Lights Out

On June 19th, 2026, Eugene Horsch was arrested alongside an unidentified woman, possessing drugs, guns, and forged government identifications. The woman alerted police to a now-infamous Philadelphia home at 417 West Chew Avenue. Upon searching the property, authorities uncovered a sickening variety of evidence, including drugs, weapons, and potentially incriminating adult films made by Eugene’s father, Raymond, which may contain evidence of sexual assault and murder. The investigation is still ongoing as of this recording.

On August 2, 2015, Judy Malinowski was set on fire by her boyfriend, Michael Slager. Doctors at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center believed she wouldn't survive the night, but Judy defied all odds. She lived for nearly two years after the arson attack and ultimately made history. Judy helped start her own foundation for victims of violent crimes like herself, and became the first homicide victim to give sworn testimony at her own murder trial.

On November 13th, 2022, the Moscow Police Department responded to reports of a quadruple homicide, an unheard-of crime in the friendly university town. The manhunt lasted for over a month, leading the FBI all the way from Idaho to Pennsylvania, where DNA analysis from a single knife sheath button led them to the criminology PhD candidate: Bryan Kohberger.

On October 30th, 2018, the largest criminal trial in modern German history opened at the Weser-Ems-Hallen ballroom. Nurse Niels Högel, a prolific “Angel of Death,” stood accused of at least 100 murders. Early on in his career, he became addicted to inducing cardiac arrest so he could heroically rescue patients, leading to countless deaths. Niels had already stood in court three times at this point, but it seemed detectives were stuck in a horrifying maze, with new cases appearing around every corner after each trial. The true number of victims is still unknown to this day.

In the early morning hours of October 6th, 1974, British man Michael Taylor committed a brutal act, murdering his wife, Christine, along with their family dog. This horrifying killing followed an intense, hours-long exorcism performed the night before, and the murder sparked public outrage regarding concerns about the negligence of the church officials who oversaw the medieval ritual. As the case unfolded, many questioned whether Michael was truly a cold-blooded killer or a victim of psychosis resulting from religious abuse.

Alec Newald was a normal guy who found himself in the midst of an extraordinary experience. One evening, during a routine drive to Auckland following a painful divorce, he experienced what he initially thought was a car crash. He soon realized, however, that he had actually been transported to an alternate reality, surrounded by unusual entities that would alter the course of his life.

On November 25th, 1988, Junko Furuta was on her way home from work when Hiroshi Miyano abducted her and eventually brought her to his friend’s house the next day. There, Hiroshi, along with Jō Ogura, Shinji Minato, and Yasushi Watanabe, raped and tortured Junko for 40 days, leading to her tragic death. It wasn’t until March 29th, 1989, that the police found her burial site: a metal oil drum filled with concrete, with Junko’s long black hair protruding through the cracks.

From December 2005 to October 2006, a young family was psychologically broken down and physically assaulted by a grisly, unforeseen entity. Even paranormal investigators struggled to comprehend what they witnessed, and could only encourage the victims to remain calm. After almost a year of endless torment, they finally expelled the poltergeist in the most unexpected way.

Over the course of 17 years, Wilfried and Angelika Wagener deliberately tortured several women in cruel and unusual ways, leading to the destruction of their livelihoods and the deaths of two. They were finally caught when they were driving the final victim home, and their car broke down, leading the taxi driver to call an ambulance to save her. The subsequent trial revealed years of abuse that exceeded the court’s expectations. It exposed institutional failures that let Wilfried go unmonitored after being put in jail for tormenting his first wife. This lack of surveillance led to Wilfried and Angelika continuing to torture other women in the most sadistic ways imaginable.

During their visit to Nuku Hiva in French Polynesia, German adventurers Stefan Ramin and Heike Dorsch were attacked by a local, Arihano Haiti. Arihano shot and killed Stefan, then sexually assaulted Heike, prompting a 50-day manhunt that ended with his surrender. Heike returned home to Germany, devastated and penniless. Media coverage, filled with sensational claims of cannibalism, and a complicated trial made this one of the island’s most high-profile cases in its history.

Dana Sue Gray is a serial killer serving a life sentence at California Women’s Prison in Chowchilla. She was convicted of two murders and one attempted murder, and is also suspected of a third killing, all victims being elderly women. Driven by a compulsive shopping addiction, Dana used her victims’ credit cards and cash for immediate spending sprees after their deaths. Her brutality shocked the community and devastated both her family and her victims’ loved ones, who found it difficult to understand how she preyed so ruthlessly on these poor women.

On July 15th, 1992, Rachel Nickell (nik-KELL) was sexually assaulted and murdered in front of her two-year-old son. The flawed police investigation led to an innocent man spending over a year in jail while the true killer remained free. It took 16 years, and the murders of another young woman and her four-year-old daughter, along with dozens of assaults, before the real culprit was finally identified.

George Exoo wasn’t a killer, but he found a certain satisfaction in the deaths he witnessed. As a right-to-die activist, he offered his services to those wanting to end their lives at home, despite deep opposition from both within and outside the movement. George ignored criticism, insisting he was called to help people end their suffering, even without a terminal diagnosis. In the end, he facilitated over 100 premature deaths, proclaiming to be a midwife to the dying.

In October 2002, Jaime and Ben Shea thought they’d found their dream home in the quiet town of Lamar, Arkansas. The centuries-old colonial home possessed a deep mystery and enticed the young couple on their search for the perfect place to raise their children. It was one of the oldest homes in the state, and with its age came unsettling stories and restless entities that haunted the Shea family for nearly six years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Taylor Parker committed an unthinkable crime. She attacked her close friend, Reagan Simmons-Hancock, and cut her unborn child from her stomach, leading to Reagan bleeding out and her baby dying. Taylor was ultimately found guilty of both murder and abduction, having tried to claim the baby as her own. The trial revealed the intricate web of lies Parker had woven, leading to the devastating killing.

In the fall of 2007, an apocalyptic vision drove an Orthodox cult to take refuge in an underground cave near the remote village of Nikolskoye, Russia. Their prophet, Father Pyotr, remained above ground to recruit more followers and send them below to await the coming of the Antichrist. For 198 days, the members, including young children, were surrounded by concerned authorities day and night. The so-called “chosen ones” threatened to blow themselves up with over 100 gallons of gasoline if authorities interfered with what they saw as their God-given right to prepare for the end of the world.

On May 14th, 2026, a group of experienced Italian divers disappeared during a research trip in the Maldives, setting off a race to save them. Despite their skills, the divers made a fatal wrong turn inside a monstrous underwater cave. A Coast Guard sergeant also tragically lost his life while trying to recover them. The tragedy revealed a series of miscommunications and lapses in planning. None of the organizations involved had a complete picture of the group’s intentions, and the divers lacked the proper equipment and certifications for the dive. The loved ones of those who passed are still waiting for answers, and very little information has been released to the public.

In the 1980s, the rural community of Hwaseong, South Korea, was gripped by fear as a serial rapist and murderer terrorized the area. Over the course of five years, ten women and girls were brutally attacked in the small villages of Hwaseong. For more than thirty years, the case remained unsolved, amplifying public mistrust in law enforcement. Innocent people were imprisoned for crimes they didn’t commit, while families mourned without answers. It wasn’t until 2019 that the real killer was finally identified, and police realized he was hiding in plain sight all along.

Over the course of five terrifying years, a string of gruesome murders and mysterious disappearances shattered the wholesome image of small-town America in the Lewis-Clark Valley. Once considered a perfect place to raise a family, the Valley was forever changed by the loss of three young women and two unexplained abductions. Decades later, the families are still searching for answers, while the killer remains at large.

In the 1960s, the Pritchard family suffered through terrifying property destruction and the assault of their teenage daughter, Diane. Now, 30 East Drive is classified as one of Britain’s most haunted houses. It carries on in infamy with its supernatural host, Mr. Nobody. He’s rumored to be one of the most violent poltergeists in history and continues to antagonize both ghost hunters and neighbors.

The Betty Gore case is one of the most chilling and controversial true crime stories to come out of suburban America. In 1980, the seemingly ordinary town of Wylie, Texas, became the site of a brutal and shocking killing that left a community in disbelief. At the center of it were two women: Betty Gore and Candy Montgomery. Their lives became fatally intertwined through friendship, betrayal, and a secret affair. What followed was a violent confrontation that ended in an unimaginable act, raising questions about motive, self-defense, and what ordinary people are capable of.

Christa Pike’s case is one of the most disturbing in modern true crime, an obsession-fueled spiral of manipulation and brutality that left even seasoned investigators shaken. At just 18, she became the youngest woman on death row in the United States, but the real horror lies in the twisted relationships and dark motives that led her there. Behind one shocking night of violence is a tangled web of jealousy, control, and escalating threats that no one stopped in time. What pushed things past the point of no return, and why did no one see the danger until it was far too late?

Step inside the twisting halls of the Winchester Mystery House, where doors lead to nowhere, and the walls seem to bend around secrets. At the center of it all is its owner and creator, Sarah Winchester, a woman said to be haunted by tragedy, and maybe by something even darker. Guided, according to legend, by the words of ghosts, she spent decades constructing a mansion designed to confuse whatever followed her. But what really drove her? Was it guilt, grief, or something truly supernatural that refused to let her rest? The mysteries inside this home have only deepened over time. So enter if you dare, because you may walk out with more questions than answers.

In 2010, Matthew Hoffman, a seemingly average man, horrifically murdered three people and kidnapped a child. The community was left in shock, but the truth behind his actions was far more disturbing than anyone could imagine. Hoffman had a history of obsession and violence, but what drove him to commit such an unimaginable crime? Matthew had an unhealthy fixation with leaves and trees, which even played a role in the crime, earning him the nickname “The Leaf Killer”. Was this a cold, calculated spree, or the result of a deeply disturbed mind spiraling out of control?

In this episode, we’re diving into some of the strangest crimes ever reported. From a mysterious vandal terrorizing a neighborhood to bizarre break-ins and deeply unsettling encounters, these cases prove real life can be stranger than fiction. Some are disturbing, some are unbelievable, and some are just plain bizarre. But every one of them actually happened.

