Listener discretion advised: This episode contains discussion of multiple murders, cult violence, manipulation, and references to graphic crime scenes that some listeners may find distressing.

In the summer of 1969, a series of brutal murders shocked America and transformed the name Charles Manson into a byword for evil. But beyond the headlines lies a disturbing story of manipulation, blind devotion, and the dangerous power of belief. In this episode, Elizabeth explores how the Manson Family formed, the Tate-LaBianca murders, and the myths and mysteries that continue to surround one of history's most notorious cults.

Elizabeth also chats about the upcoming World Toe Wrestling Championship, the unusual sport she co-owns.

If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at [email protected].

Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1973, two children exploring the marshes of Sandown on the Isle of Wight report a strange encounter. They hear a wailing sound that leads them to a seven foot figure in clown-like clothing, calling itself “All Colours Sam.” What follows is a brief, unsettling exchange, an invitation into a metal hut, and claims that there are others like it. In this episode, Elizabeth explores the folklore that has grown around the case, from possible explanations to later alleged encounters and why the story still refuses to fade.

Elizabeth also chats about buying a new sewing machine for her other creative projects...

If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at [email protected].

Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1981, 19 old Arne Johnson is arrested in Connecticut for the stabbing death of his landlord. At first, it looks like a straightforward murder case. Then Arne says he doesn’t remember it, and that something else was with him when it happened. Months earlier, an 11 year old boy named David Glatzel begins experiencing disturbing events at home. His family call in paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, and a priest is brought in to perform an exorcism. Those present later say something changed during that ritual, and that it set everything else in motion. By the time of the trial, Arne is claiming he wasn’t acting alone. In this episode, Elizabeth looks at the real case behind The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, where a murder trial becomes tangled up with claims of possession and belief.

She also talks about a new documentary she’s working on, and buying far too many wedding dresses.

If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at [email protected].

Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1980, teenager Robert Shafran arrived for his first day at college and was greeted by complete strangers who seemed to know him. Within hours, he discovered he had an identical twin he never knew existed. Soon after, a third brother emerged. In this episode, Elizabeth explores the extraordinary story of three identical triplets separated at birth and reunited by chance at nineteen. What begins as an incredible reunion soon reveals something far darker… a secret psychological study that deliberately placed the brothers into different homes and observed them throughout their childhoods without ever telling them the truth. From their rise to national fame to the hidden experiment that shaped their lives, Elizabeth examines one of the most disturbing scandals in modern psychology.

Elizabeth also talks about accidentally taking home a pre-war cast iron street sign she found walking around London… is it cursed?

If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at [email protected].

Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Eastern Air Lines Flight 401 crashed in the Florida Everglades in 1972, some of the aircraft's undamaged equipment was salvaged and installed on other planes. Not long after, flight attendants and pilots began reporting sightings of two familiar faces… the deceased captain and flight engineer from the doomed flight. In this episode, Elizabeth looks into one of aviation's most enduring ghost stories. From reports of apparitions appearing in cockpits and galleys to chilling accounts of the spirits warning crews about potential faults and dangers, she explores how tragedy gave rise to a legend that many airline employees swore was true. 

Elizabeth also shares an update on a documentary she's currently working on, reflects on attending the True Crime Awards in London, and recommends the gripping podcast Strangely for your next listening obsession.

If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at [email protected].

Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

An ordinary wooden chair hanging in a museum in North Yorkshire is said to carry a deadly curse. In this episode, Elizabeth explores the legend of the Busby Stoop Chair, tracing its origins back to a brutal murder in 1702 and following the stories of those who allegedly paid the price for sitting in it. She uncovers how a real historical crime became a lasting piece of local legend and paranormal folklore. Elizabeth also shares a new horror book she’s picked up...

If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at [email protected] 

Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth takes us into the remote mining country of northern Ontario, where a neuroscientist named Michael Persinger has spent decades trying to understand how the brain constructs some of our most powerful experiences. At the centre of his work is a modified motorcycle helmet, fitted with coils that deliver weak, patterned magnetic fields to the temporal lobes. The idea is unsettlingly simple… could the feeling of a presence in the room, even something interpreted as God, be triggered by subtle changes in brain activity? As one journalist sits inside Persinger’s lab and undergoes the experiment himself, the line between neuroscience and the supernatural begins to blur in unexpected ways. Plus Elizabeth shares a little about the release of her new book.

If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at [email protected] 

Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth takes us to the wooded outskirts of Florence, where between 1968 and 1985 a killer known as the “Monster of Florence” stalked young couples parked in secluded cars. Sixteen people were murdered across eight attacks in rural lovers’ lanes. But as the investigation dragged on for decades, suspects multiplied, confessions unraveled, and the truth only became more elusive. So was this a single, methodical killer moving through the Tuscan darkness, or a case where fear and flawed policing helped create the monster? Plus Elizabeth shares a little about her recent trip to a spider convention! 

This story was provided by a Paranormia listener. If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at [email protected] 

Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Paranormia is back for season two! In this episode Elizabeth takes us to the remote Alaskan village where former Marine and actor Teddy Kyle Smith claimed he was being followed through the wilderness by the Inukins, mysterious little people from Inuit folklore said to live beyond the edges of civilisation. Days later, two brothers on a hunting trip stumbled across Smith hiding in an isolated cabin deep in the tundra… only one of them would escape uninjured. So what really happened in the frozen wilderness outside Kiana? A psychological break shaped by isolation and folklore, or something far stranger?

Plus, throughout season two, Elizabeth wants to share a bit more of her life outside of Paranormia… the strange stories, rabbit holes and weird moments that catch her attention during the week. From talks about alien encounters and the people who genuinely believe them, to internet deep dives sparked by a chaotic Dev Patel lookalike contest in London, this season also explores the strange things that stick with us, both on and off the podcast.

If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at [email protected] 

Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth checks in as Paranormia wraps its first season, with a quick look back at CrimeCon Birmingham and a glimpse into what’s coming next… From the science that might explain ghosts, including a device that can trigger the feeling of a presence in the room, to unsettling encounters linked to a real life plane crash where crew members reported sightings of those who didn’t survive… and a court case so strange it saw “demonic possession” used as a legal defence.

Plus, a reminder that if you’ve got a story you think Elizabeth should dig into, she wants to hear from you: [email protected]

Paranormia will be back in a couple of weeks.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.