Episode 176: Skara Cannibal - Isakin Drabbad

Skara, Sweden. A small, quiet city with more than a thousand years of history. It was founded, according to local tradition, nearly a thousand years ago. For centuries, Skara was known as a center of religion and education. It is home to one of Sweden's oldest schools, and its medieval cathedral still stands at the heart of the city. It's not the kind of place you would expect to become synonymous with one of the most disturbing crimes in Swedish history. But in November of 2010, behind the doors of an apartment, something horrific happened. And at the center of it was a man named Isakin Drabbad. But Isakin wasn't always Isakin Drabbad. He was born Jimmy Daniel Isaksson in 1978, and from a young age, his life was marked by instability. He spent much of his youth moving in and out of institutions and eventually accumulated convictions for crimes including theft and drug offenses. As he grew older, his struggles with substance abuse and serious mental health problems became increasingly significant. And then there was his fascination with the occult. He talked about demons. He talked about the devil. He talked about evil spirits and what he called “the other side.” Eventually, Isakin met a woman named Helle Christensen while the two were patients at a psychiatric clinic. They fell in love, moved to Skara together, and tried to build a life. But behind that attempt at a new beginning, their relationship was becoming increasingly volatile. Arguments became more frequent. And Helle's family began to worry about her safety. In November of 2010, Isakin committed a crime so horrific that it was almost impossible to comprehend. This is the story of Isakin Drabbad, the man known as the Skara Cannibal. It's the story of Helle Christensen. This story reminds us that evil can be anywhere, even behind the face of someone we believe loves us, even as they slowly descend into darkness.