FILE 634 / 26 September 2025 / 76 MIN / express

Face Eating Frat Boy

Tequesta, FloridaListen

The town

N ↑Public placePublic placePublic placePublic placeTown centre (approximate places)
Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

this is in Tequesta, Florida about 0:03:35

History, in brief

Town note

Founded in the 1950s as a planned community centred around the Tequesta Country Club.

about 0:04:43

Town note

Named after the Tequesta people who originally inhabited the area.

about 0:05:01

1970

The village of Tequesta was incorporated in 1970, or 1957, by a real estate developer.

about 0:05:12

Town note

The developer bought 86 acres known as Jupiter Inlet Colony, created Waterway Village and finished the country club and 600 home sites.

about 0:05:20
All 4 history facts

Town note

Founded in the 1950s as a planned community centred around the Tequesta Country Club.

about 0:04:43

Town note

Named after the Tequesta people who originally inhabited the area.

about 0:05:01

1970

The village of Tequesta was incorporated in 1970, or 1957, by a real estate developer.

about 0:05:12

Town note

The developer bought 86 acres known as Jupiter Inlet Colony, created Waterway Village and finished the country club and 600 home sites.

about 0:05:20

The figures, as told

Money

Median home value$596,000
Median household income$89,018
All figures and comparisons, as told in 2025

Population

"6,097"

No direction stated.

As told in 2025 about 0:04:13

Median household income

"$89,018"

Comparison: "about $20,000 over the national average". Direction: above.

As told in 2025 about 0:04:21

Median home cost

"$596,000"

Comparison: "almost double the national average". Direction: above.

As told in 2025 about 0:04:28

The reviews

4.0 / 5 · average of 4

5 stars

“A suburb of world-famous Palm Beach; walkable, bikeable, upscale yet down to earth and pet friendly, between ocean beaches, the river inlet and the historic lighthouse, with five golf courses within a five mile radius and half an hour from Palm Beach International Airport.”
about 0:05:40

5 stars

“Nothing really ever happens here.”
about 0:06:42

3 stars

“Lots of tourism all year round, but not many events going on in the town.”
about 0:06:49

3 stars

“Not too much; could use a few more street lights, and more drugs coming into the neighbourhood along with car break-ins in the past month.”
about 0:07:26

In Florida

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The story

In August 2016, John Joseph Stevens III and his wife Michelle were recent retirees who had moved to Tequesta, Florida, to enjoy their fifties. John was born on July 2, 1957, and was 59; Michelle, born Mara Michelle Karen Mishkin on March 14, 1963, was 53. The couple lived at Southeast Kokomo Lane, in a neighbourhood where residents kept their garage doors open and gathered to drink; they called their converted garage the Garage Mahal.

In the summer of 2016 his behaviour became overtly psychotic. He moved his bed into the garage of his family home because he believed demons, particularly one called Daniel, haunted the house. He claimed superpowers, patrolled the house at night, searched online about demonic possession and how to contact Oprah Winfrey for help, and said he was half horse and half immortal. On August 14, 2016, his father took him to a gun show and bought him a switchblade. That day, or the next, he asked a friend what year he had been born, threatened to kill anyone who called him crazy, and at the beach announced he was half horse and half immortal.

That evening the family went to Duffy's restaurant. His mother called 911 to report that he was acting strangely and believed he was immortal. Between about 6.20 and 9 p.m. he walked roughly four miles, stripping off all his clothes except his boxers.

At about 9.10 p.m. a neighbour, Jeffrey Michael Fisher, called 911 from Southeast Kokomo Lane to report a young man beating a woman across the street. Ten minutes later he called again to say he had been stabbed. Deputy Grace Zopf drew her gun and ordered him off; he kept biting. Michelle Stevens was found in the garage without a pulse. John Stevens died of multiple injuries and Michelle of blunt-force trauma; Fisher survived multiple stab wounds, a deep cut to the head, a puncture wound to his back that needed exploratory stomach surgery, and a broken thumb.