On November 12th, 1988, the body of 14-year-old Brandy Hutchins was found in the root cellar of an abandoned house in Coal Hill, Arkansas. Just days before, he father dropped her off at the house after Brandy told him friends were throwing her a birthday party there. At the start of the investigation, authorities believed that her murder was done by satanists after occult imagery and possibly signs of a sacrifice were found in the dilapidated house. Investigators later stated they didn’t believe the case was connected to Satanism, but by then, the media had moved on. Many believe that Brandy’s “boyfriend at the time may have had something to do with her murder, especially after being linked to another missing woman. To this day, Brandy Hutchins' murder is unsolved. Her cousin, Julie, fights for justice and is a recipient of a Higher Hope grant.

The Lafferty case unveils a cryptic narrative surrounding brothers Dan and Ron Lafferty, once devout members of the LDS Church who splintered off to form their own religion, “the School of the Prophets.” Their descent into darkness led to the chilling murders of Brenda Lafferty and her 18-month-old daughter Erica in 1984 — under the guise of “divine revelation.” The following legal proceedings, including Ron's death sentence and Dan's life imprisonment, add layers to a tale fraught with mystery and intrigue, shedding light on the dangers of religious fanaticism following an unfathomable tragedy.

On the morning of February 10, 1990, employees of a small, semi-rural bowling alley in Las Cruces, New Mexico, arrived for what should have been a normal work day. But before the alley even opened, two armed men rounded up employees, as well as some of their children, who they brought to work. They shot all of them before setting the building on fire and escaping. Shockingly, a 12-year-old victim, who had suffered from multiple gunshot wounds, bravely called 911 shortly after they left. Her chilling account described two calm, methodical men who seemed intent on nothing but terrorizing their victims. When it was all over, four people were murdered, three were gravely wounded, and the local community was left reeling from the shocking massacre.  Despite eyewitness sketches and a rapid police response, no arrests were ever made. More than thirty years later, the Las Cruces Bowling Alley Massacre remains unsolved.

In the quiet English village of St. Osyth stands a small, chilling building known as “The Cage”. In the late 1500s, women accused of witchcraft were locked inside the walls during brutal trials. Centuries later, the prison was renovated into a home, but some believe the spirits of the witches still remain. Residents and visitors have reported hearing voices in empty rooms, apparitions appearing before them, and even being physically attacked by an unseen force. The Cage now has the reputation for being one of the most haunted places in the U.K. Is it simply a house with a dark past, or is there something inside The Cage that won’t rest?

In 1986, the Bowen family in Pepperell, Massachusetts, began experiencing terrifying events in their home—strange noises, missing items, and what seemed like signs of a haunting. The girls believed a ghost was responsible, since they held a séance to contact their late mother. Months later, their fears turned real when a hidden intruder was discovered living inside the house: 16-year-old Daniel LaPlante, who had secretly watched the family from within the walls in a disturbing case of “phrogging.”

Between 2015 and 2016, something was happening inside a neonatal intensive care unit in England. Babies, premature, fragile, fighting to survive, were suddenly collapsing. Not one. Not two. But again… and again… and again. Doctors couldn’t explain it. These weren’t expected deaths. Many of the babies had been improving. Some were even preparing to go home. And yet, without warning, their oxygen levels would plummet. Their stomachs would swell. Strange purple blotches would spread across their skin. And almost every time it happened… one nurse was there. Her name was Lucy Letby. She was quiet. Soft-spoken. Dedicated. The kind of nurse parents trusted with their most vulnerable moments. She volunteered for extra shifts. She comforted grieving families. She made memory boxes for parents who had just lost their children. But behind that image, prosecutors would later argue, was something far darker. Over the course of a year, seven babies would die. Ten more would survive attempted murder

In 1998, the Beckwith family moved into a spacious house in Seymour, Connecticut. At first it seemed like their dream home, but the family soon started to experience things that seemed like a nightmare. They all saw figures, heard voices, and even were physically attacked unseen entities. That’s when the family enlisted the help of Ed and Lorraine Warren but the strange occurrences only grew from there.

In June 1960, four teenagers trekked out to a popular, semi-rural camping spot on the banks of Lake Bodom in Finland. By morning, three were dead, and the lone survivor was left beaten nearly to death. What followed the horrific tragedy should have been a straightforward homicide investigation, but it quickly unraveled into chaos. Police let onlookers swarm the crime scene, evidence disappeared, and suspects slipped through the cracks. As time passed, genuine leads faded away as volatile whispers of rumors began to sway the minds of locals and police alike. Was the culprit a mysterious drifter seen in the area around the time of the murders? Or perhaps one of the other campers scattered along the lakeshore, who swore they heard nothing in the night. Some believe it may even have been the massacre’s sole survivor. More than sixty years on and with no solid answers, the Lake Bodom murders remain one of Europe's most infamous mysteries and a story marked not only by brutal violence, but c

Up to 60 locals witnessed a vigilante killing in broad daylight— but no one said a word to the police. After the murder of Kenneth “Rex” McElroy in July 1981, county and federal grand juries did not return any indictments. Many wondered if the murder was a conspiracy concocted by the entire town, including law enforcement. After all, Ken was a well-known bad seed, with a long history of alleged rape, assault with a firearm, theft, arson, and a slew of other alleged offenses. The locals decided to bring justice to Ken when the local law enforcement couldn’t. To this day, the town of Skidmore still wonders if the murder was justified.

