Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

An ordinary person receives a mysterious USB drive announcing they've been selected for a deadly tournament where 64 contestants must hunt each other down one by one, with their kidnapped parents' lives hanging in the balance.

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IN THIS EPISODE: Originally used on Weird Darkness as a #ThrillerThursday episode in 2021, this creepypasta is a great piece of fiction from the No Sleep sub-Reddit; it’s Devin Hooper’s incredible tale, “Serial Killer Showdown!”
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.
SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“Serial Killer Showdown” by Devin Hooper: https://tinyurl.com/y7wp5h46
=====(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: January, 2021
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.
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/SerialKillerShowdown
#SerialKillerShowdown #Creepypasta #NoSleep #DevinHooper #HorrorStories #SurvivalHorror #DeathGame #USBMystery #PsychologicalHorror #ScaryStories #KillOrBeKilled #HorrorFiction #Thriller #HorrorNarration #RedditHorror #NoSleepStories #AudioHorror #SurvivalTournament #64Contestants #HunterVsHunted #ForcedToKill #EliminationGame #DarkFiction #HorrorPodcast #CreepyStories #MoralDilemma #DeathMatch #UndergroundTournament #SuspenseThriller #HorrorAudio #ScaryNarration #AudioFiction #ChampionshipRound #HostageSituation #SurvivalGame #FinalShowdown #HorrorCommunity #CreepypastaStories #NoSleepPodcast #WeirdDarkness

A New York artist’s world unravels when a strange symbol and a corpse-like church watchman draw him into a nightmare from which there is no waking.

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IN THIS EPISODE: “The Yellow Sign” is one of the most famous short stories from Robert W. Chambers’ 1895 collection The King in Yellow. It’s a creepy, proto–weird fiction tale set in New York, told by an artist who becomes entangled with a strange symbol — the titular Yellow Sign — and a disturbing, almost inhuman church watchman. The story blends mystery, horror, and cosmic dread, with the forbidden play The King in Yellow lurking in the background as a corrupting influence.
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.
SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…‘The King in Yellow’ by Robert W. Chambers: https://amzn.to/4mINFOo
=====(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: August 14, 2025
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.
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/TheYellowSign
#TheYellowSign, #RobertWChambers, #TheKingInYellow, #WeirdFiction, #GothicHorror, #CosmicHorror, #VictorianHorror, #SupernaturalStory, #CursedSymbol, #ClassicHorror, #CreepyLiterature, #GothicMystery, #HorrorShortStory, #HauntedNewYork, #PsychologicalHorror, #EarlyWeirdFiction, #HorrorAnthology, #CultHorrorClassic, #EerieTale, #DarkFiction, #VintageHorror

Two of the most explosive government secrets collide in 2025 as officials drip-feed UFO revelations while simultaneously blocking access to Jeffrey Epstein's investigation files — a timing that has conspiracy theorists, comedians, and congressmen asking the same uncomfortable question.

READ or HEAR the story: https://weirddarkness.com/ufos-epstein-files/
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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.

In 1911, Indianapolis' pioneering female doctor was found nearly decapitated in her locked apartment with no sign of how the killer entered or escaped—and the murder weapon had vanished without a trace.

Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate

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IN THIS EPISODE: A child walking into their parent’s room in the middle of the night is something every parent who has ever had a child has experienced on multiple occasions – but one parent’s experience ended with a dark twist. (The Child Not Really There) *** Georgette Bauerdorf was a young socialite with a grand future – when her life was cut short in the dead of the night. Her screams went unanswered, and her murder became a mystery. And Georgette’s murder remains unsolved almost 80 years later. (The Unsolved Murder of Georgette Bauerdorf) *** The bat is a mysterious creature. To some, such as the Chinese, it is considered a symbol of luck. To others such as the Europeans and Americans, it is seen as something scary. And of course horror films see it as the flying form of Bela Lugosi. But the Mayans might have the strangest, or maybe coolest – depending on your outlook – opinion on the bat; they believe it is the representation of a deadly vampire god. (Camazotz: The Death Bat Vampire God) *** Helen Knabe's life was remarkable, in the best sense of the word. Unfortunately, her death was also remarkable, but in the worst possible way.
 (The Deadly House Call) *** Blanche Monnier was kept locked in her bedroom for a quarter of a century. When finally rescued she looked inhuman. What her mother did to her was inhumane. (Locked In Her Room For 25 Years) *** An historian has come forward saying that his father, the former Commander of White Sands Missile Range in the 1940s, analyzed some of the material found at the UFO crash site at Roswell. I’ll tell you what he found.(Navy Captain Tested Roswell UFO Debris) *** The lynching of Sheriff Henry Plummer poses one of the most haunting mysteries of the Old West. But I’ll share some of the details that not everyone has heard about this grim 1863 incident. (The Lynching of Sheriff Plummer)
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.
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:02:50.059 = The Deadly House Call
00:16:17.448 = Camazotz: The Death Bat Vampire God
00:19:38.471 = Locked In Her Room For 25 Years
00:27:06.447 = Unsolved Murder of Georgette Bauerdorf
00:32:45.952 = Child Not Really There
00:36:27.996 = Navy Captain Tested Roswell UFO Debris
00:47:55.099 = Lynching of Sheriff Plummer
01:09:13.573 = Show Close
SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“The Deadly House Call” from Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/ybq4snl6
“The Unsolved Murder of Georgette Bauerdorf” by Elisabeth Tilsra for The Line Up: https://tinyurl.com/yae6ccll
“The Child Not Really There” by Kest from Your Ghost Stories: https://tinyurl.com/y8qvyp7u
“Camazotz: The Death Bat Vampire God” by A. Sutherland for Ancient Pages: https://tinyurl.com/ydbxxuaw
“Locked In Her Room For 25 Years” from Bugged Space: https://tinyurl.com/y9tsr6m7
“Navy Captain Tested Roswell UFO Debris” by Anthony Bragalia for UFO Explorations: https://tinyurl.com/yazkthbn
“The Lynching of Sheriff Plummer” by R.E. Matter and R.E. Boswell for Wild West Magazine: https://tinyurl.com/ydffcl8c
=====(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 17, 2020
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.
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/HelenKnabe
#HelenKnabe #HelenKnabeMurder #UnsolvedMurder #LockedRoomMystery #TrueCrime #IndianapolisMurder #1911Murder #ColdCase #DrHelenKnabe #ImpossibleMurder #UnsolvedMysteries #HistoricalTrueCrime #FemaleDoctorMurdered #IndianaTrueCrime #VictorianMurder #MedicalPioneer #FirstBacteriologist #GermanImmigrant #WomenInMedicine #BizarreMurderTheories #WilliamCraig #AlonzoRagsdale #SethNichols #MissingMurderWeapon #LockedApartment #NearlyDecapitated #ThroatSlashing #ForensicEvidence #BloodyHandprint #FailedMurderTrial #TrueCrimeStories #MysteriousDeaths #VintageTrueCrime #October1911 #SelfMadeWoman #UnsolvedAmericanMurders #GothicMurder #BuddhistDeathSquad #BloodTransfusionTheory #ImpossibleCrime #TrueCrimeUnsolved #HauntedIndianapolis #GhostStories #MurderMystery #HistoricalMurders #CrimeInvestigation #DetectiveHarryWebster #Microtome #TrueCrimeCommunity #TrueCrimeAddict

Church of the Undead "Sleep Paralysis" episode: https://weirddarkness.com/cotu-sleepparalysis/ 

Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate
Take the WEIRD DARKNESS LISTENER SURVEY and help mold the future of the podcast: https://weirddarkness.com/survey
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.= = = = ="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: August 13, 2025

A researcher claims centuries of maritime terror boils down to cold, hard math — and the numbers are more disturbing than any supernatural theory.

READ or HEAR the story: https://weirddarkness.com/bermuda-triangle-mystery-solved-science-explanation/

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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.

A Harvard astronomer’s controversial theory about a massive object hurtling through our solar system has ignited fierce debate in the scientific community — and raised questions about whether humanity should prepare for contact.

