Was the Ourang Medan a real ghost ship—or one of the greatest maritime legends ever created?

The crew of the Ourang Medan were reportedly found dead aboard their ship in the waters of the Strait of Malacca in the late 1940s. Their bodies were said to have been discovered sprawled across the ship, their faces frozen in expressions of terror, and then came the chilling message allegedly sent from the vessel: “I die.”Before anyone could uncover the truth, the Ourang Medan caught fire and exploded, sending the ship and its secrets to the bottom of the sea.

But did the Ourang Medan really exist? Was the crew killed by toxic gas, a dangerous cargo, or something far more mysterious? And how much of the story is actually true? In this episode of The Book of the Dead, we dive into one of the most infamous maritime mysteries ever told: the legend of the Ourang Medan, the ghost ship of Southeast Asia.

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Featuring a Promo for Murder Unscripted:
Veteran true-crime producer, Ed (Forensic Files, Cold Case Files, City Confidential) and his crime encyclopedia gal pal, Melissa, bring you the most immersive podcast in the genre - breaking down the barrier between fan and creator.
Listen Here

Cover ups after the war. (n.d.). Pacific Atrocities Education.
Gov, N. O. O. R. a. R. U. (n.d.). NITROGLYCERIN, DESENSITIZED, [LIQUID] | CAMEO Chemicals | NOAA.
Hewitt, L. (2020, October 27). Tragedy on the S.S. Ourang Medan – Fact or Legend? Historic Mysteries.  
A, L. (2022, June 3). Unresolved: What Happened To The Ourang Medan — And Did It Exist At All? The Ghost in My Machine
Ripley’s Believe It or Not. (2020, February 19). The Mysterious Tale Of The S.S. Ourang Medan Ghost Ship. Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
The Associated Press. (1940, November 22). Crew dies in SOS mystery. The Daily Mirror, 11.
The Shipyard. (2021, October 27). How to Sink a Ghost-Ship: The Story of the SS Ourang Medan. The SS Ourang Medan - the Philadelphia Experiment from A-Z. (2025, December 16). The Philadelphia Experiment From A-Z.
Troutner, A. (2022, September 14). The Strange Tale of the Mysterious Dutch Ghost Ship Ourang Medan....

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For nearly two decades, John Sabine was simply gone.

His wife, Leigh, had spent years telling elaborate stories about their lives, convincing friends and family that John had left and started over somewhere else. She was a gifted storyteller whose lies became more outrageous with time, and few people questioned them. But when Leigh died of cancer in 2015, those stories began to unravel.

After two friends made a horrifying discovery in the garden of the couple's former home in Beddau, Wales, investigators were confronted by a body wrapped in plastic. After 18 years the remains of John Sabine, had been found. As they worked to find out what happened, police revealed years of manipulation, compulsive deception, and the couple's infamous decision to abandon their five young children before John's disappearance. Today, we'll trace the lies that concealed a murder for nearly two decades, examine the evidence that finally exposed the truth behind one woman's carefully constructed fiction.

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Aroesti, R. (2024, August 11). The Body Next Door review – a jaw-droppingly addictive true-crime tale. The Guardian.
BBC News. (2015, November 24). Beddau murder probe launched after remains found near flats.
Beddau. (n.d.). RHONDDA CYNON TAF.
Beddau murder: “I was screaming it’s a dead body.” (2016, January 6). [Video]. BBC News.
Couple Found in Perth. (1970, May 9). Press, 1.
Dewey, P. (2024, August 12). Sky’s The Body Next Door: True story behind man murdered with a stone frog and buried in Welsh garden. Wales Online.
Guarino, B. (2016, May 20). For 18 years, no one believed the woman who said she killed her husband with a stone frog. Then they found the body. The Washington Post.
Late wife suspected of killing husband. (2015, December 12). The Herald, M11.
Mercer, R. (2024, August 12). The Body Next Door: How a skeleton prank led to a murder investigation.

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Today, you'll hear the story of Yolanda Paneck, brought to you by Carmita from Missing in the PNW.

