The Spooky Darlings

This week, we’re sharing the bizarre true story of Hypnotist Arthur Everton and his subject Robert Simpson. We discuss the performance that turned fatal, what was witnessed onstage, the investigation that followed, and the debate over whether hypnosis was the cause of Simpson’s mysterious death.Sources:https://www.weirdhistorian.com/a-case-of-hypnotism-gone-wrong-and-a-desperate-attempt-to-make-it-right/https://bizzarrobazar.com/en/2020/02/05/ipnotismo-nella-morgue/https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/news/local/view-from-hillsborough/2016/01/06/hypnotized-to-death-2/78349284/https://www.nytimes.com/1909/11/11/archives/evertons-rival-triumphs-somervilles-other-hypnotist-puts-three-men.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/1909/11/28/archives/is-hypnotism-another-narcotic-poison.htmlhttps://listverse.com/2015/10/16/10-deadly-cases-of-hypnosis/Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

It's Follow up Friday time, and boy do we have some stories for you! This week the darlings talk about true crime updates,  what they are watching and listening to, and catch up on the Lindsay Clancy verdict, amongst other true crime cases. Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

When Alex puts up a roommate wanted add on Craiglist.com she has no idea that someone with no good intentions is going to find her, and make her life a living hell! Will Alex survive? Listen to the Darlings unwrap this mind blowing tale! Source: Netflix- Worst Roommate Ever seriesMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week, The Spooky Darlings head to Nebraska, Where the West Begins! First, Emily tells us about the Walgren Lake Monster, then Hayley gives some insight about the Aurora Witch, and then Nettie finishes up with the Flying Man of Falls City! Listen to the sisters share their stories about these mysterious creatures!!Sources:https://history.nebraska.gov/nebraskas-lake-monster-giganticus-brutervioushttps://twc.qiiver.com/https://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/witchs-grave/https://adventuresincemeteryhopping.com/2017/03/10/aurora-cemetery/Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week, Nettie tells the story of Mica Miller, whose untimely death raised questions and suspicions among her family, friends, and people following the case around the world. The Darlings discuss Mica’s life, her amazing personality, and the hardships she faced in an abusive relationship.  Did the abuse, combined with her mental health struggles, lead Mica to take her own life—or did something more nefarious happen?One thing you’ll learn is that there are still too many unanswered questions, leaving the death of Mica Miller… a mystery.SOURCES: Time — The Heartbreaking True Story of Mica MillerNetflix Tudum — Where the Mica Miller Case Stands NowABC7 Chicago — John-Paul Miller indicted, accused of cyberstalkingWhat's on Netflix — Death of the Pastor's Wife release detailsPRIMETIMER — What is Mica's LawFITSNews — Chris Skinner's Death: Despair-Induced Suicide? Or Sinister Submersion?ReadySteadyCut — Death of the Pastor's Wife: What Happened to Suzie Skinner's Husband?Yahoo — Who Is Suzie Skinner?FITSNews — JP Miller Marries GirlfriendBiography.com — Who Is Lindsay ClancyWBUR — Clancy trial highlights postpartum psychosisMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

