Nikia Kilpatrick, 19 years old (six months pregnant)
Duval County State Attorney · Arrested Feb 11, 2003 · Charges dismissed Charges dismissed
Nikia Kilpatrick, 19 and six months pregnant, was murdered around December 29, 2002. Her body was found in her apartment on January 1, 2003. She was strangled. Two young children were found alive but malnourished beside her body. Murder charge was dismissed by prosecutors in November 2007.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Durousseau, Paul; IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA PAUL DUROUSSEAU v. STATE; Paul Durousseau
Offense date Jan 09, 2003, Jacksonville, Florida
Murder of Shawanda Denise McCalister, 20 years old (pregnant)
Duval County State Attorney · Arrested Feb 11, 2003 · Charges dismissed Charges dismissed
Shawanda Denise McCalister, 20 and pregnant, was raped and strangled in her Jacksonville apartment on January 9, 2003. She was a nurse assistant. Murder charge was dismissed by prosecutors in November 2007.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Durousseau, Paul; IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA PAUL DUROUSSEAU v. STATE; Paul Durousseau
Offense date Jan 20, 2003, Jacksonville, Florida
Murder of Jovanna Jefferson, 17 years old
Duval County State Attorney · Arrested Feb 11, 2003 · Charges dismissed Charges dismissed
Jovanna Jefferson, 17, was reported missing on January 20, 2003. Her body and that of Surita Cohen were found together in a ditch on February 5, 2003, near a construction site on New Kings Road. Murder charge was dismissed by prosecutors in November 2007.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Durousseau, Paul; IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA PAUL DUROUSSEAU v. STATE
Offense date Jan 30, 2003, Jacksonville, Florida
Murder of Surita Cohen, 19 years old
Duval County State Attorney · Arrested Feb 11, 2003 · Charges dismissed Charges dismissed
Surita Cohen, 19, was reported missing on January 30, 2003. Her body and that of Jovanna Jefferson were found together in a ditch on February 5, 2003, near a construction site on New Kings Road, Jacksonville. Murder charge was dismissed by prosecutors in November 2007.
SourcesRadford University serial killer biography: Durousseau, Paul; IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA PAUL DUROUSSEAU v. STATE
Pattern and Background
Victim counts and the pattern of the offenses as stated by courts, agencies and the cited reporting. Suspected counts are what officials have said publicly, not a finding of this site.
1
Victims convicted
0
Victims confessed
7
Victims suspected
Active years
1997–2003
Victim profile
Young women, Teenagers, Strangers, Acquaintances
Stated motive
Sexual, Anger or revenge
Range from home
local
Confessed
Yes
Education
high school
Marital history
Married, Separated
Children
2
Military discharge
dishonorable
Places Lived, Worked and Frequented
Each place and date range comes from a cited record. Dates marked approximate are as reported. Know a place that is missing? Use Edit record under the photo; a moderator reviews it before it appears.
CA
Los Angeles, California
1971 – 1989 · Raised by mother and maternal family
Los Angeles, California
1989 – 1991 · Reseda High School area
California
Dec 1991 – Dec 1991 · Carrying concealed weapon arrest on December 18, 1991
California
Jan 1992 – Jan 1992 · Second arrest for carrying concealed weapon on January 21, 1992
DE
Germany
Nov 1992 – 1996 · U.S. Army stationed in Germany · army
FL
Jacksonville, Florida
Nov 1997 – Feb 2003 · Moved with wife Natoca and two daughters; separated January 2003
Jacksonville, Florida
May 1999 – Feb 2003 · Trespassing arrest May 14, 1999
Jacksonville, Florida
2001 – 2003 · Taxi/cab driver for Gator City Taxi and Shuttle Service during murder spree
Jacksonville, Florida
Aug 2001 – Aug 2001 · School bus driver
Jacksonville, Florida
Feb 06, 2003 – Jun 17, 2003 · Duval County Jail held on probation violation and stolen property charges before indictment
Chipley, Florida
Dec 13, 2007 – present · Northwest Florida Reception Center, inmate J19087, serving life sentence
GA
Fort Benning, Georgia
Nov 1996 – Jan 1999 · U.S. Army stationed at Fort Benning; court-martialed January 1999 for possession of stolen goods; dishonorably discharged · army
Fort Benning, Georgia
Mar 13, 1997 – Mar 13, 1997 · Arrested for kidnapping and rape in Columbus, Georgia area; acquitted in court-martial in August 1997
TX
Beaumont, Texas
Aug 1970 – 1971
Known Vehicles
Vehicles and approximate dates of ownership or use, as reported in the cited records. A photo next to a vehicle is the vehicle itself as published.
