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A slick con man has swindled people in a land-deal scheme, and they plan to hang him for his misdeeds. At the last moment, his guardian angel intervenes to save him. She stipulates that he must reform and “go straight,” though she also asks him to carry out one more con — presumably to help right the wrongs he’s done. Hear the story in “Enough Rope” from CBS Radio Mystery Theater! | #RetroRadio EP0520

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “Enough Rope” (December 07, 1976)
00:45:34.387 = Radio City Playhouse, “Murder is a Matter of Opinion” (May 23, 1949)
01:14:48.768 = Isn’t It a Crime, “Speaking of Murder” (December 14, 1945)
01:43:40.961 = Ripley’s Believe It or Not, “Town Clock” (1930) ***WD
01:44:41.486 = Sam Spade, “The Shot In The Dark Caper” (February 23, 1951)
02:12:30.401 = The Sealed Book, “Ghost Makers” (June 10, 1945)
02:41:59.831 = The Shadow, “The Mark of the Black Widow” (October 27, 1940) ***WD
03:07:12.133 = Sleep No More, “Banquos Chair Coward” (February 06, 1957) ***WD
03:35:35.802 = BBC Spine Chillers, “Origami” (February 28, 1984) ***WD
04:19:43.678 = Strange Wills, “Autograph” (October 19, 1946)
04:49:32.152 = Strange, “Phantom Wagoneer” (March 21, 1955) ***WD
05:03:07.198 = Show Close

(ADU) = Air Date Unknown
(LQ) = Low Quality
***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.
Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library

ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.
= = = = =
"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
= = = = =
WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
= = = = =#ParanormalRadio #ScienceFiction #OldTimeRadio #OTR #OTRHorror #ClassicRadioShows #HorrorRadioShows #VintageRadioDramas
CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0520

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When Dr. Frederick Andrews volunteers to test Professor Malcolm's time machine in 1950, he discovers a horrifying truth in the year 2050: humanity lives underground, trapped in a 95-year nuclear war that started with a missile accident in Red Rock, Arizona. After his memories of the future are erased and the experiment is deemed a failure, the scientists receive funding for a new project—a space rocket base in Red Rock, Arizona, unknowingly setting in motion the very catastrophe Andrews witnessed. It’s “Operation Tomorrow” from The Mysterious Traveler! | #RetroRadio EP0519

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “Child of the Sea” (December 06, 1976) ***WD
00:46:09.979 = The Black Museum, “The Hammerhead” (April 29, 1952) ***WD
01:09:40.693 = The Mysterious Traveler, “Operation Tomorrow” (April 11, 1950)
01:32:39.196 = Mystery House, “Dagger In The Dark” (July 05, 1946) ***WD
01:58:57.985 = CBC Nightfall, “Footsteps” (October 08, 1982)
02:28:17.004 = Obsession, “Faith Is The Evidence” (May 12, 1952) ***WD
02:57:37.059 = Origin of Superstition, “Cleopatra’s Chair” (1935) ***WD
03:11:29.256 = Mystery Playhouse, “Lady In The Morgue” (May 15, 1946) ***WD
03:35:11.638 = Price of Fear, “Family Album” (June 13, 1983) ***WD
04:02:20.738 = Adventures of Ellery Queen, “Number Thirty-One” (September 07, 1947) ***WD
04:30:46.889 = Quiet Please, “Light The Lamp for Me” (September 26, 1948)
05:00:17.442 = Show Close

(ADU) = Air Date Unknown
(LQ) = Low Quality
***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.
Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library

ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.
= = = = =
"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
= = = = =
WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
= = = = =#ParanormalRadio #ScienceFiction #OldTimeRadio #OTR #OTRHorror #ClassicRadioShows #HorrorRadioShows #VintageRadioDramas
CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0519

When four teenage boys discover a disturbingly lifelike scarecrow tied to an ancient oak in their local park, they realize it looks exactly like someone they used to know. After they cut it down into the ravine below, something begins visiting the scarecrow each night—taking it apart piece by piece, while the boys watch their worst fears materialize.

