Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

#WDRadio WEEK OF OCT 19, 2025 | In the late 1800s, a journalist uncovered the shocking secret of how medical schools obtained their teaching skeletons: hidden factories in London, Paris, and New York that processed unclaimed morgue bodies and exotic specimens from travelers into 10,000 anatomical skeletons per year, using acid baths, boiling tanks, and skilled anatomists who rarely assembled bones from the same person.
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HOUR ONE: Seeing a lifelike human skeleton in a doctor’s office, especially in the past couple of centuries, was – and in many cases still is - commonplace. But where did one go to get such lifelike skeletons if you were a doctor in the 1800s? Why, a skeleton factory, of course! (The Skeleton Factory) *** The story of Kate Watson is a grim one – living as a prostitute in the Old West, and when that wasn’t enough she took up cattle rustling. Her husband wasn’t any better. So it’s probably no surprise that she was strung up until dead. But maybe you should wait to pass judgement until you hear the whole story. (The Lynching of Cattle Kate) *** In March of 2004, teenager Brianna Maitland left work in the late evening hours and was never seen again. To this day it is still one of Vermont’s most infamous mysteries. (The Vanishing of Brianna Maitland) *** Plus, “The Haunted Adirondack Mountains”
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HOUR TWO: It is considered by many, Britain’s most well-known disappearing person case. Even now, over three decades later, people in the UK are still fascinated and intrigued by the unexplained vanishing of Suzy Lamplugh. (The Suzy Lamplugh Mystery) *** John List planned the murders of his own family so carefully, he almost got away with it. In fact, it took 18 years to catch him. (The Family Man Who Murdered His Family) *** We’ll look at what it was like to be a woman in the 17th Century… and accused of witchcraft. (Witchly Accusations) *** If you drink whiskey, or even if you don’t, you’re likely familiar with “Jameson Irish Whiskey.” But did you know that cannibalism played a part in its history? (Whiskey and Cannibalism) *** A strange phenomenon takes place in Arkansas, and despite the numerous sightings and investigations, there is still no explanation for it. (Unexplained In Arkansas)
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SUDDEN DEATH OVERTIME: Parents always feel their child is special in some way – something that makes their child better in some way than other children. Parents of indigo children are no different, with some parents thinking their children have psychic abilities. Doctors say that these children have ADD or ADHD, but one parapsychologist says indigo children have something even more special – possibly even paranormal - inside them. (Supernatural Indigo Children) *** When you think of a mad scientist you most likely think of Victor Frankenstein – but it’s rumored Mary Shelley took inspiration for the character from a real mad scientist by the name of Andrew Ure. (Andrew Ure: A Real Life Mad Scientist) *** The story of Kate Watson is a grim one – living as a prostitute in the Old West, and when that wasn’t enough she took up cattle rustling. Her husband wasn’t any better. So it’s probably no surprise that she was strung up until dead. But maybe you should wait to pass judgement until you hear the whole story. (The Lynching of Cattle Kate)
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SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM TONIGHT’S SHOW:
"The Suzy Lamplugh Mystery” by Amelia Gentleman for The Guardian: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2v2z6tp6
“The Family Man Who Murdered His Family” from The Line Up: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/392yt322
“Witchly Accusations” by Jessica Nelson for the UK’s National Archives: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/j7nnd3ax
“Whiskey and Cannibalism” posted at The Scare Chamber: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/9rx24777
“Supernatural Indigo Children” by Gina Dimuro for All That’s Interesting: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/apk85b29
“Unexplained in Arkansas” by Ellen Lloyd for Ancient Pages: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/27zaptdb
“Haunted Adirondack Mountains” by Molly Briggs for Paranormality Magazine: http://weirddarkness.com/magazine
“The Skeleton Factory” from Strange Ago: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2j8reje3
“Andrew Ure: A Real Life Mad Scientist” posted at The Scare Chamber: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3n5tfpeh
“The Murder of Nurse Cindy” posted the The Trouble With Justice: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2kfah7mv
“The Lynching of Cattle Kate” posted at Strange Company: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/utdy2sh6
“The Vanishing of Brianna Maitland” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/je9s98ru
==========(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for material I use whenever possible. If I have overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it immediately. Some links may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)
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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®, WeirdDarkness© 2025
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Two psychics drained their victims of over $600,000 by claiming to remove deadly curses, but the real danger wasn't supernatural at all.

