It is our 15th stop along the Cryptid Highway, and this week The Spooky Darlings delve into monsters of Iowa. And they all have claws. We tackle the infamous Van Meter Visitor, a winged, bird-like creature that made itself known in a town in 1903, recent encounters with Iowa Dragons, who appear to be excactly as the name describes, and a brokenhearted and vengeful ghost named Lucinda, who haunts the cliffs above Stony Hollow Road, and likes to scratch those who dare to call her name. 

This field of dreams is more like a field of screams. Turn on a nightlight. The midwest creatures are watching. And waiting...

Sources:

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Iowa_Dragons

https://www.reddit.com/r/cryptids/comments/18afi6t/information_on_iowa_dragons/

https://coffeehousewriters.com/iowas-van-meter-monster/

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In 1971, nursing student Patricia Mann and her boyfriend Jesse McBane vanished after a Valentine’s dance—only to be found murdered days later in the woods outside Durham, North Carolina. More than 50 years later, their case remains unsolved, shadowed by lack of communication across multiple agencies working the case. Three suspects endure: two doctors whose stories never quite added up, and one local scoundrel with a troubling history.

Join The Spooky Darlings as we retrace the couple’s final hours and examine the suspicious behavior of three suspects who were never fully cleared. 

Sources: 

https://www.newsobserver.com/news/local/community/durham-news/article10293734.html#storylink=cpy

The Long Dance Podcast

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Patricia_Mann_and_Jesse_McBane

nc.gov https://orangecountync.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=66&ARC=79#:~:text=Incredibly%2C%20the%20podcast%20has%20resurrected,attacker%2C%20suffering%20permanent%20nerve%20damage.

https://www.newsoforange.com/news/article_b9e5fb30-377c-11e8-89de-2f9c73bd334f.html

https://www.foxnews.com/us/person-of-interest-eyed-in-42-year-old-cold-case-murder-of-young-n-c-couple

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Join us for our 13th installment of our FUF (Follow-Up-Friday) episode, as we talk true crime updates, give a recap of the "Au Pair Affair' trial of Brendon Banfield, mourn the loss of one of our favorite actresses, Catherine o'Hara, (Long Live Moira Rose!), and get deep into a discussion about what makes a Cryptozoologist. We even throw in a listener email, and announce the winner of our Tote-bag give away! 

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Deep in the largest underwater cave in the world, where only a few have braved the depth and the dark,  Dave Shaw, in a record-breaking deep water cave dive, discovers the body of a diver who had been missing for 10 years, Dion Dreyer.  Shaw makes a promise to himself and to Dion's faamily. He wants to bring Dion home. 

Join us as we explore the deep and dark tale of the the brave and harrowing dive of Dave Shaw and Don Shirley as they attempt to recover a body long lost, and discover that not all things are meant to be recovered. 

Sources: 

https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/water-activities/raising-dead/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boesmansgat

https://www.npr.org/2014/10/31/360358240/where-no-one-should-go

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Indiana might be known for cornfields and basketball, but strange things have been happening there for decades. In this episode, we head to the Hoosier State to uncover three of its most intriguing legends. From the puzzling Oil Pit Squid found living in toxic sludge, to the mysterious Crawfordsville Monster that baffled witnesses in the late 1800's, to the spectral Lady in Black said to wander the most haunted cemetery in Indiana, The Step Cemetery, these stories raise more questions than answers, and prove that there's more than corn growing in the Midwest. 

Sources;

https://blog.newspapers.library.in.gov/crawfordsville-monster/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crawfordsville_monster

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tardigrade

https://cryptidz.fandom.com/wiki/Oil_Pit_Squid

https://nolandda.org/strangeness/Anderson_Squid_Creature/

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We're headed to 18th-century France to unravel the ghastly story of the Beast of Gévaudan, a creature at the heart of several brutal slayings that left a small countryside community living in terror. As the bodies piled up, the villagers searched for answers. What or who is responsible for these deaths? From eyewitness accounts and failed hunting expeditions, to involvement from the King of France himself, we walk you step by step through this terrifying story of a bloodthirsty creature that refused to die. 

