When director Ti West checked into the Yankee Pedlar Inn in Torrington, CT, he had no idea his accommodations would provide the inspiration for his next horror film. "The Innkeepers," set and shot in the historic building, follows two employees on a quest to explore the haunted location. Life began to imitate art, however, when the film's cast and crew began experiencing spooky events while residing at the inn during production.

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Episode Sources:

“Torrington’s ‘Yankee Pedlar Inn’ Considered One of America’s Most Haunted Locations” by Ethan Carey, October 4, 2024, i95: The Home of Rock’N’Roll

“The Yankee Pedlar Inn, Torrington” by Ray Bendici, Damned Connecticut

“Connecticut’s Yankee Pedlar Inn Is Among The Most Haunted Places In The Nation” by Lisa Sammons, August 9, 2024, Only In Connecticut

“Yankee Inn-genuity” by BusinessWest Staff, November 26, 2007, Business West

“Ti West On the Real Haunting That Inspired ‘The Innkeepers’” by Nigel M. Smith, February 2, 2012, IndieWire

“Ti West Believed His Set Was Haunted, So He Made His Next Movie About It” by Riley Presnell, August 28, 2023, Collider

“Haunted Historical Horror: Ti West’s The Innkeepers” by C.H. Newell, September 9, 2015, Father Son Holy Gore

“Q&A: Checking In With Ti West On THE INNKEEPERS” by Michael Gingold, February 3, 2019, Fangoria

“The real-life haunting of Ti West and ‘The Innkeepers’” by Thomas Coll, February 18, 2024, Far Out Magazine

“Yankee Pedlar Inn” from Fright Find

“Torrington's abandoned Yankee Pedlar Inn has a buyer, but the sale needs court's approval” by Sloan Brewster, May 12, 2025, CT Insider

“Torrington seeks $6.9M in grants for environmental cleanup of Yankee Pedlar Inn and other sites” by Sloan Brewster, March 17, 2025, CT Insider

“Torrington officials call hotel extension 'disappointing' as owners secure financing” by Emily M. Olson, February 21, 2024, The Register Citizen

“Torrington takes control of Yankee Pedlar's future with receivership ruling: 'Look at possibilities'” by Emily M. Olson, July 31, 2024, The Register Citizen

“The House of the Devil (2009)” from IMDb

“The Innkeepers (2011)” from IMDb

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Nicholas Davio - nicholasdavio.com, @mr.nick.davio, @huron_coast

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One week before Thanksgiving in 1995, model/actress Linda Sobek disappeared. The last people to speak with her - her mom and her roommates - all said the same thing: that she was headed to a photo shoot. Tragically, she never made it back home.

Linda's case inspired Anthony Zuiker to create the television series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation."

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Episode Sources:

“Linda Sobek: Model Gone in a Flash” by Rebecca Reisner, Forensic Files Now, May 19, 2024

“CSI at 25: How a Guy From Vegas Forever Changed TV” by Jim Halterman, Television Academy

“Jury Convicts Rathbun of Model Sobek’s Murder” by Greg Krikorian & Deborah Belgum, L.A. Times, Nov 2, 1996

“She Was an NFL Cheerleader Who Landed a Role on Married... with Children. Then She Vanished Hours Before a Fitting” by Virginia Chamlee, People, Oct 2, 2025

“Photographer Named Suspect in Slaying of Second Model : Crime: A witness reports seeing Charles E. Rathbun with Kimberly Pandelios about a month before her 1992 disappearance. Her body was found in the Angeles Forest.” By Greg Krikorian & Kenneth Reich, LA Times, Nov 30, 1995

“Friends, Others Offer Complex View of Rathbun : Profile: Descriptions of the top auto photographer, suspected in the slaying of a Hermosa Beach model, range from a nice, social guy to a loner with a temper. Investigators find it equally difficult to pin down simple aspects of his life.” By Eric Slater, L.A. Times, Dec 11, 1995

“Magazine Serves as Memorial to Slain Model Sobek” by Eric Slater, L.A. Times, Jan 27, 1996

“Sobek Family’s Nightmare” by Greg Krikorian, L.A. Times, Oct 27, 1996

“Model’s Body Recovered From Angeles Forest” by Lorenza Munoz & Duke Helfand, L.A. Times, Nov 26, 1995

