In Part I of this Campfire Series, you heard from a range of voices connected to the site of one of the most notorious unsolved crimes in American history — the 1912 Villisca Axe Murders.

You heard from the current tour guide of the Villisca Axe Murder House, who walks its haunted halls regularly. You also heard from a representative with Iowa’s tourism office, who described the same strange unease that so many others have reported after visiting. And you were introduced to the gripping account of a man who unknowingly moved his family into the house directly across the street from the Villisca Axe Murder House — only to be hired as the property manager of the very home he once thought was just part of local legend.

Over the course of five months, his skepticism gave way to fear as a series of unsettling events unfolded — ultimately leading him and his family to flee Villisca entirely, relocating to Florida with no clear plans of returning.

Now, in Part II, we’re taking a short detour from that story to bring you two new voices whose experiences with the house span years and miles: a seasoned paranormal investigator with a personal history at Villisca, and an author who has spent years preserving the legacy of the case and the home in writing.

Together, their stories offer deeper context — and raise new questions — about what might truly linger inside the Villisca Axe Murder House.

And later, in Part III, we’ll reconnect with the caretaker you met in Part I and hear from his wife for the very first time — bringing this Campfire series to its unforgettable conclusion.

Photo provided by Travel Iowa

FEATURED GUESTS:

Richard Estep - Book “A Nightmare in Villisca”
Colin Browen - The Paranormal Files “The Axe Murder House of Villisca”
The Paranormal Files YouTube Channel
The Conspiracy Files YouTube Channel
Murder in America Podcast

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Prepare yourself to venture into one of the most chilling true crime cases in American history — the 1912 Villisca Axe Murders.

This is part of our Campfire Series — a storytelling format where we gather firsthand accounts, interviews, and stories connected to a haunted location. Unlike our usual investigative episodes where my team and I conduct on-site investigations, these campfire installments bring together voices from afar to share their lived experiences.

In this special two-part series, we’ll explore the tragic night when eight people, including six children, were brutally murdered in their sleep. The case remains unsolved to this day. And the house where it happened? It still stands — a modest white home in Villisca, Iowa, now known across the country for both its history and its hauntings. It’s a place you can visit… though some who do report leaving with no intention of returning.

Over the decades, the Villisca Axe Murder House has drawn in investigators, authors, and television crews, all hoping to uncover the truth — or connect with something beyond it.

In Part I, you’ll hear phone calls with individuals who have direct connections to the house: a current tour guide who walks visitors through the home regularly, a local Villisca resident rooted in the town’s legacy and history, and a man who unknowingly bought the house directly across the street — only to discover that Villisca may have called him there for reasons he couldn’t yet understand. A few months later, he would find himself entangled in a series of events that nearly tore his life apart — beginning when he was hired to manage the murder house property itself.

And that  is only the beginning. In Part II, we’ll continue his story, hear from this man’s wife, and speak with both a longtime paranormal investigator as well as an an author who has written extensively on the home’s haunted legacy.

So settle in, and listen closely. Because this campfire burns in the shadow of a home where something unthinkable happened over a century ago… and where some believe it never truly ended.

Photo provided by Travel Iowa

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In tonight’s episode, the Night Owl team returns once more to Freddo ATX — the historic Victorian café where unexplained activity continues to raise questions. In their last visit, three psychic mediums were brought in separately, blind to the location, and kept apart throughout the investigation. What they uncovered — children’s spirits, multiple women, and even the name Walter — pointed to a complex spiritual presence lingering in the home. But they’re not done yet.

Now, they return for a final night inside Freddo ATX, this time with all three psychics together. And with new tools and experimental methods in hand, they’re pushing deeper — to see if the spirits of this place are ready to reveal more.

