St. Croix Poisonings

Serial Killer

The St. Croix Poisonings: The Unsolved Crimes of the "Obia Man"

Introduction

The St. Croix Poisonings were a series of five cyanide deaths that occurred on the island of St. Croix in the United States Virgin Islands between 1984 and 1988. Investigators believed the victims were deceived by an unidentified confidence trickster who presented himself as an "Obia Man," a person claiming to possess supernatural knowledge or spiritual powers. Rather than attacking his victims openly, the unknown offender allegedly gained their confidence, learned about their financial worries, persuaded them to obtain large amounts of cash and then directed them to participate in supposed spiritual rituals. The mysterious man was never publicly identified or arrested. Authorities suspected that he exploited beliefs associated with Obia, sometimes spelled Obeah, while convincing victims that he could remove evil spirits, reveal buried treasure or solve serious financial problems. The rituals reportedly included drinking a special potion. Investigators later determined that the substance consumed by the victims contained cyanide, a rapidly acting poison that can prevent the body from properly using oxygen. The deaths occurred in three separate incidents, but each scene contained remarkably similar details. The victims had recently obtained or withdrawn substantial amounts of money. Their clothing was wet with seawater, there were few or no outward signs of a struggle, and the money disappeared after their deaths. These similarities led police to believe that one offender, or a closely connected group, had orchestrated all five killings.

The Death of Haig Gilbey Caesar

The first known victim was 38-year-old Haig Gilbey Caesar. On the morning of May 24, 1984, a young girl traveling to school discovered Caesar inside his automobile on St. Croix. The vehicle appeared to have gone off the road, creating the initial appearance of a traffic accident or sudden medical emergency. Investigators found no obvious evidence that Caesar had fought with another person, and his body appeared to have been inside the vehicle for several hours. An autopsy revealed that Caesar had died from cyanide poisoning. Police later learned that he had been in contact with a mysterious man who claimed to practice Obia. According to Caesar's wife, Rosmund, the man convinced Caesar that three large containers of valuable ancient coins were buried on property owned by the family. The supposed treasure was said to be protected by powerful spirits that had to be removed before the coins could be recovered. Caesar reportedly borrowed money and removed funds from family accounts without fully explaining what he was doing. He ultimately paid approximately $100,000 in cash to the purported spiritual practitioner. The scheme allegedly required Caesar to return to the location of the supposed treasure and drink a potion that would drive away the spirits guarding it. Instead of revealing treasure or removing a supernatural presence, the potion contained cyanide. Caesar died after consuming it, and the unidentified man disappeared along with the money. The unusual circumstances of Caesar's death were preserved in police records, but the full importance of the case did not become apparent until four more people died under strikingly similar conditions. ...

Confirmed Victims: (5)

Haig Caeser Age: (38), Date of Death: 1984-05-24

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