“`DEATH' PHOTOS FOUND IN SUSPECT'S HOME” The Roanoke Times, Associated Press, Nov 28 1995

“Forensic Files - Season 6, Episode 11 - Photo Finish”

“The Real Murders of Los Angeles - S1, E2 - Final Photograph” - Peacock

“People Magazine Investigates: Crimes of Fashion - A1, E2 - Killing of Linda Sobek”

“Criminalist Contradicts Rathbun’s Testimony” by Greg Krikorian, L.A. Times, Oct 23, 1996

“Rathbun’s Defense May Focus on Victim’s Life” by Greg Krikorian, L.A. Times, Sep 16, 1996

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Her case inspired the 2005 film "The Exorcism of Emily Rose." Anneliese Michel was a young woman from Germany whose quiet, faithful life took a terrifying turn when she began hearing voices and seeing dark figures no one else could. Doctors called it epilepsy; her family eventually believed it was possession. What followed became one of the most haunting true stories of the century.

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Episode Sources:

“Anneliese Michel And The Shocking Story Behind The Exorcism Of The Real-Life Emily Rose” by Gabe Paoletti, Edited by John Kuroski, Published March 26, 2025, Updated August 19, 2025

“Germans Stirred by Death of Woman in Exorcism” by Craig R. Whitney, August 8, 1976, The New York Times

“The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)” from Chasing the Frog

“30 Chilling Facts About Anneliese Michel: The True Story Behind the Exorcism That Shocked the World” by Trista, April 15, 2025, History Collection

“The Exorcism That Ended in Death: The True Story Behind The Exorcism of Emily Rose” by darkholmepublishing, January 31, 2025, Dark Holme Publishing

“'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' True Story Explained” by Lloyd Farley, April 5, 2024, Collider

“2 Priests Charged In Exorcism Death Of German Woman” on July 14, 1977, The New York Times

“The Exorcism of Emily Rose Trivia” on IMDb

“The Exorcism of Emily Rose: Scott Derrickson, Paul Harris Boardman, Laura Linney, Jennifer Carpenter” by Steven D. Greydanus, Decent Films

“THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE – Realistic portrayal of good and evil” by Staff Writers, October 30, 2005, The Catholic Leader

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Ever since Taylor Swift name-dropped Musso & Frank's in her song "Elizabeth Taylor," reservations at the historic Hollywood restaurant have been filling up. The Musso & Frank Grill has been featured in numerous books, TV shows and films, and has seen some of the most famous figures in entertainment seated at its tables. It turns out that even decades after their deaths, some of those celebrities never want to leave...

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Episode Sources:

“Musso & Frank Grill: The Story of An LA Icon” by Liz Ohanesian, Discover Los Angeles, June 10, 2025

“Musso and Frank Grill | Haunted Hollywood’s Favorite Restaurant” LA Ghosts, May 01, 2025

“A Taylor Swift Mystery: Which Musso and Frank’s Booth Is ‘Best’?” by Matt Stevens, The New York Times, Oct 8, 2025

“The Musso & Frank Grill: History”

“Eat and Drink With the Ghosts of Old Hollywood at Musso & Frank” by Marielle Wakim, Afar, July 26, 2019

“Haunted Filming Location Countdown #7: Musso and Frank Grill” International Screenwriters’ Association, Oct 31, 2024

“Musso & Frank Turns 100 as David Lynch, John Travolta and More Dish on Hollywood’s Oldest Restaurant: ‘There Must Be a Trillion Stories’” by Lesley Balla, The Hollywood Reporter, Feb 22, 2019

“The Ghosts of Musso & Frank Grill on Hollywood Boulevard” by Kristen Winiarski, American Ghost Walks, Mar 18, 2022

“Sightings Get and Afterlife” by Joshua Tompkins, LA Mag, Aug 1999

“Remembering Ruben Rueda: Musso & Frank bartender threw out Steve McQueen and got a guitar from Keith Richards” by Carlos Valdez Lozano, LA Times, June 4, 2019

“Sergio Gonzalez, Longtime Waiter at Hollywood’s Musso & Frank, Dies at 66” by Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, June 5, 2019

“The Weird And Wild Flavors Of Musso And Frank's Most Old Timey Dishes” by Hadley Meares, LAist, Nov 5, 2019

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Jiah Khan was a rising Bollywood actor whose sudden death left the industry reeling. What started as a tragic loss soon turned into one of India’s most talked-about investigations, filled with unanswered questions and a mother’s long fight for justice. Beneath the surface of fame and success lies a story about love, loss, and the high cost of chasing dreams in Bollywood.