Sources: https://www.betedugevaudan.com/en/the-story-of-the-beast-of-gevaudan.html , wikipedia.com

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This Follow-Up Friday is rife—and ripe—with recaps and recommendations. We unpack what those words actually mean (and when to use them), share TV, movie,  and podcast recs, and swap stories—including a TikTok scam cautionary tale. We will take you along on our recent ghost hunt in a haunted theater, and we hear a paranormal tale straight from the mouth of a listener. This episode is rife with stories and ripe with laughter. 

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Perched on the edge of The Grande Ronde Valley, The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs, also known as Hot Lake Hotel, has a rich and fascinating past. In this episode, we explore the history of the infamous Eastern Oregon landmark, from its early days as a luxury resort, to its later years as a hospital and sanitorium. Along the way, we share the ghost stories told in our childhood that still hover in the air, like the steam that rises from the lake. Now renovated, this boutique hotel is a beautiful, peaceful, and relaxing place to stay. Just don't be surprised if you sense something watching from the windows or lingering outside your door. But don't worry! If there are ghosts here, we are sure they are friendly... (at least we think!)

Sources: 

"The Hot Lake Story: An Illustrated History from Pre-discovery to 1974" by Richard R. Roth,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Lake_Hotel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4AQ3CWdTi48&list=PLW91Ty_hLaKOzqZEpjZk300sHVwpPt9lm&index=5

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It's time for Illinois cryptids people!  

In this episode, we head to the Prairie State to uncover  some of Illinois' most chilling cryptids. From the 1970's encounter with a creature dubbed The Enfield Horror, to the large and smelly Tuttle Bottoms Monster, to the ancient and mysterious Piasa Bird, a massive man eating creature painted on the cliffs along the Mississippi hundreds of years ago, Illinois has many monsters lurking in the shadows, and The Spooky Darlings will try to uncover them! 

Turn the lights down low, and the volume up! It's time to get spooky, darlings. 

sources:

Message us!

Hello spooky crew! Our tote bag drawing is officially closed, and we just want to say a massive thank-you to everyone who entered. We're so grateful for the love and support!

Missed the tote? No worries, we are still sending out high-quality vinyl stickers while supplies last. Just email us proof of your rating and review along with your mailing address to thespookydarlings.gmail.com, and we will get one headed your way. 

And, just to put your mind at ease, we promise you

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Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected].

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This week The Spooky Darlings invite you back in time to 1930 to hear the true story of the first and last  woman to be hanged from the gallows in Arizona. Eva Dugan's life didn't start with crime, it started with survival. With her childhood shaped by poverty, and her early marriage shaped by abandonment,  Eva learned to look out for herself. 

She became the prime suspect in the disappearance of her chicken rancher boss, but things got even stranger when Eva also disappeared. She is eventually tracked down and charged with a crime. But does the evidence support the charges, and when all is said and done, does the punishment fit the crime? 

One thing is for certain: This story helped sell a TON of papers back in 1930. Front page news indeed!

 

Sources:

"The Day Eva Dugan Died" by Rob Kackley

Murderpedia.com

Arizona Silver Belt, Feb 21, 1930

Arizona Daily Star, FEb 21, 1930

Time.com archives 3/3/1930

Findagrave.com-AJ Mathis 

Petersburg Press, Feb. 28, 1930

Winslow Daily Mail, Feb. 14, 1930

Galveston Tribune, Feb 21, 1930

 

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Hello spooky crew! Our tote bag drawing is officially closed, and we just want to say a massive thank-you to everyone who entered. We're so grateful for the love and support!

Missed the tote? No worries, we are still sending out high-quality vinyl stickers while supplies last. Just email us proof of your rating and review along with your mailing address to thespookydarlings.gmail.com, and we will get one headed your way. 

And, just to put your mind at ease, we promise you

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Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at [email protected].

Follow us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!

Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/