Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

Don’t worry if you don’t have to believe in curses… Robert the Doll believes enough for the both of you.

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

READ or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckuwmkv

FEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: From creepy voices to mysterious movements to strange laughter and eerie deaths, the legend of Robert the Doll outshines many cursed object stories and has been haunting people for over a hundred years, and shows no sign of slowing down. (The True Story Behind Robert The Doll) *** In Brazil, two corpses were found on a hill, dressed in matching suits with homemade lead masks draped over their eyes. (The Lead Masks Case) *** If you were to be asked who the most horrible, terrifying figure in the Bible was, you would likely say Lucifer – that is, Satan himself. But there is a figure even more terrifying – and it is God’s right-hand man in the book of Revelation. (God’s Right Hand Man) *** Horror – the stories and images seem to change with each passing year, but there was a violent shift in horror shortly after the violent reality of the “War to End All Wars”. (How Horror Changed After World War 1) *** Two sisters rebel against their depressing family life by diving into witchcraft – and soon learn it was not a wise decision. (Leftover Magic) *** In 1827, young Maria Marten slipped into a red barn to meet her secret lover. It was the last time she would be seen alive. (Murder in the Red Barn) *** Madeleine Smith had a rich fiancé, a secret lover, and one heck of a secret hot chocolate recipe. A lethal secret recipe. (The Hot Cocoa Killer) *** Was the 1971 Lloyds Bank safety deposit robbery a covert operation to retrieve compromising photos of Royalty? (The Baker Street Robbery) *** From mouths nailed shut to being buried headfirst in the ground, throughout history the fear of witches has led to extraordinary measures to keep the dead from rising from the grave. (How To Bury a Witch)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00.00.000 = The Foreboding
00:01:27.038 = Show Open
00:04:07.519 = The True Story Behind Robert The Doll
00:11:51.347 = The Lead Masks Case ***
00:16:34.744 = God’s Terrifying Right-Hand Man
00:26:33.910 = How Horror Changed After WW1 ***
00:41:09.643 = How To Bury A Witch ***
00:46:59.805 = The Hot Cocoa Killer
00:50:44.666 = Murder In The Red Barn ***
00:59:53.578 = Leftover Magic
01:04:28.876 = The Baker Street Robbery ***
01:25:11.632 = Show Close
01:26:20.726 = SONG: “Don’t Knock On The Glass Of That Doll” by Crossroads Haint
01:31:50.044 = Bloopers
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break

LISTEN ON PODCAST APPS:
Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps
*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*
SOURCES and RESOURCES:

”The True Story Behind Robert The Doll” by Melissa Brink: https://tinyurl.com/rnlbjxp
“The Lead Masks Case” by Orrin Grey: http://ow.ly/Re9h30nA2ZX
“God’s Terrifying Right-Hand Man” by Matthew Lavelle: https://tinyurl.com/u88mpbe
“How Horror Changed After WW1” by W. Scott Poole, from the book “Wasteland: The Great War And The Origins of Horror”: https://amzn.to/2t4ZmpT
“The Baker Street Robbery”: https://tinyurl.com/wltn62d
“How To Bury a Witch”: https://tinyurl.com/ttqfd2c
“Leftover Magic” by Weirdo family member Ilsa Beauchamp
“Murder In The Red Barn” by Stephanie Almazan: http://ow.ly/CV4K30nAJDp
“The Hot Cocoa Killer” by Jennifer Jackson: http://ow.ly/8bHt30nAJSg
(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.)

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.
Originally aired: May 2022
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE HEARING? WEIRD DARKNESS posts episodes 7 DAYS A WEEK! Listen FREE wherever you get podcasts or visit https://weirddarkness.com/listen. • Paranormal • True Crime • Ghosts • UFOs • Cryptids • Unexplained • Want even more? Become an OFFICIAL WEIRDO for commercial-free episodes, bonus episodes, weeknight live chats, audiobooks & more at https://WeirdDarkness.com/OFFICIAL

Jack has been alone at the cabin for two weeks now, with Rebecca folded face down in the freezer, and the crow on the railing has not once stopped watching him.

EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/mitm-murderofcrows

SOURCES and RESOURCES: “Forever Autumn” (“Murder of Crows”) by Weirdo family member Mark Towse (submitted at WeirdDarkness.com): https://twitter.com/MarkTowsey12

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

Midnight In The Macabre (MITM), originally aired: September 02, 2026

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE HEARING? WEIRD DARKNESS posts episodes 7 DAYS A WEEK! Listen FREE wherever you get podcasts or visit https://weirddarkness.com/listen. • Paranormal • True Crime • Ghosts • UFOs • Cryptids • Unexplained • Want even more? Become an OFFICIAL WEIRDO for commercial-free episodes, bonus episodes, weeknight live chats, audiobooks & more at https://WeirdDarkness.com/OFFICIAL

Hours from the electric chair for the murder of a nightclub singer, gangster Duke Malone rebuilds his whole life in his head — starting at fourteen in a pool hall, refusing the job that ruined him — and builds it all the way up to the night a floor show puts Jeannie Daniels back in front of him.

Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/OTR

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Sixth Commandment” (August 07, 1978) ***WD
00:45:33.785 = The Haunting Hour, “Second Chance” (August 03, 1945)
01:10:31.600 = The Hermit’s Cave, “Reflected Image” (November 17, 1940) ***WD
01:35:44.085 = Mystery Is My Hobby, “Ticket To Murder” (1945-1950)
02:00:51.534 = Sherlock Holmes, ‘Strange Case of Professor Presbury” (March 17, 1947) ***WD
02:29:55.821 = Mystery House, “Time To Kill” (June 21, 1946) ***WD
02:55:50.344 = Inner Sanctum, “Mrs. Bluebird” (March 27, 1945)
03:10:11.418 = Jeff Regan Investigator, “Cain, Able and the Santa Maria” (September 11, 1948) ***WD
03:40:07.559 = The Key, “Seppi And Pancho” (1956) ***WD
04:05:39.703 = Lights Out, “Lord Marley’s Ghost” (July 14, 1937)
04:35:21.150 = Macabre, “Weekend” (November 20, 1961) ***WD
05:02:40.856 = 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.
CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0761

In the heart of Louisiana’s swamps, ancient curses, ghostly hitchhikers, and bloodthirsty cryptids rise from the mist – proving the bayou’s darkest legends might be terrifyingly true.

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

READ or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/muer7xd4

FEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: Welcome to a DARKIVE episode from May, 2022! *** We look into the creepy swamps of Louisiana, where gators and snakes are the least of your worries as compared to the paranormal. (Swamp Legends of Louisiana) *** From building fake cities, to creating ghost army bases, to playing stupid in front of the enemy, we’ll look at some of the most cleverly deceptive tactics that have been used in war throughout history. (Brilliant Wartime Deceptions) *** Chung Ling Soo was one of the greatest magicians of his time – so much so the he was able to not only conceal items up his sleeves, but conceal his true identity. (The Magician Who Lived a Double Life) *** In 1974 five little girls disappeared in a span of just three months – two were later found deceased, but the remaining three have never been found. And the kidnapper and murderer has never been brought to justice… nor do we have any idea who it was. (The Jacksonville Kidnappings) *** Photographs of strange orblike objects are more common than any other photos purported to be ghosts, aliens, or cryptids. But what exactly are these orbs? A trick of the light… or could they be alive? (Could Ghost Orbs Be Living Energy Beings?) *** In the mountains of Jackson County in North Carolina lies a large mysterious rock covered in petroglyphs that have yet to be deciphered. For the Cherokee Indians, the rock and surrounding area is a sacred site where ceremonies used to take place. Indeed, Judaculla Rock is surrounded by rumors and legends, including strange sounds and UFO sightings during the night. (The Indecipherable Judaculla Rock) *** In 1971 children from all over the United States were being rushed into hospital emergency rooms with a very strange symptom… what was causing otherwise healthy children to create pink poop? (The Pink Poop Pandemic)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00.00.000 = The Foreboding
00:01:43.109 = Show Open
00:04:26.766 = Swamp Legends of Louisiana
00:17:42.061 = Brilliant Wartime Deceptions ***
00:27:01.407 = The Magician Who Lived a Double Life
00:33:46.084 = The Jacksonville Kidnappings
00:43:36.082 = Could Ghostly Orbs Be Living Energy Beings? ***
00:49:08.730 = The Indecipherable Jadaculla Rock
00:55:16.289 = The Pink Poop Pandemic ***
01:01:42.592 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break

LISTEN ON PODCAST APPS:
Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps
*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*
SOURCES and RESOURCES:
“The Magician Who Lived a Double Life” by Kaushik Patowary for Amusing Planet: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yckvppfw
“The Indecipherable Judaculla Rock” by John Black for Ancient Origins Unleashed: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4jxjra7u
“Swamp Legends of Louisiana” by Erin McCann for Graveyard Shift: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/46uj6fyk
“The Pink Poop Pandemic” by Roisin Everard for Historic Mysteries: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5ak8kzv7
“The Jacksonville Kidnappings” by Robert A. Waters for Kidnapping, Murder and Mayhem: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bdfhcbwu
“Brilliant Wartime Deceptions” by Jetta for ListVerse: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4f9xwp3z
“Could Ghost Orbs Be Living Energy Beings?” by A. Sutherland for Message To Eagle:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5n6awrpm
(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.)

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.
Originally aired: May 2022
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE HEARING? WEIRD DARKNESS posts episodes 7 DAYS A WEEK! Listen FREE wherever you get podcasts or visit https://weirddarkness.com/listen. • Paranormal • True Crime • Ghosts • UFOs • Cryptids • Unexplained • Want even more? Become an OFFICIAL WEIRDO for commercial-free episodes, bonus episodes, weeknight live chats, audiobooks & more at https://WeirdDarkness.com/OFFICIAL

A Wisconsin woman told Madison police that the man she dated for two months back in 2013 had never stopped writing to her, and the detectives who searched his rural Fond du Lac basement in August found human skulls, an Ed Gein collection, and a jar labeled as a piece of John Wayne Gacy's brain.

SOURCES, LINKS, AND PRINT VERSION: https://weirddarkness.com/BenjaminLawsonWisconsin

Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://pod.link/1078714736

*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE HEARING? WEIRD DARKNESS posts episodes 7 DAYS A WEEK! Listen FREE wherever you get podcasts or visit https://weirddarkness.com/listen. • Paranormal • True Crime • Ghosts • UFOs • Cryptids • Unexplained • Want even more? Become an OFFICIAL WEIRDO for commercial-free episodes, bonus episodes, weeknight live chats, audiobooks & more at https://WeirdDarkness.com/OFFICIAL