Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

On a quiet Indianapolis night, a seasoned reporter follows a police tip into the dark woods, uncovering footprints, eerie growls, and a mystery that may be bigger than he ever imagined.

IN THIS EPISODE: “Hairy Situation at the Forest Preserve” by Keith Conrad 

MORE Stories Like This: https://www.auditoryanthology.com
=====Originally aired: November 30, 2025
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/hairysituation
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, #BigfootSighting, #IndianaBigfoot, #CryptidEncounter, #Sasquatch, #SomethingInTheWoods, #Cryptozoology, #ScaryStories, #HorrorPodcast, #TalesFromTheBlueLine

For half a million years, he slept in secret, hiding among humanity. But when the Watchers come for him at sunset, it ignites a war not just of survival—but of ancient betrayal, identity, and a truth too terrifying for the world to know. He confesses to everything the FBI accuses him of — but the real reason he's in that interrogation room is something they'd never believe. | “Infiltration” by Algis Budrys (Originally published in Infinity Magazine, October 1958)

MORE Stories Like This: https://www.auditoryanthology.com
=====Originally aired: November 30, 2025
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/infiltration
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, #ColdWarSpy, #ClassicSciFi, #ExistentialHorror, #AlgisBudrys, #VintageScienceFiction, #ParanormalThriller, #NoirThriller, #HorrorPodcast, #PulpFiction

Hollywood has made horror movies about transplant recipients inheriting the personalities of their donors for decades — but real transplant patients are reporting the same thing, and scientists can't explain why.

SERMON TRANSCRIPT… https://weirddarkness.com/cotu-organtransplantmemories

Weird Darkness® and Church Of The Undead™ are trademarked. Copyright © 2025.
#WeirdDarkness, #HeartTransplant, #CellularMemory, #MedicalMystery, #UnexplainedPhenomena, #TrueStories, #Paranormal, #ScienceCantExplain, #OrganTransplant, #CreepyButTrue

A skull found in a Mexican mine 90 years ago has features that no single known medical condition can fully explain. Doctors and scientists have studied this misshapen skull for decades, but no one can agree on what it actually is.

IN THIS EPISODE: If you are into aliens or conspiracies, you’ve likely heard of the StarChild skull – a strange skull that appears either misshapen, or – as many believe – is the skull of a hybrid between extraterrestrials and human beings. What is the truth behind the StarChild? (What Is The StarChild?) *** In the 1700s life-saving techniques were obviously not as advanced as those we have today. Case in point – one doctor wanted to know if and how a drowned person might be brought back to life. The solution? Go to a hanging and try to revive the executed man. How do you think that went? (The Hanged Man) *** We’ve spoken often here on Weird Darkness about shadow people – what their purpose is, where they come from, whether they are malevolent or not… but are they ghosts, or something else entirely? (Are Shadow People Considered Ghosts?) *** A Reddit user shares his true story of hiking in the wilderness and suddenly being tracked and hunted over several days by a stranger with unknown intentions. (A Strange Man Hunted Me Through The Park) *** Within the walls of one of England’s most picturesque castles, a queen gave birth to her only child and set in motion a chain of events that would become one of Tudor England’s most intriguing mysteries. (The Unexplained Disappearance of the Queen’s Daughter)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Lead-In
00:01:28.939 = Show Open
00:03:41.187 = What Is The Starchild?
00:22:20.388 = *** The Hanged Man
00:30:05.929 = A Strange Man Hunted Me Through The Dark
00:35:03.546 = *** The Unexplainable Disappearance of the Queen’s Daughter
00:47:09.487 = *** Are Shadow People Considered Ghosts?
00:56:43.391 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES and RESOURCES...“The Hanged Man” by Romeo Vitelli for Providentia: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/32j6zyb7
“Are Shadow People Considered Ghosts?” by Jacob Shelton for Ranker’s Graveyard Shift: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/uej2nyca
“A Strange Man Hunted Me Through The Park” by Redditor u/ValyrianJedi: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/436p34t7
“The Unexplained Disappearance of the Queen’s Daughter” by Lydia Starbuck for Royal Central:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bfhkxthc
“What Is The Starchild?” by Dr. Elizabeth Mitchell, posted at Anomalien: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ewccfd5c, and from StarChildProject.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/wb8daydd=====(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: April 12, 2021
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/starchild
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.
#StarchildSkull #AncientMystery #UnexplainedMysteries #AlienHybrid #MexicanMine #AncientDNA #ParanormalMystery #ArchaeologicalMystery #UnsolvedMysteries #WeirdDarkness

A lonely widower's heart stops after a woman with his dead wife's face and name walks into a bar — and he wakes up strapped to a chair as the unwilling contestant on a horrifying game show in Purgatory.