SERMON TRANSCRIPT…https://weirddarkness.com/cotu-fortune-tellers

Weird Darkness® and Church Of The Undead™ are trademarked. Copyright © 2025.
#WeirdDarkness #PsychicScam #ChristianSermon #FortuneTellerFraud #BibleTeaching #OccultDangers #SpiritualWarfare #TrustingGod #ChristianPodcast #FaithOverFear

A robot enters the ring to fight for the middleweight championship, but it’s not the title belt that hangs in the balance so much as what he’s being encouraged to say to the crowd when he wins… if he wins.

“Title Fight” by William Gault (Fantastic Universe December 1956)

A mild-mannered hobo named Chicken is mistaken for the legendary outlaw Black Eagle and must maintain the deadly charade when forced to lead a train robbery he has no idea how to execute. | CBS Radio Mystery Theater | #RetroRadio EP0536

Support our Halloween “Overcoming the Darkness” campaign to help people with depression: https://weirddarkness.com/HOPE

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Passing of Black Eagle” (January 11, 1977)
00:46:54.995 = Mystery House, “Drop Me a Line” (July 26, 1946) ***WD
01:13:27.465 = CBC Nightfall, “The Tie That Binds” (October 22, 1982)
01:42:57.376 = Obsession, “Raised From The Dead” (February 19, 1951) ***WD
02:05:43.877 = Origin of Superstition, “Throwing Shoes” (1935) ***WD
02:19:37.602 = Peril, “Lucky Lady” (1953) ***WD
02:45:29.012 = Mystery Playhouse, “Angel Face” (October 05, 1945) **WD
03:10:29.465 = Price of Fear, “Goody Two Shoes” (May 30, 1983) ***WD (LQ)
03:37:29.937 = Adventures of Ellery Queen, “Man In The Street” (December 04, 1947) ***WD
04:07:34.810 = Quiet Please, “Beezer’s Cellar” (October 10, 1948)
04:37:30.206 = Radio City Playhouse, “Note on Danger B” (June 06, 1949)
05:05:53.913 = 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/WDRR0536

When a retired magician and an arrogant estate owner clash over property changes, their feud escalates to a deadly wager—one that traps a man in an ancient torture device with only an hour to escape, while his fate hangs on whether his rival will open the door in time.

Support our Halloween “Overcoming the Darkness” campaign to help people with depression: https://weirddarkness.com/HOPE

IN THIS EPISODE: In this tale fro Stanley Ellin – a tale deemed too disturbing for Alfred Hitchcock’s TV show - two men of very different character, different ways of viewing the world, challenge one another over the future of a house each values in his own way. A bet is made, the stakes are unexpectedly raised, and in the end… well, suffice it to say that the story lingers long past the closing line.

SOURCE:
“The Moment of Decision” by Stanley Ellin, from the book, “Alfred Hitchcock: 13 More Stories They Wouldn’t Let Me Do on TV”: https://amzn.to/3ta2oJX
=====(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, 2020
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/MomentOfDecision
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 #ThrillerStory #AlfredHitchcock #ClassicHorror #PsychologicalThriller #DarkFiction #TrueCrimeAndMystery #CreepyStories #SuspenseStory #HorrorNarration

A cross-country driver realizes the hitchhiker he keeps impossibly encountering along his route might be the only one of them who's still alive. | Mercury Summer Theater of the Air | #RetroRadio EP0535

Support our Halloween “Overcoming the Darkness” campaign to help people with depression: https://weirddarkness.com/HOPE

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “This Breed Is Doomed” (January 04, 1977) ***WD
00:47:07.210 = Beyond Midnight, “Take Your Partners” (August 29, 1969) (LQ)
01:17:02.645 = MindWebs, “The Evergreen Library” (June 17, 1979)
01:47:24.692 = Mercury Summer Theater of the Air, “The Hitchhiker” (June 21, 1946) ***WD
02:17:11.676 = Mystery In The Air, “Mask of Medusa” (September 04, 1947) ***WD
02:46:57.168 = Molle Mystery Theater, “Make No Mistake” (April 30, 1948)
03:16:20.258 = The Cisco Kid, “Mummy In The Desert” (April 21, 1953) ***WD
03:44:06.225 = Murder at Midnight, “The Man Who Died Yesterday” (December 02, 1946)
04:10:14.826 = The Black Museum, “Jar of Acid” (May 15, 1952)
04:35:44.589 = The Mysterious Traveler, “I Died Last Night” (April 25, 1950) ***WD
05:04:22.898 = 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/WDRR0535

Armed with a mysterious leather-bound manuscript and help from a library employee, Shawn and Lucy venture into an abandoned office on Halloween to uncover the truth about the Grove City Library's dark secret.