In 1993, the remote town of Antwerp, Australia, became infamous for a terrifying exorcism that went horrifically wrong. What started as concerns for Joan Vollmer’s mental health spiraled into something much darker. Joan’s husband, Ralph, and three of his fanatically religious friends performed an exorcism. For seven days, they tied her down, refused to give her food and water, slapped her, and eventually caused so much pressure on her body that she went into cardiac arrest. But the group stayed in the house with her body for several days, waiting for the miracle of a resurrection.

Jeffrey Lundgren was a devout follower of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (RLDS), upset with the progressive direction the church was headed in. He began preaching the “right way” to practice the faith, prompting leaders to excommunicate him. A small group of members chose to follow Jeffrey and live with him on a farm. He was an erratic cult leader who convinced them that they had to carry out a blood sacrifice to meet God. Jeffrey then systematically shot and killed all five members of the Avery family, who were a part of his group, with the youngest being 6 years old. Eventually, he and his followers were caught, and Jeffrey was put to death in 2006.

In 2001, a Texas woman drowned five of her children one by one. The horrors shocked the nation. Some ridiculed her and called her a “beast,” but the case wasn’t as clear-cut as it first appeared. Not only had Andrea Yates been diagnosed with post-partum depression and postpartum psychosis, but she also may have been strongly influenced by a violent, misogynistic doomsday Christian cult leader. Through letters, cassettes, and VHS tapes, Michael Woroniecki spiritually manipulated his followers into thinking that if they didn’t change their ways, especially their children’s ways, their entrance to Hell was fast approaching. Did Andrea brutally murder her children in cold blood because of post partum psychosis, or had she been convinced she was saving her children from eternal damnation?

Demon houses, spontaneous combustion, fatal infidelity, and half-dog-half-man creatures have become a part of Michigan’s paranormal lore. While some can be explained by the region’s history, others seem only to exist to terrify the occupants who live in the deep, dark woods of the Great Lakes State.

Two Houston teenagers brutally tortured and murdered another teenager with seemingly no motive at all. After hearing about the 61 stab wounds and a slew of horrific abuses to the victim, the Houston community and the nation at large asked what kind of person could do something like this… and for what reason. One of the killers admitted they did it to sell their souls to the Devil. The other denied any Satanic element to the case, even though the crime scene told a different story. To this day, many wonder what caused these teens to commit one of Houston’s most horrific murders imaginable.

The largest unsolved homicide case in Japanese history— The Setegaya Massacre. A kind and friendly family of four was mysteriously murdered on the night before New Year's Eve. The case drew the eyes of millions as over 250,000 officers worked on the case over the decades. The culprit left an obscene amount of evidence behind, but police could not connect anyone to the case. With no motive, the crime couldn’t be narrowed down, but today, the grandparents are left to wonder why someone would brutally kill their grandchildren for seemingly no reason at all.

Saying Goodbye

Using the newfangled Internet and his natural charm, John Edward Robinson lured women to Kansas before bludgeoning them to death. He offered them employment at his questionable businesses and also offered them sadomasochistic sexual relationships. After convincing them he was trustworthy, he attempted to control their life savings and retirement accounts, cashed their disability checks, and even sold a victim’s baby to his brother and sister-in-law. Despite being on law enforcement’s radar for decades, he bludgeoned at least five women to death with a large hammer… and possibly many more.

What does it mean to consent to your own murder? Sharon Lopatka was a typical, married, 35-year-old online entrepreneur. She lived in the quiet neighborhood of Hampstead, Maryland, until her husband discovered a note that set off alarm bells: “If my body is never retrieved, don’t worry. Know that I am at peace.” He would later discover Sharon’s internet secrets of gut-wrenching fetishes and brutal sexual violence that ultimately led her down a road from which she wouldn’t return. Her perpetrator, a shady man she met online, claimed it was all an accident and that Sharon had consented to it all.

Menacing apparitions of deceased officers, freak accidents upon a cursed German U-boat, and phantom children haunting a blood-soaked US air base have all made the list of the most haunted paranormal military encounters. In this episode, we dive into the creepiest encounters soldiers have ever experienced across the world.

The 14-year-old “All-American boy,” Tommy Sullivan, brutally killed his mother in cold blood and then took his own life. In the quiet suburbs of Jefferson Township, New Jersey, a crime like this was unimaginable. Police soon found a concerning note Tommy left behind— a pact with Satan. At the height of the Satanic Panic, all eyes were on North New Jersey, and everyone desperately looked for a simple explanation for the region’s most complex murder-suicide.

Found near a dark cave deep in the Catskills, a wooden effigy of a woman with nails in her eyes and a noose around her neck would soon terrorize the man who took the cursed object home. Wet, muddy footprints, banging noises, odd smells, and shadowy old women infested the man's home. Desperate to rid himself of the cursed effigy, the crone ended up in the hands of two paranormal investigators, Greg and Dana Newkirk. Once they experienced the terror for themselves, they knew they had to conduct an unbinding ritual and return the effigy to its place in the Catskills.

The Sylvia Likens case is "the single worst crime perpetuated against an individual in Indiana's history." An entire neighborhood turned against a young, 16-year-old girl, who was put into the care of a single household's diabolical matriarch, Gertrude Baniszewski. What began as a friendly sleepover quickly escalated to months of outright torture, abuse, and eventually, death. As the evidence came to light, many wondered if Gertrude was the sole perpetrator, or if her children and even the entire neighborhood were somehow complicit in the horrific crimes against an innocent girl.