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IN THIS EPISODE: It’s #ThrillerThursday, and in this episode I have a story from award-winning writer Karen Russell entitled, “The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis” from her book, “Vampires In The Lemon Grove.”

SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis” by Karen Russell from the book ‘Vampires In The Lemon Grove’: https://amzn.to/3ydR4kn
=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: May 09, 2024
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/SomethingWasEatingTheScarecrow
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
#horrorstories #creepypasta #scarystories #horrorcommunity #horrornarration

Read the article: https://weirddarkness.com/silly-string-florida-escort/

A 48-year-old woman transformed a children's party toy into a weapon at a motorcycle-themed bar, landing herself in jail after emptying an entire can on a masonry contractor.

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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
#FloridaWoman #SillyStringAttack #WeirdCrimes #TrueCrime #OnlyInFlorida

Read the article: https://weirddarkness.com/human-bones-ritual-luggage-tampa-airport

A traveler returning to the US through Tampa International Airport was caught with suspected human skull fragments and bones wrapped in tinfoil, which they claimed were for ritual purposes.

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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
#TampaAirport #HumanRemains #AirportSecurity #WeirdDiscoveries #CustomsSeizure

From the chilling 1874 case that coined 'don't take candy from strangers' to Patty Hearst's transformation from heiress to bank robber, journey through true tales of kidnapping where victims outsmarted their captors, others never escaped, and some didn't want to. These are the abduction stories you've never heard—told by the survivors themselves and featuring cases of Stockholm Syndrome that challenge everything we think we know about survival.

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IN THIS EPISODE: “Don’t take candy from strangers” - that warning stemmed from a real kidnapping in 1874, made even more history-making by being the first kidnapping in U.S. history to demand money for the child’s safe return. (The First U.S. Kidnapping For Ransom) *** I’ll share true kidnapping stories told by the victims – stories you’ve never heard, because none of them made the evening news. (True Stories of Abduction) *** In some kidnapping cases, the victim outsmarts their abductor. We’ll look at a few quick-thinking abductees whose out-of-the-box thinking and determination to survive helped them to escape their captors. (They Outsmarted Their Kidnappers) *** In some cases of kidnapping, the victims have an opportunity to escape – but don’t. They even try to help those who abducted them in the first place. In many cases this indicates the victim is suffering from a terrifying type of brainwashing we’ve come to know as Stockholm Syndrome – and we’ll look at a few famous cases of it. (True Cases of Stockholm Syndrome) *** A beautiful California co-ed was kidnapped in 1974 - and two months later, she burst into a bank with a machine gun. We’ll look at how Stockholm Syndrome changed 19-year-old wealthy heiress Patty Hearst into a cold-blooded bank robber. (The Brainwashing of Patty Hearst)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = “The Kidnap” short story
00:03:31.725 = Show Intro
00:05:45.230 = First Kidnapping For Ransom
00:16:40.781 = True Stories of Abduction
00:39:23.473 = They Outsmarted Their Kidnappers
00:48:30.096 = True Cases of Stockholm Syndrome
01:04:14.878 = Brainwashing of Patty Hearst
01:19:59.744 = Show Close
SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“The First U.S. Kidnapping For Ransom” by Amanda Sedlak-Hevener for Ranker.com: https://tinyurl.com/y2v2q93v
“True Stories of Abduction” by Amanda Sedlak-Hevener for Ranker.com: https://tinyurl.com/yxgg53ez
“True Cases of Stockholm Syndrome” by Jonathan Sherman for Ranker.com: https://tinyurl.com/y5m33n4c
“The Brainwashing of Patty Hearst” by Genevieve Carlton for Ranker.com: https://tinyurl.com/y4d6kqhz
“They Outsmarted Their Kidnappers” by Cristina Sanza for Ranker.com: https://tinyurl.com/yxodhtot
The fictional short story I began the podcast with, “The Kidnap” is by Rajesh K.: https://tinyurl.com/yxn6xnpr
=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: September 22, 2020
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/kidnappings
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
#TrueCrime #StockholmSyndrome #PattyHearst #KidnappingSurvivors #TrueCrimePodcast

Read the article: https://weirddarkness.com/doordash-hostage-sweetwater/

A routine delivery to a Texas motel turned into a rescue operation when a DoorDash driver's instincts about an unusual order proved terrifyingly accurate.

