Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

A young English lawyer discovers he's a prisoner in a Transylvanian castle owned by an ancient creature (Dracula) who casts no shadow, has no reflection, and feeds on human blood. Now that creature has set sail for England with fifty boxes of cursed earth — and he's already chosen his next victim. | #RetroRadio EP0586

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Second-Chance Lady” (April 28, 1977) ***WD
00:45:14.680 = Unsolved Mysteries, “The Witch Doctor” (1936) ***WD
01:00:10.931 = Mercury Theater, “Dracula” (July 11, 1938) ***WD
01:55:56.375 = Dark Venture, “Hideout” (January 07, 1947) ***WD
02:19:29.954 = Weird Circle, “River Man” (February 04, 1945)
02:46:45.455 = The Whistler, “Doctor Operates In Crime (December 04, 1944)
03:16:09.843 = Witch’s Tale, “Haunted Crossroads” (October 12, 1937) ***WD
03:38:55.089 = X Minus One, “The Snowball Effect” (August 14, 1956)
04:02:20.504 = Zero Hour, “The Extortionist” (May 02, 1974)
04:19:39.254 = ABC Mystery Time, “Four Fatal Jugglers” (1957) ***WD
04:43:30.242 = Strange Adventure, “Death At Falcon Lodge” (1945) ***WD
04:46:47.308 = 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 #WeirdDarkness
CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0586

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

In 1920, a young man on a fishing trip in the Canadian wilderness stumbled upon an injured stranger trapped in a rocky crevice — and the "plane" parked nearby was no plane at all. What followed was a lifelong friendship that revealed humanity's ancient past and an alien perspective on where we're headed as a species.

IN THIS EPISODE: We all love cute pet photos – so often those photos almost make our furry friends look human – even smiling in some cases. But one particular type photo being shared via email – a photo of a smiling dog – would never be described as cute, as it drives some people literally insane. Is it real, or just another cyber-located urban legend? (Smile.Dog) *** Being kidnapped by gypsies is a somewhat negative stereotype towards those who truly live the lifestyle. They don’t typically go out of their way to snatch people away… but in one particular circumstance it truly did happen – and it created an incredibly strange tale. (Kidnapped By Gypsies) *** Albert Coe’s story sounds more like a Stephen Spielberg film as opposed to a true story. But Coe insists it really did happen – that he saved the life of an extraterrestrial – and it resulted in them becoming lifelong friends. (I Saved E.T.’s Life) *** Pennhurst Asylum was shuttered in 1987 – but that doesn’t mean there aren’t any souls still living there. (The Living Dead Asylum)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:02:00.520 = I Saved E.T.’s Life
00:12:24.180 = Smile Dog ***
00:29:12.467 = Kidnapped By Gypsies
00:35:38.638 = Pennhurst: The Living Dead Asylum ***
00:39:11.402 = The Old Farmhouse (by Weird Darkness listener Marissa Harrington)
00:44:02.785 = Show Close

*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
HELPFUL LINKS & RESOURCES…
https://WeirdDarkness.com/STORE = Tees, Mugs, Socks, Hoodies, Totes, Hats, Kidswear & More
https://WeirdDarkness.com/HOPE = Hope For Depression or Thoughts of Self-Harm
https://WeirdDarkness.com/NEWSLETTER = In-Depth Articles, Memes, Weird DarkNEWS, Videos & More
https://WeirdDarkness.com/AUDIOBOOKS = FREE Audiobooks Narrated By Darren Marlar
SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“Smile Dog” from TheScareChamber.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3rxbtb3t
“I Saved E.T.’s Life” by T. R. Swartz for SpectralVision.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/aw2467d4
“Kidnapped By Gypsies” from Strange Company: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3rdvmarz
“The Living Dead Asylum” by Elisabeth Tilstra for The Line Up: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/55f8ftwf
=====(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 ©2026, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: July 13, 2021
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/ISavedAnAlien
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 things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
#WeirdDarkness #AlbertCoe #UFO #AlienEncounter #UFOContactee #FlyingSaucer #Extraterrestrial #Paranormal #UnexplainedMysteries #TrueParanormalStories #AlienContact #UFOHistory #ClassicUFO #UFOSighting #AncientAliens #UFOOccupant #Contactee #AlienRescue #GeorgeAdamski #TimothyGreenBeckley #SilverDisc #CanadaUFO #1920s #UFOEvidence #AlienFriendship #UFOCommunity #UFOFiles #RealAlienEncounter #UnexplainedEncounters #DarkHistory

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

A Milwaukee man suffering from paranoid delusions shot his unarmed neighbor in the head with an AK-47, went back to his apartment to file his tax return, then drove to a Homeland Security building to confess.

PRINT VERSION: https://weirddarkness.com/murderthentaxes/

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

#WeirdDarkness, #WeirdDarkNEWS, #DominicNosacek, #AngeloNelson, #MilwaukeeMurder, #AK47, #TrueCrime, #MentalHealthCrisis, #ParanoidDelusions, #MurderConfession, #GunViolence, #PreventableMurder, #FirstDegreeHomicide, #DomesticAbuse, #CrimeNews, #JusticeForAngelo, #MentalIllness, #BizarreCrime, #FirearmBan, #ViralCrime

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

Six members of a secretive mountain commune in Bulgaria are found dead at two separate locations a week apart, and nobody can agree on whether it was murder, suicide, or something far worse.

PRINT VERSION: https://weirddarkness.com/petrohan/

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

#WeirdDarkness #WeirdDarkNEWS #Petrohan #PetrohanMystery #BulgariaMystery #BulgariaMurders #TwinPeaksMurder #TrueCrime #TrueCrimeEurope #BalkanMystery #UnsolvedMystery #MurderMystery #BulgarianMountains #StaraPlanina #NAKZT #IvayloKalushev #BuddhistCult #CultMystery #MountainCommune #MurderSuicide #CoverUp #ParamilitaryOrganization #CaveExplorer #Bulgaria2026 #BreakingNews #CriminalInvestigation #SixDead #PetrohanLodge #BulgariaNews #UnsolvedCrime

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

A French grotto with 70 scientifically inexplicable healings, banana-shaped UFOs over a tiny Alabama town, the world's first science fiction TV show that no one can ever watch again, and the day a Vice President went hunting and shot his friend in the face. | IT HAPPENED ON FEBRUARY 11 | The Morning Weird Darkness #MWD

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

EPISODE PAGE: https://WeirdDarkness.com/MWD20260211

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.

#WeirdDarkness #MorningWD #DarrenMarlar #MarlarInTheMorning #MWD #ThisDayInHistory #NelsonMandela #MandelaEffect #BusterDouglasTyson #AnnaKournikovaVirus #LourdesApparitions #FyffeAlabamaUFO #UriGeller #PayolaScandal #DickCheney #GravitationalWaves #Sacagawea #PeppermintPattyDay #TrueCrime #ParanormalPodcast

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

A henpecked husband discovers a book of magic in his attic that promises great wonders — but only after he rids himself of the person causing him the most misery. Forty years of growing younger and a new fortune later, Oscar Brown is finally ready to claim the life he believes he deserves… if he can bring himself to murder his wife. | “Second Chance” from Theater Five | #RetroRadio EP0585

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “Adventure of the Red-Headed League” (April 26, 1977) ***WD
00:45:17.385 = Sleep No More, “Homecoming And Aunt Cassie” (April 17, 1957) ***WD
01:14:03.178 = BBC’s Fresh Blood, “Absolute Silence” (March 28, 2006)
01:28:00.350 = Strange Wills, “Portsmouth Square” (December 07, 1946)
01:57:38.244 = Strange, “Dejavu In France” (1955)
02:12:31.684 = Suspense, “Back For Christmas” (December 23, 1943)
02:41:17.072 = Tales of the Frightened, “The Vampire Sleeps” (1963)
02:46:06.221 = Tales From The Tomb, “Hooked” (1960s)
02:50:19.537 = The Saint, “Missing Gun” (April 22, 1951)
03:19:13.829 = Theater Five, “Second Chance” (October 30, 1964) ***WD03:39:28.811 = Theater 1030, “Trespassers Will Be Experimented Upon” (1968-1971) ***WD
04:08:16.326 = 2000 Plus, “Worlds Apart” (November 29, 1950) ***WD
04:36:58.919 = The Unexpected, “Shipwreck” (1948)
04:51:42.407 = 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 #WeirdDarkness
CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0585

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

Sea monster tales have existed for thousands of years, with stories of giant squids and octopuses being especially common. But where's the last place you'd expect to find such a creature? The desert of Oklahoma, perhaps?