It’s Follow-Up Friday, and this one is packed! We kick things off with our usual personal-life catch-up before diving into a listener-submitted haunting at a McMenamins property.Then we’re talking about what we’ve been watching and listening to lately, including The Kill List, Netflix’s Worst ___ Ever, the Betrayal podcast, The Dead Files, Mother Mary, and More Psychic & Detective.From there, we catch up on some of the cases we’ve covered—or have been keeping an eye on—including Lindsay Clancy, Sandra Birchmore, the Tupac murder trial, Keshia Golden, Alisa Goods, and Eugene Horsche.We wrap things up with Lake Chaubunagungamaug in Massachusetts—a lake with a mouthful of a name that reminds us we don’t have to be sticklers about pronunciations.It’s hauntings, true crime updates, current obsessions, and general spooky-darling chaos. Basically, a classic FUF.Stay spooky, darlings! 👻Sources: Our livesMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week, each sister takes a look at a dark moment in history that just happens to share her birthday.Nettie heads to South Korea for the devastating Daegu Subway Disaster— a deliberate act of arson that turned an ordinary morning commute into one of the deadliest subway disasters in history.Emily dives into the baffling case of Robert William Fisher, the Arizona father accused of murdering his wife and two children before blowing up their home and disappearing. More than two decades later, exactly what happened to Fisher remains a mystery.Hayley takes us inside the infamous Lufthansa Heist, when millions of dollars in cash and high-value goods were stolen from JFK Airport in a meticulously planned mob robbery. But pulling off the heist was only the beginning—the bloody aftermath would become almost as notorious as the robbery itself.Three sisters. Three birthdays. Three dark moments in history. Sources:Daegu subway fire — Wikipedia (sourced reference/background)Arsonist sets fire in South Korean subway — HISTORY.comS. Korea Subway Arsonist Gets Life Sentence — VOA NewsSubway arsonist gets life sentence — Al JazeeraPluto discovered — HISTORY.com Mark Twain publishes The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn — HISTORY.comFebruary 18: Facts & Historical Events On This Day — The Fact Sitehttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2003-02-19/dying-korean-subway-passengers-phoned-for-help/2688468https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/20/world/final-calls-add-to-anguish-over-korean-subway-fire.htmlhttps://prezi.com/ttz4yhh0xq7f/daegu-safety-theme-park/https://english.visitkorea.or.kr/svc/contents/contentsView.do?vcontsId=87885https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_William_Fisherhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Big_Heisthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7i_vPOVvpOkhttps://www.usinflationcalculator.com/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucchese_crime_familyMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week, The Spooky Darlings head to Montana, Big Sky Country! First we talk about the Little People of Pryor Mountain, then take a dip in Flathead Lake to look for Flessie the lake monster! Finally we visit a store with a taxidermied Ringdocus/Shunka Warakin!  Listen as the sisters laugh and share their creepy cryptids!! Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flathead_Lake_Monsterhttps://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Flathead_Lake_Monster#articleCommentshttps://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/12/14/tiny-tricksters-of-the-pryor-mountains-keep-a-sacred-landscape-alive/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_People_of_the_Pryor_Mountainshttps://www.distinctlymontana.com/shunka-warakin-hyena-rockieshttps://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Shunka_Warak%27inhttps://www.reddit.com/r/Cryptozoology/s/D1dFpdWRsaMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

The tragic 1993 murder of 20-year-old Alaskan native Sophie Sergie went unsolved for over 25 years, until advances in forensic genealogy led investigators to a former UAF student named Steven H. Downs—who had been living thousands of miles away. We’re covering Sophie’s final hours, the evidence left behind, the path to identifying a suspect, Downs’ arrest more than 25 years later, and the 2022 trial that finally attempted to answer the question Sophie’s family had been asking for decades: Who killed Sophie Sergie?Sources: Podcast: Dark Downeast Sophie Sergie part 1 and 2Podcast: DNA ID Sophie Sergie part 1 and 2https://law.alaska.gov/press/releases/2022/092722-Downs.htmlhttps://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2025/04/24/man-found-guilty-1993-murder-uaf-appeals-conviction-over-dna-privacy/?outputType=amphttps://fm.kuac.org/sophie-sergie-murder-casehttps://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2025-04-22/appeals-court-hears-dna-privacy-arguments-in-uaf-cold-case-murder-convictionhttps://alaskapublic.org/news/2022-02-04/alternative-suspect-says-he-had-nothing-to-do-with-murder-of-sophie-sergiehttps://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/new-details-emerge-from-cold-case-suspects-past/97-5992380e-afad-4fd3-9b52-863ce2ede123https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2025-04-22/appeals-court-hears-dna-privacy-arguments-in-uaf-cold-case-murder-convictionhttps://www.nacdl.org/getattachment/029c3335-803f-4131-a6e6-75838e44ae2c/downs-v-state-of-alaska-brief.pdfhttps://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2025-04-22/appeals-court-hears-dna-privacy-arguments-in-uaf-cold-case-murder-convictionhttps://www.wsoctv.com/news/trending/man-convicted-brutal-1993-rape-murder-woman-university-alaska-dorm-shower-room/FGH55NX4RZBKPNCG37NRCU4JXE/?outputType=ampArticle “Death in Bartlett Hall” By Michael Kernhttps://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/cold-case-review-finds-new-lead-1993-slaying/2009/04/26/](https://www.adn.com/alaska-news/article/cold-case-review-finds-new-lead-1993-slaying/2009/04/26/)https://medium.com/@robinbarefield76/murder-in-a-college-dorm-806c6170496bhttps://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/new-details-emerge-from-cold-case-suspects-past/97-5992380e-afad-4fd3-9b52-863ce2ede123https://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2025-04-22/appeals-court-hears-dna-privacy-arguments-in-uaf-cold-case-murder-convictionhttps://www.nacdl.org/getattachment/029c3335-803f-4131-a6e6-75838e44ae2c/downs-v-state-of-alaska-brief.pdfhttps://alaskapublic.org/news/public-safety/2025-04-22/appeals-court-hears-dna-privacy-arguments-in-uaf-cold-case-murder-convictionMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

