“THE SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION OF MARY HARDY REESER” and More Horrifying True Stories! #WeirdDarkness

At a time when speaking to the dead was a national obsession, America’s séance rooms became theaters of mystery, manipulation, and maybe — just maybe — real contact with the other side. Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate 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. IN THIS EPISODE: A young wife, home alone with her husband in the military, begins experiencing strange happenings in their apartment. *** On a rainy night, a man begins to hear strange sounds from above that can’t be explained. *** A WeirdDarkness listener tells their story of being terrified by an entity… for over 21 years. *** A deceased relative saves the life of one woman – her husband tells us the story. *** An invisible friend decides to show up, uninvited, on a camping trip in an original story submitted by a WeirdDarkness subscriber. *** America… the home of baseball, apple pie, jazz, and… the birth of spiritualism. (Spiritualism) *** Was the legendary serial killer the Zodiac a hoax? (Zodiac: The Phantom Killer) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Lead-In 00:00:44.845 = Show Open 00:02:01.113 = Spiritualism 00:15:22.415 = Apartment From Hell 00:26:19.681 = From Above 00:30:21.799 = Him 00:42:35.551 = My Deceased Nan Saved My Life 00:45:31.063 = The Camping Trip 01:05:19.277 = Zodiac: The Phantom Killer 01:41:44.891 = Show Close SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… “Apartment From Hell” submitted to WeirdDarkness.com by Lacy T. “From Above” submitted to WeirdDarkness.com by Sabby Ray (https://www.facebook.com/ray.saibal) “Him” submitted to WeirdDarkness.com by Taylor Rydbom https://www.facebook.com/taylor.rydbom “My Deceased Nan Saved My Life” submitted anonymously at WeirdDarkness.com “The Camping Trip” submitted to WeirdDarkness.com by Michael “Zodiac: The Phantom Killer”: https://theunredacted.com/zodiac-serial-murders-the-phantom-killer/ “Spiritualism” by Troy Taylor: https://www.facebook.com/authortt/posts/1875815915848719?__tn__=K-R ===== (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...

In St. Osyth, an old jail known as The Cage has a history of accused witches — and something inside it still refuses to leave. Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate 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. IN THIS EPISODE: In the heart of England's St. Osyth village lies The Cage, an unassuming house with a chilling past as a jail for accused witches. When Vanessa Mitchell moved in, she unknowingly stepped into a nightmare of ghostly apparitions and terrifying events that forever altered her life. (The Cage: Britain’s Answer To The Amityville Horror) *** Some ghosts just seem worth rooting for, no matter how they died or what they do. (Ghosts To Sympathize With) *** The Genna brothers of Chicago’s Little Italy neighborhood were some of the most notorious bootleggers and gangsters in the city… until they weren’t. (The End of the Terrible Gennas) *** In 1981, 14-year-old Stacey Ann Arras vanished without a trace inside Yosemite National Park, her disappearance remaining one of the park's most eerie and unsolved mysteries. (The Unsolved Yosemite Disappearance of Stacy Ann Arras) *** Annie Le, a brilliant Yale graduate student, vanished just days before her wedding in 2009. Her disappearance led to a shocking discovery that left everyone questioning who and why. (Annie Le: A Life of Promise, A Death of Mystery) *** Imagine waking up every 30 seconds, completely unaware of where you are or what just happened. This is the life of Clive Wearing, who is unable to construct new memories… at all. (Clive’s 30-Second Memory) *** We’ll look at how the growing cryptotourism industry offers a unique and interesting angle on exploring hidden corners of the globe, with searches for creatures like Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster among your travel choices. (Cryptotourism With Bigfoot and Nessie) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Lead-In 00:01:36.414 = Show Open 00:04:10.680 = The Cage: Britain’s Answer to the Amityville Horror 00:21:37.334 = Cryptotourism With Bigfoot and Nessie 00:31:04.367 = The Unsolved Yosemite Disappearance of Stacy Ann Arras 00:40:08.116 = Ghosts To Sympathize With 00:54:48.890 = The End of the Terrible Gennas 01:07:15.606 = Clive’s 30-Second Memory 01:13:26.876 = Annie Le: A Life of Promise, A Death of Mystery 01:18:59.045 = Show Close SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… BOOK: “Poltergeist! A New Investigation Into Destructive Haunting” by John Fraser: https://amzn.to/3Lueplp “The Cage: Britain’s Answer To The Amityville Horror” source: Marcus Lowth, UFO Insight:

