The Devil Man of Algiers: The Terrifying Red-Eyed Stalker of New Orleans

 

The Devil Man of Algiers: The Terrifying Red-Eyed Stalker of New Orleans

The ferry ride across the Mississippi had been quiet — too quiet for a city like New Orleans. Even the distant horns and river sounds felt muted, as if the night was holding its breath. You stepped off the dock into Algiers Point, the streetlights flickering weakly under the weight of the fog rolling in from the river. The air smelled of old brick, damp wood, and the faint sweetness of night-blooming jasmine.

But beneath it all was something else.
Something metallic.
Something… wrong.

You kept walking, the cobblestones slick under your shoes. The neighborhood was charming in daylight — shotgun houses painted in pastel blues and greens, wrought iron fences, old oaks that creaked like they remembered too much. But after midnight, Algiers felt older. Emptier. The kind of quiet that presses against your ribs.

A soft scraping sound echoed behind you.

Not footsteps.
Not exactly.

Your pulse quickened. You glanced over your shoulder, and for a split second you saw movement — something tall slipping between the shadows of two houses. Too thin. Too fast. Too deliberate.

You sped up.

The scraping grew louder, now paired with a low hum, almost like a breath vibrating through teeth. A cold wind swept past you, carrying with it the unmistakable scent of sulfur.

Then you saw them.

Two glowing red eyes staring at you from across the street.

Unblinking.
Fixed.
Hungry.

You didn’t wait to see the rest of the face.

You ran — and the sound that followed you wasn’t footsteps, but the scraping of something sharp dragging along the brick walls as it kept pace beside you.

People in Algiers have whispered about this creature for more than a century.

They call him The Devil Man.

And they say he still follows lone travelers home.

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What Is the Devil Man of Algiers?

The Devil Man of Algiers is one of the oldest urban legends in New Orleans — a terrifying stalker said to haunt the narrow streets of Algiers Point, often appearing after dark to anyone walking alone.

Unlike many New Orleans legends rooted in ghosts, voodoo spirits, or cursed objects, the Devil Man stands apart. He isn’t a haunting. He isn’t a restless soul. He isn’t tied to a graveyard or tragedy.

He is a presence.

A watcher.
A predator.
Something that follows.

Descriptions vary, but most versions agree on several disturbing traits:

• glowing red eyes that reflect like embers
• the smell of sulfur or burning matches
• a tall, thin figure that moves unnervingly fast
• long fingers tipped with sharp, claw-like nails
• a grin that appears before the rest of the face is visible
• a scraping sound against brick or wood as he trails behind victims

Some witnesses swear he can appear and vanish instantly, slipping between shadows like smoke. Others say he walks the streets of Algiers at a distance, keeping perfectly matched pace with anyone walking home late.

And in older accounts, people claim that speaking to him — or acknowledging him at all — invites misfortune.

The Devil Man doesn’t just watch.

He waits.

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Origins of the Legend: Where Did the Devil Man Come From?

Like most New Orleans folklore, the Devil Man of Algiers doesn’t have one single beginning. Instead, his story weaves together fragments of history, superstition, fear, and a neighborhood long known for its ghostly atmosphere.

1. The 19th-Century Sightings

The earliest written reference dates back to the late 1800s in old Algiers newspapers, which mention a “red-eyed man” stalking ferry workers and sailors walking home after night shifts.

These reports described:

• a man “taller than any man ought to be”
• glowing eyes seen near the levee
• sulfur smell lingering after sightings
• people chased but never touched

Authorities at the time dismissed it as superstition — or a prankster — but residents weren’t convinced.

In an era long before electric lighting, Algiers Point’s narrow streets and thick fog made it the perfect breeding ground for fear.

2. The Fire of 1895

Some legends connect the Devil Man to the catastrophic fire that burned much of Algiers Point in 1895. The blaze lit the sky red and turned entire blocks to ash.

A rumor spread:
“The Devil walked through Algiers that night.”

