In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Joseph Laycock, a scholar of religion, moral panic, and new religious movements, to explore how fear and belief take shape in modern culture.

We talk about the feedback loop between horror and “real life,” and why certain supernatural narratives feel plausible in America. We discuss how stories about demons, Satanism, and conspiracy spread through media, institutions, and everyday life. From The Exorcist to Satanic panic, from the Warrens to cults, this conversation looks at belief less as true vs. false and more as a force that organizes meaning. One that offers comfort, obscures harm, and sometimes escalates into real-world consequences.

You can find Dr. Laycock's book here:

The Exorcist Effect

Speak of the Devil

The Penguin Book of Cults

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Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

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

In Part Two of The Amityville Horror, the conversation shifts from history into lived experience. Blair Scares shares her own personal horror encounter, grounding the discussion in firsthand reflection. We examine Ed and Lorraine Warren’s involvement in the investigation and trace Amityville’s lasting cultural impact, from books to films, showing how the story has come to symbolize the dark side of the American Dream, where safety, home, and stability give way to fear and uncertainty. We are endlessly drawn to stories where our safe place is threatened, as reflected in films like The Shining, Paranormal Activity, and Poltergeist which is exactly why this story has cemented its place in American Lore. 

Blair Scares Social Channels

IG: https://www.instagram.com/blairscares/?hl=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blairscareshorror

Find more information at www.patternsandrituals.com

Follow us on Instagram @patternsandrituals

Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

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

In Part One of The Amityville Horror, host Cameron Holly Dexter is joined by horror influencer Blair Scares to examine the events that turned 112 Ocean Avenue into one of the most infamous houses in America. Together, they break down the 1974 DeFeo family murders, the unanswered questions surrounding the crime, and the haunting claims made by the Lutz family after moving into the home. In this episode, they explore how a single case evolved into a legend, and why the line between fact, fear, and belief remains so difficult to define.

Blair Scares Social Channels:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/blairscares/?hl=en

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@blairscareshorror

Find more information at www.patternsandrituals.com

Follow us on Instagram @patternsandrituals

Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

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

This episode contains information about crimes against children and sexual assault that some listeners may find disturbing. Listener discretion is advised. 

In this episode, I sit down with Forensic Psychologist, Dr. Samantha Stein, to talk about her new book, Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us.  It’s a fascinating memoir about her work evaluating sexual offenders under California’s Sexually Violent Predator Act.  During our conversation, we discuss deviant human sexuality, the psychology of sexually violent predators, and the complexities of their rehabilitation. All the names used in her memoir have been changed to respect patient confidentiality.  

Link to Dr. Stein’s Book: 

Evil at Our Table: Inside the Minds of the Monsters Who Live Among Us: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/evil-at-our-table-samantha-stein/1146607392

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault and needs support, you can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at: 1-800-656-HOPE or list RAINN.org for confidential 24/7 assistance.  

Find more information at www.patternsandrituals.com

Follow us on Instagram @patternsandrituals

Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

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

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Bill Kimberlin, criminal psychologist, death penalty expert, and author of Watch Me Die: Last Words from Death Row, for a look inside one of America’s most secretive systems.

We talk about the ethics and conditions of life on death row, explore his correspondence and the artwork he’s received from some of the nation’s most infamous inmates, including Charles Ng, Scott Peterson, and Dennis Rader (BTK). We also unpack the psychological, moral, and procedural flaws within the death penalty itself.

This conversation covers everything from a Halloween card sent to Dr. Kimberlin from Scott Peterson, to justice system reform and prison execution methods. We thank Dr. Kimberlin again for coming on the show and encourage listeners to check out his book (linked below) for further reading. We look forward to having him back on the show again sometime soon.

Watch Me Die by Dr. Bill Kimberlin:

https://www.amazon.com/Watch-Die-Dr-Bill-Kimberlin/dp/1944680268

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Follow us on Instagram @patternsandrituals

Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

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

In Portland, a series of mysterious deaths exposed a chilling pattern of women gone missing and found murdered. Investigators soon focused on Jesse Lee Calhoun, a convicted felon released early from prison, whose case now questions how the system failed to stop the killings.  

If anyone has information about this case, please contact Detective Jeff Pontius at [email protected] or 503-823-0433, or Detective Steve Gandy at [email protected] or 503-823-0449 and reference case number 23-804445.

Find more information at www.patternsandrituals.com

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Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

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

In the summer of 1985, the arrest of Leonard Lake led investigators to a remote property in the Sierra Nevada foothills. Buried around the bunker, were six shallow graves containing the remains of their victims. Police unearthed two VHS videotapes and Lake’s handwritten journal which detailed the torture and murders he carried out with his accomplice, Charles Ng. Together, they formed one of the most chilling serial killer duos in California’s history.

If you have any information on these crimes, please contact the Calaveras County Sheriff's Office: (209) 754-6500

Find more information at www.patternsandrituals.com

Follow us on Instagram @patternsandrituals

Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

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

Welcome to Patterns and Rituals. I'm your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Join me as we explore the hidden world of serial offender violence, cult belief, unsolved cold case mysteries, and paranormal curiosities. Here, we step beyond sensational headlines into the twisted corridors of each haunting narrative. So lock your doors. Light a candle. It's about to get dark.

Make sure to Like and Subscribe and we will see you soon for Episode 1!

Find more information at www.patternsandrituals.com

Follow us on Instagram @patternsandrituals

Patterns & Rituals is written and produced by your host, Cameron Holly Dexter. Follow her @cameronhollydexter

Sound Design and Editing by Robert Dyck. Follow him here @robertdyck

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