Ed Gein's legacy places him as one of the most depraved serial killers in US history. Less remembered for his murders, the meek and simple Ed Gein kept a mortifying collection of paraphernalia fashioned from human remains on display in his farmhouse. His collection marked a new disturbing level for the criminally insane in the mid-1900s. His crimes became a revelation to the world, showing the public what killers were truly capable of, and his notorious legacy went on to inspire some of the darkest tales in American folklore, including Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

Three of the most cursed movies of all time: The Exorcist, Rosemary's Baby, and The Omen. Beloved by horror fans across the world, these movies have all been connected to countless freak accidents, paranormal activity, murders, and even high-profile assassinations. Were they truly cursed because of their demonic content, were the terrors just mere coincidences, or were the events fabricated so the movie studios could make more money?

The story that inspired The Exorcist. 48 eye witnesses signed the ecclesiastical document regarding the paranormal events of this true exorcism story of a 13-year-old boy plagued by a violent demonic possession. His affliction soon attracted the attention of the Catholic Church, and, eventually, the world. Over the course of a month of horrors, the attending priest, Raymond J. Bishop, recorded the disturbing paranormal events in his private journal, while he and his colleagues went toe-to-toe with Satan himself.

After the death of his abusive grandfather, Don Decker was violently attacked by an unseen force, fell into a trance, and inexplicably summoned rain indoors. Before several eyewitnesses, water materialized and fell to the floor. Other times it rose up to the ceiling or shot sideways. Local police came to investigate, but failed to explain the phenomenon. As the rain continued, witnesses began to believe that Don must've been possessed by a demon.

In the 1980s, the Lamb Funeral Home scandal became one of the most horrific instances of abuse and moral bankruptcy in the funeral services industry. The cremator, David Sconce, burned bodies at an alarming rate, causing many to question his tactics, which included breaking and extracting body parts before packing bodies into furnaces by the dozens. He also assaulted competitors, possibly murdered one, and later threatened to kill the prosecuting attorney. If that wasn't bad enough, he also harvested brains, eyes, and teeth to profit off the dead— while the next of kin was completely unaware.

The Borley Rectory's reputation for violent poltergeist activity and horrifying apparitions witnessed by hundreds of people over the course of a century makes it one of the most haunted houses in England, if not the entire world. It's drawn in the biggest ghost hunters and psychic researchers, including Harry Price and the Warrens. Although the rectory was lost to a tragic fire, the residual paranormal energy remains trapped inside the nearby parish church. This paranormal hotspot also inspired the Warrens notorious adversary in The Conjuring movies, Valak the nun.

In 2005, following a family massacre leaving 3 dead, two children from the same home went missing near Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Their abductor, a man they had never met before, says to call him “daddy,” and he takes them deep into the Lolo National Forest for weeks. This monster was a Level-3 sex offender and a sexual predator for most of his life. Time and again, he had convinced the system he could reform. But his final crimes proved that he would only get worse.

The attention-seeking, manipulative, and lying Miranda Barbour made the outlandish claim that she was a satanist who murdered at least 22 people and then "stopped counting." Sensational stories ran with the lies despite evidence to the contrary. The media circus clouded the true tragedy— the murder of Troy LaFerrara, committed by Miranda and her husband, Elytte. When the dust settled, police made the shocking discovery that the couple murdered Troy only for the thrill of it. Miranda claimed she was the most prolific female serial killer in the US, but it was only a ploy to get attention.

In June 2020, two sisters who disappeared after a birthday party were found dead by one of the victim’s boyfriends. A botched missing persons investigation and gross misconduct by officers who degraded the victims' remains led to massive public outcry and several investigations into the Metropolitan police of London. Adding insult to injury, the police not only degraded the victims but also potentially contaminated a crime scene and compromised a murder trial. The culprit: a troubled satanist who drew up a contract with a demon and signed it in blood. After everything, the mother of the victims has found it easier to forgive the murderer than to forgive the police officers who committed "a betrayal of such catastrophic proportions.

At least four children were abducted and murdered in a serial killing spree between 1976 and 1977 in the Metro Detroit suburbs of Oakland County, Michigan. Authorities launched the largest homicide task force in United States history at the time. The culprit— or culprits— held the children captive for several days. They groomed, fed, and murdered them before dumping their bodies by public roadsides. The case has gone unsolved for decades, with victims' families desperate for answers. Evidence points to several promising suspects, but since none of the murders have ever been solved, some argue a cover-up is at play.

Haunting faces in floors, the Devil's footprints in snow, a cursed diamond torturing its owners, and a screaming skull longing for a proper burial... these are some of the most bizarre physical manifestations of the paranormal in the world. Are they hoaxes? Or are they unexplained mysteries and possibly proof of the paranormal?

Everyone's worst nightmare. Masked intruders break into a family home in the middle of the night and begin stabbing the occupants randomly. Two people end up dead, one critically injured, and another stabbed in the leg— but why? The intruders did not know the victims personally. As the story unfolds, police follow the only lead they have: an occult hex. Could witchcraft have caused the bloodbath?