Taxi/cab for Gator City Taxi and Shuttle Service
approx. Jan 2003 – Feb 2003
Timeline
Aug 11, 1970
Paul Durousseau born in Beaumont, Texas.
1971
Durousseau moved to Los Angeles, California, with mother and older brother Joseph III to be raised by mother's family.
1989
Graduated from Reseda High School in Los Angeles area and became a security guard.
Dec 18, 1991
Arrested for carrying a concealed weapon in California; received three years probation.
Jan 21, 1992
Arrested again in California for carrying a concealed weapon.
Nov 1992
Enlisted in U.S. Army rather than marrying a woman he got pregnant; later stationed in Germany.
1995
Married Natoca Spann, a soldier he met in Germany, in Las Vegas.
Nov 1996
Re-enlisted in Army and transferred to Fort Benning, Georgia with wife.
Jan 06, 1997
A woman was kidnapped and raped in Columbus, Georgia area while Durousseau was stationed at Fort Benning.
Mar 13, 1997
Arrested and charged with kidnapping and rape at Fort Benning.
Aug 1997
Acquitted of kidnapping and rape charges in court-martial.
Sep 05, 1997
Tracy Habersham, 26, went missing after dancing with Durousseau at a nightclub near Fort Benning.
Sep 07, 1997
Body of Tracy Habersham found nude in wooded area; evidence of rape and strangulation with cord.
Nov 1997
Due to domestic violence, wife Natoca took their two daughters and moved to Jacksonville, Florida; Durousseau followed.
Jan 1999
Court-martialed for possession of stolen military equipment; found guilty and dishonorably discharged from Army.
Apr 1999
Arrested for molesting a 15-year-old girl in Jacksonville; charges not filed.
May 14, 1999
Arrested in Jacksonville for trespassing; spent two days in jail.
Jul 26, 1999
Tyresa Mack, 24-year-old mother of three, raped and strangled in her Jacksonville apartment with white telephone cord.
Aug 1999
Wife asked police how to get a domestic violence restraining order.
Mar 2001
Wife sought restraining order after being assaulted by Durousseau.
Jun 24, 2001
Arrested for raping a woman in her home in Jacksonville; spent 30 days in jail; received two years probation in deal that kept DNA out of police database.
Aug 2001
Worked as school bus driver.
Aug 31, 2001
Arrested for domestic battery; spent 48 days in jail; released when wife dropped charges.
Apr 25, 2002
Arrested for burglary.
Oct 04, 2002
Acquitted of burglary charge by jury; judge extended probation by two years.
Dec 17, 2002
Nicole Williams, 18, reported missing by family.
Dec 19, 2002
Body of Nicole Williams found wrapped in blue blanket at bottom of ditch on Soutel Drive, Jacksonville.
Dec 29, 2002
Nikia Kilpatrick, 19 and six months pregnant, murdered.
Jan 01, 2003
Body of Nikia Kilpatrick found in her apartment with two young children alive but malnourished beside her.
Jan 09, 2003
Shawanda Denise McCalister, 20 and pregnant, raped and strangled in her Jacksonville apartment.
Jan 20, 2003
Jovanna Jefferson, 17, reported missing by family.
Jan 30, 2003
Surita Cohen, 19, reported missing by family.
Feb 05, 2003
Bodies of Jovanna Jefferson and Surita Cohen found together in ditch in 2700 block of New Kings Road, Jacksonville; one covered with blue blanket.