READ or HEAR the story: https://weirddarkness.com/harvard-scientist-aliens-earth-2025/
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WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.

When Charles Peck died instantly in California's worst train crash, his phone somehow made 35 calls to his loved ones over the next 11 hours—and his case is just one of many documented instances of the dead reaching out through our technology.

Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate
Take the WEIRD DARKNESS LISTENER SURVEY and help mold the future of the podcast: https://weirddarkness.com/survey
IN THIS EPISODE: Charles died in a horrible train accident, but before anyone knew he was dead, his family received 35 calls from his phone after the tragedy. (He Kept Calling His Family After He Was Dead) *** Weirdo family member Christa Aurand describes something about herself that is somewhat unusual. Unusual to her – and kind of creepy to those around her. You see, sometimes people think she’s dead. (I Am Not Dead) *** Army First Lieutenant Paul Byron Whipkey was as brave as he was handsome. After telling his fellow troops that he was going out for a drink he never came back – and was never heard from again, by anyone. (The Vanishing Lieutenant and the Disappearing Cadet) *** Final Destination is a massive franchise with numerous films, novels, and comic books in the universe it has created. Fortunately it’s all from the minds of horror fiction authors. Or is it? There are real cases where some narrowly escaped death, only for death to catch up to them soon thereafter. Very soon. (You Can’t Escape The Reaper)
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.
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:57.953 = He Kept Calling His Family After He Was Dead
00:13:49.199 = I Am Not Dead
00:19:22.187 = You Can’t Escape The Reaper
00:29:06.011 = The Vanishing Lieutenant And The Disappearing Cadet
00:46:22.286 = Show Close

SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“Messages a Deceased Emily Sent To Her Boyfriend”: https://tinyurl.com/ybwjeoza
“He Kept Calling His Family After He Was Dead” by Eric McCann for Ranker: https://tinyurl.com/y926db7g
“I Am Not Dead” by Weirdo family member, Christa Aurand, submitted at WeirdDarkness.com
“You Can’t Escape The Reaper” by Ryan Davis for Ranker: https://tinyurl.com/y6v4hhmv
“The Vanishing Lieutenant and the Disappearing Cadet” from Strange Company: https://tinyurl.com/yan75oha;https://tinyurl.com/yc7f83mt
=====(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 16, 2020
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.
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/DeadCallers
#PhoneCallsFromTheDead #CharlesPeck #ChatsworthTrainCrash #CallsFromBeyondTheGrave #PhantomPhoneCalls #GhostPhoneCalls #MetrolinkAccident #UnexplainedPhoneCalls #ParanormalPhoneCalls #DeadPeopleCalling #MysteriousPhoneCalls #AfterlifeCommunication #SupernaturalPhoneCalls #TrueGhostStories #RealGhostEncounters #SpiritsCallingPhones #ParanormalActivity #UnexplainedMysteries #CreepyPhoneCalls #StaticPhoneCalls #MessagesFromTheDead #AfterlifeContact #SpiritCommunication #RealParanormalStories #TrueHorrorStories #TrainCrashVictims #September12 #AndreaKatz #GhostPhone #ParanormalResearch #UnexplainedPhenomena #DeathCommunication #SpiritualContact #BeyondTheGrave #DigitalAfterlife #TechnologyAndSpirits #ModernGhostStories #DocumentedParanormal #UnsolvedMysteries #RealLifeHorror #DeathMysteries #SupernaturalCommunication #ParanormalEvidence #GhostlyEncounters #AfterlifeProof #TrueCrime #MysteryStories #HorrorStories #GhostStories #Paranormal

“What The Waters Knew” by Marcus Blackwood: When humanity unlocks the language of whales, they uncover ancient truths, haunting questions, and a silence that might hold the key to their own fate.

“A Bad Day For Sales” by Fritz Leiber: A grinning mechanical salesman roams the streets, desperately trying to make a sale—unaware that the world around him has just ended.
Originally published by Galaxy Science Fiction, July 1953