The Scarecast: Scary Stories, Mysteries, and True Crime

By Michael Crutchfield

For almost a decade, The Scarecast—hosted by Michael Crutchfield—has captivated audiences with spine-tingling stories that explore the shadowy depths of real-life horror. Originally launched on You

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How many episodes does The Scarecast: Scary Stories, Mysteries, and True Crime have?

The podcast currently has 280 episodes available.

Best of The Scarecast: Scary Stories, Mysteries, and True Crime

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: EP26 - 6 TRUE Horror Stories | Ouija Boards, Haunted Roads & Alien Encounters
Six creepy stories from people who experienced something they still can’t explain: a skeptic’s Ouija board prank followed by a terrifying encounter during sleep paralysis, unseen dogs running through a haunted house in Suffolk, missing time beneath Pasadena’s Colorado Street Bridge, a strange black-robed figure spotted along Pacheco Pass, pyramid-shaped lights and a towering gray alien, and a mysterious stranger who knew far too much about a couple he had never met. After listening, comment which story creeped you out the most—comment on the Spotify episode or leave a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Stories Story 1 – A skeptic uses a Ouija board as a party prop, secretly moving the planchette with magnets to create a murder-mystery clue. That same night, they wake up unable to move, hear footsteps pacing beside the bed, and feel something blow directly into their ear. Story 2 – In an old Georgian house in Suffolk, a woman hears what sounds like dogs running through empty rooms despite there being no pets. As the disturbances grow worse, she experiences tugging bedding, objects moved overnight, failing electronics, and a crushing feeling of being watched—until the next tenant independently describes the same room and even more violent activity. Story 3 – During a late-night walk beneath Pasadena’s Colorado Street Bridge, a man loses nearly four hours of time and suddenly cannot remember where he lives. Years later, he returns in broad daylight and finds a freezing cold patch of air in direct summer sunlight, only steps away from the blazing heat. Story 4 – While driving Highway 152 through Pacheco Pass early one morning, a man spots a four-foot-tall figure standing silently on the roadside. It wears what appears to be a black monk-like robe, with impossibly thin white legs beneath it. When he asks a ranger about the figure, the ranger gives him one warning: “Stay away from it.” Story 5 – After seeing three glowing lights descend near a mountain and transform into two bright pyramid-shaped objects hovering above the trees, a woman and her friends have another encounter weeks later. Something watches them from the top of a palm tree—then later taps at her bedroom window and leans down from above the glass, revealing the face of an eight- or nine-foot-tall gray alien. Story 6 – A spontaneous trip to a Honda dealership turns into a deeply unsettling encounter when an older man named Ramses approaches a couple, greets them by name, and begins sharing details about the man’s grandfather and his war history. The stranger asks for nothing, explains nothing, and leaves—yet seems to have been waiting specifically for them to arrive. Sources Story 1 – Reddit post by mickstrange Story 2 – Reddit r/Ghoststories post by AromaticBaker2681, “For those who believe in ghosts, what was the exact experience that turned you from a skeptic into a believer?” – LINK Story 3 – Reddit r/LosAngeles post by an anonymous/deleted user, Colorado Street Bridge encounter – LINK Story 4 – Instagram submission by @espositomike206 – LINK Story 5 – Anonymous Facebook submission – LINK Story 6 – Reddit r/Paranormal post by an anonymous/deleted user, “This is an honest to God true story” – LINK Disclosure: The narration is 100% voiced by me. Stories gathered from Reddit and social media have been adapted rather than read verbatim, narrated in third person, and may use fictional names unless a real name was publicly provided. Please visit the original posters’ pages to read their accounts as originally shared. Have a paranormal or true crime story to share? Submit it to be featured on The Scarecast—DM us on Instagram, email [email protected] Sign up for my newsletter at TheScarecast.com to be notified about new content. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes about ghost stories, cryptids, UFOs/UAPs, unsolved mysteries, and true crime every week: The Scarecast Linktree 📱 Follow @thescarecast on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for daily paranormal content: The Scarecast Linktree Our Sponsors: * Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code BEEF at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
August 17, 202634min
Number 2: EP25 - 8 Disneyland Horror Stories