Feb 06, 2003
Durousseau arrested for dealing in stolen property and violation of probation from prior rape charge; held at Duval County Jail.
Feb 11, 2003
Arrested by Jacksonville Sheriff's Office and charged with five counts of murder and two counts of child abuse.
Jun 17, 2003
Formally charged with five counts of first-degree murder for deaths of Nicole Williams, Nikia Kilpatrick, Shawanda McCalister, Jovanna Jefferson, and Surita Cohen.
Jun 20, 2003
Grand jury indicts Durousseau for sixth murder (Tracy Habersham).
Jun 2007
Jury finds Durousseau guilty of first-degree murder and sexual battery of Tyresa Mack after trial in Duval County Circuit Court.
Nov 2007
State Attorney's Office drops remaining five murder charges against Durousseau for Nicole Williams, Nikia Kilpatrick, Shawanda McCalister, Jovanna Jefferson, and Surita Cohen.
Dec 13, 2007
Judge Jack Schemer sentences Durousseau to death by lethal injection for murder of Tyresa Mack; jury voted 10-2 for death penalty.
Jan 2017
Florida Supreme Court overturns Durousseau's death sentence following U.S. Supreme Court ruling on non-unanimous jury verdicts in capital cases (Hurst v. Florida).
Dec 10, 2021
Durousseau resentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole by new jury with 10-2 non-unanimous verdict.
Sources
Solve the Case is never the original source. Each item below is the public record a statement on this page rests on, with an archived copy where one exists.
News report · Grokipedia ·
Paul Durousseau“On June 17, 2003, Paul Durousseau was formally charged with five counts of first-degree murder while already in custody at Duval County Jail in Jacksonville, Florida.”
News report · Wikipedia ·
Paul Durousseau“Born August 11, 1970 in Beaumont, Texas; convicted of first-degree murder; imprisoned at Northwest Florida Reception Center with inmate number J19087.”
News report · Murderpedia ·
Paul Durousseau“Arrested February 6, 2003; charged with five counts of murder and two counts of child abuse; sentenced to death December 13, 2007 for the murder of Tyresa Mack.”
Other government record · Wikipedia ·
Northwest Florida Reception Center“Paul Durousseau, inmate J19087, serving a life sentence at Northwest Florida Reception Center.”
News report · Death Penalty Information Center ·
After Second Non-Unanimous Jury Verdict, Paul Durousseau Re-Sentenced to Life in Prison in Florida“Florida death-row prisoner Paul Durousseau was re-sentenced to life in prison without possibility of parole December 10, 2021, when a second capital sentencing jury reached a non-unanimous sentencing verdict.”
News report · News4Jax ·
After death sentence thrown out, convicted killer gets life in prison“Paul Durousseau, a convicted murderer who is also suspected in the deaths of five other women, was resentenced Friday to life in prison.”
News report · News4Jax ·
Taxi driver Paul Durousseau accused of killing 5 women in Jacksonville“Durousseau was a taxi driver convicted in the 1999 murder of Tyresa Mack. He was charged with murder in the deaths of five young women killed in Jacksonville between December 2002 and February 2003.”
Court record · Florida Supreme Court ·
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF FLORIDA PAUL DUROUSSEAU v. STATE“On June 23, 2003 Appellant was indicted on five counts of first-degree murder for the deaths of Nichole Williams, Nikia Kilpatrick, Shawanda McCallister, Jovanna Jefferson, and Surita Cohen.”
News report · News4Jax ·
Accused Serial Killer Sentenced To Death“Paul Durousseau was convicted in June of the rape and slaying of 24-year-old Tyresa Mack in 1999. Judge Jack Schemer formally sentenced Durousseau to death by lethal injection.”
Other · Radford University Department of Psychology ·
Radford University serial killer biography: Durousseau, Paul“Born in Beaumont, Texas, arrested for carrying concealed weapon in 1991-1992, arrested and acquitted of kidnapping and rape in Georgia in 1997, convicted of seven murders between 1997 and 2003.”
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