Transcript

A (0:01)

Small Town Murder is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. But potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations from the Cascades to PDX to your kitchen. We recycle like we live here. That's why governments, brands and recycling companies are all joining together to bring change to make recycling better. As in trusting that your recyclables end up in the right places to be made into new things and having brands help fund the cost of recycling. You can find the Latest updates at recycleon.org Oregon From Mount Hood to the bin under your desk. Together we can do this. Hello everybody and welcome back to Small Town Murder Express. Yay and choo choo. Oh yay indeed, Jimmy. Yay indeed. My name is James Petregallo. I'm here with my co host.

B (1:22)

I'm Jimmy Wisman.

A (1:24)

Thank you folks so much for joining us today on this. Another crazy.

B (1:30)

Oh boy.

A (1:30)

I don't know how to start it because I was gonna say on this episode and I was gonna kinda give a little intro, but this is the most insane episode. I don't even know how to start it. It's just so crazy. Buckle up everybody. That's all I'm gonna say. Before we get into that though, head over to shut upandgivememerder.com and get your tickets for live shows. We are in Seattle, I believe it's October 18th. It's the Saturday of that weekend, whenever that is. So get in there and do that for sure at the Moore Theater. We're very excited. Then make sure to get your tickets for the virtual live show.

B (2:04)

Oh shit.

A (2:05)

The Thursday right before Halloween. Get your tickets right now. Just like a regular live show, except you don't have to go anywhere. You can be right where you want to be. Be in your living room. Wear whatever you want. Hang out with us. Do that. We'll have all the pictures and the jokes. We'll be wearing costumes because it's Halloween. We have some fun ones for you. It's going to be so much fun. And it's available for two weeks after the show actually airs. So you can buy it a little late, you can get it early, you can watch it 100 times. Do whatever you want. Shut up and give me. Murder.com is the place for that. Also listen to our other two shows, Crime in Sports and your stupid opinions because they're hilarious. And you definitely want to do that. And then get yourself some Patreon. Treat yourself. Patreon.com CrimeInSports is where you get all of the bonus material. Anybody $5 a month or above. You're gonna get so much stuff. First of all, you're gonna get hundreds of episodes that you've never heard before. Bonus stuff back episodes. Then you get new ones every other week. One Crime in Sports, one Small Town Murder. And you get them all.

Summary

Small Town Murder: "Face Eating Frat Boy – Tequesta, Florida"

Hosts: James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman
Date: September 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this jaw-dropping episode, James and Jimmie head to Tequesta, Florida, to cover one of the most bizarre, gruesome, and baffling true crime cases they’ve ever encountered. The hosts break down the case of Austin Harrouff—a seemingly ordinary Florida State University student who spiraled into a psychotic break and committed an unthinkable act of violence involving double murder and cannibalism in a quiet retirement community. As always, the tragedy is presented through a blend of thorough research, empathetic perspective on the victims, and the hosts’ signature dark humor and tangents.

Tequesta, Florida: The Setting

(04:18) The journey begins as James introduces Tequesta, a small but upscale village in Palm Beach County with a population of just over 6,000.
Houses are excessively expensive (median price: ~$596,000) and the area is best described as "douchey" and country club-centric.
The town’s main event: the annual Chili Cook-Off and beer tasting, judged mostly by local news personalities, DJ's, and community figures.
- Quote, James (07:29): “If you like to golf and think you’re better than other people, this is the place for you.”
- Jimmie (08:16): "Cheesesteaks and tacos down your throat... they all pull up like Mad Max and shit with dust clouds behind them."
The community is portrayed as safe, upscale, and a little dull ("Nothing really ever happens here.”), leading into the episode’s irony: something absolutely wild did happen here.

The Victims: John and Michelle Stevens

(13:19) John Stevens III and his wife Michelle Mishkin are introduced as a retired couple embracing Florida leisure, deeply in love, and beloved by their neighbors.
- John: 59, retired, previously married, “ready to actually enjoy life.”
- Michelle: 53, described as incredibly kind and happy; recently retired as well.
Both were immersed in community life, famous for turning their garage (“the Garage Mahal”) into a social gathering spot for friends and neighbors.
Host commentary (17:50-18:28): The "Florida garage party" culture leads to comedic riffs about the horror of neighbors dropping by uninvited.
- James: “The garage is still my house... leave me alone until I step outside.”
- Jimmie: "People come over and drink with me in my garage. Cars don't go in there. It's a bar."