Today the Darlings catch up after a July break, and a family vacation! They talk Lindsay Clancy, vacation with the fam, a surprise visitor on vacation! What happened to the Hantavirus? And a SLOMW update, plus some spooky tales form our listeners! Catch up with the sisters after the brief break, and the beginning of Season 2!!Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

What happens when a detective runs out of leads? Sometimes, they turn to psychics for help in solving a crime. In the 1970s and ’80s, California psychic Armand Marcotte worked alongside police and detectives on countless investigations, offering clues he claimed to receive through his psychic abilities to channel the victims who have crossed over, explore past lives, and use help from those beyond the grave to gather clues to help solve mysteries. In this episode, we explore the cases, the detectives who sought his help, and the mysterious connection between the psychic and the detective.Could a psychic really help solve a crime? You be the judge.Sources:Druffel, Ann, with Armand Marcotte. The Psychic and the Detective. ACS Publications, 1983CIA.govMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

In September 2016, Nathan and his mom Linda go fishing off the coast of Rhode Island. Only Nathan returns! His mother is never found. This event triggers a series of events that leads to Nathan being questioned for more than one death in his family, and the question of who is going to get $42 million dollars??? Let's discuss what we think happened! Sources:Netflix documentary: The Carman Family DeathsMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week, our FUF is going rogue... and early! We're releasing our Follow Up Friday on a Tuesday, in place of our usual main episode. Don't worry, we're not skipping a beat: we've got true crime updates and news, including the Siders family case out of Ohio, a story about an aunt who saved her niece from kidnapping, the tragic earthquake in Venezuela, and the Arizona toddler declared dead who was later found alive in the morgue. We've also got a little FIFA talk, and your Taylor Frankie Paul fix with the latest on her court hearings. Plus, we're celebrating Kelsey Pfendler, who just became the fastest person ever to row solo from California to Hawaii!Also, heads up, Darlings: we're taking July off! We'll be back with new episodes in August, ready to dig into more weird history, unexplained mysteries, and true crime. See you then!Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week, The Spooky Darlings head to Missouri, the Show-Me State. First, we investigate the Ozark Howler, a legendary beast said to stalk the Ozarks with glowing eyes and an eerie howl. Next, we head to Nixa to discuss Paul the Nixa Hellhound— a bizarre canine cryptid that has become a local legend. Finally, we travel to Louisiana, Missouri to cover the infamous Momo (the Missouri Monster)—Missouri’s own Bigfoot-like creature.Are these three cryptids truly different creatures… or did the sisters uncover some suspicious overlap? Tune in as we break down the sightings, stories, and spooky details behind three of Missouri’s most famous monsters.Sources:https://www.facebook.com/nixahellhound/https://coffeehousewriters.com/missouris-momo-and-nixa-hellhound/https://www.vice.com/en/article/evja34/the-missouri-monster-momo-is-the-cryptid-time-forgothttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Momo_the_Monsterhttps://www.legendsofamerica.com/momo-monster/https://www.stltoday.com/news/archives/1972-mo-mo-the-monster-becomes-the-talk-of-the-town/article_ec718a48-3c97-5898-b6e0-f2516f579ad0.htmlhttps://www.lincolnnewsnow.com/news/editorial/lincoln-county-urban-legend-momo-monster/article_b879c202-cb92-11ea-a9c3-9ba57081e90b.htmlhttps://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/missouri-town-embraces-mo-mo-the-monster-50-years-after-original-sightings/article_1d91ca9b-fd9b-57d8-a707-d06715c6589e.htmlhttps://fox2now.com/news/missouri/50th-anniversary-of-famous-mo-mo-the-missouri-monster-sighting/https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Momohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana,_MissouriSOURCES Ozark Howlerhttps://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Ozark_Howlerhttps://onlyinark.com/culture/ozark-howler/ https://www.reddit.com/r/Cryptozoology/comments/znzh7l/the_ozark_howler_a_midwestern_folk tale/https://www.reddit.com/r/nosleep/comments/1t5cqn/the_ozark_howler/Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