The Acid King, Ricky Kasso, was an affluent kid from a troubled home. Kicked out of the house by an abusive father at 13, he found himself on the streets with other wayward teenagers of Northport, New York. Heavy drugs kept him there, an obsession with Satan manifested, and the murder he would later commit would become one of the most sensationalized Satanic Panic crimes in US history.

The vast and rich history of the UK has made many of its oldest buildings vulnerable to paranormal activity. Many of these centuries-old buildings happen to be hotels, where countless souls have passed through. Each with its own tragic tale leaves a spectral imprint. While most entities are harmless and playful, some have a tendency to lash out and petrify anyone who crosses their path.

This week, we're covering some of the craziest vacation disasters around the world. Active volcanoes, the world's largest indoor rollercoaster, lethal coconuts, deadly shark attacks, and falling off cruise ships can all ruin the perfect vacation. While many vacationers don't make it, some survivors are lucky enough to tell the tale.

This week we join National Parks After Dark to cover Alaska's most notorious serial killer, Robert Hansen.

Thousands of criminals were able to plan, document, and share violent crimes, including murder, using encrypted phones from the startup Sky Global. Authorities were able to crack the company’s encryption which opened the Pandora’s Box of “hallucinatory” crimes worldwide. One string of messages revealed a Serbian Slaughterhouse, an unsuspecting home in the Balkans where victims were being fed into an industrial meat grinder and disposed of in the Danube River.

A dive into Utah's most secretive, polygamist cult. The Kingston Clan has been accused of incest, generations of inbreeding, blood tests, child abuse, sexual abuse, labor exploitation, fraud, and tax evasion. Recent controversies have brought this cult under the spotlight, although they've had run-ins with the law for almost a century. Prosecutors have labeled the Kingston Clan one of the largest organized crime operations in Utah.

"Intelligent manipulator" and “next-level psychopath,” Virginia McCullough, murdered her parents and lived with their corpses for over 4 years. While their bodies decayed inside the family home, she collected their pensions and used their money to buy gifts and gamble online. To maintain the lie that her parents were still alive, she weaved intricate narratives to explain why they weren't ever around— including impersonating them, sending holiday cards, and using their phones to send out texts and phone calls.

The self-declared "Queen of Canada," born from an alien race, Romana Didulo, has been called many things— including "a glorified content creator" and a "Q-Anon cult leader." Through her pseudo-law decrees, she has attempted to violently overthrow various governments and laws with nothing to show for it. In recent years, she used threats of executions and scare tactics to take over a small town in Saskatchewan. But will her small following survive?

A self-obsessed, wannabe influencer stalked the social media profiles of nearly 20 women. Her reason? They looked almost exactly like her. Her goal? To brutally murder a doppelganger to fake her own death and frame her ex-husband. The motive isn't entirely clear, but some suspect it had something to do with her failed marriage, a violent past, and possibly a black magic spell.

A mysterious string of disappearances, sexual assaults, and murders haunted several small communities along an isolated stretch of highway in Oregon in the late 1970s. Women and girls, who were often marginalized and vulnerable, vanished over 15 years. With a new generation of investigators, clear connections tied each case together, which revealed one suspicious highway mechanic as the violent, opportunistic killer.

A dark history of murder, cultists, apparitions, demonic possessions, environmental disturbances, and curses— Heol Fanog has it all. The happenings at this remote, Welsh farmhouse tormented a young family that resided there for seven years in the 80s and 90s. Desperate for answers, a young mother took a deeper look at the property's history and uncovered a slew of tragic events, secret societies, and disturbing rituals, each adding to the centuries-old paranormal puzzle.

Zigmund Adamski was found dead in broad daylight on a 10-foot coal pile in a locked coal yard more than 20 miles from his home. This would soon become the UK’s biggest mystery in 1980. His clothing was in disarray, he had been given a botched haircut, and suspicious burn marks covered his neck and shoulders. His facial expression was locked into a permanent state of terror. Someone— or something— had dumped him there, but no witnesses ever came forward. The lack of evidence caused mass speculation. Theories of the KGB, ball lightning, a secret affair, a family feud, and aliens abound.

The violent, misogynistic giant, Keith Jesperson, signed his confession letters with a single smiley face to brand his brutal serial killings and taunt law enforcement agencies. He stood at 6' 6" and weighed 250 lbs— eager to use his size to overpower and control his victims. For 5 years, he murdered at least 8 women, possibly more. With each killing, he grew more confident, but his arrogance ultimately led to his capture.

How can seemingly harmless games become lethal? From horrific child neglect to children murdering their own parents, have videogames become a scapegoat for these horrific crimes, or is there some truth in their danger? In this episode, we dive into the most disturbing cases involving videogames and try to understand if gaming disorders lead to death or if they're just another form of moral panic.

"Psycho Preacher" is what Darlene Summerford called her ex-husband, Glenn, an Appalachian Pentecostal pastor who tried to murder Darlene with a poisonous serpent used in religious ceremonies. Officers who worked the case said they had never seen anything like it— a 5-foot-long rattlesnake used as a deadly weapon. But the circumstances of the crime quickly became a "he-said, she-said" argument. With almost no eyewitnesses other than the victim and the perpetrator and very little physical evidence, many doubted the trial would end in a conviction. And this crime has continued to haunt the sleepy town of Scottsboro for decades to come.