Witnesses claimed a tall figure with burning eyes moved through the smoke unharmed. Whether hysteria, grief, or something supernatural, the story stuck — and strengthened the idea that the Devil Man was tied to fire, heat, or sulfur.

3. A Voodoo Curse? A River Spirit? A Demon?

Locals have debated for decades:

• Some claim he is a vengeful spirit created by violence along the riverbank.
• Others believe he is a demon, drawn to the city’s spiritual energy.
• A few insist he is a guardian gone wrong, a protector spirit twisted by something dark.
• And some describe him as a river entity, tied to drownings and tragedies along the Mississippi.

Like many New Orleans legends, the answer changes depending on who tells it — and that’s part of what makes the Devil Man so deeply unsettling.

He doesn’t have a clean origin story.

He just is.

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Appearance & Behavior: How the Devil Man Moves Through the Night

People rarely get a clear look at him. His form seems to blur with shadow, appearing only in fragmented glimpses.

A Tall, Skeletal Silhouette

Witnesses describe him as unnaturally tall — often over seven feet — with long limbs and a strange, jerking gait, as though he’s not used to his own body.

Red Eyes That Reflect Light

The eyes are always the first thing people see:

Twin red glows floating in darkness, watching.

Some say they flicker like burning coal. Others say they pulse, as if matching a heartbeat.

A Grin Too Wide

Before the rest of his face takes shape, a thin, stretched smile appears — white teeth gleaming unnaturally bright.

Clawed Hands and Sharp Movement

He doesn’t walk like a person.
He lurches, then glides, then moves with a suddenness that feels impossible.

The scraping sound many describe is believed to be:

• his nails dragging along the walls
• his fingers tracing windows
• or his claws marking paths he follows again and again

He Never Speaks — But He Laughs

Perhaps the most chilling detail:

Some say he emits a high, distorted laugh.
Others say they’ve heard a low chuckle right behind them — even when no one was there.

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Modern Sightings: Encounters in the 20th and 21st Century

The Devil Man didn’t disappear with old New Orleans.

If anything, modern reports make him sound even stranger — less human, more like a recurring nightmare with footprints.

The Jogger on Bermuda Street (1990s)

A resident jogging before dawn claimed a figure followed her for three blocks, matching her pace without making a sound. When she stopped, it stopped. When she ran faster, it sped up effortlessly.

When she finally turned around, she saw nothing but two red lights suspended in the fog.

The Couple on the Ferry Landing (2004)

Late at night, a couple waiting for the ferry reported a tall figure standing at the end of the dock. They described:

• glowing eyes
• a long shadow stretching unnaturally far
• no footsteps as it moved

When the ferry arrived and its lights hit the dock, the figure vanished.

The Window Scratchings (Ongoing Reports)

Homeowners near Algiers Point have reported mysterious scratch marks appearing on windows — long vertical lines too high for any animal and too deep for simple vandalism.

Some say they find the same sulfur smell lingering afterward.

The Man Who Walks Behind You

This is the most common report:

People walking alone at night hear footsteps behind them — slow, dragging, too heavy for a normal human. But when they turn around, the footsteps stop.

Yet the feeling of being watched lingers for hours.

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Why Algiers Point?

New Orleans is a city layered with magic, superstition, trauma, and beauty. But Algiers Point is unique.

1. It’s One of the Oldest Parts of the City

Settled in the early 1700s, Algiers is older than many neighborhoods in the French Quarter.

2. The Streets Are Narrow, Quiet, and Fog-Prone

The river produces thick clouds of mist that roll through the streets, muting sound and distorting shadows.

3. Its History Is Filled With Fire, Disease, and Mystery

Isolation across the river meant slower help during disasters — and some tragedies linger deeply in local memory.

4. Spirits Are Part of the Culture

New Orleans folklore thrives on the idea that the past never stays buried.

If a creature like the Devil Man existed anywhere —
it would be here.

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Similar Legends

These beings share traits with the Devil Man of Algiers — shadow stalkers, red-eyed watchers, and supernatural pursuers known for following travelers at night.