 A beautiful young mother is brutally murdered after last being seen at the Capri Motel in Portland, Oregon. The day after her locked car was found abandoned with her two-year-old son inside, alive and a maid at the motel who cleaned her room found the mattress stripped of its sheets and soaked in blood.Though she has never been found her husband was charged and convicted of her murder in March 1996

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Yolanda Evette Panek please call the Portland Police Bureau at 503-823-0418.  

Carmita is back with brand new episodes on Monday, August 3rd!

Check out Missing in the PNW:
The Pacific Northwest is known for it's beautiful coastline, green interior, rainy weather, and spectacular mountains, but because of all of this it's also the perfect place to go missing.

Listen on Spotify
Listen on Apple Podcasts

If you enjoyed the episode, consider leaving a review or rating! It helps more than you know! 
If you have a case suggestion, or want attention brought to a loved one's case, email me at [email protected] with Case Suggestion in the subject line.

Stay safe, stay curious, and stay vigilant.

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In September 1952, Betty Shanks left work in Brisbane, Australia, and began the journey home.She never made it.What followed was one of Brisbane’s most disturbing and enduring unsolved murder cases. Betty was found brutally murdered, and despite an extensive investigation, numerous theories, and decades of speculation, the person responsible was never definitively identified. Was her murder a random attack, or did the killer know more about her movements than investigators ever realized? More than 70 years later, Betty’s murder remains one of Australia’s most haunting cold cases.

If there’s anyone out there that could have any information regarding the murder of Betty shanks, you can contact crime stoppers at 1800 333 000.


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Featuring a promo for Love and Murder:
What drives people to hurt the ones they love? Every week on Love and Murder: Heartbreak to Homicide, we’ll go on a journey, together, through true crime relationship stories that were doomed bonds from the start.
Listen here.

57 days of torture for murdered girl’s parents. (1952, November 16). Truth, 5.
Admin, J. (2020, August 6). Unsolved murder of Betty Shanks - 60th anniversary. State Library of Queensland. 
Betty Shanks murder recalled. (1953, July 31). The Evening Advocate, 1.
Clear another man in Wilston murder case. (1952, October 11). The Courier-Mail, 1
Coates, W. (1953, February 8). Betty Shanks’ mother to speak. The Sunday Mail.
Jones, C. (2024, September 18). The murder of Betty Shanks has haunted Brisbane for decades. After 72 years, it still remains unsolved. ABC News.
Lloyd, P., & Coates, W. (1952, September 21). Murder manhunt goes on all night. The Sunday Mail, 1–2.
Man with blood on his face hired cab, coroner told. (1953, February 11). The Courier-Mail, 3.
Moore, T. (2012, September 20). Betty Shanks: An enduring mystery. Brisbane Times.
More clues in Wilston check. (1952, October 23). The Courier-Mail, 1.
No tougher murder case. (1952, October 5). The Sunday Mail, 2.
Our Police Roundsman. (1952, October 18). Life that slayer destroyed was a happy one. Brisbane Telegraph, 18.
Polic expect arrest in sex murders. (1952, December 30). Warwick Daily News, 1.
Police describe man sought in murder inquiry. (1952, December 29). The Sun, 2.
Police make murder appeal. (1952, September 22). The Courier-Mail,...

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In 2007, 22-year-old Lindsay Hawker left England for Japan to pursue her dream of teaching English and experiencing life abroad. Kind, adventurous, and passionate about helping others, she had no idea that one persistent stranger would change the course of her life forever.After repeatedly seeking her attention and convincing her to give him private English lessons, the man followed Lindsay home. When she failed to arrive at work, concern quickly turned into a missing persons investigation that shocked Japan.Her killer fled before he could be arrested, sparking one of the country's largest manhunts. For more than two years, he evaded capture, even undergoing plastic surgery in an attempt to change his appearance and disappear forever.