Tests found no drugs and barely a trace of THC in his system. He gave an interview from his hospital bed to Dr Phil in which he apologised without tears, spoke of a tall pale figure following him, said Michelle Stevens was a witch who would harm him, and said he remembered little of the attack.

The case was delayed by COVID-19 into 2020. The state's expert found that he met the criteria for legal insanity and recommended involuntary commitment. At the hearing the victims' daughter read out his texts and messages and said "white rich boy justice". He remains committed.

The case

Murder of John and Michelle Stevens

Victims

John Joseph Stevens III (59). retired, recently moved to Florida with his wife
Mara Michelle Karen Mishkin (Michelle Stevens) (53). his wife, retired

Accused and outcomes

As told in the episode, on 26 September 2025.

Accused

Outcome

Other people

Jeffrey Michael Fisher. neighbour who called 911, intervened and was stabbed but survived
Deputy Grace Zopf. first deputy on the scene
Deputy Wayne Trochan. deputy who described the blood trail and the attack
John Stevens's daughter. read the victim impact statement in court

The timeline

  1. July 2, 1957 John Joseph Stevens III is bornabout 0:12:48
  2. March 14, 1963 Mara Michelle Karen Mishkin is bornabout 0:13:50
  3. December 21, 1996 is bornabout 0:18:48
  4. 2016 John and Michelle retire and move to Tequesta (Stevens house)about 0:12:58
  5. the summer of 2016 returns home from Florida State, moves his bed into the garage and says demons, especially one called Daniel, haunt the house ( house)about 0:36:49
  6. July 11, 2016 posts a rap video titled You Do You Freestyleabout 0:43:22
  7. July 13, 2016 A video shows walking through the house with a semi-automatic pistol before a fishing trip ( house)about 0:42:04
  8. August 11, 2016 posts a video about bodybuilding and steroidsabout 0:43:47
  9. August 12, 2016 posts a video saying he does not need drugsabout 0:44:11
  10. August 14, 2016 His father takes him to a gun show and buys him a switchbladeabout 0:45:00
  11. August 14 or 15, 2016 shows up at a friend's house asking what year he was born, then leaves without explanationabout 0:45:28
  12. August 14 or 15, 2016 At the beach threatens to kill anyone who calls him crazy and claims he is half horse and half immortalabout 0:45:58
  13. August 14 or 15, 2016, 5:30 p.m. The family arrives at Duffy's restaurant; leaves at 5:33 (Duffy's)about 0:47:12
  14. August 14 or 15, 2016, 5:43 p.m. walks to his mother's house and drinks vegetable oil mixed with parmesan cheese; she stops him (Mina 's house)about 0:47:24
  15. August 14 or 15, 2016, 6:15 p.m. His mother drives him back to Duffy's; his father grabs his shirt and raises his fists and walks off (Duffy's)about 0:48:14
  16. August 14 or 15, 2016, evening His mother calls 911 to say he has taken off, is acting strangely and believes he is immortalabout 0:49:11
  17. August 14 or 15, 2016, 6:20 to 9 p.m. walks about four miles and strips to his boxersabout 0:52:47
  18. August 14 or 15, 2016, 9:10 p.m. Jeffrey Fisher calls 911 to report a young man beating a woman across the street (Fisher house)about 0:54:08
  19. August 14 or 15, 2016, about 9:20 p.m. Deputy Grace Zopf arrives and finds choking and biting John Stevens; he ignores her orders (Stevens house)about 0:55:07
  20. August 14 or 15, 2016, night Deputy Wayne Trochan arrives to see a wide blood trail and grappling the victim with his fingers in the man's mouth (Stevens house)about 0:56:02
  21. August 14 or 15, 2016, night A police dog and a taser have no effect; officers kick in the head six or seven times to subdue him (Stevens house)about 0:57:28
  22. August 14 or 15, 2016, night Michelle Stevens is found in the garage without a pulse (Stevens house)about 0:58:28

Places and phrases

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Static locations; no street basemap. Places and details. OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles Data from OpenStreetMap.

Places in the story

Public places are marked on the map.

Heard in this episode