The Grunch of New Orleans

Part cryptid, part demon, and part urban nightmare, the Grunch is one of New Orleans’ oldest and most persistent legends. Said to lurk in the woods beyond the city’s edge or along deserted parish roads, the Grunch is described as small but unnervingly fast, with glowing red or yellow eyes that appear just before it attacks livestock or stalks lone travelers.
Like the Devil Man, the Grunch is often seen watching from the roadside, keeping pace with vehicles, or lingering near abandoned buildings. Its reputation for sudden appearances, eerie mimicry, and aggressive behavior makes it one of the Devil Man’s closest folkloric neighbors.

The Shadow Man (Southern Folklore)

A tall, dark silhouette with no visible features, the Shadow Man appears in bedrooms, hallways, and lonely roads across the American South. Witnesses describe him as motionless yet impossibly present, watching from corners or drifting close enough for the air to turn cold.
Like the Devil Man of Algiers, he is not usually physical — the terror comes from being observed, from knowing something stands there that should not be. In many encounters, the Shadow Man follows people home, appearing night after night until the victim changes their routine or leaves the area entirely.

The Black Stick Men (Modern Urban Legend)

Tall, impossibly thin humanoids that move with jerky, unnatural strides. Always solid black — no face, no features, no clothing. Witnesses often describe them walking along tree lines, roadside ditches, and urban backstreets.
They share the Devil Man’s strange proportions and uncanny silence. In both legends, the figure follows without hurry, closing distance only when the witness looks away. Some reports claim the Stick Men grow taller the longer they are seen, stretching into something truly unnatural.

The Red-Eyed Demons of Appalachia

Across the mountain regions of Appalachia, people tell stories of glowing red eyes appearing in the dark, watching from hillsides, abandoned coal roads, or forest clearings. Sometimes the eyes belong to a shadowy figure; other times, they float independently before fading into the night.
Like the Devil Man, their presence often signals misfortune or danger, leading some communities to treat red-eyed sightings as omens. The shared imagery is unmistakable — a figure in the dark, unmoving yet aware, with eyes that burn like coals in the night.

The Algiers Ferry Ghost

A quieter but persistent New Orleans legend tied to the ferry landing along the Mississippi River. Passengers and late-night workers have reported a pale figure near the docks, standing motionless at the water’s edge or appearing beside the ferry ramp moments before vanishing.
While not demonic like the Devil Man, the Ferry Ghost shares the same unnerving stillness and tendency to observe rather than interact. Both legends revolve around liminal spaces — places where people cross from one world to another, physically or spiritually.

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Final Thoughts

The Devil Man of Algiers isn’t a ghost you can banish or a demon with a clear origin story.

He is a warning wrapped in a legend — a shadow that follows the lonely, the unwary, the ones who walk a little too far into the fog.

Whether he’s a supernatural presence, a centuries-old spirit, or a manifestation of Algiers’ dark history, one thing remains true:

People still feel watched when they walk those streets at night.

And if you ever cross the ferry after midnight and hear something scraping along the brick behind you…

Don’t look back.

He hates being seen.

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Enjoyed this story?

Urban Legends, Mystery, and Myth explores the creepiest corners of folklore — from haunted objects and backroad creatures to mysterious rituals and modern myth.

Want even more terrifying tales?
Discover our companion book series, Urban Legends and Tales of Terror, featuring reimagined fiction inspired by the legends we cover here.

Because some stories don’t end when the blog post does…

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Further Reading and Other Stories You Might Enjoy

• The Tall Man: Appalachia’s Most Terrifying Death Omen
• Atshen: The Starving Cannibal Spirit of the Far North
• The Hatman and Shadow People
• La Mala Hora (The Evil Hour): The Spirit That Comes Before Death
•The Backseat Caller: The Scariest Urban Legend You've Never Heard Of
• Shades of Death Road: New Jersey’s Most Terrifying Stretch of Asphalt