Photo by Meg Blohm

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In tonight’s episode, the Night Owl team returns to Freddo ATX — a cozy café and bar tucked inside a stunning Victorian home at the corner of South Congress and Oltorf in Austin, Texas. In their previous visit, they gathered stories from the owners, staff, and a local ghost tour group that routinely stops at the property. The reports were unsettling: a heavy, foreboding presence on the first floor, strange thuds and disembodied voices, whispered names, phantom footsteps, and sightings of a woman — and even children — in the upstairs windows. The sightings were so frequent, someone once threatened to call CPS. Still, with Freddo only occupying the house since 2021, the staff aren’t quite sure what — or who — might be haunting the place. Some point, half-jokingly, to the home’s most famous former resident: Walter Tips — a rags-to-riches entrepreneur who rose to become one of Austin’s most successful merchants and eventually a Texas state senator. He lived — and died — in this home. But could he still be here? And if so, could there be others trying to make themselves known?

Tonight, the team returns to Freddo, joined by not one, not two, but three psychic mediums — all with no prior knowledge of this location and blind to the address until arrival. Their goal: to validate the claims shared in Part I, and perhaps, uncover something entirely new. 

Photo by Meg Blohm

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Tonight, the Night Owl is opening a new case—one that takes us to Austin, Texas, where a striking Victorian home, built in 1876 and relocated to South Congress in the 1970s, has quietly stood with its secrets tucked beneath decades of history.

Originally built in 1876 for local businessman and senator,  Walter Tips, the house is now home to Freddo ATX, a cozy café and cocktail bar with a growing reputation… not just for its drinks, but for its spirits.

Over the years, people have reported strange sensations—feeling watched when no one’s around, hearing voices, whispers, loud thuds, and unexplained electrical issues. Doors rattle or swing open on their own. Some guests swear they’ve seen children staring down from the upstairs windows.

And when something unexplainable happens? The staff all say the same thing: “That’s just Walter.”

In this episode, you’ll hear directly from Freddo’s three owners, several staff members, and even two local ghost tour guides—each with their own story to tell.

Photo by Meg Blohm

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Over the past four episodes in this series, the Night Owl team has been immersed in a chilling investigation of the Sunset Strip Comedy Club, located on Austin's legendary 6th Street. From eerie disembodied voices and shadow figures to a haunting presence in the back stairwell, the team has uncovered a disturbing pattern of paranormal activity tied to the building's long and mysterious past. Early on, they uncovered the tragic story of John Waller Stephens Jr., whose alleged suicide by self-administered Lysol ingestion was thought to haunt the club, but the investigation has since revealed far more than they could have expected.

In Parts 2 and 3, psychic mediums Jeffery and Kate the Brave helped validate staff experiences, while introducing new and unexpected spirits. Jeffery even identified a spirit named "Hank" who had no connection to the original story of John’s death. And Kate brought to light that the negative energy in the building might not be tied to John at all—but to something darker lurking in the shadows. Then, in Part 4, a game-changing revelation completely shook their understanding of John’s death.

Nicole Riccardo, a trusted member of the paranormal community, revealed that she had investigated the speakeasy below the Sunset Strip, Eden, years earlier. Through extensive research, she uncovered startling contradictions in the narrative surrounding John Waller Stephens Jr.’s death. Newspaper articles described his death as the result of a car accident—no mention of Lysol or suicide. Even more puzzling was the strange police report showing that, after the accident, John was driven across town, past his house and two hospitals, directly to his workplace at Wilson Furniture Company—now the very building they had been investigating. This discovery raised more questions than ever about the true circumstances of his death.

Now, armed with new evidence and insights, including the help of Nicole and the team of psychics, the Night Owl team returns to the Sunset Strip Comedy Club determined to uncover the truth. Will the investigation reveal what truly happened to John Waller Stephens Jr., and what dark forces are still at play in this historic building? Join them as they continue their journey to solve this mystery and confront whatever spirits may be haunting the Sunset Strip Comedy Club in Austin, Texas. 

Photo by Meg Blohm

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In the first three parts of this investigation, the Night Owl team uncovered unsettling paranormal activity at the Sunset Strip Comedy Club, particularly around the back stairwell of the building. Staff have long attributed the ominous energy in this area to the mysterious suicide of John Waller Stephens Jr. Reports of shadowy figures and an overwhelming sense of dread have made this spot a hotspot for eerie encounters. But during their last investigation, working with psychic mediums Jeffery and Kate the Brave, they made an intriguing discovery: the shadowy presence both mediums saw appeared to be a completely separate energy from John’s spirit, and it was likely the source of the darker activity reported. In this episode, the investigation will continue with Jeffery and Kate, reflecting on what has been uncovered so far, and Stephen will reveal a fascinating new breakthrough that sheds more light on the mystery of John Waller Stephens Jr. and his tragic death.

