John Joseph Joubert: The Murders of Three Young Boys
Early Life and the Development of Violent Fantasies
John Joseph Joubert IV was an American serial killer responsible for the murders of three boys in Maine and Nebraska between August 1982 and December 1983. Born on July 2, 1963, in Lawrence, Massachusetts, Joubert spent much of his youth in Portland, Maine. His parents divorced when he was young, and he later described himself as an isolated child who was frequently bullied by other students.
During his adolescence, Joubert developed violent fantasies involving domination, restraint and the use of knives. He later acknowledged attacking several people before committing his known murders. As a teenager, he reportedly stabbed a girl with a pencil, slashed another girl with a razor blade and nearly strangled a boy during a fight. These attacks were not connected to him at the time, allowing his behavior to continue without intervention from law enforcement.
Joubert graduated from Cheverus High School in Portland in 1981. He joined the United States Air Force the following year and was eventually stationed at Offutt Air Force Base near Bellevue, Nebraska. By then, his violent fantasies had become increasingly focused on abducting and killing young boys.
The Murder of Richard "Ricky" Stetson
Joubert committed his first confirmed murder in Portland, Maine, on August 22, 1982. His victim was 11-year-old Richard "Ricky" Stetson, who had left his home that evening to jog along the Back Cove Trail. When Ricky failed to return before dark, his parents contacted police and a search began.
Ricky encountered Joubert near the Back Cove area. Joubert attacked the boy, strangled him and stabbed him in the chest. Investigators also found a human bite mark on the back of Ricky's leg. Additional cuts had been made over the bite, apparently in an attempt to destroy or conceal the evidence. Ricky died from the combined effects of strangulation and a stab wound to his chest.
On the morning of August 23, 1982, a passerby discovered Ricky's body near Tukey's Bridge and Interstate 295 in Portland. Investigators initially pursued another suspect, who remained in custody for an extended period. However, dental comparisons showed that the suspect's teeth did not match the bite mark found on Ricky, and he was eventually released.
The murder remained unresolved after Joubert left Maine and entered the Air Force. The bite mark, witness observations and other evidence were preserved, later becoming important when investigators learned of two remarkably similar murders in Nebraska.
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