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Episode Sources:

“A Timeline of Jiah Khan Suicide Case” by India News, Edited by NDTV News Desk, Apirl 28, 2023, NDTV

“Sooraj Pancholi says ‘trolling, bashing’ in Jiah Khan suicide case got to him: ‘Couldn’t make eye contact with family’” by HT Entertainment Desk, Edited by Sugandha Rawal, May 27, 2025, Hindustan Times

“Death in Bollywood: who killed Jiah Khan?” by Abigail Haworth, October 1, 2017, The Guardian

“12 years after Jiah Khan's death, her boyfriend Sooraj Pancholi's mother Zarina Wahab, reveals the missed call that haunts him even today” by ET Online, May 21, 2025, The Economic Times

“Sooraj Pancholi reveals he is still unsure who framed him in Jiah Khan suicide case: 'I was a 20-year-old boy in a relationship that didn’t go well... was treated like a terrorist'” by TOI Entertainment Desk, May 19, 2025, Times Entertainment by the Times of India

“Jiah Khan's Mother "Destroyed" Case Against Sooraj Pancholi: Court” by Sunikumar Singh, April 29, 2023, India News, NDTV

“Jiah Khan suicide case: 'Who will give me 10 yrs of my life back?' Sooraj Pancholi hails Mumbai court verdict, recalls sleepless nights” by ET Online, April 29, 2023, The Economic Times

“Explained: Ahead of the verdict of the Jiah Khan-suicide case, here's the timeline of her story with Sooraj Pancholi” by Vinamra Mathur, April 27, 2023, Firstpost

“The Jiah Khan Death Case in a Nutshell” by Madhvi Raina, December 16, 2015, MyIndia

“Expose the truth and evidence in Jiah Khan Murder” by Rabya Khan on change.org

“Sooraj Pancholi acquitted: A complete timeline of Jiah Khan suicide case” by India Today News Desk, New Dehli, April 28, 2023, India Today

“Bollywood Actor Sooraj Pancholi Cleared Of Abetment Charges In Jiah Khan Death By Suicide Case” by Swarajya Staff, April 28, 2023, Swarajya Magazine

“Who was Jiah Khan? Three films & a tragic life framed in headlines forever” by PTI, April 28, 2023, The Economic Times

“Jiah Khan Age, Death, Boyfriend, Family, Biography & More” from Stars Unfolded

“Why Bollywood remains 'sexist and regressive'” by Geeta Pandey, July 11, 2023, BBC

“Death in Bollywood: Who is Jiah Khan's family?” by Francesca Shillcock, January 13, 2021, Hello! Magazine

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Nicholas Davio - nicholasdavio.com, @mr.nick.davio, @huron_coast

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You might know her as Susan Sarandon's daughter; in fact, she's played the daughter of some of her mother's characters on screen. But when she's not acting or producing content for her popular website "Happily Eva After," Eva Amurri is seeing spirits. Well, one specific spirit to be exact. Back in 2011 Eva encountered the ghost of a woman who'd been murdered just eight years earlier.

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Episode Sources:

“Lawsuit Blames Many in Killings” by Glenn Smith, The Post and Courier, Rosen | Hagood, Dec 19, 2006

“Fatal Attraction” by Keith Morrison, NBC News, Nov 9, 2006

“SC inmate convicted in killing seeks sex change” AP, Corrections1, Apr 18, 2016

Mary Lynn's Law

“Transgender South Carolina inmate serving life sentence for raping, killing French teacher seeks tax payer-funded sex change” by Meg Wagner, New York Daily News, Apr 9, 2018

“Celebrity Ghost Stories: S3, E2” - Tubi

“Happily Eva After: Our Family Trip to Charleston 2018” by Eva Amurri, July 19, 2018

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Nicholas Davio - nicholasdavio.com, @mr.nick.davio, @huron_coast

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Kevin’s counting down his Top 10 Horror Movies of the season — from slow-burn psychological chills to blood-soaked thrill rides. Find out which films scared, shocked, and stuck with him long after the credits rolled.

