Ominous Origins
by Casey Chaplin
Join me on a journey into the origins of the unknown. From unsolved crimes to the darkest moments history has to offer, Ominous Origins will cover it all. Buckle up and enjoy the journey into the abyss!For inquiries or comments, you can contact [email protected]
Episodes
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Vanished | The Springfield Three
This is a weird one. One night three women, hell, two of them could be classified as kids, simply went missing. There wasn't a struggle, at least no sign of one. There wasn't anything out of place or missing. Purses and cars were left behind, but the three women inside the house were nowhere to…
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Ronald Clark O’Bryan | The Candyman
Have you ever wondered where the legend of the razor blade in the apple comes from? How about poisoned Halloween candy? A lot of us grew up with these concepts and just a general thing. Maybe it's the cynicism in the millennial generation that everything is out to get us, or maybe... maybe there...
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The Pastor Next Door | John Douglas White
Have you noticed a trend when it comes to murder?... Okay, that's a weird question. But doesn't it seem that the people involved are often the nice guy, the staple in the community, the loving partner? Yeah, I've noticed it too. And today's story is no different. John Douglas White was a pastor...
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The Number 93 | Samuel Little
What's a number, really? Well, in today's episode it's 93... But that number has some significance, actually, a lot. It's how many people Samuel Little confessed to killing. It would make him the most prolific serial killer in US history. But was it real? Did he actually kill 93 people? Well,...
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The Man Behind The Mask | Mr. Cruel
In the late 80's and early 90's, a masked man terrorized suburban Melbourne, Australia. He would enter homes, restrain the family, and either assault or assault and abduct a young girl from the home. Nobody knew who this man was. He was meticulous and calculated, and left nothing of note behind....
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For Family and Farm... And Money! | The Murder of Ernest Luttrell
What happens when you have a little money, then suddenly a lot of it? People around you want it. Some people are even willing to kill for it. That's what happened in a rural town in Louisiana. Ernest Luttrell came into a good chunk of change, and when he backed out of a couple of promises and...
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Why Can't We Have A Nice Adolph? | Adolph James Rode Jr.
Murder, drugs, and SA. That's what Adolph James Rode Jr., AKA Cesar Barone liked to do. He wasn't a good guy, to be honest, he almost lives up to his name. I don't want to go into the grisly details here, but just listen to find out what a gem of a prick this guy was. Patreon Merch:...
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Bad To The Bone | Israel Keyes
Every so often a special kind of psychopath pops up. One who plans for ages, preps his victims, and even leaves kill kits around the country. That's basically Israel Keyes. From a young age this boy wasn't right; from killing animals, to robbing, to eventually sexually assaulting and killing...
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Culty Cult Cults | Cults
Forgive the weak title for today's episode. I am super sick, which you can probably hear in my voice... Anyway, I wanted to get something out for you, so here's a short little episode on some cults. Very brief. Okay, time to go lie down and slip into death's sweet embrace. Patreon Merch:...
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When is a Sapphire not a Sapphire? When it's cursed | The Delhi Purple Sapphire
Today we're looking at Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, and a sixpence in your shoe... Wait, that's not right. We're looking at something stolen, something purple, and something cursed. Way back in the mid to late 1800's, during the Indian uprising against the...
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Ken and Barbie Suck | Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka
Today we're going to pretend I didn't just take like half a year off, and we're also going to look at one of the most notorious cases in Canadian history: Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka. The Ken and Barbie killers, the Scarborough Rapist, the... plethora of other nicknames which ultimately don't...
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The Most Infamous Cold Case | The Black Dahlia
Way back in 1947, the most infamous unsolved case in American history happened. A young woman was found in a vacant lot in Los Angeles, that young woman was Elizabeth Short, a young woman with hopes and dreams of becoming a Hollywood starlet. Before the investigation could even get going, the…
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Alone in the Woods | Gary Hilton
Gary Hilton, AKA The National Forest Serial Killer was a man who stalked the national forests in the Carolina's and Florida in the early - mid 2000's. He was convicted of killing four people, however the number is suspected to higher as he was caught in his 60's. It's very unlikely that somebody...
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The Worst Time To Go Missing | Sneah Philip
Back in '01, September of '01... The 10th of September '01 to be exact, a young aspiring doctor went missing. For those of you who were alive during the time know what that means, and the rest would have learned about it in history class. That fateful September the world changed, and with it…
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The Biggest Bible Ever | Codex Gigas
Two days in a row? I know. It's a special treat for you! But really, I had the motivation and found a really neat topic that I just wanted to share with you. This is the Codex Gigas, or the Devil's Bible. It's super interesting, and has kind of a cool legend behind it. Paypal Merch:...
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Melanie Ethier | Part 2
Sorry that this took more than a minute. BUT, here's the final part to the Melanie Ethier series. We're going over theories, suspects, and some ramifications from the resulting case. Paypal Merch: www.redbubble.com/people/horrorshots Youtube Website: Horror Shots Instagram: ominousoriginspod...