IN THIS EPISODE: “N.D.E.” (“Where To Next?”) by Luther Kross

SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“N.D.E.” (short horror fiction) by Luther Kross: https://www.facebook.com/lutherkross

=====(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: June 2022
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/WhereToNext
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 #NearDeathExperience #IDiedAndCameBack #Purgatory #Afterlife #HorrorStory #CreepyStory #Paranormal #ScaryStory #WhatHappensWhenYouDie

Thirty years ago, Eric watched his 40-year-old father walk out to meet a group of carolers and never came back. Now it's Christmas Eve, and Eric just turned 40 himself. | “Silent Night” by Scott Donnelly #MicroTerrors

Find more family-friendly frights and creepy games to play on our website at http://MicroTerrors.com!
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/microterrors
Other stories, novels, and more from author Scott Donnelly: https://amzn.to/3LymHaU
Other narrations, podcasts, and audiobooks from voice artist Darren Marlar: https://WeirdDarkness.com
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Weird Darkness©, 2025
Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids™, 2025#WeirdDarkness #ChristmasHorror #GhostStory #ScaryChristmas #HolidayHorror #CreepyChristmas #ParanormalStory #HauntedChristmas #ChristmasCurse #ScaryStories

In this isolated prairie town, no one is allowed to leave — and teenage Eero has tried to escape five times. Each attempt brings harsher punishment, but what the town has planned for his sixth attempt is far worse than anything he's faced before. He’s about to wish he had never tried to leave. | “Bonehouse” by CBC Deep Night | #RetroRadio EP0562

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Legend of Phoenix Hill” (February 25, 1977) ***WD
00:48:22.908 = The Crime Club, “Serenade Macabre” (July 24, 1947) ***WD
01:16:43.532 = Danger Doctor Danfield, “Harriet Miller” (September 29, 1946)
01:41:54.079 = CBC Deep Night, “Bonehouse” (August 12, 2005)
02:15:03.903 = Diary of Fate, “Marvin Thomas Entry” (June 08, 1948) ***WD
02:44:09.164 = Dimension X, ‘Almost Human” (May 13, 1950) ***WD
03:12:37.744 = The Strange Dr. Weird, “The Man Who Played Dead” (May 01, 1945) ***WD
03:24:27.891 = The Creaking Door, “Alive In The Grave” (November 30, 1964)
03:53:29.657 = The Eleventh Hour, “Tavern Of Lost Souls” (February 18, 1960) ***WD
04:21:17.421 = Escape, “Orient Express” (February 19, 1949)
04:50:43.845 = 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/WDRR0562

From an abandoned Alaskan town where residents fled a deadly "wild man" to the father who sold everything searching for his missing son in Olympic National Park, we explore the disturbing pattern of unexplained disappearances in North America's wildest places—and whether the legendary Bigfoot might know more than we think.

IN THIS EPISODE: We explore the possible connection between unexplained disappearances and alleged Bigfoot encounters. We'll look at disturbing cases like the experienced park ranger who vanished in 1987, leaving behind only his belongings and mysterious journal entries, and the 12-year-old boy who somehow survived two freezing nights alone in the wilderness. What secrets lie hidden in shadowy forests of North America? Could there be something big and furry out there that could explain the vanishing of people into thin air? Is there something nasty and beastly among the natural beauty?

SOURCES and RESOURCES:
“The Bigfoot Connection”: Brent Swancer, Mysterious Universe: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/cer7zhdt
“Bigfoot And The Missing Cyclist”: Eric Spitznagel, NY Post: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckrn22c
“The Lost Among Shenandoah’s Sasquatch”: Forrest McFarland, The U.S. Sun: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8fvhmp
=====(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: December 04, 2024
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/BigfootConnection
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 #Bigfoot #MissingHikers #UnsolvedMysteries #NationalParkMysteries #Sasquatch #TrueMystery #CreepyStories #Cryptozoology #WildernessDisappearances

A faint knock from inside a coffin at a Buddhist temple saved a woman from being cremated alive in Thailand.

READ or SHARE: https://weirddarkness.com/woman-alive-coffin

00:00:00 = Open
00:45.49 = The Journey To The Temple
03:17.78 = The Sound That Changed Everything
05:21.73 = How Death Certificates Save Lives
06:59.11 = Not An Isolated Incident
11:50.43 = The Medical Mystery of Appearing Dead
16:36.28 = The Boundary Between Life and Death
18:56.78 = The Woman’s Current Status
WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
#WeirdDarkness #WomanAliveinCoffin #DeclaredDead #ThailandNews #MedicalMystery #SurvivalStory #BuriedAlive #FuneralHome #TrueStory #Unexplained

Three young brothers vanish from their father's backyard on Thanksgiving Day, a hijacker parachutes into the night with $200,000 and is never seen again, and a grandfather's ghost story leads to the discovery of a 200-year-old mass murder — these are just some of the chilling mysteries that have turned America's day of gratitude into something far more sinister. From unsolved killings and baffling disappearances to haunted hotels and tragic shipwrecks, this episode explores the dark side of Thanksgiving that most families never discuss at the dinner table.