One year. One hundred episodes. Infinite chills.It's The Spooky Darlings' One Year Anniversary! And this week, the trio is looking back at the episodes that haunted us most. We're each recapping our favorite cryptid encounter, our favorite case we personally covered, and — because we can't help but hype each other up — our favorite episode the other sisters brought to the table.Plus: trivia, reflections on how far this little spooky corner of the internet has come, and a whole lot of love for the listeners who've been with us since day one. Thank you for a year of staying strange with us! Here's to many more. Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week for Follow Up Friday, the Darlings discuss the delight of the FIFA World Cup, and everything they love about these games: the players, the fans, and watching people discovering the wonders of the U.S. They dish on their favorite scary movies, series and podcasts, plus catch up on how summer is treating them! It's fun! It's frightening! It's FUF!Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

Three women. Three scandals. One uncomfortable truth: people rarely thank the woman who blows the whistle.This week, the sisters dive into the stories of Martha Mitchell, the outspoken wife of Nixon’s Attorney General who became public enemy number one after speaking out during Watergate; Linda Tripp, the Pentagon employee forever demonized for recording phone calls that helped expose the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal; and Karen Silkwood, a union activist and lab worker who was simply trying to do her job safely before uncovering something far more disturbing.All three were mocked, discredited, and painted as villains for speaking up. Exposing wrongdoing can destroy reputations, careers, and sometimes far more.Let’s talk about what happens when women tell the truth.Sources:https://www.bbc.com/culture/article/20260522-the-tragic-story-of-martha-mitchellNetflix documentary: The Martha Mitchell Effecthttps://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1998/03/23/portrait-of-a-whistleblowerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linda_Tripphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clinton–Lewinsky_scandalKaren Silkwood Sources:Impact X Nightline: What Happened to Karen Silkwood? The Lost Tapeshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karen_Silkwoodhttps://www.nytimes.com/1983/12/11/arts/fact-and-legend-clash-in-silkwood.htmlMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week we’re heading deep into the Magnolia State, where swampy backroads and haunted waterways hide unsettling legends.First, we visit the grave of the infamous Witch of Yazoo, whose dying curse promised the town would burn in 20 years… and it did. Then we travel down Nash Road to encounter the terrifying tale of the Three-Legged Woman—a bizarre roadside legend that has haunted locals for generations. Finally, we dive into one of Mississippi’s strangest modern monsters: the Ear Eater of Jasper County, a creature tied to chilling attacks and unsettling rumors.Curses, cryptids, and creepy folklore—Mississippi brought the weird, and we’re here for it. Join The Spooky Darlings as we unpack these eerie Southern legends!Sources: https://hangar1publishing.com/blogs/cryptids/mississippi-cryptids?srsltid=AfmBOor6IfU2OCOCUAniO-tTV4duRBcTrQDibe3JbbObsiNd-pTo0gMchttps://countryroadsmagazine.com/api/amp/art-and-culture/people-places/the-witch-of-yazoo/https://visityazoo.org/witch-of-yazoo/Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