The Perpetrator: Austin Harrouff

Background

(19:41-21:42) Austin Harrouff, 19 at the time, is painted as an athletic, mild-mannered FSU student from a wealthy dentist family. His parents, recently divorced, had a history of mental illness in the greater family (specifically, schizophrenia).
- Nicknamed "Happy Boy" by family and friends for his upbeat childhood demeanor.
- Was into bodybuilding, fitness, and started college as a biology major, switching to exercise science to become a dietitian.
- Joined a fraternity (Alpha Delta Phi) and quickly embraced a "party hard" collegiate lifestyle.

Escalating Instability & Substance Abuse

(24:15-39:47) The hosts detail Austin’s descent into substance abuse and mental instability using his own texts and social media posts, read for both comedic effect and shock value.
- Chronic blackout drinking, polydrug use (weed, Adderall, LSD, meth), repeated references to not handling drugs well, and increasingly erratic journal entries.
  - Quote from Austin’s texts (32:19): “I’m fucked up. Getting drunk is so fun. Went to a bar. I was so player plastered. I was trashed. I’m gonna drink my troubles away.”
  - James: “Some people handle drugs just fine, some people don’t. Their lives fall apart. It’s just... it’s a weird thing.”
- Hosts remark on his increasingly alarming posts, including:
  - “Why the fuck just not do what you want? Just do the craziest shit you can.” (27:10)
  - “You didn’t know I’m a psychopath.” (36:12)
  - “Sick, I did meth in some trailer park.” (34:46)
- Despite these flags, he didn’t get into trouble, but friends noted his behavior was “too fucked up.”

The Spiral into Psychosis

(40:09-53:06) Over the summer of 2016, Austin returns home and his behavior takes a dark turn—becoming bizarre, paranoid, and delusional:
- Moves his bed to the garage, claiming “demon Daniel” was haunting him (41:01).
- Tells people he has “superpowers like Jesus,” patrols the house at night, searches online for demonic possession, and seeks to contact Oprah for help (41:57-42:23).
- Quote: “If you have a college age [child] displaying massive mental things, you gotta get them some help… he claimed he had superpowers, like Jesus.” (41:36)
- Parents’ reaction: lock their bedroom doors but do not seek professional help (42:22).
- Social media activity skyrockets: posts dozens of rants, bodybuilding videos, and covers where he speaks of violence, superpowers, and suicide. Notably, he self-describes as having “a psycho side and a normal side. I’ve lost my mind. Help me find it.” (44:41)

The Night of the Attack – August 15, 2016

Lead-Up Events

Bizarre dinner at Duffy’s restaurant:
- Harrouff leaves the table multiple times, walks home, begins drinking vegetable oil with parmesan cheese (50:39).
- Tense altercation with his father, after which Austin takes off on foot, armed with knives.
- Mother calls 911 expressing concern: "He says he's immortal." (52:27)
Wanders for hours: Strips to his boxers while walking (57:36).

The Crime

(58:26-62:05) Fishers’ and Stevens’ Encounter:
- John Stevens is attacked while walking his dog; Michelle Stevens is attacked in their garage.
- Neighbor Jeff Fisher intervenes, is stabbed multiple times but survives.
- 911 call from Fisher: “Please. A medical young man beating up a woman across the street... I ran over there. I'm bleeding profusely here at the moment.” (59:06)
Police Arrive:
- Deputies arrive to find Austin, in boxers, “chewing on John Stevens’ face. Observed the suspect wearing a blue shirt and a silky boxers. She pulled her gun out, ordered him to get off of the victim. He continued to bite his face and rip the flesh from the victim.” (60:26)
- Multiple attempts to subdue him: K9 units and Tasers are ineffective, police must physically kick him repeatedly in the head to disengage him from the corpse (62:18)
- Harrouff is screaming: “Fucking kill me. Fucking kill me. Shoot me now. I deserve to die.”
- At one point, he stops the assault, drinks a bottle of caustic chemical solvent found in the garage, and resumes biting/eating.
  - James: “He stopped in the middle of this attack, found some kind of solvent, chemical cleaning agent in the garage and started drinking it. Just started chugging it and then went back to eating faces.” (64:33)
Medical Examiner: John and Michelle Stevens were killed by multiple stab wounds and blunt force trauma. Harrouff also severely wounds Fisher but he survives.