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A Girl Who Vanished | Melanie Ethier Part 1
This is one of those weird cases. A girl walked home alone, about a ten minute walk, only she never made it home. The girl in question is Melanie Ethier, she was 15. After watching a movie at her friend's house, she was never seen again. The town of New Liskeard and the surrounding communities…
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Abracadabra The Disappearing Bully | Ken McElroy
If there's one story with a moral out there, it's the one of Ken McElroy. He was a bully, well, he was more than that. He was human refuse. From skirting jailtime for some serious offences, to attempted murder, Ken did it all. And because of his deeds, he paid the ultimate price. His murder was...
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He's Got His Eye On You | Balor
Balor was the leader of the Fomorians in Irish Myth. He was a tyrant and warrior in Irish Folklore. He had a big ol' eye that caused all kinds of crazy crap. He was pretty badass, to be honest, and he was relegated to a sponge. What in the hell does that mean? Well, listen to find out! Our…
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Horses are cute | Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Disclaimer: I'm bird sitting, and the little bugger literally never stops chirping or screaming. I understand if you want to skip this one as he's very present throughout. This week I'm talking about end times, and the most obvious sign that tends to herald it in: The Four Horsemen. Yup, those...
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Who Shot That Guy? | The Killing of Scott Guy
New Zealand, 2010 is our setting for today's episode, for that is where the poor soul known as Scott Guy was unceremoniously gunned down in the driveway of the farm he partly owned. While there were some persons of interest, the police really only ever focused on one suspect: Scott's...
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Love and War | Ishtar
So, let's pretend the last five months didn't happen (god, how I wish that were true...), and that this episode went up directly after the last :). Anyway, I'm back with an episode that is sort of a shout out to the origins of this podcast: Ancient Myths! Specifically Mesopotamia. I really do…
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The Biggest Finger You’ve Ever Been Flipped
It's about a big ol' finger. You just have to listen to believe it, really. Our sponsor: www.morbidlybeautiful.com Merch: www.redbubble.com/people/horrorshots Youtube Website: Horror Shots Instagram: ominousoriginspod Twitter: @horrorshotsprod Facebook: Horrorshots Patreon:...
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The Exorcism of Anneliese Michel
The case that inspired a few different movies and shows, the case of Anneliese Michel is one of the most important exorcism cases in history. Not only was in controversial in within the church, but also within the justice system. It went to court, and charges were indeed laid. Our sponsor:...
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The Obligatory Update - 2023 Editon
What the title says! Give it a listen to hear all the excuses as to why I disappeared off the face of the planet!
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Don’t Go Night Swimming | Michelle Von Emster
When a body washed ashore near San Diego, it was a mystery as to what happened. Missing limbs and pieces of flesh torn from the body, many assumed it was a vicious shark attack. But upon closer inspection, that may not have been the case. Many Autopsies, and a few reexaminations later. shark…
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Operation Midnight Climax
I got nothing for a witty title here. Operation Midnight Climax was an off-shoot of sorts of MKUltra, so you know it's got some terrible stuff associated with it. From LSD and other mind-altering drugs, to blackmail and mind control, Midnight Climax had it all when it comes to shady government...
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Ourang Medan | The Ship That Never Was
Ghost ships are fun stories. They're often great stories. But what happens when the story may or may not be real? Well, we get the mystery of the Ourang Medan. Our sponsor: www.morbidlybeautiful.com Merch: www.redbubble.com/people/horrorshots Youtube Website: Horror Shots Instagram:...
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Some People Suck | Richard Speck
While maybe not as known as say Ted Bundy, Richard Speck was still a notorious criminal who slipped through the cracks of the justice system one too many times. One night in 1966, Speck broke into a boarding house for nurses at a local hospital, and murdered 8 women. This is Specks story in part....
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My Apartment Caught On Fire | Let’s Talk About Another One
Yes, my apartment went up in a blaze. Thankfully the fire department was quick and nobody was injured, but much of the complex got damaged. The unit that caught was below me, and I had my windows open at the time (wasn't home when it started), so sadly my microphone got damaged by a mixture of...
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Jaws, But In Real Life | The Shark Arm Murder
Sorry for the lateness of this, but you should expect that by now... The Shark Arm Murders refer to a notorious criminal case that took place in Sydney, Australia, in 1935. The case gained significant media attention due to its bizarre and macabre nature. In April 1935, a large tiger shark was...
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Road Trip Gone Wrong | Jamison Family Disappearance
So, I'm back after a bit of a surprise break again. My bad! Anyway, we're back with another true crime case this week, and it's the mystery surrounding the Jamison Family and their strange disappearance. It happened back in 2009 when the family, Bobby, Sherilynn, and daughter Madyson, packed...
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Chat GPT Helped Solve The Somerton Man
Okay, not really. But it did help me write this script! This is a topic I've been wanting to touch base on, but everybody has covered it much better than I could ever have. So I tested out Chat GPT to see if it could lend any more insight on the topic. It... It did not. But it did write me a nice...
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The Sun, The Light, and the Moon | Greek Goddess Theia
Let's take a break from the dreary true crime stuff for a sec and look at some fun ancient history and mythology for a change! Today we're talking about Theia, who is sort of a forgotten God now-a-days, but in ancient Greece, she was super important. She is responsible for basically all the light...
