Voodoo Murders

The Voodoo Murders refer to a series of killings that took place in New Orleans, Louisiana in 1993, carried out by the secret criminal cult known as the Voodoo Cartel. The case was solved and it's members brought to justice by the novelist-turned-schattenjager Gabriel Knight with the help of Franklin Mosely and Grace Nakimura.

Background
All the murders had the same M.O. - the victims were all members of the underworld and all are found without heart. According to the coroner, all victims died of heart attack ("scared to death") before the incision was made. Beside the bodies, Voodoo paraphernalia were found, such as wax, chicken feathers, goat blood and veve s. According to Voodoo experts and the police, the Voodoo elements were all faked, put there for intimidation. No fingerprints were ever found, just some fiber and leopard fur. Judging from the variety of footprints, more than 20 people attended the killings.

The first murder occurred around March and the seventh was on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain. On Day 5 the case was declared to be solved. The police claimed that it was an attempt by the Chicago mafia to invade local territory in order to use the Mississippi for drug running. As word came that the mafia gave up, and not wishing to engage in the mob war, the police closed the case. The case was later reopened when Gabriel Knight brought Franklin Mosely some evidence.

Gabriel wrote a bestselling novel on the case which reached #20 on the New York Times and made Gabriel a international sensation.