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Episode Sources:

“Weapons” on IMDb

“Sinners” on IMDb

“Humanist Vampire Seeking Consenting Suicidal Person” on IMDb

“It Feeds” on IMDb

“The Rule of Jenny Penn” on IMDb

“Clown in a Cornfield” on IMDb

“Presence” on IMDb

“The Vourdalak” on IMDb

“Red Rooms” on IMDb

“Bring Her Back” on IMDb

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What began as a birthday celebration in Queens ended with a life cut short and a community reeling. When actor and musician Isaiah Stokes let a feud from that night fester, it set in motion a plan that would leave Tyrone Jones dead and his family heartbroken. From the party to the ambush to the tense courtroom battle, this story follows how a single grudge grew into something far more tragic.

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Episode Sources:

“Defendent Sentenced to 25 Years to Life in Prison for 2021 Ambush Murder” from Melinda Katz, Queens County District Attorney, March 21, 2025

“Actor Isaiah Stokes Convicted of ‘Calculated’ Murder After Being Kicked Out of N.Y.C. Birthday Party” by Nicole Acosta, March 13, 2025, People

“Isaiah Stokes, Law & Order: SVU and Boardwalk Empire Actor, Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for N.Y.C. Murder” by Charlotte Phillipp, March 22, 2025, Peopl

“Defendent Convicted of Murder for 2021 Ambush Shooting” from Melinda Katz, Queens County District Attorney, March 10, 2025

“Actor who appeared on ‘Law & Order’ sentenced for ‘calculated,’ revenge-fueled murder of Queens man” by Georgett Roberts and Georgia Worrell, March 22, 2025, New York Post

“Actor who appeared on ‘Law & Order’ sentenced for ‘calculated,’ revenge-fueled murder of Queens man” by Georgett Roberts and Georgia Worrell, March 22, 2025, New York Post

“Queens TV actor convicted of 2021 St. Albans murder in real-life crime drama: DA” by Bill Parry, March 10, 2025, QNS

Isaiah Stokes on IMDb

“Actor Isaiah Stokes Found Guilty of 2021 Murder” by Cedric “BIG CED” Thornton, March 12, 2025, Black Enterprise

“Tyrone Jamel "TJ" Jones, Jr. of New York, New York | 1983 - 2021 | Obituary” from Nickelson-Cummings Funeral Home

“Baggage (SVU)” from Law and Order Wiki on Fandom

“From Our Neighborhood To Yours” website

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31-year-old Helen Mintiks (known professionally as Helen Hagnes) left the orchestra pit to get a drink. It was intermission for the Met musicians and Helen was hoping to speak with the lead dancer of the ballet whom she believed was relaxing in his dressing room. When the musicians returned to the pit to take their seats, Helen wasn't among them. Her body was found the next day.

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Episode Sources:

"Murder at the Met" by David Black, 1984, Dial Press

“Remembering Violinist Helen Hagnes, 40 Years After Her Murder at the Met” by Thomas Suarez, July 12, 2020

“Two Rooftop Murders, Decades Apart” by Charles Delafuente, The New York Times, Aug 8, 2008

“The tragic tale of a top violinist who vanished mid-performance at New York’s Met Opera House” by Sophia Alexandra Hall, Classic fM, Sep 12, 2024

“How a Real-Life 'Phantom of the Opera' Murdered a Young Violinist at the Met in 1980” by Sal Bono, Inside Edition, June 15, 2019

“Craig Crimmins, Phantom of the Metropolitan Opera” Chelsea News, Feb 16, 2015

“Death of a Violinist” by Kenneth Sandler, The Washington Post, July 25, 1980

“CONFESSION DETAILS GIVEN AS OPERA MURDER TRIAL STARTS” by E. R. Shipp, The New York Times, Apr 28, 1981

“Miss Hagnes Described As 'a Beautiful Person'; Studied in Europe In 'First-Call' Category Photographer Recalls Incident” by John Corry, The New York Times, July 25, 1980