In 1981, Charlotte Moriarty vanished from the shores of Hawaii, leaving behind questions that decades couldn't answer. A psychic claimed she was murdered and that her young son Marx  had met the same fate. She was half right. Charlotte was never found. But Marx? Marx was very much alive, just living under a different name, in a different family, with no idea who he really was. This week Emily dives into one of Hawaii's most haunting cold cases: a mother who disappeared, a son who was hidden in plain sight, and a psychic who got just enough right to give this case the attention it deserved.Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

We cover a lot of ground today! We’re diving into the latest Taylor Frankie Paul update—and it looks like the bachelors from her season are all gathering in LA. We also discuss the case of Aaron Spencer, a father arrested for murder after protecting his daughter, the recent death of Buffy the Vampire Slayer actor Anthony Stewart Head, Eli McCann’s new book, and the Proctor text messages in the Karen Read case.Plus, we chat about recent Bigfoot sightings, a new podcast the sisters are loving, and the latest scary movie we’ve watched. And to top it all off, we share a personal story from a local connected to the Candy Cane Park murder.Brandi recap! Smiles, laughter, tears, and new friendships—plus a special guest appearance from a beloved fan!sources: tiktok @stephwiththedeetsMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week the Spooky Darlings cover a case of lazy, racist, and downright crooked police work. A woman is murdered at a Jacksonville hotel on a Sunday morning. Ninety minutes later, police have their suspect, a fifteen-year-old boy on his way to get a job application. His name is Brenton Butler, and his story, documented in the Oscar-winning film Murder on a Sunday Morning, is one of the most infuriating wrongful arrest cases in American history. Racial profiling, a coerced confession, zero physical evidence, and two public defenders who simply refused to let the system win. This week on the Spooky Darlings, we're telling it in full.Sources:PRIMARY SOURCES:De Lestrade, Jean-Xavier, director. Murder on a Sunday Morning. HBO America Undercover, 2001.Murder on a Sunday Morning." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_on_a_Sunday_Morning. Accessed 6 June 2026."Brenton Butler Case." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brenton_Butler_case. Accessed 6 June 2026.CLOSE CAPTIONING FOR DRAMATIC READING IN EPISODE: https://subsaga.com/bbc/documentaries/factual/storyville/2011-2012/5-murder-on-a-sunday-morning.htmlCROSS-RACE EFFECT SOURCES:Horry, Ruth, et al. "The Cross-Race Effect in Eyewitness Identification." Visual Cognition, vol. 31, no. 1, 2023, pp. 1–18. Taylor & Francis Online, https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13506285.2023.2288358.Available, John, et al. "Cross-Race Effect in Face Recognition." PubMed Central, National Institutes of Health, 2020, https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7067904/."Cross-Race Effect." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross-race_effect. Accessed 6 June 2026.Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

