Welcome back to Something Strange! It’s episode number 35, and we’ll be hopping in the time machine back to the American West, where we’ll be discussing a brutal string of murders committed by the notorious Bender family.

Stay tuned at the end of this episode to check out the trailer for Moon Brews podcast! 

**TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE**

Murder, descriptions of bodies/injuries, descriptions of gore, discussions of the harshness of the American West.

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References:

Wikipedia: Bloody Benders - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloody_Benders

National Archives: The Homestead Act - https://www.archives.gov/milestone-documents/homestead-act

Smithsonian Magazine: The Kansas Homestead Where America’s First Serial Killer Family Committed Its Crimes Is Up for Sale - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/sale-kansas-land-where-bloody-benders-committed-their-crimes-180974121/

Crime Reads: The Bloody Benders: America's First Family Of Serial Killers - https://crimereads.com/the-bloody-benders-americas-first-family-of-serial-killers/

Mental Floss: The Bloody Benders, America's First Serial Killer Family - https://www.mentalfloss.com/crime/bloody-benders-americas-first-serial-killers

Library of Congress: Image 2 of The Weekly Kansas chief (Troy, Kan.), May 22, 1873 - https://www.loc.gov/resource/sn82015484/1873-05-22/ed-1/?sp=2

Kansas Historical Society: Bender Knife - https://www.kansashistory.gov/kansapedia/bender-knife/10106

CPI Inflation Calculator - https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1873?amount=2000

Kansas Alumni: What lies beneath: KU students, faculty search ‘Bloody Benders’ property - https://kansasalumnimagazine.org/magazine-article/bloody-benders-property/

Welcome back Strangers! Today’s episode will focus on Moon Eyed People, based on our episode about Appalachian Folklore. Featuring out super special guest, Ali!

Stay tuned at the end of this episode to check out the trailer for Macabre Mondays podcast!

**TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE**

Discussion of the displacement of indigenous peoples 

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References:

Wikipedia: Moon-eyed people - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon-eyed_people

Wikipedia: Madoc - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madoc

Atlas Obscura: Who Were the Mysterious Moon-Eyed People of Appalachia? - https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/moon-eyed-people-appalachia

https://youtu.be/F84m4fKe6Yo?si=GwrApUNVP7Ycu1LJ

https://youtu.be/KMive_Q1zMU?si=eLOY3r3YTMgbOm-_

Cherokee Phoenix: “In White county, state of Tennessee, near the town of Sparta, there have been discovered three bury” - https://www.wcu.edu/library/DigitalCollections/CherokeePhoenix/Vol1/no25/in-white-county-state-of-tennessee-near-the-town-of-sparta-there-have-been-discovered-three-bury-page-2-column-4b.html

Georgia Department of National Resources, State Parks and Historic Sites: Fort Mountain - https://gastateparks.org/FortMountain

Historic UK: The discovery of America… by a Welsh Prince? - https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofWales/The-discovery-of-America-by-Welsh-Prince/

National Archives, Thomas Jefferson to Meriwether Lewis, 22 January 1804 - https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-42-02-0285

Native American Legends: Yunwi Tsunsdi' - http://www.native-languages.org/morelegends/yunwi-tsunsdi.htm#google_vignette

Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/r/IndianCountry/comments/1mf61x2/cherokee_moon_eyed_people/

Welcome back to Something Strange! It’s episode number 34 today, and we have a super special guest with us today - Brett, of the Haunted Therapist podcast! Today, we’ll be discussing AI Psychosis.

Stay tuned at the end of this episode to check out the trailer for Haunted Therapist podcast!

**TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE**

Mentions of suicide

Suicide Hotline phone and text line: 988

Suicide Hotline website: https://988lifeline.org/

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References:

Psychology today: The Emerging Problem of AI Psychosis - https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/urban-survival/202507/the-emerging-problem-of-ai-psychosis

Psychiatry Online, Special Report: AI induced Psychosis- A New Frontier in Mental Health - https://psychiatryonline.org/doi/10.1176/appi.pn.2025.10.10.5

Wikipedia Chatbox psychosis - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chatbot_psychosis

PBS article: What to know about AI psychosis and the effects of chatbots on mental health - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-to-know-about-ai-psychosis-and-the-effect-of-ai-chatbots-on-mental-health

The guardian: AI Psychosis is a growing danger. Chat GPT is moving in the wrong direction - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/oct/28/ai-psychosis-chatgpt-openai-sam-altman

BBC: open AI shares data on users with Suicidal thoughts, psychosis - https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yd90g0q43o

Yale school of medicine: what is psychosis - https://medicine.yale.edu/psychiatry/step/psychosis/ 

NASA: What is artificial intelligence - https://www.nasa.gov/what-is-artificial-intelligence/ 

PBS - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/what-to-know-about-ai-psychosis-and-the-effect-of-ai-chatbots-on-mental-health

Welcome back to Something Strange! It’s episode number 33, and we’re discussing a strange and eccentric historical figure today, Timothy Dexter!