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Family Feud | George Arsoniadis
Back in '05 a man did the unthinkable. After what can only be assumed to be a pretty bad family squabble, George Arsoniadis decided he needed to kill his sister in the very condo they had just moved into together. It wasn't even a week after they moved that neighbors complained about a foul smell...
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This Is Why I Hate Water | The Bluebelle
Back in the early 60's, a guy wanted to take his family on a private cruise. That's all. He chartered a ketch out of Florida and spent a week at sea with his family, the ship's captain, the captain's wife. What they didn't expect was to never be heard from again, except for one touch as nails...
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Sadly Natalie Wood Didn’t Float
Back in 1981, an incredibly talented actress supposedly fell overboard and drown by complete accident. That is if you believe the original reports on Natalie Wood. However, if you believe the updates from around 2011 and beyond, the actress's death was no mere accident. Married to Robert Wagner,...
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Real Life Respawn? | The Pollock Twins
Death is a weird thing. It's really one of the few things in the universe we know about, but know almost nothing about. What really happens when we die? Do we go in the clouds, does everything turn black, or do we maybe come back as another person; almost like a respawn in a video game. Well, if...
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Every Toronto Hockey Fan’s Worst Nightmare | Matthew Hoffman, The Leaf Killer
Yes, you read that wordy title right. in late 2010 a man by the name of Matthew Hoffman entered the home of the Herrmann's, killed Tina (Mom), Kody (Son), and Stephanie (mom's friend), dismembered them and stashed them away. On top of that, he kidnapped 13-year-old Sarah and kept her captive for...
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Oni Oni Oni! | The Oni
A region I have neglected for far too long has been Asian, and Japan more specifically. The culture in the east is so rich and depthy that I feel bad for not covering more of it. So today I bring you the Oni! The Oni is a monster of sorts that has a varied origin story. Some say it's a demon,...
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Weird Suspects In A Weird Case | Dardeen Family Murders Final
Yes, today we're looking at the conclusion of the Dardeen Family Murders. Sadly there isn't much of a conclusion to the case, but we had to close it out by looking at the main suspect, and how he may or may not have been involved. Tommy Lynn Sells was sitting on death row in Texas for another...
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Can’t Arrest Me if I’m Dead | The Dardeen Murders
Back in '87 a man was thought to have murdered his entire family. However, that didn't last too long as his body was found roughly a day later. That man was Keith Dardeen, and he was originally thought to have been the perpetrator of a truly heinous crime. Unfortunately, his body too was found…
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My Top 5 Absolute Fav Cryptids!
Yes, I've run out of ideas and have resorted to a filthy top five! No, not really, but kinda. I figure it was time you got to know me just a little bit, and what better way than to introduce my favorite creatures?! I won't be doing this all the time, but every once in a while (when I don't have...
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It’s Getting Hot Inside | Spontaneous Human Combustion
So yeah, sometimes people burn from the inside out and ultimately die. Even odder still is that this seems to happen for no reason whatsoever, they just melt away, leaving nothing behind by a greasy stain and their feet. Now, even odder-er is that usually in these cases, everything around them is...
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The Last Moments of Cindy James |Final
I'm back to finish up the Cindy James story, and sadly, it doesn't have a happy ending. Poor Cindy spent the better part of a decade being harassed and tormented by an unknown assailant. She was left terrifying messages, her home was broken into, and her place set on fire on multiple occasions.…
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I’m Back, and We’re Talking About Cindy James | Part One
Yes, I know, it's been a hot minute, and I'm deeply sorry for that. But we're back talking some true crime, Canadian true crime nonetheless. Cindy James went through quite the ordeal in the 80's as she was stalked, intimidated, assaulted, and all around harassed for years. Many suspected it was…
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Ancient Serial Killers!
Top ten lists are weird, and this might be the strangest one: top ten serial killers from ancient history. It's super specific, but it's also very interesting. Many of us have this morbid fascination with serial killers, but few know more than the big ones from modern day (Bundy, Dahmer, etc...)....
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The Letters Always Circle back to Circleville
With all the hype surrounding the Watcher on Netflix, I thought I'd take a look at another strange watcher type case that took place a good 25 years prior to the 657 Boulevard case. This took place from the mid-70's all the way to the early 90's, and it took place in the sleepy town of…
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Happy Halloween, Ya Filthy Witches!
Yes, it's Halloween, so what better time to drop an episode about witches? Well, one witch anyway, and she went by the name Alice Kyteler. She was more or less a black widow in the early 1300's, bagging herself a small fortune in the wake of a bunch of dead husbands. For her lifestyle, she was...
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Camp Crystal Lake, But For Real? The Keddie Cabin Murders.
Back in April of '81 a terrible act took place in the cabins of Keddie, California. It's like something out of a movie, really. A young girl returned to her cabin after a night at her friend's place, however not all was well when she walked on a brutal scene. Before her lay her mother, brother…
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About this show
Join me on a journey into the origins of the unknown. From unsolved crimes to the darkest moments history has to offer, Ominous Origins will cover it all. Buckle up and enjoy the journey into the abyss!For inquiries or comments, you can contact [email protected]
Hosted by
Casey Chaplin
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