Could Disneyland’s magic take on a darker life after the gates close? This episode explores true chilling accounts and creepy stories from former cast members and park visitors who say they encountered something unexplainable in the shadows of the Happiest Place on Earth. Stories: Story 1: Tomorrowland / Star Trader poltergeist encounter – @prissy.christina (Christina), Instagram comment Story 2: New Orleans Square kitchen apparition – @carlosbozo77 (Carlos), Instagram comment Story 3: Autopia figure and unexplained shove – @latruce (Latruce), Instagram comment Story 4: The Little Mermaid EVP and ashes cleanup – @geedub68 (Pete), Instagram comment Story 5: Mickey and Friends parking-structure encounter – @francescogallego (Frank), Instagram comment Story 6: Real skeletons in Pirates of the Caribbean – @fernando264312 (Fernando), Instagram comment Story 7: Phantom activity in the Big Thunder Ranch restrooms – @9torres.antonio9 (Antonio), Instagram comment Story 8: The little girl in white near Critter Country / “Mary” legend – u/cheekonyourface (Cheryl - Assigned Fictional Name), r/Disneyland thread, “Current/Former Cast Members, What Are Your Ghost Stories?” LINK Disclosure: The narration is 100% voiced by me, a human. I have also repurposed the stories I have gathered (to avoid reading verbatim) to be narrated in third person and have assigned the protagonist's fictional names (unless their real names are provided in the posted story or on the author's profile). Have a paranormal or true crime story to share? Submit it to be featured on The Scarecast — DM me on Instagram @thescarecast, email [email protected] or drop your story in the comments on Spotify. Sign up for my newsletter at https://www.thescarecast.com to be notified of new content! 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes covering ghost stories, cryptids, UFOs/UAPs, unsolved mysteries, and true crime every week: https://linktr.ee/thescarecast 📱 Follow @thescarecast on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for daily paranormal content: https://linktr.ee/thescarecast Our Sponsors: * Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code BEEF at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
August 12, 202636min
Number 3: 7 Disturbing Disneyland Deaths
In this video, we explore 7 Disturbing Disneyland Deaths that occurred across some of the park’s most recognizable attractions, including the Matterhorn Bobsleds, the Disneyland Monorail, PeopleMover, Tom Sawyer Island, America Sings, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Cases: (0:14) 1 - Debbie Gail Stone (3:43) 2 - Thomas Guy Cleveland (5:43) 3 - Mark Maples (7:55) 4 - Regena Dolly Young (10:40) 5 - Gerardo Gonzales (11:59) 6 - Bogden Delaurot (14:26) 7 - Marcelo Torres Some of these incidents led to lawsuits, ride redesigns, stricter safety procedures, and permanent changes at Disneyland. Others became part of dark Disney folklore—stories of cold spots, shadow figures, unexplained voices, and spirits said to remain near the places where these tragedies occurred. Our Sponsors: * Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code BEEF at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
September 06, 202618min
Number 4: 5 Scary Stories: Ghostly Granny, Sleep Paralysis, and Creepy Hotel Owner
Five true scary stories where the paranormal crosses paths with real-world danger. From a dead relative appearing in a hallway to a shadow figure that may be more than sleep paralysis, these encounters leave behind questions that are hard to answer. But the most frightening stories may not involve ghosts at all... A grocery-store worker is pressured to leave the safety of the light and approach a suspicious stranger waiting in the dark. A young woman working far from home accepts a hotel room from her employer—only to discover that the person offering her safety may have had far more sinister intentions. Lock your doors, turn down the lights, and settle in. Because some encounters don’t end when you finally make it home. Stories Disclosure: All of these stories have been rewritten in the third person for originality purposes. I will link the original post for each story below. If not available, fictional names have been assigned to different characters in the story. Story 1: The Dead Great-Grandmother — Maven’s girlfriend sees an elderly woman in a blue nightgown outside the bathroom, then identifies her in a family photograph the next morning. Original Post by maplecookiesrock (LINK) Story 2: The Sleep Paralysis Shadow — Pedro’s girlfriend believes a dark entity is part of her sleep paralysis, until Pedro begins seeing it too. (LINK) Story 3: Smoke From His Body — Kwaku and his girlfriend watch thick white smoke rise from his foot, form in the air, and vanish without a trace. (LINK) Story 4: The Fake Injury — A truck driver repeatedly tries to lure an 18-year-old grocery-store worker away into the dark. Original post by IcySandwich5397 (LINK) Story 5: The Hotel Owner — A college student on a work-and-travel program accepts a free hotel room from her employer, then wakes in the middle of the night to find a man standing in her room. (LINK) ---------- Have a paranormal, creepy encounter, unexplained, or true-crime story to share? Submit it for a chance to be featured on The Scarecast—send us a DM on Instagram, email [email protected], or leave your story in the comments below. Sign up for my newsletter at TheScarecast.com to be notified about new content. 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes covering true scary stories, ghost stories, cryptids, UFOs/UAPs, unsolved mysteries, and true crime every week. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and RedCircle: The Scarecast Podcast 📱 Follow @thescarecast on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for daily paranormal content: The Scarecast Links Our Sponsors: * Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code BEEF at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