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Featuring a promo for Mountain Murders:
Mountain Murders is a true crime improv comedy podcast hosted by two Appalachians with questionable judgment and strong opinions. Join Heather & Dylan as they dive into bizarre murders, infamous killers, and small-town mayhem—armed with dark humor, off-the-rails commentary, and just enough research to be dangerous.
https://open.spotify.com/show/40g9BcUDirt3cqirkSvLgd?si=1cfeea01228a4ab0

https://www.business-live.co.uk/economic-development/profile-timeline-lindsay-hawkers-spirit-3919725
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-14010308g.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-14075271
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-14234404
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-14226859
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-14224830
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-17673492
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-14232041
https://www.hrw.org/news/2019/04/10/call-eliminate-japans-hostage-justice-system-japanese-legal-professionalshttps://www.hrw.org/news/2019/04/10/call-eliminate-japans-hostage-justice-system-japanese-legal-professionals
https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/celebrity-inmate-tatsuya-ichihashi-who-killed-lindsay-hawker-doing-time-with-better-than-average-creature-comforts
https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/fugitive-ichihashi-may-be-in-philippines
https://japantoday.com/category/features/kuchikomi/ichihashis-former-mentor-sheds-new-light-on-2007-hawker-murder
https://web.archive.org/web/20080317191147/http:/www.japantoday.com/jp/news/431056https://web.archive.org/web/20080317191147/http:/www.japantoday.com/jp/news/431056
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-04/japanese-man-admits-killing-british-teacher/2782172
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1547136/Post-mortem-secrets-of-woman-buried-in-sand.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/apr/02/japan.justinmccurry
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/mar/24/hawker-japan-murder-ichihashi
file:///Users/courtneyliso/Downloads/.%20https:/www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/05/lindsay-hawker-suspect-face-surgery
https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2011/jul/04/japanese-man-lindsay-ann-hawker-murder
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/nov/10/japan-murder-plastic-surgery-hawker
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/mar/28/japan.justinmccurry1
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/3248564/Murdered-Lindsay-Hawkers-killer-may-have-committed-suicide-Japanese-police-fear.html
https://www.reuters.com/article/world/british-womans-body-in-japan-released-to-father-idUST93158/

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The search for Barbara Mackle was becoming a race against time.

After 20-year-old Barbara was buried alive inside a custom-built underground capsule, her family and the FBI faced an impossible challenge: pay a $500,000 ransom before her air supply ran out. But when the first ransom exchange went disastrously wrong, investigators feared they had lost their only chance to save her.In Part 2 of Barbara Mackle's incredible story, I'll tell you all about  the failed ransom drop, the intense FBI investigation, the successful payoff that finally put agents on the trail, and the desperate search that led to Barbara's rescue after 83 terrifying hours underground.

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Or visit our website at www.botdpod.com

14 News WFIE Evansville. (2003, April 21). Past haunts Chrisney doctor.
ABC News. (2006, January 7). Man who buried girl alive becomes doctor.
Associated Press. (2019, March 11). Kidnaper who used “Grave” accepted at medical school - Los Angeles Times.
Buried alive. (n.d.). https://nmfh.org/buried-alive-boetticher/
Buried Alive - The Kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle - 1968 Crime Magazine. (n.d.).
Craig Woodward [email protected]. (2020, January 30). Who dunnit: Anatomy of an egomaniacal con artist – Part 3 of 3 Coastal Breeze News
Gary Steven Krist. (n.d.). FBI.gov.
Gary Steven Krist. (2026a, January 17). Grokipedia.
Lallanilla, M. (2026, April 2). The heiress who was buried alive—and survived | A&E. AETV.
Neumann, S. (2024, November 2). How a 20-Year-Old heiress survived her kidnapping and being buried alive for 3 days: “I screamed and screamed.” People.
Notorious Georgia kidnapper out of prison again. (2011, March 7). Corrections1.
Special To The New York Times....

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In December 1968, 20-year-old Barbara Mackle was abducted from a Georgia motel and buried alive in a custom-built underground box while her kidnappers demanded a $500,000 ransom. For 83 terrifying hours, Barbara fought panic, darkness, and the fear that she would never be found. This week in part 1, i walk you through the planning if one of theFBI's most infamous kidnappings.

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Featuring a promo for Conspiring to Argue:
Best friends debate and laugh about aliens, murder, government cover-ups and more.
Listen here 


14 News WFIE Evansville. (2003, April 21). Past haunts Chrisney doctor.
ABC News. (2006, January 7). Man who buried girl alive becomes doctor.
Associated Press. (2019, March 11). Kidnaper who used “Grave” accepted at medical school - Los Angeles Times.
Buried alive. (n.d.). https://nmfh.org/buried-alive-boetticher/
Buried Alive - The Kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle - 1968 Crime Magazine. (n.d.).
Craig Woodward [email protected]. (2020, January 30). Who dunnit: Anatomy of an egomaniacal con artist – Part 3 of 3 Coastal Breeze News
Gary Steven Krist. (n.d.). FBI.gov.
Gary Steven Krist. (2026a, January 17). Grokipedia.
Lallanilla, M. (2026, April 2). The heiress who was buried alive—and survived | A&E. AETV.
Neumann, S. (2024, November 2). How a 20-Year-Old heiress survived her kidnapping and being buried alive for 3 days: “I screamed and screamed.” People.
Notorious Georgia kidnapper out of prison again. (2011, March 7). Corrections1.
Special To The New York Times....

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On August 12, 1984, 13-year-old Eugene Wade Martin vanished while delivering newspapers in Des Moines, Iowa. Just two years earlier, another paperboy, Johnny Gosch, disappeared under eerily similar circumstances only miles away.
Despite extensive investigations, countless theories, and decades of speculation, neither boy has ever been found. In Part One of The Paper Boy Abductions, I walk you through the mysterious disappearance of Eugene Martin, the haunting parallels to Johnny Gosch's case, and the questions that continue to surround two of Iowa's most infamous unsolved child disappearances.

Anyone with information about Eugene Martin is asked to call Det. Jeff Shannon at the Des Moines Police Department at (515) 283-4864. You may also call Det. Larry Penland at (515) 237-1550.

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Or visit our website at www.botdpod.com


Alex, T. (1984, August 16). Branstad gives moral support to Martin family. The Des Moines Register, 15A.
Alex, T. (2001, September 3). Officer who investigated missing carrier retires. The Des Moines Register, 2B.
Beedle, D. (2020, September 15). Eugene Wade Martin. Find a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/215645180/martin
COLD CASE SPOTLIGHT: Johnny Gosch. (2015, June 11). NBC News. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/cold-case-spotlight/cold-case-spotlight-johnny-gosch-n234291
D.M. police don’t know where to search. (1984, August 19). The Des Moines Register, 1B-3B.
EUGENE WADE MARTIN | Missing Person Information Clearinghouse. (n.d.). https://missingpersons.iowa.gov/divisions/criminal-investigation/missing-persons/eugene-wade-martin
Gene didn’t run away. . .his birthday was coming. (1984, September 2). The Des Moines Register, 1A-7A.I
owa Cold Cases, Inc. (2026, March 28). Eugene Martin | Iowa Cold cases. Iowa Cold Cases. https://iowacoldcases.org/case-summaries/eugene-martin/
Krenz, A. (2015, November 6). Eugene Martin case remains open after 31 years. weareiowa.com. https://www.weareiowa.com/article/news/local/eugene-martin-case-remains-open-after-31-years/524-02cb76a5-43bd-4297-af0d-5275df5aee9e
Mokrzycki, P. (2015). Lost in the Heartland: Childhood, Region, and Iowa’s Missing Paperboys. Annals of Iowa, 74(1), 29–69. https://doi.org/10.17077/0003-4827.12170
Santiago, F. (1997, August 27). Gosch lives, mom is told. The Des Moines Register, 2A.
Santiago, F., & Alex, T. (1994, August 22). Private eye believes Martin disappearance was planned. The Des Moines Register, 2A.
Sederstrom, J. (2024, August 22). Why don’t missing kids appear on milk cartons anymore? Oxygen. https://www.oxygen.com/the-girl-on-the-milk-carton/crime-news/why-dont-missing-kids-appear-on-milk-cartons-anymore
Short, M. (2025, June 7). Eugene Martin: 1984...

