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The terrifying case of John Meehan, aka "Dirty John," began long before he met Debra Newell in October 2014. In fact, his crimes only fully surfaced after his demise following a violent physical altercation with Newell's youngest daughter, Terra, who not only acted in self-defense but also helped her family get rid of the monster.
Following a string of uninspiring first dates, Debra met the seemingly perfect, handsome, charismatic, and accomplished John, who appeared to be genuinely interested in her. Believing that she finally found "the real thing," she married him in two months' time. What seemed to be the start of a new beginning, however, turned into a tragic tale of manipulation, lies, and abuse.
Little did the Newells know that Debra's quest for love would trap them in a life-threatening situation with a man with an extensive criminal record, multiple restraining orders, two convictions, and the ability to harass and con women with his charm until his death in August 2016 brought his sins to light.
This article will further elaborate on the case of John Meehan, dubbed "Dirty John," highlighting key details of the occurrences that transpired during his marriage to Debra Newell.
The John Meehan case: Five quick facts to know about his relationship with Debra Newell and his demise
1) John Meehan first met Debra Newell in October 2014 on a dating site
On October 8, 2014, two days after Meehan had just been released from jail, he first connected with Debra Newell on an over-50s dating site. According to reports, prior to meeting her, he had served a few months' time in jail for violating a restraining order.
Meehan posed as a doctor and an anesthesiologist who had just moved to Southern California after a year in war-torn Iraq working with Doctors Without Borders.
Debra, a wealthy and accomplished interior designer, was on a quest to find love again after four failed marriages. Her first date with John was at a restaurant in Irvine, California, and she was immediately captivated by what she saw in him. The two started dating not long after.
2) The couple moved in together, against the wishes of Debra's children, and got married by December
Debra Newell was "swept off her feet" as their connection developed, but her daughters were suspicious of John Meehan. The couple soon bought a home on Balboa Island near Newport Beach and moved in together, something that Debra's daughters only discovered the day before Thanksgiving, which led to rising tensions between John and her children.
Debra and John married in Las Vegas less than two months after meeting, despite the ongoing family conflict and resistance from her daughters.
3) The Newells first learned about John Meehan's past life in March 2015
Debra Newell and her family first heard about John's past from her nephew in March 2015, who informed her that he was once convicted and served time in jail and even lied about his work as an anesthesiologist. She then started looking through his papers in private and discovered proof of his long track record of harassing, seducing, and conning women.
Harper Baazar claims that between 2005, when John Meehan was released from jail in Michigan for drug theft, and the time he met Debra Newell in California, he seduced, conned, and harassed several women, many of whom he had met while posing as a doctor. Three different women in Southern California had standing restraining orders against him by the time the couple got married in December 2014.
Following this discovery, Debra moved out of the Balboa Island home. However, the pair eventually reconciled in June after several months of minimal contact, during which John begged Debra to take him back and convinced her that he needed her. After reconciling, they moved into a new apartment in Irvine.
4) Debra Newell filed to annul the marriage in April 2016 when he tried to distance her from her children
After a year and three months of marriage, Debra was still suspicious of the man she called her husband and was continuously growing uneasy with his actions as well as her separation from her own family. Meanwhile, the conflict between John and Debra's eldest daughter Jacquelyn, who was vocal about her dislike of him, worsened to a point where he didn't even let Debra visit her children. In April 2016, Debra sought to split formally.
John Meehan, who was living in Nevada at the time, started sending her unsettling texts, demanding money, and threatening to ruin her. Debra even requested a restraining order, which was denied. She then cut off all contact with John and stopped returning his calls and texts.
5) John Meehan's violent behavior surfaced during two incidents in June and August 2016
Meehan reportedly stole Debra's car from her office parking lot in Irvine, which was confirmed by surveillance footage. The car was eventually discovered a block away, doused with gasoline with minor fire damage, which suggested that he attempted to set it on fire but failed.
The situation changed dramatically, however, on August 20, when he attacked Terra Newell, Debra's youngest daughter, in the parking lot outside her Newport Beach apartment building. He used a knife to attack the 25-year-old, but she retaliated and stabbed him 13 times with the same knife. He died in the hospital four days later.
Learn more about the case of John Meehan on Dateline: Secrets Uncovered's upcoming episode, scheduled to air on January 24, 2023, at 7:00 pm ET on Oxygen.