Our 23rd stop on the Cryptid Crawl is The North Star State, Minnesota! This beautiful but cold land has a reputation for being nice. The lakes? Hmmm... Maybe not all of them. Join us as we head north to dig into the cryptic legends of the Land of 10,000 lakes, and just as many mysteries. We explore a mystery that blurs the line between hoax and horror with the Minnesota Ice Man, then lean Into a creepy haunted lake with a story that will make you never want to swim again, and end with a river/lake monster with a history that goes waaaaayyyy back- not to mention a $50,000 dollar reward that nobody has claimed yet! Maybe it will be The Spooky Darlings that finally get the prize?Sources:https://scienceignored.fandom.com/wiki/Minnesota_Iceman?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.discoveryuk.com/mysteries/unveiling-the-mystery-of-the-minnesota-iceman/?utm_source=chatgpt.comhttps://www.scientificamerican.com/blog/tetrapod-zoology/a-review-of-neanderthal-the-strange-saga-of-the-minnesota-iceman-part-1/https://tetzoo.com/blog/2023/9/4/review-of-neanderthal-heuvelmans-2016Minnesota Historical Society Book of Days AlmanacVisit Lake City MN — https://www.visitlakecity.org/pepie-the-lake-pepin-monster/Star Tribune — https://www.startribune.com/lake-pepin-s-rumored-creature-may-be-folklore-come-to-date/267579381Daily Yonder — https://dailyyonder.com/lake-pepin-monster-fires-up-peoples-imaginations-and-local-economy/2021/05/07/Folk Bestiary — https://folkbestiary.com/minnesota/Thieves River — https://thievesriver.com/blogs/articles/minnesota-cryptids-other-legendary-creaturesHangar 1 Publishing — https://hangar1publishing.com/blogs/cryptids/minnesota-cryptidsMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

In the summer of 1976, school bus driver Ed Ray was making what should have been an ordinary trip home. On board were 26 children returning from a day at summer school and eager to see their families.But that routine ride took a terrifying turn when three armed men in two vans carried out one of the most shocking kidnappings in American history. Trapped underground and facing impossible odds, the captives would be forced to rely on courage, determination, and the remarkable leadership of 14-year-old Mike Marshall.Join The Spooky Darlings as we unpack the Chowchilla bus kidnapping, the dramatic escape that captured the nation’s attention, and the lasting impact this extraordinary crime had on the survivors, their families, and the community for decades to come.Sources:HBO Chowchilla documentary 2023The Chowchilla Kidnapping: Why Me? by Larry ParkLA Timeshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1976_Chowchilla_kidnappingMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

We are headed to Brandi Carlile at the Gorge Amphitheater!We talk about J-hole Judge Nicholas Rowland, problematic prisoners Tony Carruthers and Ricky Wassenaar, and the extraordinary Erin Brockovich and her work with data centers.Don't forget the update onwhat we're watching and listening to — Catch up with us! And of course we would never skip out on essential updates on mormon wives and Vanderpump Villa!Sources:Tiktok: @StephwiththedeetsMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

Long before it was a party game, humans were obsessed with talking to the dead. This week the Darlings trace the strange history of spirit communication from Shang Dynasty oracle bones to the Fox sisters' famous knocking act, from Roman ring-and-alphabet divination to the planchette-wielding Spiritualists of the 1800s. Then there's the board itself: the 1890 Baltimore patent, outselling Monopoly in year one, and why The Exorcist changed everything. But the story that might haunt you longest comes from Robert Damon Schneck's The Bye Bye Man — a supposedly true account of college students who used an Ouija board to make contact with a living serial killer. Hollywood adapted it into a film and quietly removed the board entirely. We put it back. Plus — the Darlings get personal. Sisters bring stories from their own lives, their friends, and the darkest corners of Reddit, because it turns out everyone has an Ouija board story. Is it a window to the other side, or just your own unconscious mind spelling things out? Come find out...If you dare!Sources:Schneck, Robert Damon. The Bye Bye Man (originally published as The President's Vampire) Penguin Random House, 2004, 2016Hunt, Stoker. Ouija: The Most Dangerous Game. 1985.Weisberg, Barbara. Talking to the Dead: Kate and Maggie Fox and the Rise of Spiritualism. 2004.The Witch's Board: A Comprehensive Guide to the OuijaMarcellinus, Ammianus. Res Gestae. 4th century CE. (Primary source — Roman account of ring-and-alphabet divination)Talking Board Historical Society — Robert Murch. talkingboard.orgMysterium.com — Brandon Hodge. (History of spirit communication tools and planchettes)U.S. Patent No. 446,054 (1891) — Original Ouija board patent filed by Elijah Bond. Available via Google Patents.Carpenter, William Benjamin. "Ideomotor Action." British Journal of Psychiatry, 1852. (Original paper coining the ideomotor effect)Oracle Bone Script — National Palace Museum, Taipei. npm.gov.tw"The Bizarre History of the Ouija Board." Smithsonian Magazine. smithsonianmag.comMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