September 02, 202632min
Number 5: 5 Killers Caught Years Later
Five criminals who believed they had escaped justice — some for more than 40 years — until preserved DNA, genetic genealogy, discarded items, and their own mistakes finally led investigators to them. From a coffee cup thrown in the trash to a floppy disk that revealed a killer’s identity, these are cold cases that refused to stay buried. Cases: (0:33) 1 – John Arthur Getreu In 1973, 21-year-old Stanford graduate Leslie Marie Perlov disappears after finishing her shift at a law library in Palo Alto, California. Her car is found abandoned near an old quarry, and three days later, searchers discover her body beneath an oak tree. For 45 years, the case remains unsolved—until investigators use genetic genealogy to identify a possible suspect. Detectives begin watching 74-year-old John Arthur Getreu and recover a coffee cup he throws away after a medical appointment. The DNA on the cup matches evidence preserved from beneath Leslie’s fingernails. Getreu is arrested in 2018 and later connected to another 1974 incident: the killing of Janet Ann Taylor, the daughter of Stanford’s athletic director. (5:11) 2 – Dennis Rader, the BTK Killer For decades, Dennis Rader terrorizes Wichita, Kansas, under the name BTK. Between 1974 and 1991, he ends the lives of 10 people before seemingly disappearing for 13 years. During that time, he lives an outwardly ordinary life as a husband, father, church council president, Cub Scout leader, and city compliance officer. But in 2004, Rader contacts the media again because he wants attention. When he mails a floppy disk to a television station in 2005, investigators recover deleted information from the disk that points to Christ Lutheran Church and someone named Dennis. Police identify Rader, obtain a familial DNA comparison, and arrest him after more than 30 years. (10:16) 3 – David Fuller In 1987, two young women lives were ended in Royal Tunbridge Wells, England. Wendy Knell, 25, is found unalived in her bedsit in June. Six months later, 20-year-old Caroline Pierce disappears after a night out, and her body is discovered weeks later in a water-filled dyke. The cases become known as the Bedsit M*rders. For more than 30 years, the killer remains unknown—until familial DNA searching points detectives toward David Fuller, a 66-year-old hospital maintenance worker. His DNA confirms he is responsible for both people's lives. But the investigation also exposes a far larger and deeply disturbing pattern involving deceased patients at hospitals where Fuller worked. (13:31) 4 – Joseph James DeAngelo, the Golden State Killer Between 1976 and 1986, an unknown attacker terrorizes communities across California. For decades, investigators have DNA from multiple crime scenes but no name to attach to it. In 2018, investigative genetic genealogy changes everything. Detectives narrow their search to Joseph James DeAngelo, a former police officer living quietly in Citrus Heights. After collecting DNA from his car door handle and a discarded tissue from his trash, investigators confirm the match. More than 40 years after the attacks began, the Golden State Killer is finally arrested. (18:19) 5 – Eugene Gligor In 2001, 50-year-old Leslie Preer is found unalived inside her home in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Investigators recover blood from several rooms and unidentified male DNA from beneath her fingernails, suggesting she fought back against her attacker. But the DNA profile produces no match in law-enforcement databases, and the case goes cold for more than two decades. In 2022, investigators submit preserved evidence for investigative genetic genealogy and uncover a surname connected to an old, overlooked tip: Gligor. In 2024, detectives follow Eugene Teodor Gligor to Washington Dulles International Airport, recover a water bottle he throws away, and test the DNA. It matches evidence from Leslie Preer’s home. Twenty-three years after the crime, Gligor is arrested and later pleads guilty to second-degree. Sign up for my newsletter at https://www.thescarecast.com to be notified of new content! 🔔 Subscribe for new episodes covering ghost stories, cryptids, UFOs/UAPs, unsolved mysteries, and true crime every week. 🎧 Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and RedCircle: The Scarecast podcast: https://linktr.ee/thescarecast 📱 Follow @thescarecast on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook for daily paranormal content: https://linktr.ee/thescarecast Our Sponsors: * Go to https://OmahaSteaks.com and use promo code BEEF at checkout for $35 off. Minimum purchase may apply. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
September 04, 202624min