“THE ABDUCTION OF LINDA CORTILE” and 14 More Scary True Paranormal Horror Stories! #WeirdDarkness

For nearly three centuries, the Jersey Devil has terrorized New Jersey's Pine Barrens with its glowing red eyes and leathery wings, but the monster's true origins lie not in supernatural birth, but in a 17th-century religious scandal. When Quaker settler Daniel Leeds was branded "Satan's harbinger" for publishing controversial almanacs, his family name became forever linked to the devil—transforming a community dispute into America's most enduring cryptid legend. 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: Deep in the heart of New Jersey's Pine Barrens lurks a legend that has haunted the Garden State for nearly three centuries. The Jersey Devil, a creature of nightmares with leathery wings and glowing red eyes, was born from a curse in the 1700s and has endured ever since – with sightings still taking place. (From Leeds to Lore, The Jersey Devil) *** In the mid-1970s, a terrifying predator stalked the streets of Oakland County, Michigan, abducting and murdering four innocent children. For nearly half a century, the identity of the Oakland County Child Killer has eluded investigators, leaving a trail of anguish, conspiracy theories, and unanswered questions in its wake. It’s a cold case that continues to haunt the community, as justice never came. (The Child Predator of Oakland County) *** The Sabretooth Clan… a group of modern-day vampires who blend seamlessly into society by day but embrace their nocturnal alter egos by night. With custom fangs, vintage attire, and a unique philosophy, these "lifestylers" host extravagant balls, perform rituals, and even have their own spiritual pantheon – all while maintaining a strict no-blood-drinking policy. What is it like to live as a vampire? (What Is It Like To Live As a Vampire?) *** In 1864 Canton, Ohio, a romance between German immigrant Ferdinand Hoffman and local girl Caroline Yost spiraled into a tale of deception, abuse, and ultimate tragedy. Their ill-fated union, marred by Hoffman's criminal past and violent tendencies, culminated in a shocking church stabbing and a dramatic manhunt. (The Canton Church Murder) *** From fiery pits to Satan's domain, our modern conception of hell is a tapestry woven from centuries of art, literature, and religious interpretation. But how much of what we believe about the underworld actually aligns with biblical teachings? We’ll look at some common misconceptions about hell, and discover how our cultural understanding of eternal damnation often diverges from scriptural truths. (What The Hell) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Lead-In 00:01:25.789 = Show Open 00:04:38.188 = From Leeds To Lore: The...

When a series of savage murders terrorizes the quiet town of Torkton, two police officers discover bloody handprints on a victim’s ceiling and realize they are hunting down something far beyond ordinary human evil in the surround forest. 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: It’s #ThrillerThursday, and this episode brings a creepypasta by Julian J. Alexander entitled “Things Darker Than Man”. In the small town of Torkton, seven brutal murders in four weeks have left the local police department scrambling for answers. The victims are found torn apart, covered in bizarre bite marks that don't match any known animal. When Officers McHale and McAllister discover bloody handprints on a victim's ceiling, they realize they're dealing with something far beyond ordinary criminal behavior. As the investigation deepens and leads them into the shadowy forests surrounding Mount Pilchuck, they uncover a horrifying truth that will challenge everything they thought they knew about the nature of evil itself. SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… “Things Darker Than Man” by Julian J. Alexander: https://www.creepypasta.com/things-darker-than-man/ Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. ===== (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 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. (AI Policy) EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/DarkerThingsThanMan

A man becomes terrifyingly obsessed with the idea that his own skeleton is a separate, sinister being — one that’s trying to kill him. 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: It’s #ThrillerThursday and this time I bring you a strange story from master storyteller, Ray Bradbury. The story is odd in the beginning and gets slowly darker as it progresses. Our protagonist, Mr. Harris, has slowly become more and more obsessed with his own skeleton – which he only sees as a symbol of death, as an enemy. He sees his skeleton not as a part of him, but as a separate entity continually working against him… eventually coming to believe his skeleton is trying to kill him. While it’s obvious the man is quite mad, it’s still an interesting journey as he plunges further down into his madness as the story moves forward. SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… “Skeleton” by Ray Bradbury: https://amzn.to/3TY0esq Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. ===== (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 11, 2024 EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/skeleton

Old Time Radio Paranormal & Crime | #RetroRadio EP0440 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, “Three Elders of Lifeboat Landing” (April 26, 1976) ***WD 00:47:26.848 = Appointment With Fear, “The Speaking Clock” (April 13, 1944) 01:15:01.436 = BBC Ghost Story, “Lifeline” (1986-1987) 01:44:24.793 = Beyond the Green Door, “Alfred Dix – All Hallows Eve” (1966) 01:48:35.989 = The Black Book, “Vagabond Murder” (March o2, 1952) 02:03:17.134 = Box 13, “One Of These Four” (May 08, 1949) 02:29:59.228 = CBC Mystery Theater, “The Tell-Tale Heart” (November 1966) ***WD 02:56:00.237 = The Clock, “The Hypnotist” (July 06, 1947) ***WD 03:19:12.173 = Confession, “Doris Kane” (July 05, 1953) 03:48:54.110 = The Crime Club, “Death Blew Out a Match” (December 02, 1946) 04:18:31.379 = Sounds of Darkness, “Face of Death” (March 24, 1970) 04:44:49.882 = 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/WDRR0440

Death investigators have documented cases where ordinary moments — feeding a pet, mowing grass, eating lunch — transformed into inexplicable tragedies that reveal how quickly the familiar can become fatal. 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: As the crowds gathered for Henry’s coronation in August of 1485, an unnamed sickness was already moving through the alleys, quiet and uninvited. Before the crown even touched his head, the dying had already begun. (The English Sweat) *** Long before the word “cryptid’ was coined, people were already burying the victims of a thing in the woods that doesn’t run, doesn’t speak, and doesn’t hesitate – it kills, and then it’s gone. From the Rockies to the West African forests, the stories don’t just describe sightings — they describe actual killings. (When Cryptid Creatures Turn Violent) *** Clinical death was once considered the end, but new data — and what the revived remember — suggest otherwise. Medical researchers studying patients who died and returned to life have documented consistent reports of consciousness surviving clinical death, with experiences that remarkably match biblical descriptions of the afterlife. (What Happens When We Die) *** Researchers studying ancient Middle Eastern texts about fire-based entities called Djinn now believe these beings might actually be plasma-based interdimensional creatures that have been masquerading as everything from UFOs to shadow people. (The Djinn and Aliens) *** Scientists have discovered that the cosmic objects we've been calling black holes might actually be tunnels to other parts of the universe, and we may have been watching doorways to distant worlds without realizing it. (Could Black Holes Be Hidden Doorways?) *** But first… medical examiners and coroners have witnessed some of the most unusual and shocking deaths imaginable, proving that truth can be far stranger than any horror story. (Strangest Deaths) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Lead-In 00:01:22.595 = Show Open 00:03:58.854 = The Strangest Deaths Ever Recorded 00:14:44.455 = The English Sweat 00:23:28.410 = When Cryptid Creatures Turn Violent 00:30:18.652 = What Happens When We Die? 00:39:24.317 = The Djinn 00:59:22.775 = Black Holes 01:05:53.219 = Show Close SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE… “The Djinn”: https://www.ufoinsight.com/cryptozoology/bizarre-entities/legends-of-the-djinn “What Happens When We Die?”: