Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

In 1903, a man arrived at Leavenworth Prison claiming he'd never been there before — but the staff found his exact double already serving a life sentence inside.

READ MY DEEP-DIVE ARTICLE ON THIS STORY: https://weirddarkness.com/williamwest/

In May 1903, a convict named Will West arrived at Leavenworth Prison in Kansas. The intake clerk was certain he'd seen this man before — and a search of prison records turned up a card for William West, a convicted murderer whose measurements and photograph were a near-perfect match. The problem? William West was already locked up inside Leavenworth, serving a life sentence. The two men had never met, weren't related, and had no idea the other existed. Their extraordinary resemblance would expose a fatal flaw in the world's leading criminal identification system — and help launch the forensic technique we still rely on today.

IN THIS EPISODE: How do you convince people you are innocent of a crime committed by someone who looks exactly like you and even shares your name? It’s the strange story of William West and… William West. (Will The Real William West Please Step Forward) *** In November 1638, Dorothy Talby killed her three-year-old daughter. She admitted so when first arrested. But then she refused to say anything when brought before a judge. But then, what would you expect from a woman, which we all know is more easily persuaded by Satan to sin – and women were much more likely to be seduced by witchcraft. At least, that’s what people believed in the 17th century. (The Case of Dorothy Talbye) *** It’s understood and agreed to by most that while it is a lot of fun to think about, time travel is simply not possible – and will probably never be seeing as we’ve never met any time travelers. Or… maybe we have? (True Time-Travel Moments) *** Stories of shapeshifters seem to be told worldwide – and the Celtic nations are no different. We’ll look at a few shape-changing creatures from Ireland, Wales and Scotland. (Shape-Shifters Of The Celts)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = The Leavenworth Lookalikes
00:01:59.171 = Show Intro
00:04:01.126 = Two Strangers, One Face: Will The Real William West Please Step Forward
00:18:16.969 = ***A Mother, A Murder, A Mental Illness, and Justice in 17th-Century New England
00:25:32.536 = Who Sent Messages Dated Decades Ahead of Time? And How Did They Send Them?
00:35:00.004 = Cold Hands
00:39:21.083 = *** When Gods Became Beasts: Shapeshifting in Celtic Myth
00:47:59.748 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES and RESOURCES – and/or --- PRINT VERSION to READ or SHARE:
“Will The Real William West Please Step Forward?” by Dean Jobb for Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5y8wybsa), Martin Chalakoski for The Vintage News (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/th4ujesh), and Lee Ferran for ABC News (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/sa66vcwf)
“A Mother, A Murder, A Mental Illness, and Justice in 17th-Century New England” by Romeo Vitelli for Providentia: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yu54cyn8
“Who Sent Messages Dated Decades Ahead of Time? And How Did They Send Them?” posted at Earth-Chronicles.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/hh8tbwcr
“When Gods Became Beasts: Shapeshifting in Celtic Myth” by Zteve T. Evans for FolkloreThursday.com:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3m53e2h8=====(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: May 12, 2021
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/TwoMenOneFace
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, #TrueCrime, #ForensicScience, #CriminalHistory, #Doppelganger, #Fingerprints, #MysteryStory, #HistoricalMystery, #ColdCase, #TrueCrimeStory

A Moscow corporate party turned into a medical emergency when a celebrity chef's flashy "cryo-show" cocktail expanded inside a man's stomach like an internal airbag, rupturing the organ and sending him to the ICU — and he's far from the only victim.

READ or SHARE: https://weirddarkness.com/liquid-nitrogen-cocktails
WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.
#WeirdDarkness, #LiquidNitrogen, #DangerousDrinks, #StomachRupture, #DragonBreath, #FoodSafety, #ViralTrends, #TrueCrime, #BizarreStories, #DontTryThis

A mysterious woman with unexplainable powers saves a half-blind gold prospector in the Klondike wilderness and follows him back to civilization — but when he abandons her and their children for a politician's daughter, she reminds him that the same gifts that saved his life can just as easily destroy it. | “The Gift of Doom” from CBS Radio Mystery Theater | #RetroRadio EP0572

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Gift of Doom” (March 24, 1977)
00:45:11.256 = Calling All Cars, “Triple Cross” (May 22, 1936) ***WD
01:14:37.473 = BBC’s Haunted: Tales of the Supernatural, “Christina” (August 16, 1980) ***WD
01:41:13.947 = The Haunting Hour, “The People In The House” (August 17, 1945) ***WD
02:08:38.394 = Murder Is My Hobby, “Death Is a Twin” (September 12, 1947)
02:33:00.833 = Sherlock Holmes, “The Black Angus” (October 19, 1946)
03:02:11.171 = The House of Mystery, “The Ghost Who Forgot Halloween” (October 27, 1945) ***WD
03:33:32.680 = Incredible But True, “Where There’s Smoke” (1950-1951)
03:37:04.168 = Inner Sanctum, “Death Ship” (August 10, 1941)
04:04:04.256 = The Key, “Union Corruption” (1956)
04:28:35.469 = Lights Out, “Uninhabited” (December 22, 1937) ***WD (LQ)
04:57:23.185 = 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.
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"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
= = = = =#ParanormalRadio #ScienceFiction #OldTimeRadio #OTR #OTRHorror #ClassicRadioShows #HorrorRadioShows #VintageRadioDramas #WeirdDarkness
CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0572

From an 1856 "ape-man" found near railroad tracks in Maine to the famous Jacko capture of 1884, Bigfoot sightings have an uncanny habit of occurring along railway lines — and no one knows why.

IN THIS EPISODE: Have you ever noticed there seems to be something special going on with railroad tracks and Bigfoot? (Riding The Rails With Bigfoot) *** A man in Oklahoma reports a being on the side of the road that looked human – except it had the head of a snake! And the Native American population have an answer to what it is! (The Oklahoma Snakeman) *** What do you do if you are a woman in the 1800s whose husband was just tossed into prison for graverobbing? Well, if you were anything like Helen Miller neé Begbie, you might decide to continue the family business on your own. (Invasion of The Lasswade Body Snatchers) *** An author seeks out an alien abductee in order to try and get abducted himself! (An Author’s Search For Extraterrestrial Visitors)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Disclaimer and Show Open
00:01:33.156 = Riding The Rails With Bigfoot
00:08:11.273 = ***The Oklahoma Snakeman
00:14:00.966 = Invasion of the Lasswade Body Snatchers
00:24:43.856 = *** An Author’s Search For Extraterrestrial Visitors
00:38:30.931 = Story from listener, Meagan Campbell
00:43:09.428 = Show Close

SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“Riding The Rails With Bigfoot” by Loren Coleman for Cryptomundo: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ywrrahtk
“The Oklahoman Snakeman” posted at Cryptook (link no longer available)
“Invasion of the Lasswade Body Snatchers” by Suzie for DiggingUp1800.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3pfr44xf
(BLOG POST: “Mortstones - Protecting Yourself from the Resurrection Men”: https://weirddarkness.com/mortstones-protecting-yourself-from-the-resurrection-men/)
“An Author’s Search For Extraterrestrial Visitors” posted at Anomalien: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bntxzb5n
(BOOK: “The Magical Universe of William S. Burroughs” by Matthew Levi Stephens: https://amzn.to/2SEYLLD)
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(Over time links seen above 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
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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.
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Originally aired: May 11, 2021

EPISODE PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/BigfootRailroad
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.
#Bigfoot #Sasquatch #Cryptozoology #Cryptid #Unexplained #WildMan #BigfootSighting #StrangeCreatures #BigfootEvidence #WeirdDarkness

A restless English tourist discovers a hidden entrance to an unopened Egyptian pyramid — and stumbles into a royal banquet where mummies wake every thousand years to feast in the flesh. He has just 24 hours among the living dead before they return to their cases for another millennium.

IN THIS EPISODE: As we head into a new year, I thought it would be appropriate to make something old, new again – it’s a story I shared many years ago in the podcast and I really enjoyed narrating it – plus, it’s very appropriate for the day. The story was written in 1880 by Grant Allen; it’s titled “My New Year’s Eve Among The Mummies”.
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(Over time links seen above 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.
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Originally aired: December 31, 2021
EPISODE PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/NewYearsEveMummies
#Mummies #AncientEgypt #Pyramid #HorrorStory #Supernatural #ClassicHorror #EgyptianMummies #WeirdFiction #CreepyStories #WeirdDarkness

From Germany to India to suburban England, thousands of parents are paying hefty fees for courses that promise to awaken their children’s “third eye” – but what are they really teaching?