“Personality Spotlight; NEWLN: Craig Crimmins: Stagehand convicted of murder” UPI Archives, June 4, 1981

“ABOUT NEW YORK; A MOTHER HOPES AND TRIES TO UNDERSTAND” The New York Times, Apr 29, 1981

“JURY TOLD CRIMMINS SOUGHT HELP IN EXPLAINING ABSENCE” by E. R. Shipp, The New York Times, May 2, 1981

“Even Model NYS Inmates Face Steep Barriers to Parole” by Bill Hughes, City Limits, Sep 17, 2014

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The Blair Witch Project redefined horror with nothing more than three actors, a few cameras, and a week in the woods—and the chaos didn’t stop when the film ended. Between its improvised shoot, eerie alternate endings, and ties to real Maryland legends, the movie left audiences guessing what was real and what wasn’t. Fan theories kept the mystery alive, while lawsuits and disputes proved that the legacy of Blair Witch was every bit as unsettling as the film itself.

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Episode Sources:

“‘Blair Witch' makers sued by ex-partner” from Tampa Bay Times, published August 4, 1999, updated September 29, 2005

“‘Witch’ trial may proceed, judge rules” by Janet Shprintz, February 8, 2008, Variety

“FILM PRODUCER SETTLES ‘BLAIR WITCH’ LAWSUIT” published December 2, 2000, updated August 6, 2021, Orlando Sentinel

“Suit Claims 'Blair Witch' Role” by CBSNews.com staff, August 3, 1999, CBS News

“The Blair Witch Project - 4 Alternate Endings” by The Blair Witch Archives, May 5, 2025, YouTube

“Blair Witch Project Had 3 Alternate Endings (How Each Would Have Changed It)” by Josephine Michele, December 21, 2021, Screen Rant

“15 Fan Theories About 'The Blair Witch Project'” by Jodi Smith, December 9, 2021, Ranker

“Revisiting One of the Best Viral Marketing Campaigns of All Time” from Speaking Human

How ‘The Blair Witch Project’ revolutionized movie marketing” by Josh Rottenberg, published July 30, 2024, updated July 31, 2024, LA Times

“‘The Blair Witch Project’ Fan Theory Makes the Movie Even More Sinister” by Mike Rampton, January 21, 2024, Mental Floss

“Blair Witch Project embroiled in litigation” from The Guardian on February 10, 2000

“The Blair Witch Project’s original cast ask for retroactive payments as reboot announced” by Michael Sun, April 22, 2024, The Guardian

“‘Blair Witch Project’ Actors Push for Retroactive Royalties” by Sopan Deb, April 22, 2024, The New York Times

“'Blair Witch' actors sue film's distributor” by Steve Irsay, Court TV, October 17, 2002, CNN

“‘The Blair Witch Project’ Actors Call Out ‘Reprehensible Behavior’ After Missing Out on Profits for Decades: ‘Don’t Do What We Did’ (EXCLUSIVE)” by Adam B. Vary, June 12, 2024, Variety

“‘The Blair Witch Project’ Was a Financial Nightmare for Its Stars” by Katherine Ann, October 20, 2024, Collider

“Before Reality Became Debatable, There Was ‘The Blair Witch Project’” by Maya Salem, August 7, 2024, The New York Times

“The Blair Witch Project: the story of how a low-budget film shook the world and changed horror forever” by Annabel Nugent, April 23, 2024, The Independent

“The Terrifying True Story of How ‘The Blair Witch Project’ Was Made” by Tatiana Tenreyro, July 16, 2019, VICE

“The Making of ‘The Blair Witch Project’ Was More Brutal Than Its Finale” by Chris Sasaguay, March 13, 2024, Collider

“25 years on, The Blair Witch Project leaves its mark on horror — and the film's stars” by Jonathan Ore, August 3, 2024, CBC Radio

“What Happened to the Cast of The Blair Witch Project?” by Rachel Holbrook, October 13, 2024, MovieWeb

“The Blair Witch Project” on IMDb

“Blair Witch Project Killer Theory Totally Changes How You See The Movie” by Cathal Gunning, May 21, 2023, Screen Rant

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Nicholas Davio - nicholasdavio.com, @mr.nick.davio, @huron_coast

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