Warning: This article contains discussions of suicide and murder that some readers may find upsetting
The chilling case of a New Orleans suicide was revealed to be something a lot more than initially thought after evidence was left in the pocket of a body.
The body of bartender Zachary Bowen was discovered in the parking garage outside of a rooftop bar in 2006, having apparently jumped to his death.
However, things only began to get stranger when investigators took a closer look.
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The residents of Crescent City were left reeling when the news broke of the 28-year-old’s death after he had become a local legend along with his girlfriend, Addie Hall, during the hurricane Katrina disaster.
Having spent a lot of time living in the French Quarter, the pair would trade drinks in return for food and even went on to make it in the local newspaper for their attempt to rally the community together.
But the news would break that something wasn’t right with the couple during their relationship which led to a bloody end.
After Bowen’s body was discovered, so was his chilling crime just days prior.
A suicide note was left in his right, front pocket which asked them to investigate his apartment.
When police went to his residence, which he shared with Hall, they would find writing spray painted on the wall which called Bowen a ‘failure’.
They went on to find two pots on the stove, one containing a human head and another which contained hands and feet.
They then opened the oven to discover baking trays filled with legs and arms, which had been seasoned.
The suspected victim? His girlfriend of over a year, Addie Hall.
According to reports and his own suicide note addressed to police - which he wrote in Hall’s journal - he had strangled her days before and left her as he went on a drug and alcohol-fuelled rampage.
He would then return to their home and dismember her in an attempt to hide his crime. However, he was haunted by what he had done.
His autopsy found that he had even punished himself for his failings, as his body was covered in cigarette burns - one for every year of his life.
As a divorcee with children he co-parented with his ex, Bowen was said to have a lot of negative thoughts about his life. Not only did his marriage fail, but so did his military service.
Allegedly, he was an Iraq war hero who received medals of honor for his immense bravery, but after witnessing the atrocities of war, he wasn’t the same.
Many believed that he suffered from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder following a general (not honorable) discharge, which he also seemed to view as another failure in life.
His change in personality is what led him to be divorced by his wife.
However, he would go on to meet Hall, who was known to have violent outbursts and drink excessively.
The pair would then engage in heavy drinking and would go on to break up numerous times, to the point where friends would report that they were never sure when they were in a relationship.
But one day, it all came to a head and the pair decided to reconcile by moving into an apartment together. Just weeks later, Hall and Bowen would be found dead.
If he hadn’t written that note and put it in his pocket, how long would it have been before Hall was found, and would police have known he was the culprit?
If you or someone you know is struggling or in a mental health crisis, help is available through Mental Health America. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org. You can also reach Crisis Text Line by texting MHA to 741741
Topics: Crime, US News, True crime
Britt Jones