Photo by Meg Blohm

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In this episode, the team returns to the Sunset Strip Comedy Club, located in the heart of Austin’s vibrant 6th Street, to continue their investigation into the strange and unsettling occurrences plaguing this historic building. After hearing chilling stories from both staff and patrons, and diving into the investigation back in September, they’re back now to uncover what might be haunting this space—and what truths are still lurking in the shadows.

In Part I, staff and patrons shared eerie experiences — voices calling their names, dimmer switches flickering on their own, and strange energy around the back office and stairwell. One employee even described shadowy figures rushing at him when he opened the café alone one morning. These unsettling accounts left the team with more questions than answers.

In Part II, the team, including psychic medium Jeffery, investigated the building. He validated some of the staff’s experiences, like the disembodied voices and names being called. But he also introduced a new spirit named "Hank," even though no one had reported this energy before. To their surprise, Jeffery didn’t pick up on the heavy, oppressive energy around the back stairwell, nor did any of the mystery of J. Waller Stephens Jr.’s rumored suicide by Lysol ingestion come to light.

With these lingering questions still haunting them, the team is diving back in, determined to get to the bottom of what’s truly hiding within the walls of Sunset Strip Comedy Club. But this time, they’re bringing an additional psychic medium — Kate the Brave.

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In this episode, the Night Owl team returns to the Sunset Strip Comedy Club, nestled in the heart of Austin's iconic 6th Street, to continue their investigation into the unsettling paranormal activity at this historic building. Last time, the team uncovered chilling reports from staff and locals—disembodied voices calling their names, shadowy figures rushing them, mysterious foul odors that appear and disappear for no reason throughout the back of the building,  and most commonly reported, an ominous presence felt in the back stairwell that may be tied to a mysterious death in the buildings past. But the mystery deepens today, as Stephen is joined by team members Alexis, Franklyn, and psychic medium Jeffery, who will dive in and explore the dark corners of this club with him. 

They’ll attempt to find rational explanations for some of the strange reports, but as they dig in, Jeffery begins to make eerie connections to the reports and uncover new possible spirits lurking in the venue’s shadows. Utilizing cutting-edge techniques like the Estes Method and Ganzfeld Experiments, the team will venture into uncharted territory. And just when they think they’ve hit a dead end, a surprising witness from Missouri steps forward with a shocking validation that could change everything.

Is the Sunset Strip Comedy Club truly haunted? Join the team as they dive deeper into the mystery, unraveling the past and confronting whatever spirits might still haunt this historic building. 

Photo by Beau Harris

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In this episode, The Night Owl team heads to the heart of Austin’s legendary Dirty 6th Street, where they have been contacted by the Sunset Strip Comedy Club, a place with a haunting past that’s been creeping its way into the present. Nestled in one of the city’s oldest buildings, dating all the way back to 1873, this space has witnessed more than its fair share of history. It was once home to The Parish, an iconic live music venue that drew crowds from all over, but now the building’s supposed dark past seems to have a different kind of audience.

The team gathered firsthand accounts from both staff and locals, and what they uncovered is truly chilling. Employees have reported hearing disembodied voices calling their names, while others speak of an overwhelming dark presence lurking in the back office—possibly even demonic. There have been sightings of full-bodied apparitions and shadowy figures moving through the halls. But perhaps the most unsettling reports come from the back stairwell—a narrow, dimly lit space that leads to a speakeasy. It’s here where a sense of dread and unease fills the air, and it seems there may be a connection to a series of tragic deaths tied to the building's past. Could the spirits of those who died here still be lingering?

While Sunset Strip may be known for laughs and comedy, there’s nothing funny about what’s happening inside these walls. Join The Night Owl team as they dig deeper into the strange happenings at the Sunset Strip Comedy Club and uncover what might be haunting its historic walls.

Photo by Devin Murphy

EPISODE SPONSORS

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Go to drinkAG1.com/nightowl to to start your holiday season off on a healthier note.