Perplexity: A Mystery Podcast

Listener/viewer discretion is advised. TW for suicide, gun violence, domestic violence, and filicide.

In this episode, Kaydra sits down with Hope Hooton, a mother who has endured the unimaginable loss of her 2 children, Alec and Lydia, to filicide, the act of killing your own child. Hope shares the story of her relationship, the abuse she experienced, the steps she took to protect herself and her children, and how the legal system failed her family.

Through her heartbreak, Hope is turning her pain to purpose. Her goal now is to spread awareness of filicide and advocate for change. She has started a podcast, Voices Against Filicide to share her story and others.

Support Hope by following her on social media at Hope_in_the_pain on Instagram and Hope.in.the.pain on TikTok.

Hope’s website: https://voicesagainstfilicide.odoo.com

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic abuse, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or text “START” to 88788 to be connected to free and confidential support 24/7.

If you are struggling with thoughts of self harm or suicide, call or text 988 to connect with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

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To ring in 150 EPISODES, Kaydra invites some friends to the show to read some of their favorite perplexing stories from the internet. Happy Halloween!

This episode was produced and edited by Kaydra Brannan, the host of Perplexity: A Mystery Podcast. https://www.perplexitymysterypodcast.com/

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In today’s conversational episode, Kaydra brings back her from Adam from the Houston Strange podcast and Weekly Creep podcast for a fun and spooky conversation! They discuss season 2 of Houston Strange, their own personal paranormal encounters including ones never told on the show, and media we do (and do NOT) recommend you watch and read this spooky season!

Adam’s links:

houstonstrange.com

TV shows and movies recommended in this episode included:

Book recommendations in this episode included:

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On April 11, 2005, a 56 year old man named Wu Shan left his townhome in the Gushan District of Kaohsiung, Taiwan. Over the past few months, the Wu Family had been very reclusive. Nobody had seen Shan leave his household in over a month, so neighbors took notice. Shan Wu then approached a neighbor. He was dirty, disheveled, and he appeared emaciated. He said just a few words to the neighbor: call an ambulance.

What the neighbor and police would discover would shock the country and the world and go onto inspire the 2022 movie “Incantation.” This is the story of the Wu Family.

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Today, we’re opening the vault of the unwanted, the uncanny, and the utterly cursed. From a box that plagued multiple owners with nightmares and faulty technology, to a chest that killed multiple recipients, these cursed objects carry with them the weight of tragedy—and the promise of terror.

So pour yourself a drink, dim the lights, and join me... if you dare. Because for today’s episode, we’re peeling back the cobwebs and stepping into the shadowed world of cursed objects—where once you touch them, they never really let you go.

Today’s episode is all about cursed objects! These are the legends of the dybbuk box and the conjured chest.

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Kaydra brings her sister back on the pod to discuss one of the most famous hauntings and iconic murder mysteries of all time. On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his parents and four siblings in their beds with a rifle at 112 Ocean Avenue on Long Island. DeFeo would claim he was driven by supernatural forces.

The following year, The Lutz would move in, making horrifying claims of the supernatural and fleeing after inhabiting the house for just under a month. Finally, Ed and Lorraine Warren would investigate the home along with many other paranormal groups, claiming demonic and paranormal activity.

So is this place actually haunted? Or is it all a hoax? This is the story of the Amityville Horror house.

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In this conversational episode, Kaydra is joined by Steven Ray Morris (See Jurassic Right, Ologies, My Favorite Murder, Purrcast).

Today we will be stepping back—way back—into a world that’s as mysterious as it is mind-blowing. For over 160 million years, enormous creatures roamed the Earth, living, thriving, and disappearing long before humans ever did. The story of these prehistoric giants is far more complex—and fascinating—than the fossils in a museum case might suggest. From towering predators to gentle giants, these creatures spark both scientific curiosity and wild imagination.

So… How did they grow so massive? What colors flashed across their scales and feathers? And, of course, what truly brought their reign to an end? Buckle up, and be listening for any rumbling footsteps because today’s episode is all about dinosaurs!

Merch link: https://www.bonfire.com/store/perplexity-mystery-podcast/?srsltid=AfmBOor6jObuW4_jmnFoT3ibyFfIxBL1hI50LlthjheMTo6emgBneRcQ

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In 1994, a 13 year old boy named Nicholas Barclay would vanish from San Antonio, Texas. His disappearance never made the news. As time passed, his family knew the chances of him being alive were incredibly slim. But they were desperate for some type of closure. Over 3 years after Nicholas disappeared, his family would be contacted, saying Nicholas had been found alive in Linares, Spain. But how did he get all the way to Spain? Who had taken him? His family had so many questions.

And when Nicholas stepped off the plane and was back in America… something felt off. He looked different. Sounded different. And the truth, once uncovered, would shock Nicholas’s family and the world. This is the perplexing story of the disappearance of Nicholas Barclay.

This episode features Jules from FireEyesMedia and Missing In Hush Town:

special thanks to Charlie Leopold for editing this episode!

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Kaydra's recovering from Crime Con! So this week, enjoy these rewind episodes from season 1! These are the stories of depraved men who committed phrogging, a phenomenon where people live in someone else's home without them knowing. These men were not only phroggers, but also tormented these families. First you will hear the story of Daniel LaPlante, then you will hear the story of Equeziel Zayas.

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In the north eastern United States, there is a mountain range that is millions of years old and stretches for thousands of miles. For centuries, people who have walked these rolling hills have reported dark happenings, inexplicable phenomena, things that prowled the peaks searching for souls. These woods are strangled in fog. The pines lean in too close, their roots rising like ribs from the earth. And if you dare venture through, you might hear a soft humming. A hum older than blood, older than time. But don’t go searching for the source, don’t you dare. People say these mountains keep what wanders too deep. Today’s episode is all about history, legends, and encounters in the Appalachian mountains.

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