Canada’s Fashion King Became the Worst Sexual Predator of All Time How a Fashion Mogul Became Canada’s Most Dangerous Predator From Fashion Extraordinaire to Worst Sexual Predator In Canadian History This Fashion Mogul Built an Island House of Horrors in the Bahamas

Alien autopsies, Bigfoot shot dead, accidental time travelers, real vampires, and alien weapon-testing on livestock are some of the weirdest and downright stupidest hoaxes in history. But they gained so much traction in their time. Is it because people are too gullible or because there's a nugget of truth in each hoax?

Lois and Dave Riess were the generous, fun-loving couple of Blooming Prairie, Minnesota. They raised three children together and led a storybook American life. But behind closed doors, their story was much different than the one portrayed. Theft and gambling addiction tore the couple apart to the point where Lois murdered her husband in cold blood. This marked the beginning of an odd killing spree that many grapple with understanding to this day.

Self-declared "vegetarian Moslem warriors," Michael and Suzan Bear, enacted a "holy war" against witches in the early 1980s and murdered at least 3 people in cold blood. Their targets ranged from their own family and friends to complete strangers, including then-President Ronald Reagan. Although they show no remorse for their crimes, they are consistently eligible for parole due to a reformed Californian prison law. Michael's daughter, Jenn, continues to advocate for the victim's family in an attempt to atone for her father's sins.

Ayahuasca’s reputation ranges from a life-changing miracle medicine to a disorienting concoction that can fundamentally change people for the worse. At times, it’s peddled by pseudo-shamans looking to harm vulnerable tourists. In others, it’s caused participants to become uncharacteristically violent. What was once simply a healing medicine for the indigenous people of the Amazon has boomed into an outsider industry for the rich, the lost, and the curious.

For every misbehaving child there is a terrifying creature looking to feed on their bones. Fed-up parents across the world have spread the horrifying legend of El Coco, the Boogeyman from the Iberian Peninsula. This beastly creature lurks in disobedient children's bedrooms, waiting to strike. And at every wit's end, this threat of brutal annihilation might be the only way for parents to finally get some peace and quiet.

One of the most prominent serial killers no one has ever heard of — Herb Baumeister and the horrors at Fox Hollow Farm. In 1996, at least 25 human remains were uncovered at Herb's property in Indiana, with only a few being successfully identified. Since many of the victims were gay men, the local police, who historically harassed the local gay community, set a low priority for the case. Many families were left without answers. But in recent years, a resurging interest has helped identify the victims and explore new answers to the puzzles left behind at Fox Hollow Farm.

Why do so many patients on their deathbeds across the world experience similar paranormal visions that can't be fully explained? Skeptics claim these experiences are only hallucinations, but others insist they’re lucid experiences that can't be explained by the living. Deathbed observers have also noticed the common mist and light phenomenon moments before someone dies. A silver cord disconnects, and the patient passes into the Great Beyond. Paranormal experiences are even stronger in old abandoned sanitoriums, where countless patients have died in droves. Their ethereal shadows remain. So what exactly makes death a unifying paranormal experience, and why are so many of them the same?

Sleepwalking has been misunderstood for thousands of years— and still is. Things like sleep talking, eating, driving, and cooking have taken many by surprise, but some sleepwalking instances are so bizarre that they end in murder. So what exactly does it take for a non-violent sleepwalker to uncharacteristically murder their loved ones? And how does a legal defense even begin to convince a jury of non-insane automatism due to sleepwalking?

Nursing student Patricia Mann and athlete Jesse McBane were high school sweethearts last seen alive at a Valentine's Day dance in 1971. A surveyor later found their bodies tied to a tree, where they were brutally suffocated for hours. Their murders have never been solved. In recent years, their case was reopened, and a wealth of new information focused the spotlight on 3 suspects with disturbing pasts. Investigators believe one suspect is responsible, but will they ever gather the physical evidence required to convince a jury?

Mr. Cruel— a mysterious monster only seen wearing a dark balaclava and wielding a knife. The most notorious Australian serial child rapist and murderer snuck into homes and attacked 4 girls across the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia, in the late 1980s and early 1990s. His crimes escalated in 1991 after the abduction and murder of a fourth girl, Karmein (KAR-meen) Chan, who lived in a "suburban fortress." Despite the high-profile investigations, all of the attacks remain unsolved cold cases to this day, and no theory has ever definitively answered the question: who is Melbourne's Boogeyman, Mr. Cruel?

Is it a sleep paralysis demon, a hallucination, an Incubus, a quirk in human anatomy, or a supernatural entity from the past trying to pleasure the living? In this episode, we dive into an odd, intimate corner of the paranormal— Spectrophilia— and those who claim they’ve experienced sex with beings beyond our world. We might even try it ourselves…

Beginning in the 1990s, Daniel Perez (aka Lou Castro) built up a nomadic cult with limitless wealth, eventually settling just outside Wichita, Kansas in the 2000s. He captivated the most vulnerable of his followers through a bogus ideology of securing life after death and a broad claim that he had an immaculate link with divine angels who gave him the ability to foresee his followers’ deaths. Once his followers died, he lived off their life insurance policies. This funded his criminal lifestyle for years, which included pedophilia, insurance fraud, and encouraging his followers to commit suicide.