IN THIS EPISODE: Tales of sea monsters go back millennia, tales of giant squids and octopus are particularly prevalent. But where is the last place on earth you’d expect to find such a creature? How about the desert landscape of Oklahoma? (The Oklahoma Octopus) *** Parental hostility drove a girl out of her home and into the arms of her cousin. As I’m sure you can guess, that was not a wise decision. (Kissing Cousins) *** I’ll read a short passage from G. Michael Vasey’s book, “Chasing the Goddess”, a chapter called “Strange Things Happen To Me”. *** Margaret Allen was hanged to death. But it’s the strange life she lived and the odd nature of her crime that still interests people in her case. (The Hanging of Margaret or Bill) *** 12-year-old Gabriel enjoyed playing games with an online friend. But when he borrowed less than two dollars for an in-game purchase from this friend, then ignored his requests to continue playing, he found himself dying the most horrifying murder you can imagine. And despite law enforcement knowing who the murderer is, he is free now – and no one knows where to find him. It is a brutally horrible story you do not want children in the room for. (A Deadly Gaming Friendship) *** Being the victim of a stalker is terrifying – not knowing when or where the person might show up next, or what they’ll do to you when they do show up. But there are those who have an even more terrifying situation – where the stalker follows them their entire lives, and there’s nothing they can do to stop it – because the stalker is paranormal. (Phantom Stalkers) *** The 1725 newspaper headline read “Bloodsucker Devastates Village!” And thus began a great vampire epidemic. (The Vampire Plague of 1725)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:02:50.321 = Oklahoma Octopus
00:18:33.155 = Kissing Cousins ***
00:29:14.289 = Strange Things Happen To Me
00:36:05.927 = Invisible Phantom With Invisible Furniture ***
00:38:02.629 = The Vampire Plague of 1725
00:44:54.413 = The Hanging of Margaret or Bill ***
00:52:49.618 = Mysterious But Appreciative
01:04:11.094 = Phantom Stalkers ***
01:19:22.940 = A Deadly Gaming Friendship ***01:24:46.857 = Show Close
01:26:38.563 = Bloopers
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
HELPFUL LINKS & RESOURCES…
https://WeirdDarkness.com/STORE = Tees, Mugs, Socks, Hoodies, Totes, Hats, Kidswear & More
https://WeirdDarkness.com/HOPE = Hope For Depression or Thoughts of Self-Harm
https://WeirdDarkness.com/NEWSLETTER = In-Depth Articles, Memes, Weird DarkNEWS, Videos & More
https://WeirdDarkness.com/AUDIOBOOKS = FREE Audiobooks Narrated By Darren Marlar
SOURCES and RESOURCES:“The Oklahoma Octopus” by Bex Shea: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/uscmrhuk,https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/y6nv5ad5
“Kissing Cousins” by Robert Wilhelm for MurderByGaslight.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ytcedcxv
“Strange Things Happen To Me” by G. Michael Vasey for MyHauntedLifeToo.com, from his book “Chasing the Goddess”: https://amzn.to/3hmH6lS
“The Vampire Plague of 1725” by Jack Doyle for Ozy.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2tu2hcpu
“The Hanging of Margaret or Bill” by Romeo Vitelli for Providentia.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5awpvbh9
“A Deadly Gaming Friendship” by R.A. Brewster for RABrewster.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/585afzhv
“Phantom Stalkers” by Jacob Shelton for Ranker.com’s Graveyard Shift: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/a3uyx6vw=====(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 ©2026, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired:
July 07, 2021 = “Oklahoma Octopus”, “Kissing Cousins”, “Strange Things Happen To Me”
July 13, 2021 = “Vampire Plague of 1725”, “The Hanging of Margaret of Bill”, “Mysterious But Appreciative”, “Phantom Stalkers”, “A Deadly Game of Friendship”
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/OklahomaOctopus
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 things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
#WeirdDarkness, #OklahomaOctopus, #LakeMonster, #Cryptids, #Kraken, #SeaMonster, #VampireOrigins, #TrueCrime, #Paranormal, #GhostStories, #HauntedHouse, #ShadowPeople, #UrbanLegends, #DarkHistory, #UnexplainedMysteries, #CreepyStories, #VampireFolklore, #SlavicShaman, #LifetimeHaunting, #ColdCase, #VictorianMurder, #BritishTrueCrime, #GamingMurder, #Poltergeist, #DemonicHaunting, #ScaryStories, #MysteriousStranger, #OccultRitual, #TrueCrimePodcast, #HorrorStories

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

A convicted killer's bodycam arrest footage went viral after he sobbed not over the life he'd taken, but over missing a video game release.

PRINT VERSION: https://WeirdDarkness.com/RobertRichensGTA

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

#WeirdDarkness, #WeirdDarkNEWS, #GTA6, #GrandTheftAutoVI, #RobertRichens, #RachaelVaughan, #TrueCrime, #BodcamFootage, #DomesticViolence, #MurderCase, #OxfordMurder, #ThamesValleyPolice, #ViralVideo, #CoerciveControl, #LifeImprisonment, #UKCrime, #JusticeServed, #DomesticAbuse, #CrimeNews, #ViralBodcam

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

A Connecticut preschooler who just learned to read received a stern legal summons ordering her to report to Superior Court — and her biggest concern was whether she'd go to jail for skipping it.

PRINT VERSION: https://weirddarkness.com/7YrOldJuror

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

#WeirdDarkness #WeirdDarkNEWS #JuryDuty #JurySummons #JuryDutyFail #Connecticut #FunnyNews #WeirdNews #StrangeNews #GovernmentFail #BureaucraticFail #CivicDuty #PreschoolerJuryDuty #ChildJuryDuty #DarienCT #StamfordCourt #OddNews #TrueStories #YouCantMakeThisUp #JuryDutyMistake

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.

A complaint about bad wine turned into a medieval bloodbath — and the punishment didn't end until 1825. | IT HAPPENED ON FEBRUARY 10th | The Morning Weird Darkness #MWD

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

EPISODE PAGE: https://WeirdDarkness.com/MWD20260210

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.

#WeirdDarkness #MorningWD #DarrenMarlar #MarlarInTheMorning #MWD #DarkHistory #WeirdHistory #TodayInHistory #ThisDayInHistory #TrueCrime #DuctTapeOrigin #BannedSesameStreet #MedievalRiot #DeepBlueChess #CatherineHoward #MafiaTrials #UnsoldMurders #HistoryPodcast #CreepyHistory #FebruaryHistory

More episodes, additional podcasts, books, original music, in-depth paranormal and true-crime articles, and much more at https://weirddarkness.com.