‘AustiFrosti’ was a nickname that Austin Harrouff used on his YouTube channel, he used the channel to record freestyle raps, offer fitness advice and over all being a silly college student online. Austin used his cell phone to make notes throughout his freshman year at Florida State university, many state the notes resembled do to lists. Family described Austin as a quirky, sometimes odd individual. Though the oddness increased significantly.
With a typical upbringing and a loving family, the change in behavior was not predicted. Austin’s parents divorced when he was young, but were able to continue co-parenting with no major issues regarding custody or child rearing.
The summer before his 2nd year in college, he was using his phone to document statements or write poems. Some of his statements in his phone appeared to be regarding his life and the lack of direction in his. With statements such as, “I don’t want to be worshiped but I know I will be” also, “keep running even when they say you crazy.”
Even his YouTube rap lyrics became darker, “got a psycho side and a normal side. I’ve lost my mind. Help me find it.”
During the summer prior to his second year in college, he went home for summer break. While in South Florida, his behavior increasingly became erratic. His behavior terrified his family, causing his sister to begin locking her bedroom door at night. Austin begin to take an interest in religion and stated to many that he was immortal and had super powers. Often he would walk through the family home stating he needed to guard them as he felt an evil presence.
Days prior to the murders, Austin was searching the internet. Specifically investigators found searches on August 10th, between 3 am to 5 am, “how to relax my mind”, “auditory hallucinations when falling asleep” and “schizophrenia”, and “if it was OK to overthink things.” It is believed he also hypnotized himself and was searching the internet to learn how to reverse it.
Between the days of August 12th and 13th of 2016, he searched Google for Satan as well as statements such as, “what exactly is hell”. There were searches for the biblical figures Adam and Eve and how to sell his soul to the devil.
On August 15th 2016, the morning of the murders, Austin arrived at his Fathers home to pick up his car that he’d left there. His father attempted to discuss Austins sleeping issues and offered him some of his Valium, which Austin threw to the ground and stated his father couldn’t control him. The elder Harrouff was so concerned at this point, he took his sons car keys away, which caused Austin to go into a rage and begin damaging the car. He was then given the car keys back.
That evening, Austin was at a popular restaurant, “Duffy’s” with his family. According to his family, he left twice. His father reported that he’d gone to the restroom the first time and did not return. Though he did turn up at his mothers door step when she was making dinner.
When in his mothers home, he attempted to drink cooking oil from the bottle and she stopped him. She offered him a ride back to Duffy’s and he accepted. During the ride, his mother discussed counseling and he agree he would go. Once arriving back at Duffy’s, he and his father had a fight. His father insisted on knowing what Austin was doing, when he wouldn’t respond, his father grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, causing Austin the leave the restaurant once more. Austin never went home that night.
By this time on August 15th, Austin Harrouff was not sleeping at all. Friends stated he may have been using marijuana to help sleep, but no other drugs that they were aware of. And others stated that he was suffering from a steroid dependency.
Just before the slayings, Austin was searching the internet, typing in questions, ranging from, Satan, murders, to the pursuit of happiness. Some of the searches included, “Must I sleep?”, “I think I’m going crazy, am I?”, “What am I?”, “How to know if you’re going crazy”, “can we really control more than we think,” “What is white magic”. He even searched the murderer Paul Michael Merhige, who killed four of his family members and injured three others.
He also began searching, ‘centaurs’, the mythical creature that is half human and half horse. Searching the internet with phrases, “What’s the weakest thing about a centaur”, “what’s the biggest help to a centaur.” Austin’s sister later reported that he had told her he was an immortal centaur.
John Stevens, 59, and Michelle Mishcon, 53, were in their garage that night. Friends and neighbors claim the couple had a great garage that was set up to host guests, watch tv or just relax. Ha
rrouff, approached the garage and begin beating the two victims. A neighbor heard screams and ran to help, but had to back off once injured by Harrouff as well, he went back home to call authorities.
By the time the police arrived, it took four officers and a K9 attack dog to remove Austin from John Stevens. Officers found him entangled with his victim making animal noises and aggressively biting the victims face, only wearing underwear.
Once officers removed him from the victim, Austin stated, he’d eaten something bad and was sick and said he deserved to die. Begging officers to kill him. Officers could see pieces of the victims flesh in Harrouff’s teeth. After his arrival at the hospital, it became clear he had ingested something toxic from the garage, possibly gasoline or insecticide, as his kidneys and liver began to fail. It’s also reported that he had pneumonia and one thumb was almost severed off.
Once brought to the hospital, Austin Harrouff was drug tested for multiple substances, including FLAKKA, Bathsalts, or cocaine. He tested negative for all substance, though he did have trace amounts of marijuana and alcohol in his system.
After the murders, both Harrouff and his father appeared on the “Dr. Phil” TV show. In March of 2017, an edited version of the show was released to the public, but there was more to the interview than what the public saw. The court ordered all the tapes be released to the court for review as there may be key points to determine the case. An attorney for Harrouff indicated that the differences in the unedited videos, came from her client being gravely ill and on multiple medications.
Two years later Austin Harrouff is still in jail awaiting a trial, in Martin County, Fla. In August, 2018, the family of Michelle Mischon has filed a civil suit against Harrouff.