Jimmy Savile's famous eccentricities, radiant television personality, and generous charitable work pulled the wool over Britain's eyes for decades. While he was beloved by millions, he was sexually abusing children by the hundreds— possibly thousands— from the 1950s until his death in 2011. And while he would die as a legend in the eyes of many, his legacy has since been rewritten. Now he's known as Britain's worst predatory sex offender in modern history. He exploited his celebrity status to abuse hundreds of adults and children across the country, assaulting or raping them in television dressing rooms, hospitals, schools, children's homes, and his notorious traveling caravan.

Beginning in the 1970s, women who were disproportionately Indigenous women have gone missing along a stretch of Highway 16 in British Columbia, Canada. This stretch became known as the Highway of Tears. As the years passed, and many cases remained unsolved, rampant RCMP negligence came to light. A discussion on violence against Indigenous women and generational trauma redirected the public's attention to the systemic issues facing Indigenous people to this very day and the horrific aftermath of colonialism in North America.

A French aristocratic family of 6 is found dead beneath the back porch, except for one-- the patriarch. All evidence points to the father, Xavier Dupont de Ligonnes, as the one and only suspect, but his sister claims his innocence. She buys the theory that the bodies were not those of the de Ligonnes family and that Xavier was a puzzle piece in a high-profile DEA investigation. When the investigation went awry, his entire family was put into witness protection somewhere in the US. So what truly happened at the house of horrors in Nantes?

In the 1970s, Jeannette DePalma's body was found atop a 40-foot bluff called the Devil's Teeth in the wooded outskirts of Springfield Township, New Jersey. One officer who discovered her remains claimed that inverted crosses surrounded her, and tree branches formed the shape of a coffin around her body. Amid the Satanic Panic, local news outlets proposed that a ritualistic, sacrificial murder had taken place. Popular opinion believed the narrative, but did the Satanic Panic cause irreparable damage to Jeannette DePalma's case? To add insult to injury, journalists also discovered police lied about Jeannette's case file being destroyed during Hurricane Floyd. Key crime scene evidence had gone missing, but how? Allegations of a police cover-up unfolded. And it soon became no surprise that Jeannette's case had gone cold. The big question remained: was it incompetence, or was it intentional?

In this episode, we cover some of the scariest ways to die under incredibly dangerous circumstances as well as the most unsuspecting encounters: An adventurous hike ruined by a spontaneous stormcloud. Another typical day on the job in a bakery. From panicking while underwater cave diving to retrieving a vegetable from a root cellar— you never truly know what’s out to kill you.

Heavy on the dairy, a weird fascination with KFC, smuggled booze, troll requests, and a cold Coca-Cola with every meal-- these last meal requests come in all different shapes and sizes. Some might even offer a glimpse into the dead man walking.

Along a peculiar stretch of Interstate-45, between Houston and Galveston, more than 30 bodies have been discovered since the 1970s. Countless others, most of them young girls and young women, have vanished— never to be seen again. Considering the harsh climate conditions and police departments' disregard for the seriousness of these murders, many of these cases have gone unsolved. And many are left wondering: was this the act of a serial killer? or did multiple killers take advantage of the area since nothing was being done?

Comedian and fellow podcaster Dan Cummins joins us on a special episode where we dive into the bizarre and outlandish claims of an alien abductee, Colorado local, and convicted sex offender: Stan Romanek. Beginning in 2000, Stan witnessed his first UFO near the famous Red Rocks Amphitheater. Over the next 12 years, he would experience a grand total of 195 alien/UFO encounters and claim he has been abducted more than any other American in history. His wife believes every word he said, but others have debunked his claims. Is there some hidden truth behind Stan Romanek, or is he completely full of it?

Inspired by the movie Scream, two 16-year-old Pocatello High School students began a documentary about killing their classmates. Brian and Torey were obsessed with horror movies, serial killers, and death. By their Junior year, they were ready to make their fantasy a reality by targeting their friend Cassie, a straight-A student, artist, and athlete. Moments before murdering her, they dressed in masks, knocked things around the basement, and cut the power in true, theatrical horror. What followed would get them tried as adults for murder and land them life sentences in prison. Nearly 20 years later, many argue over whether they truly regret their actions.

The Haunted Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, is known for having the most heinous collection of cursed objects and Murderabilia in the US. From serial killers' cremated ashes and bones to the cursed objects that once contained their victims' remains, Zak Bagans's curated list of disturbing items has terrorized the museum's visitors for years. Many claim the building's foul energy has attracted haunting entities to its secret rooms and dark hallways.

The Collins Family household was once your typical, suburban New Hampshire household. That is until 17-year-old Stacy Collins brought home an old Ouija board from a small antique store. At first, the board was harmless, but soon the house was plagued by hellish claws carving through the drywall, obscene carnal noises echoing from Stacy's room, and a supernatural entity replacing Stacy's body entirely. Her mother contacted the Warrens out of desperation, while doctors wondered: was Stacy’s affliction entirely medical? Or was she possessed by a demon?

Over three dreaded years, a pair of violent ghosts stalked Jackie Hernandez amid a failing marriage and her second pregnancy. Inside her home, several eyewitnesses corroborated some of the scariest paranormal events ever witnessed— along with a shocking photograph of an attack on a paranormal researcher that has gone down in paranormal history. Ever since, the San Pedro Haunting has become a quintessential horror story for every paranormal enthusiast.