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From the age of three Robert Kosilek knew he was different, he knew he was born into the wrong body. As an adult he struggled with his gender identity and even married a woman named Cheryl McCaul with whom he had a child with. One day she came home early and caught him in her clothing, that's when things took an abrupt deadly turn.


Thank you to CJ from Rainbow Crimes for taking over while I deal with some personal matters this week <3


Follow Rainbow Crimes Here
Beyond the Rainbow Podcast a.k.a. Rainbow Crimes is a show about crimes committed by and against the LGBTQ plus community. Join host C.J. for an array of true crime stories from all over the world, especially lesser known cases. Remember, it's not a crime to be gay...unless you're a murderer...

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Featuring a promo for Pod of Terror
Welcome to the Pod of Terror! Join Pat and Darsi as they discuss the most vile, despicable human beings on the planet.
Listen here

If you enjoyed the episode, consider leaving a review or rating! It helps more than you know! 
If you have a case suggestion, or want attention brought to a loved one's case, email me at [email protected] with Case Suggestion in the subject line.

Stay safe, stay curious, and stay vigilant.

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In June 1988, 24-year-old truck driver David Churchill Jackson walked out of his Pembroke Pines, Florida apartment and completely vanished. He left behind a loving mother, a complicated past, and a young son who would grow up wondering what happened to his father. 

For fifteen years, David’s disappearance remained a frozen mystery—until a cold case detective's vision board caught the eye of an unexpected visitor. ​In this chapter of The Book of the Dead, I explored the life of David Jackson, the devastating silence left in the wake of his disappearance, and the jaw-dropping twist that finally brought a hidden killer to justice decades later. This isn’t just a story about how David died; it is about who he was, the family that never stopped looking for him, and why his memory matters.

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AFTER 7 YEARS, DISAPPEARANCE STILL MYSTERY. (2021, September 24). Sun Sentinel. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/1995/08/13/after-7-years-disappearance-still-mystery/Ambushed: The murder of David Jackson. (2014, May 11). CBS News. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ambushed-the-murder-of-david-jackson/David Churchill Jackson (1963-1988). (2013, March 16). FInd a Grave. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106814812/david_churchill-jacksonDeutsch, K. (2005, January 22). Ohioian linked to 1988 murder. The Miami Herald, 6B.Elmore, C. (1994, September 14). Missing Pines man topic of TV talk show. Sun Sentinel, 2B.Ex-wife charged with murder after 19 years. (2021, September 26). Sun Sentinel. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2007/12/15/ex-wife-charged-with-murder-after-19-years/?clearUserState=trueGuilty plea closes 24-year-old murder case. (2021, September 28). Sun Sentinel. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2012/04/17/guilty-plea-closes-24-year-old-murder-case-2/James, S. (1990, June 25). Disappearance baffles police. Sun Sentinel, 1B.Kamph, S. (2011, June 23). My Father’s Bones. Broward Palm Beach New Times, 34, 15–20.Pazdera, D. (1992, July 4). Mom still can’t find her son. Sun Sentinel, 13B.Santana, S. (2001, November 3). Man convicted of Miramar murder. Sun Sentinel, 3B.Santana, S., & Marino, J. (2007, December 15). Ex-wife hit with murder charge years after crime. Sun Sentinel, 1B-6B.SUSPECT HELD IN ’88 DEATH OF PINES MAN. (2021, September 27). Sun Sentinel. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2004/10/13/suspect-held-in-88-death-of-pines-man/WOLFE v. STATE, No. 4D07-4555. | Fla. Dist. Ct. App., Judgment, Law, casemine.com. (n.d.). https://www.casemine.com. https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/59146407add7b04934271346Woman implicated in ex-husband’s murder to be released on bail. (2021, September 28). Sun Sentinel. https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2010/09/16/woman-implicated-in-ex-husbands-murder-to-be-released-on-bail/

If you enjoyed the episode, consider leaving a review or rating! It helps more than you know! 
If you have a case suggestion, or want attention brought to a loved one's case, email me at [email protected] with Case Suggestion in the subject line.

Stay safe, stay curious, and stay vigilant.

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