Know about the notorious serial killer, Charles Sobhraj's estranged daughter, Usha Sutliff, who chose a career in justice.
With the recent release of Netflix's Black Warrant, viewers once again got introduced to the chilling crimes of French serial killer, Charles Sobhraj, infamously dubbed the 'Bikini Killer'. Sobhraj's grisly trail of murders along South Asia's Hippie Trail in the 1970s has long fascinated the world. Yet, an intriguing figure tied to his story remains largely out of the public eye— his daughter, Usha Sutliff.
Even though the harrowing crimes of Charles, aka ‘The Serpent’ are still some of the most unsettling chapters of history, not much is known about his daughter, Usha. Let us take a closer look at Usha Sutliff, daughter of the notorious serial killer who, despite being born into chaos and crime, paved a completely different path from her father.
Usha was born in Mumbai in 1970 to Charles Sobhraj and his French wife, Chantal Compagnon when they were in their early 20s. Their whirlwind romance in Paris defied Chantal’s conservative Catholic upbringing. Despite her family’s disapproval, Compagnon decided to marry Sobhraj, who vowed to leave his criminal ways behind.
After a jewellery heist at Ashok Hotel, Sobhraj was arrested in New Delhi but escaped and fled to Afghanistan in 1971. By then, Chantal had sent their infant daughter, Usha, to her parents in Paris. The couple's relationship ended after their arrest in Kabul for car theft and unpaid bills. Chantal severed ties, returning to Paris, leaving Usha to grow up far from the turmoil of her father’s chaotic life.
After moving to Paris, Chantal Compagnon’s life improved. She met Leon Harris, a stone mason, in a Kabul women’s jail, and he adopted Usha after marrying Chantal in 1975. They later settled in Litchfield, Connecticut. At eight, Usha learned about her biological father, Charles Sobhraj, but showed no interest in him. Over time, she severed ties with her mother, distancing herself from the chaos of her past and choosing a quieter life.
Despite her biological background and her chaotic past, Usha Sutliff was determined to make an identity of her own. She pursued a career in counter-terrorism and homeland security. She even worked for the US government in a classified capacity, where she specialised in law enforcement, intelligence, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism.
Usha graduated from Boston University and is a former print journalist who also served at the Center for Policing Terrorism at the Manhattan Institute for Policy Research, providing expertise to the LAPD’s Counter-Terrorism and Criminal Intelligence Bureau.
Usha, now 52 years old, resides in the US and has dedicated her life to preventing injustice and fighting crime with the US Government under ‘classified’ duties. She is married to Jason Sutliff, a fire captain in San Marino, California. Talking about Usha's connection with Sobhraj, her adopted father, Leon Harris once remarked:
"Usha has no interest in seeing her blood father and the last thing she would do is talk about him. She is a formidable woman, good-looking and tough-minded like her father, but that is about the only thing they have in common."
Meanwhile, Charles Sobhraj, now 80, was released from Nepal jail in 2022, and he roams in France as a free man.
Well, Usha’s story is a powerful reminder that our past doesn’t dictate our future; our choices ultimately shape who we are.
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