From red-skinned harbingers of doom to howling forest beasts, we’re diving into some of Michigan’s strangest legends. This week, The Spooky Darlings explore the  Nain Rouge of Detroit, the terrifying Michigan Dogman, the eerie tale of the Ada Witch, and the very real lumberjack P.K. Small whose bizarre appearance and behavior earned him the nickname “Slackjaw,” or “the Ogre of Seney”. Cryptids, curses, and backwoods chaos await. Sources:https://visitdetroit.com/inside-the-d/the-legend-of-the-nain-rouge-in-detroit/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nain_RougePodcast Theories of the Third Kind,  Episode 297 - Nain Rouge.Michigan Dogman:Luther cabin attack details: Cadillac News, "Was the Dogman responsible?"Cook's own account: Cadillac News 30th anniversary + WCMU + Michigan EnjoyerBeast of Bray Road: WikipediaModern sightings color: Connect Paranormal (paranormal blog tier)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvlQp5f7ZwUMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

Steven Jay Russell wasn’t just a con man — he was an escape artist, master manipulator, and one of the most unbelievable criminals Texas ever tried to contain.Join The Spooky Darlings as they unravel the bizarre true story of Steven Jay Russell: from insurance fraud and impersonation schemes to his jaw-dropping prison escapes that embarrassed law enforcement again and again. His final capture led to years spent in brutal solitary confinement, a cruel punishment for a non-violent offender. Steven Jay Russell was a charming genius, convincing liar, and a man the system tried to break completely. Join us as we share the incredible story of one of Texas’s most persistent absconders.Sources: I Love You Phillip Morris,  by Steve McVickerhttps://solitarywatch.org/2014/12/08/voices-from-solitary-the-life-of-an-escape-artist/https://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2020/06/king-con-the-conman-who-simply-walked-out-of-prison-four-times/Karl Smallwood: King Con: The Con Man Who Simply Walked Out of Prison Four TimesThe Great Escapee, article in Esquire Magazine, by Alex HannfordMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

Join the sisters as they catch up, and then discuss current events, and current drama! Starting with what we're reading and watching, to what we are paying attention to in the media. Taylor Frankie Paul to the beloved Lani monk seal in Hawaii.We might even get a deplorable doppelgänger out of this! Sources: New Girl inspiration TikTok: @viperpilotkarathraceMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week the Spooky Darlings are meeting you on the Astral Plane! In 1887, a California judge built a Victorian mansion on a hilltop in Los Angeles — a house that would later appear in Spider Baby, Silent Scream, and Insidious: Chapter 2. Some houses just have a type.But the real story isn't the house.It's 1912. A poet named Elsa Barker is alone in her Paris apartment when she feels a sudden, overwhelming compulsion to pick up a pencil. Her hand moves as if seized from the outside. Words come. And at the end of the message — a single signature.X.She has no idea what it means.This week: a dead judge, a living poet, and letters written from the other side. Sources:Smith Estate (Los Angeles) — WikipediaThe Smith Estate from Insidious: Chapter 2The Man Called X Was Judge David P. HatchMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

