826 North Rampart Street.
If you walk past it today, it looks like just another weathered, beautiful piece of New Orleans architecture. But for anyone who lived through the surreal, sweat-soaked months after Hurricane Katrina, that address is heavy. It’s the site of the Zack and Addie house, a place that transitioned from a symbol of "bohemian resilience" to the scene of one of the most gruesome crimes in the city's long, dark history.
Honestly, the story is usually told as a ghost story. People love to talk about the "haunted" apartment above the Voodoo Spiritual Temple. But the real story is much more human, much more tragic, and—if we're being real—a lot more complicated than a simple campfire tale.
The Couple Who Refused to Leave
When Katrina hit in 2005, the French Quarter didn't flood like the Lower Ninth Ward, but it was a ghost town. No power. No water. Lawlessness was the rule of the day. Zackery Bowen and Addie Hall became local legends because they stayed.
They were the "poster couple" for the indomitable spirit of New Orleans. You’ve probably seen the old news clips. They’d sit on their stoop, mixing cocktails with melted ice, flashing passing military vehicles, and generally acting like the apocalypse was just one big party. Zack was a charismatic bartender and an Iraq War veteran; Addie was a sharp-tongued, free-spirited artist.
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They seemed perfect for the moment.
But behind the "cool" facade of the Zack and Addie house, things were spiraling. The Quarter at that time was a vacuum. Without the usual structure of society, their shared demons—PTSD, substance abuse, and a toxic, volatile chemistry—had plenty of room to grow. It wasn't just a party. It was a pressure cooker.
What Really Happened at 826 North Rampart Street
The "utopia" didn't last. By October 2006, the city was rebuilding, but Zack and Addie were falling apart. On October 5, 2006, Zack strangled Addie in their apartment.
The details are stomach-turning.
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Zack didn't just kill her; he stayed in the apartment with her body for days. He eventually dismembered her. Police later found parts of Addie in the oven and in pots on the stove. This wasn't a "crime of passion" that ended in a quick cleanup. It was a slow, methodical descent into madness.
Zack eventually took his own life by jumping from the roof of the Omni Royal Orleans hotel. He left a five-page suicide note in his pocket. That note led the NOPD straight back to the Zack and Addie house, where they discovered the horror waiting inside.
Why do people still visit the house?
- True Crime Tourism: New Orleans has always traded in the macabre. The house is a staple on "dark history" tours.
- The PTSD Connection: Many veterans and mental health advocates look at Zack’s story as a failure of the system. Zack was a decorated soldier who clearly brought the war home with him.
- The "Voodoo" Element: The fact that the apartment was located directly above a Voodoo temple adds a layer of supernatural intrigue that, frankly, often overshadows the actual victims.
The Reality of 826 North Rampart Today
You can't go inside. It’s private property. For a while, it was a point of contention in the neighborhood—should it be a memorial? Should it be gutted?
The truth is, it’s still just an apartment building. People live there. They walk their dogs past the front door. They carry groceries up the same stairs where Zack carried his hacksaw.
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New Orleans is a city built on layers of grief and joy. You can't scrub the history off the walls. But the Zack and Addie house serves as a stark reminder that the "romantic" version of the French Quarter—the one with the booze and the "anything goes" attitude—has a very real, very dark underbelly.
Understanding the E-E-A-T of this Case
To understand this case, you have to look at the work of journalist Ethan Brown. His book, Shake the Devil Off, is basically the definitive account. He doesn't just look at the murder; he looks at the failure of the military to treat Zack’s PTSD and the atmospheric trauma of post-Katrina New Orleans.
If you’re looking for a "spooky" story, you’re missing the point. The tragedy of Addie Hall and Zack Bowen is a story about what happens when people are left behind by the systems meant to protect them.
Moving Forward: How to Process the Legacy
If you’re visiting New Orleans and find yourself on Rampart Street, look at the house. But don't just look for ghosts.
- Acknowledge the Victim: Addie Hall was a person, not a prop for a horror story. She was a daughter and a friend.
- Support Veteran Services: Zack’s story is a violent extreme, but the lack of mental health support for veterans is a recurring theme that still matters in 2026.
- Respect the Residents: Remember that people live in these "haunted" spots. Don't be the tourist peering through the windows at midnight.
The Zack and Addie house isn't just a stop on a tour. It’s a piece of New Orleans’ soul that didn’t heal right. It’s a reminder that even in the most beautiful cities, the dark corners are real.
Practical Next Steps
If you want to understand the full context of this case, read Shake the Devil Off by Ethan Brown. It provides a non-sensationalized look at the intersection of war trauma and urban disaster. If you are in New Orleans, you can view the exterior of 826 North Rampart Street from the sidewalk, but please maintain a respectful distance from the private entrance.