IN THIS EPISODE: From Germany to India to suburban England, thousands of parents are paying hefty fees for courses that promise to awaken their children’s “third eye” – but what are they really teaching? (Third Eye Children) *** Scientists discovered something massive buried beneath the lunar surface in 2019 — a metallic mass so large it could stretch from New York to Chicago, hidden hundreds of miles underground where no one expected anything to exist. (The Moon’s Impossible Secrets) *** Your computer screen flickers red, a simple question appears, and within days, the walls of your room are painted with your own blood – at least, that’s what thousands of internet users claim happened to them after encountering the most notorious cursed website in digital history. (The Red Room Curse) *** A former NASA engineer claims extraterrestrial technology isn’t just visiting Earth — it’s embedded in our planet by the trillions, invisible and self-aware. (Invisible Alien Spy Devices)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Seeing Without Eyes
00:02:51.375 = Show Open
00:06:37.474 = Third Eye Children
00:32:22.777 = *** Invisible Alien Spy Devices
00:48:22.848 = *** The Moon’s Impossible Secrets
01:19:22.654 = *** The Red Room Curse
01:33:54.442 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break

SOURCES and RESOURCES – and/or --- PRINT VERSION to READ or SHARE:
Invisible Alien Spy Devices: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/a9ps2379
The Red Room Curse: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/565vpe6t
The Moon’s Impossible Secrets: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/298vbuvc
Third Eye Children: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yc2j46we
=====(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: November 13, 2025
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/ThirdEyeChildren
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.
#WeirdDarkness #ThirdEyeAwakening #SeeingWithoutEyes #MidbrainActivation #BlindfoldedReading #SpiritualScams #ParanormalDebunked #PsychicChildren #ThirdEyeFraud #CriticalThinking

An Oxford biologist believes that after humans inevitably go extinct, octopuses may rise to become the next great civilization builders — and they've already started constructing underwater cities.

READ or SHARE: https://weirddarkness.com/octopus-takeover

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
#WeirdDarkness, #Octopus, #AnimalIntelligence, #Science, #Evolution, #MarineBiology, #OceanCreatures, #SmartAnimals, #HumanExtinction, #Documentary

It might be lesser-known that Amityville, or the hauntings of the Smurl family, or numerous other investigations made famous by Ed and Lorraine Warren, but a small home in Connecticut is one of the most terrifying and well-documented cases of the paranormal in recent history. 

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:08.475 = PART ONE: The House on Lindley Street
00:09:16.513 = *** PART TWO: What The Police Witnessed
00:19:08.016 = *** PART THREE: Four Entities
00:41:39.774 = *** PART FOUR: What The Witnesses Said Later
00:54:53.007 = *** PART FIVE: What Invited Them In
00:59:40.656 = Show Close

*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES and RESOURCES:“The Lindley Street Poltergeist” by Marcus Lowth for UFO Insight: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/jbntafrs
VIDEO: Paul Eno Talks About The Bridgeport Haunting: https://weirddarkness.com/paul-eno-talks-about-the-bridgeport-haunting/
BOOK: “The World’s Most Haunted House: The True Story of the Bridgeport Poltergeist on Lindley Street” by William Hall: https://amzn.to/3vJXuBc=====(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 07, 2021
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/LindleyStreet
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, #BridgeportPoltergeist, #EdAndLorraineWarren, #HauntedHouse, #Poltergeist, #TrueParanormal, #ParanormalInvestigation, #DocumentedHaunting, #ConnecticutGhost, #UnexplainedPhenomena

When a crew filming in an abandoned building encounters strange disappearances and shifting hallways, they quickly realize they're trapped in a reality-bending nightmare where every door leads further into madness—and no one is safe.

“No Way Out” by Keith Conrad for the Auditory Anthology podcast: https://weirddarkness.com/auditoryanthology

Originally aired: December 28, 2025

EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/NoWayOut

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, #AbandonedBuilding, #Vanished, #LiminalSpaces, #HorrorStory, #ParallelDimensions, #CreepyStories, #Paranormal, #TrappedNoEscape, #TalesFromTheBlueLine

A mysterious new star appears in the night sky after colliding with Neptune, the resulting fireball begins a journey toward the inner Solar System. Earth lies directly in its path, and the world is about to learn how small it truly is, and how unimportant the universe deems Earth and humanity to be.

IN THIS EPISODE: “The Star” by H.G. Wells (‘The Graphic’ magazine, November 21, 1897)

MORE Stories Like This: https://www.auditoryanthology.com
=====Originally aired: December 28, 2025
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/thestar
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.
#WeirdDarkness, #HGWells, #TheStar, #ClassicSciFi, #CosmicHorror, #ApocalypticFiction, #VintageSciFi, #PublicDomain, #ExistentialHorror, #SciFiStories