This week, The Spooky Darlings head to the Bay State for a Cryptid Crawl filled with tiny demons, cursed swamps, and a shadowy blue-glowing-eyed creature with superhuman strength leaping through the fog.First, we dive into the eyewitness accounts of the Dover Demon — the bizarre, big-eyed creature spotted crawling along stone walls by terrified teens in 1977. Then we venture into the infamous Bridgewater Triangle, a region packed with UFO sightings, phantom animals, poltergeist activity, and generations of eerie encounters. Finally, we head to the coast to uncover the mystery of Provincetown’s Black Flash: a dark, lightning-fast figure said to sprint through the town, strike fiercely when provoked, and disappear into the night.Are these creatures misunderstood cryptids, local folklore gone wild, or something even stranger lurking in Massachusetts after dark?Light your candles and settle in for the spooky tales, darlings.Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dover_Demonhttp://www.strange-new-england.com/2015/10/21/dover-demon/https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Dover_Demonhttps://garyreddin.substack.com/p/the-dover-demon?r=2xommj&utm_medium=ios&triedRedirect=true“Decades later, the Dover Demon still haunts” By Mark Sullivan, Boston Globe Correspondent  |  October 29, 2006 “Monsters of Massachussetts”, by Loren Colemanwww.gothichorrorstories.com/gothic-travel/by-location/new-england/cape-cod/the-black-flash-of-provincetown-ma-folk-horror-and-hysteria-from-new-england-echoes-in-the-midwestern-countryside/&ved=2ahUKEwjNq-X0iKmUAxVTHjQIHZ1lFk0QFnoECBwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw03_5yfXzrwy_EQzmeuh4vJhttps://newenglandfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-black-flash-of-provincetown-hoax-or.htmlhttps://www.preston-posits.com/blog/cryptids-of-north-america-pt-5-massachusettsMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

The Spooky Darlings tell of the life of the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright—a visionary who transformed American architecture. From his early days in Wisconsin to his groundbreaking innovations, Wright reimagined how people lived in their homes.But behind the genius was a life marked by scandal, ambition, and unthinkable tragedy. In 1914, Wright’s beloved Taliesin estate became the site of a brutal and shocking massacre—one he rarely spoke about.Over a century later, his influence still shapes the world around us… but so does the mystery and horror tied to his name.Join the sisters as they unpack the brilliance, controversy, and chaos of Frank Lloyd Wright.Apple TV- Frank Lloyd Wright: Murder, Modernism documentaryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Lloyd_Wrighthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mamah_Borthwickhttps://www.pbs.org/kenburns/frank-lloyd-wright/taliesin-frankMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

We kick things off with a full Mexico recap — the good, the chaotic, and one truly hilarious attempt at speaking Spanish that we may never recover from. Then we get into what we’ve been watching, listening to, and spiraling about lately. From there, we check in on the ever-evolving drama of Mormon Wives (because obviously), before shifting into something much darker…A series of mysterious deaths involving scientists in both the U.S. and China — cases with strange circumstances, missing context, and a lot of unanswered questions. We break down a few of the most unsettling cases, the patterns people have noticed, and the theories surrounding them.We wrap things up with a few quick crime headlines you’ll want to know about, including updates on the D4vid trial and the still-unsettling Missy Bevers case. Come hang with us — it’s chaotic, a little conspiratorial, and very Follow-Up Friday.Message us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/

Public restrooms are already unsettling enough… but what if something sinister is lurking behind the stall door?This week, we’re diving headfirst into some of the most chilling bathroom urban legends from around the world—where privacy is an illusion and knocking might be the worst thing you can do.First, we explore Japan’s infamous Aka Manto, the mysterious masked spirit who offers you a deadly choice of red or blue paper (and trust us… there’s no winning). Then, we head into haunted school bathrooms with Hanako-san, the ghostly girl said to appear if you knock just right—and ask the wrong question. Finally, we travel to West Africa for the eerie legend of Madam Koi Koi, a stylish but sinister presence known for the unmistakable sound of her heels echoing down empty halls… and straight into the restroom.From whispered dares to deadly encounters, these legends prove one thing: you might want to rethink that next bathroom trip.Sources:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aka_Mantohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madam_Koi_Koihttps://hyper-a-in-the-world-of-heroes.fandom.com/wiki/Madam_Koi_Koihttps://edwinmadu.com/scary-nigerian-urban-legends-madam-koi-koi-5958a00108d8https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanako-sanhttps://yokai.com/toirenohanakosan/?srsltid=AfmBOooa7-10eV4PWgIsB4h30V6n1uMAyiN1iKqx8MNR3GnqqeXQ5flReddit: r/hanakokunMessage us!Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected] us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/