This is a sequel to last year’s Halloween hit saga, “The Grove City Werewolf!” We recommend you listen to that story first: https://weirddarkness.com/grovecity/


This episode’s page: https://weirddarkness.com/grovecity2/

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
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Weird Darkness©, 2025
Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids™, 2025#ScaryStoriesForKids #StoriesForKids #KidsStories #HalloweenKids #MicroTerrors #HalloweenStories

When a police speed camera picked up invisible humanoids sprinting at 40 mph, it became just one of dozens of credible cryptid encounters reported by multiple witnesses worldwide.

Support our Halloween “Overcoming the Darkness” campaign to help people with depression: https://weirddarkness.com/HOPE

IN THIS EPISODE: The number of Bigfoot, Loch Ness Monster, chupacabra, Jersey Devil, and various other cryptid and creature sightings is astronomical if you really look at it. And while it’s more than possible that most of these sightings are explainable by misidentification of existing wildlife, or overactive imaginations, the sheer number of sightings couldn’t possibly be waved off by such simple explanations. We’ll look at some true stories of people who have come across unexplainable creatures. (I Met a Monster: True Stories of Cryptid Encounters) *** Have you ever had a premonition while dreaming? Something that later came true in real life? What do you do with that information? What if you know it’s not a normal dream, but a real look into the future and if you don’t do something, a tragedy will take place? But then… what if your dream warning is what actually leads to a real life murder? (The Dream That Led To Murder) *** The ability to move something only with the power of your mind has been disproven by science time and time again. Telekinesis, as much as we’d like to think it’s possible, has been proven not to exist. Well, except for those scientific studies that we have not heard about that say the exact opposite. (The Reality of Telekinesis) *** Thousands of people in Finland experienced a UFO sighting one night in 1966. The incident, however, was obviously not taken too seriously, as it was barely investigated despite the numerous reports. But those who lived through it say it was a night they will never forget. (Anatomy of a UFO Incident) *** Born into wealth, then orphaned, then forced to marry at the age of 14, losing all control of her money and future, Katherine Ferrers did what any teenaged girl in her position would do – she became a ruthless highway robber that terrorized local villages. (Female Highwayman: The Wicked Lady of the 1600s) *** People in Gloucester, Massachusetts were reporting very bizarre things in the summer of 1692. They heard the march of troops despite the war having ended twenty years earlier. They saw what they claimed was a human scalp and the shape of a Native America’s bow when looking at the face of the moon. But that was only the appetizer of what would come that horrifying summer of paranormal activity. (The Spectre Leaguers of Gloucester) *** Seeing a deceased loved one, a soft glowing light, a warm feeling of comfort and love… people have reported seeing many of these types of things when near death. And while some might want to blame it on the brain’s neurons misfiring or even rapid-firing towards the end of someone’s life, how does that explain that the majority of these reports are so similar? (Deathbed Visions) *** In 1849, young Cornelius Ahern was only nineteen years old, and his chosen occupation was pickpocketing. It’s likely we never would’ve heard about him except for the fact that he once attempted – and failed – to pick the pocket of one particular writer who would one day become famous. Charles Dickens. (The Pickpocket and Charles Dickens) *** The assassination of President John F. Kennedy has been surrounded by controversy and conspiracy theories since the day of his death. The magic bullet theory, Lee Harvey Oswald was or was not the lone gunman, was there someone in the grassy knoll, was their a government conspiracy to have Kennedy killed? But there’s another mystery most documentaries and books don’t cover – what about Kennedy’smissing brain? (JFK’s Missing Brain) 
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = The Rake (Short Story of Fiction)
00:08:26.304 = Show Open
00:13:19.019 = ***I Met a Monster (True Stories of Cryptid Encounters)
00:34:18.722 = ***Anatomy of a UFO Incident
00:59:19.954 = ***The Dream That Led To Murder
01:05:11.008 = The Reality of Telekinesis
01:10:56.521 = JFK’s Missing Brain
01:16:09.491 = Wicked Lady Female Highwayman
01:28:43.906 = ***The Spectre Leaguers of Gloucester
01:34:25.268 = Deathbed Visions
01:43:18.330 = ***The Pickpocket and Charles Dickens
01:53:39.038 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES and RESOURCES:
BOOK: “The Night-Side of Nature; or Ghosts, and Ghost-Seers” by Catherine Crowe: https://tinyurl.com/y4cf53hx
BOOK: “The Physics of God: Unifying Quantum Physics, Consciousness, M-Theory, Heaven, Neuroscience and
BOOK: “Death Bed Visions” by William Barrett: https://amzn.to/36ttn7t
BOOK: “At The Hour of Death” Dr. Karlis Osis: https://amzn.to/3oeyvlY
BOOK: "One Last Hug Before I Go: The Mystery and Meaning of Death Bed Visions," by Carla Wills-Brandon: https://amzn.to/2VnQ3zo
BOOK: “Parting Visions” by Melvin Morse: https://amzn.to/3my1ws8
Transcendence” by Joseph Selbie: https://amzn.to/3lCMm3v
“I Met a Monster: True Stories of Cryptid Encounters” by Stephen Wagner for Live About: https://tinyurl.com/y2pz2jnv
“The Dream That Led To Murder” by Malcom Smith for Malcolm’s Musings: https://tinyurl.com/y3zuubvt
“The Reality of Telekinesis” by Cynthia McKanzie for Message to Eagle: https://tinyurl.com/y67ogt42
“Anatomy of a UFO Incident” by Lawrence Gerald for Ideal’s UFO Magazine, March 1978: https://tinyurl.com/y473g9d4
The fictional short horror story at the beginning of this episode, “The Rake” is from Creepypasta Wiki, author unknown: https://tinyurl.com/y67kp75z
“JFK’s Missing Brain” by Doug MacGowan for Historic Mysteries: https://tinyurl.com/yxfqhlkl
“Female Highwayman: The Wicked Lady of the 1600s” by Gemma Hollman for Just History Posts: https://tinyurl.com/y43sxm2t
“The Spectre Leaguers of Gloucester” by Charles M. Skinner, edited by Kathy Weister for Legends of America:https://tinyurl.com/y6sh78ca
“Deathbed Visions” by Stephen Wagner for Live About: https://tinyurl.com/yygv27vx
“The Pickpocket and Charles Dickens” by William Ellis-Rees for London Overlooked: https://tinyurl.com/y28w5pgx
=====(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 2020
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/TrueCryptidEncounters
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 #CryptidEncounters #TrueCryptidStories #MothmanSighting #ParanormalStories #UnexplainedMysteries #Cryptozoology #TrueHorrorStories #SupernaturalEncounters #RealMonsterSightings

A rancher in Villa de la Quebrada found two of his animals dead with impossibly precise cuts and missing organs, joining a pattern of mysterious livestock deaths that spans two continents.

Read the article: https://weirddarkness.com/cattle-mutilation-villa-de-la-quebrada/


Support our Halloween “Overcoming the Darkness” campaign to help people with depression: https://weirddarkness.com/HOPE

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
#WeirdDarkness #CattleMutilation #UnsolvedMysteries #UnexplainedPhenomena #Paranormal #UFOSightings #TrueMystery #Chupacabra #AlienConspiracy #37thParallel

Two Pennsylvania psychics convinced their victims that powerful curses threatened to destroy everything they loved, then systematically drained them of over $600,000.

Support our Halloween “Overcoming the Darkness” campaign to help people with depression: https://weirddarkness.com/HOPE

Read the article: https://weirddarkness.com/psychic-scam-600000-curse-removal-fraud

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.
#WeirdDarkness #PsychicScam #FortuneTellerFraud #CurseRemovalScam #FakePsychic #TrueCrime #ColdReading #SpiritualFraud #ConArtist #PennsylvaniaCrime #FraudCase