This is a Fireside Frights episode where all of the stories are sent in by you, the listeners of Weird Darkness. Plus, in these episodes I strip away all of the music, sound effects, and other fancy audio production… it’s just you, me, this campfire, and your stories. Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate 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: June 06, 2025 EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/wdff33

A yoga teacher turned self-proclaimed messiah built a secretive cult in Australia—stealing children, dosing them with LSD, and preparing them for a doomsday that never came. Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate 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. IN THIS EPISODE: The Hamilton-Byrne family was anything but typical, rather it was a doomsday cult with a leader who believed herself to be the reincarnation of Jesus Christ. (Inside the Family Cult) *** On this date, October 24, 1953, Evelyn Hartley, a 15-year-old sophomore from La Crosse, Wisconsin, vanished without a trace while on her way to a babysitting job. It was like something out of a Halloween urban legend but in this case, the horror was real. (The Babysitter Who Vanished) *** The odd happening that takes place here and there in a house more than likely can be explained in some rational way. Even quite a few strange occurrences could probably be explained by science. But when the events seem to never stop, perhaps it’s time to think something else is going on. (An Assortment of Experiences) *** Legend tells a centuries-old curse was placed upon Dudleytown in Connecticut. The town turned into a horrible place where people committed suicide or went insane. (Cursed Dudleytown) *** Exactly 92 years ago today – October 24, 1926 - something went wrong during a performance by Harry Houdini. A week later, he would be dead. (Houdini's Final Performance) *** In the Oakland Cemetery, a bronze monument to tragedy is said to bring death to anyone who touches it. (Black Angel of Death) *** While camping, a man has dreams of a dark-haired woman several nights in a row. Normally it wouldn’t be anything to be all that concerned about, but it’s something to fear if you are near the French Broad river. (Siren of the French Broad) *** Alien visitors, beings from a different dimension, our planet even had tree monsters and sentient pyramids showing up – and all in the year 1965. (The Inter-Dimensional Interlopers of 1965) *** A retired naval officer reports rocks falling through his home’s roof – dozens in a single day – with no explanation of where they came from. (Cappy Ricks and the Stones) *** In 1994 a man has a paranormal experience with a popular song recorded two decades earlier. (The Joker) *** Is there a clandestine space program designed to save the elite from a global catastrophe? (Alternative 3) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Lead-In 00:00:52.887 = Show Open 00:02:10.120 = Inside the Family Cult 00:10:17.627 = The Babysitter Who Vanished 00:18:34.842 = An Assortment of Experiences 00:26:32.579 = Cursed Dudleytown 00:31:56.143 = Houdini’s Final...

A quaint English village is gripped by terror when an unseen force rings church bells, plays records, and leaves behind no trace — only the chilling presence of a man without a body! Hear the tale from Suspense! | #RetroRadio EP0429 Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Show Open 00:01:50.000 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “Sleeping Dogs” (April 08, 1976) 00:45:59.759 = Strange Wills, “The Lady and the Pirate” (June 29, 1946) ***WD 01:15:49.869 = Suspense, “Man Without a Body” (June 22, 1943) 01:45:41.749 = Tales of the Frightened, “The Man in the Raincoat” (1957) 01:50:41.952 = Tales From The Tomb, “Spirit Calling” (1960s) 01:55:26.199 = Theater Five, “The Wrong Arm of Justice” (September 29, 1964) 02:15:56.059 = CBC 1030, “Two Little Punctures” (1968-1971) ***WD 02:43:07.419 = 2000 Plus, “The Brooklyn Brain” (June 21, 1950) ***WD 03:12:00.699 = The Unexpected, “The Necklace” (1948) 03:24:11.329 = Unit 99, “Accident at 16th and Q” (March 07, 1958) 03:47:34.999 = Dark Venture, “The Man in 206” (December 02, 1946) ***WD 04:17:07.769 = The Weird Circle, “Old Nurse’s Story” (May 14, 1944) 04:46:32.029 = 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. = = = = = CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0429