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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
#TrueCrime #DoorDashHero #TexasCrime #HostageRescue #CrimeNews

Read the article: https://weirddarkness.com/zambia-witchcraft-trial-president-chameleon

A live chameleon in a bottle, mysterious white powder, and a political conspiracy led to Zambia's first presidential witchcraft trial.

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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
#ZambiaWitchcraftTrial #AfricanPolitics2025 #WitchcraftAssassinationPlot #ChameleonRitual #TrueCrimeAfrica

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A man discovers that his favorite detective novels predict true crimes. Then he finds a book in the series that seems to indicate his own future. The novel tells of how his boss and his wife plan to kill him so they can marry. They discuss “How To Kill Rudy!” | #RetroRadio EP0518

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “How To Kill Rudy” (December 02, 1976)
00:44:55.201 = Philip Marlowe, “Bums Rush” (September 03, 1949)
01:14:08.227 = Danger Dr. Danfield, “Ghost in Merdock’s Swamp” (February 09, 1947) ***WD
01:40:10.714 = The Black Mass, “A Predicament” and “Tell-Tale Heart” (June 20, 1964) ***WD
02:09:09.901 = Beyond Midnight, “The Crystal Ball” (August 01, 1969)
02:37:59.715 = MindWebs, “Light Of Other Days” (June 03, 1979)
03:01:35.098 = It’s Murder, “Picture Wire Murder” (August 10, 1944) ***WD
03:15:01.948 = Mystery In The Air, “Horla” (August 21, 1947) ***WD
03:44:53.774 = Molle Mystery Theater, “Two Men in a Furnished Room” (November 28, 1947)
04:14:09.818 = The World Adventures Club, “Living Mummy” (1932) ***WD
04:27:25.090 = Murder at Midnight, “Dead Come Back” (November 19, 1946)
04:51:24.256 = Show Close

(ADU) = Air Date Unknown
(LQ) = Low Quality
***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.
Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library

ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.
= = = = =
"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
= = = = =
WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
= = = = =#ParanormalRadio #ScienceFiction #OldTimeRadio #OTR #OTRHorror #ClassicRadioShows #HorrorRadioShows #VintageRadioDramas
CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0518

There’s something deeply unsettling about the idea that your dead neighbor might climb out of their grave at night and knock on your door. But for communities across Europe and America throughout history, this wasn’t just a scary story – it was a genuine fear that drove them to take drastic action.

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IN THIS EPISODE: Throughout centuries, ordinary people became vampire slayers when mysterious deaths plagued their communities, armed with stakes, shovels, and a terrifying determination to stop the undead.
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Lead-In
00:03:27.944 = Show Open
00:05:32.271 = Part One: When Governments Hunted Vampires
00:21:37.443 = Part Two: Born To Hunt The Dead
00:38:00.129 = Part Three: The Science of Hunting Vampires
= Show Close
SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
Real Vampire Slayers: https://weirddarkness.com/real-vampire-slayers/
=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: September 23, 2025
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/RealVampireSlayers
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
#VampireHunters #RealVampires #TrueHistory #WeirdDarkness #VampirePanic
NOTE: Some of this content may have been created with assistance from AI tools, but it has been reviewed, edited, narrated, produced, and approved by Darren Marlar, creator and host of Weird Darkness — who, despite popular conspiracy theories, is NOT an AI voice.