Aftermath & Investigation

Hospitalization & Toxicology

(66:01-68:58) Harrouff is hospitalized in critical condition with severe organ damage from chemical ingestion, lapses into a coma, and then recovers.
- In the ambulance: “I ate something bad.” “What?” “Humans.”
- Toxicology tests reveal no drugs in his system (apart from trace THC not sufficient to explain the behavior). Bath salts and poisons ruled out.
  - James: “He did this sober. A barely a trace of THC. So from days ago… absolutely nothing. No alcohol… The only alcohol is probably from the solvent.”

Public Reaction, Media, and Legal Proceedings

Victim’s family: John’s daughter calls Harrouff “a murderer, a monster and a coward,” hoping he survives to face full consequences.
National media dubs him:
- “Cannibal frat boy”
- “Frat boy face eater”
- James: “I’d add Happy, the fat boy, face eater to that. Happy boy, the face eater.”
Despite the notoriety, he develops romantic relationships with fans in jail, one lasting 8 months (75:14).

Mental Health Findings and Outcome

2021 Psychiatric Evaluation:
- Diagnosed as suffering from psychotic features, bipolar disorder (with acute manic episodes), and clinical lycanthropy (he believed he was part animal—at one point, “half-horse, half-immortal;” later “half-dog”).
  - James: “Wow. The state expert said he meets the criteria for legal insanity. The state expert said that (and) he's paid to never say that.” (77:02)
Resolution:
- Pleads Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity. Both prosecution and defense agree he was legally insane.
- Indefinitely committed to a secure psychiatric hospital, with semi-annual and annual reviews. As of broadcast, he remains institutionalized (79:15).
Victim’s daughter on outcome:
- “Four words come to mind: white rich boy justice.” (77:52)
- References father buying the murder weapon, jail calls without remorse (“those fucking people”), and the illusion of accountability.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

James (07:29): “If you like to golf and think you’re better than other people, this is the place for you.”
Jimmie (08:16): “[Food truck invasion]...they all pull up like Mad Max and shit with dust clouds behind them.”
Austin (Self-description): “I've got a psycho side and a normal side. I've lost my mind. Help me find it.” (44:41)
Austin’s social media: “You didn’t know I’m a psychopath.” (36:12)
Jeff Fisher’s 911 call (59:06): "Please. A medical young man beating up a woman across the street...I ran over there. I'm bleeding profusely here at the moment."
James describing crime scene (60:26): “He continued to bite his face and rip the flesh from the victim.”
Police officer account (61:34): “The dog grabbed his arm. They got a police dog, grabbed the suspect's arm, pulled it off the suspect, ripped it out of the dog's mouth and went in for a deeper hold.”
Harrouff to police: "Fucking kill me. Fucking kill me. Shoot me now. I deserve to die."
James (77:52): “Here we are opening the prison doors for a double murderer, letting him out.”

Timeline & Timestamps of Key Segments

(04:18): Tequesta, FL background & host impressions
(13:19): Introduce John & Michelle Stevens, their romance and “Garage Mahal” culture
(24:15-39:47): Austin Harrouff’s social media journaling, drug use, and red flags
(41:01-42:23): Austin’s first major psychotic symptoms (garage sleeping, “demon Daniel,” Oprah searches)
(50:39-53:06): The bizarre dinner and Austin’s departure from family
(58:26-62:05): The attack: neighbor 911 call, police arrival, “face eating”
(64:33): Austin drinks chemical solvent in the midst of the assault
(66:01-68:58): Hospitalization, coma, and shocking toxicology results
(70:11): Austin awakens, requests to appear on Dr. Phil
(74:37): Jail phone call reveals lack of remorse
(76:12): Psychiatric evaluations and diagnosis
(77:30): Legal outcome: Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, indefinite commitment
(77:52): Victim’s daughter’s courtroom statement

Closing Thoughts

The episode exemplifies Small Town Murder’s blend of gallows humor, banter, and research, while holding a clear sense of empathy for the victims and their families. The hosts marvel at the nightmarish, seemingly motiveless brutality and the disturbing combination of mental illness, parental denial, and privilege that led to two innocent people being killed in a place “where nothing ever happens.”

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Face Eating Frat Boy - Tequesta, Florida