Stay tuned at the end of this episode to check out the trailer for Kill Me Maybe podcast! 

**TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE**

Discussions of domestic violence

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References:

New England Historical Society: Timothy Dexter, the Ridiculous Millionaire Who Sold Coals to Newcastle - https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/timothy-dexter-ridiculous-millionaire-sold-coals-newcastle/

CPI Inflation Calculator: https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1767?amount=8.20

History: Revolutionary War - https://www.history.com/articles/american-revolution-history

Wikipedia: Timothy Dexter - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timothy_Dexter#:~:text=Timothy%20Dexter%20(January%2022%2C%201747%20%E2%80%93%20October,businessman%20noted%20for%20his%20eccentric%20behavior%20and

Investopedia: Continentals: What it Means, History, Worth - https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/continentals.asp

The Lintonian: Timothy Dexter, an Idiot Businessman - https://www.google.com/search?q=timothy+dexter+revolutionary+war&sca_esv=378965eda3ddb2bd&rlz=1C1RNRA_enUS498US499&sxsrf=AE3TifPL9e-mbex1NFMqq8HIrtYS98FakQ%3A1766778434367&ei=QuZOae2UFpLk5NoP4J_GqAQ&oq=timothy+dexter+revolution&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiGXRpbW90aHkgZGV4dGVyIHJldm9sdXRpb24qAggAMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAEyBRAhGKABMgUQIRigATIFECEYoAFIwiBQ4gVY-xVwAXgBkAEAmAGTAaABmwuqAQQwLjEyuAEByAEA-AEBmAINoALaDcICChAAGEcY1gQYsAPCAgUQABiABMICBhAAGBYYHsICBBAjGCfCAgsQABiABBiKBRiRAsICChAAGIAEGBQYhwLCAhAQLhgUGK8BGMcBGIcCGIAEwgILEAAYgAQYigUYhgPCAggQABiABBiiBMICCBAAGIkFGKIEwgIFEAAY7wWYAwCIBgGQBgeSBwQxLjEyoAfhRbIHBDAuMTK4B5oNwgcIMy0xMC4yLjHIB-cBgAgB&sclient=gws-wiz-serp

Youtube: Mr Ballen, Strange things rich old men do with their money (aka The Stray Cat King) - 

Internet Archive - A Pickle for the Knowing Ones, by Timothy Dexter: https://archive.org/details/pickleforknowing00dextrich/page/21/mode/1up

Welcome to Bonus Friday Fun! When there is an extra Friday in the month, we will post some fun bonus content. Today, we decided to put together an outtakes and bloopers reel for your listening enjoyment. We hope you enjoy!  

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References:

Fly Faster Chicken by Alexander Nakarada (CreatorChords) | https://creatorchords.com

Music promoted by https://www.free-stock-music.com

Creative Commons / Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Welcome back to Strange Snapshots! Today’s Snapshot will focus on the legends of Hawk Mountain, based on our main episode about Appalachian folklore!

**TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE**

Discussions of Alleged murders, Gore/dismemberment/decapitation, potential cannibalism, massacre

Instagram: @something_strangepod

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Youtube: @Something_StrangePod

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References:

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary - https://www.hawkmountain.org/

Schambachers Tavern: A Real Ghost Story - https://www.hagenbuch.org/schambachers-tavern-real-ghost-story/ 

The Pennsylvania Rambler: The Haunts of Hawk Mountain - https://thepennsylvaniarambler.wordpress.com/2019/10/23/the-haunts-of-hawk-mountain/

Trip Advisor - https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g52923-d126684-r131471687-Hawk_Mountain_Sanctuary-Kempton_Pennsylvania.html

Welcome back to Something Strange! In this follow up to our episode on the DeFeo family murders, we’ll be discussing the aftermath and the haunting that terrorized the family who bought the DeFeo home. 

Stay tuned at the end of this episode to check out the trailer for It Came from the Maritimes podcast!

**TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE**

Discussions of murder by gunshot, discussions of domestic violence

Instagram: @something_strangepod

Facebook: Something Strange Podcast

Youtube: @Something_StrangePod

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@somethingstrangepod01

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References:

Wikipedia: The Amityville Horror - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amityville_Horror

How Stuff Works: The Real Story Behind the Amityville Horror House - https://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/amityville-horror-house.htm 

Syfy: The True Story of the Amityville Horror - 

https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/the-true-story-of-the-amityville-horror 

US Ghost Adventures Hollywood Haunts: Unmasking the Amityville Horror and the Conjuring - https://usghostadventures.com/haunted-stories/hollywood-haunts-unmasking-the-amityville-horror-and-the-conjuring/ 

The Chilling Crime and Real House Behind the Amityville Horror - https://www.biography.com/crime/a66039187/amityville-horror-house-facts 

Welcome back to Something Strange! It’s episode number 31, and we’re starting the new year off with the insane murder of the DeFeo family in Amityville, Long Island, New York.

Stay tuned at the end of this episode to check out the trailer for Grimly Podcast! 

**TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE**

Discussions of murder by gunshot, discussions of domestic violence

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Youtube: @Something_StrangePod

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References:

History: The Amityville murders - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/november-13/amityville-horror-true-story-defeo-family-murders

A&E TV: The Amityville Murders: Ronald DeFeo's Motive for Killing His Family Still Unclear - https://www.aetv.com/articles/amityville-murders-defeo

Medium: Ronald DeFeo and the True Amityville Horror - https://medium.com/new-york-voice/ronald-defeo-and-the-true-amityville-horror-da322cf29068

The New York Times: Surviving Son Held in Slayings Of 6 in His Family at L.I. Home (digitized version of the original 1974 article) - https://www.nytimes.com/1974/11/15/archives/surviving-son-held-in-slayings-of-6-in-his-family-at-li-home-son.html

The New York Times: Slain Family Drugged, Police on L:I..Report (digitized version of the original 11/18/1974 article) - https://www.nytimes.com/1974/11/18/archives/slain-family-drugged-police-on-li-report-motive-still-sought.html

The New York Times: Son, 24, is Guilty in Murder of Six (digitized version of the original 11/22/1975 article) - https://www.nytimes.com/1975/11/22/archives/son-24-is-guilty-in-murder-of-six-conviction-follows-longest-trial.html

Wikipedia: Caporegime - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caporegime

Widipedia: Ronald DeFeo Jr. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_DeFeo_Jr.

Biography: Ronald DeFeo Jr. - https://www.biography.com/crime/ronald-defeo

Hester Law Group: What is an Insanity Plea? - https://www.hesterlawgroup.com/blog/2022/january/what-is-an-insanity-plea-/

Brustein Law: New York 440 Motions - https://www.brusteinlaw.com/440-motions

Welcome back to Strange Snapshots! Today’s Snapshot will focus on tulpas, based on our main episode from last December about St. Nicholas!

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References:

Wikipedia: Tulpa - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tulpa

JSTOR Daily: Where Tulpas Come From - https://daily.jstor.org/where-tulpas-come-from/

JSTOR Article: Tracking the Tulpa: Exploring the “Tibetan” Origins of a Contemporary Paranormal Idea - https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/nr.2015.19.1.87?mag=where-tulpas-come-from&seq=1

Merriam Webster: Theosophy - https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/theosophy#:~:text=noun,by%20her%20follower%20Rudolf%20Steiner.

The Theosophical Society: Theosophy - https://www.theosophical.org/about/theosophy#:~:text=Theosophy%20promotes%20understanding%20and%20unity%20among%20people,Society%20has%20headquarters%20in%20Adyar%2C%20Chennai%2C%20India.

https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1525/nr.2015.19.1.87?mag=where-tulpas-come-from&seq=3

Medium: The Power of the Mind: Creating Tulpas Through Meditation and Visualization - https://medium.com/illumination/the-power-of-the-mind-creating-tulpas-through-meditation-and-visualization-20e561e12ee9

WikiHow: How to Make Your Own Tulpa - https://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Tulpa

Supernatural Wiki: Hell House - https://supernatural.fandom.com/wiki/Hell_House

Wikipedia: Slenderman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slender_Man

https://www.reddit.com/r/AMA/comments/12qrhr/i_have_a_sentient_tulpa_which_is_essentially/

Welcome back to Something Strange! It’s episode number 30 today, and we’ll be discussing the history of telling ghost stories at Christmas time! Charles Dickens, anyone?

**TRIGGER WARNINGS FOR THIS EPISODE**

Brief discussions of ancient rituals/human sacrifice

Stay tuned at the end of this episode to check out the trailer for Do You Dare? Podcast!

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@somethingstrangepod01

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References:

- History: How Ghost Stories Became a Christmas Tradition in Victorian England - https://www.history.com/articles/christmas-tradition-ghost-stories

- Nerdist: A Ghost Story for Christmas- Britain’s Scary Tradition - https://nerdist.com/article/ghost-story-for-christmas-m-r-james-mark-gatiss/ 

- The Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic: 10 Spooky Ghost Stories for Christmas Time - https://carterhaughschool.com/10-spooky-ghost-stories-for-christmastime/

- Wikipedia: A Christmas Carol - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Christmas_Carol

- Charles Dickens Museum: A Christmas Carol Synopsis - https://dickensmuseum.com/blogs/explore/a-christmas-carol-synopsis?srsltid=AfmBOop3tgxi8Ixl7Jbx-yT_FP_TrDn9cgjEmBlveLFTnoX75JC3mz5T

- Smithsonian Magazine: A Plea to Resurrect the Christmas Tradition of Telling Ghost Stories - https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/plea-resurrect-christmas-tradition-telling-ghoststories-180967553/ 

- Britannica: Yule - https://www.britannica.com/topic/Yule-festival 

- Interfaith America: Waiting for the Sun a Pagan Celebration of Yule - https://www.interfaithamerica.org/article/pagan-celebration-of-yule/