IN THIS EPISODE: While the rest of Americans are at home with their families, eating turkey and enjoying annual celebrations-- Thanksgiving has a darker side. We may often overlook this truth because it is rarely discussed at the Thanksgiving table. Every Thanksgiving Day there are some tragic and mysterious incidents. Many of these unfathomably awful things are never explained. Whether it is murders, gory accidents or strange vanishings during the night–these true-life unexplained mysteries and horrendous crimes might make excellent dinner-table conversation… assuming you’re dining with other Weirdos like yourself. *** We’ll talk about the year we had two Thanksgivings in the United States. (The Year With Two Thanksgivings) *** A Weirdo family member shares a freaky true Thanksgiving story with an explosive ending! (Thanksgiving Explosion) *** Two brothers solve an almost 200-year-old murder mystery thanks to a Thanksgiving ghost story that was told to them by their grandfather. (Grandpa’s Thanksgiving Ghost Story) *** I’ll share a horrific Thanksgiving tale from the latter part of the nineteenth century. (Feast of Terror) *** The Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego is one of the most beautiful hotels in the world – and some say the most haunted. (A Thanksgiving Ghost Story) *** On November 19, 1924, Hollywood movie producer Thomas Ince died after celebrating his 42nd birthday aboard a yacht belonging to infamous newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst, but to this day, the exact circumstances of his death remain a mystery. Could this be why his ghost still wanders the movie studio that he founded? *** On the night of November 20, 1901, a young North Carolina woman named Nell Cropsey vanished from her family’s home in Elizabeth City. After a frantic search that lasted more than a month, Nell’s body was discovered floating in a nearby river. She had been brutally murdered – but by who? *** On November 23, 1910, American-born homeopathic physician and salesman Hawley Harvey Crippen (usually known simply as Dr. Crippen in crime annals) was hanged at Pentonville Prison in London for the murder of his wife, Cora. But was he really a murderer? *** While the holidays are usually a time of cheer and happiness, the people of Chicago learned of a Christmas-related tragedy on November 22, 1912 when the famed "Christmas Tree Ship" went down in a storm on Lake Michigan. The tragedy changed the face of the holidays for the people of Chicago in a very unexpected way. ***Plus the original short horror story “Black Friday” by horror master, Jason R. Davis!

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Lead-In
00:01:25.429 = Show Open

THANKSGIVING CRIMES & UNSOLVED MYSTERIES…
00:05:07.769 = D.B. Cooper
00:09:02.880 = Kelsey Berreth
00:10:57.900 = Paul Knockel
00:12:06.532 = Nancy Bergeson
00:14:28.168 = Maria Elizalde
00:17:51.287 = Shane Montgomery
00:22:36.826 = Murders In Miramar
00:24:59.113 = Beth Barr
00:28:03.928 = Cynthia Alonzo
00:29:55.853 = The Blount Family
00:32:26.710 = Tacoma’s Thanksgiving Shooting
00:34:32.282 = Rapper Soulja Slim
00:37:00.446 = Neshaminy Creek John Doe
00:38:47.336 = Karen Marie Mitchell
00:40:15.343 = The Game Warden Murder
00:42:19.407 = The Skelton Brothers
00:44:09.525 = Owens and Hawley

MORE THANKSGIVING…
00:46:45.294 = The Year With Two Thanksgivings
00:54:24.306 = Thanksgiving Explosion
01:00:49.426 = Grandpa’s Thanksgiving Story
01:05:02.537 = Feast of Terror
01:15:23.117 = A Thanksgiving Ghost Story
01:21:28.418 = The Mysterious Death of Thomas Ince and the Haunting of Culver Studios
01:36:45.101 = The Lingering Ghost of Nell Cropsey
01:45:21.921 = The Strange Case of Dr. Crippen
01:57:47.054 = The Christmas Tree Ship Tragedy

A FICTIONAL SCARE FOR THE DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING…
02:05:33.347 = “Black Friday” by Jason R. Davis (short fictional holiday horror story)

WRAPPING UP THIS TURKEY OF AN EPISODE…
02:37:24.291 = A Special Thanks
02:39:07.066 = Show Close

SOURCES and RESOURCES: https://weirddarkness.com/thanksgiving

=====(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 2021, November 2022, November 2024

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 #ThanksgivingMysteries #UnsolvedMysteries #TrueCrime #DBCooper #ColdCases #GhostStories #MissingPersons #HolidayHorror #ParanormalPodcast