The Spooky Darlings
Three sisters. Endless creepy stories. The Spooky Darlings explores true crime, the paranormal, and all things bizarre—from lighthearted hauntings to the darkest of deep dives, If it's creepy, strange, or just too intriguing to ignore, we're talking about it.
FUF #21 We're headed to Brandi!!!
We are headed to Brandi Carlile at the Gorge Amphitheater!
We talk about J-hole Judge Nicholas Rowland, problematic prisoners Tony Carruthers and Ricky Wassenaar, and the extraordinary Erin Brockovich and her work with data centers.
Don't forget the update onwhat we're watching and listening to — Catch up with us! And of course we would never skip out on essential updates on mormon wives and Vanderpump Villa!
Sources:
Tiktok: @Stephwiththedeets
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Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story yo...
#50- Ouija Believe it? The Strange History of Spirit Communication from Burnt Bones to the Bye Bye Man
Long before it was a party game, humans were obsessed with talking to the dead. This week the Darlings trace the strange history of spirit communication from Shang Dynasty oracle bones to the Fox sisters' famous knocking act, from Roman ring-and-alphabet divination to the planchette-wielding Spiritualists of the 1800s. Then there's the board itself: the 1890 Baltimore patent, outselling Monopoly in year one, and why The Exorcist changed everything. But the story that might haunt you longest comes from Robert Damon Schneck's The Bye Bye Man — a supposedly true account of college students who used an Ouija board to make co...
Cryptid Crawl #22- Michigan Monsters and Misfits
From red-skinned harbingers of doom to howling forest beasts, we’re diving into some of Michigan’s strangest legends. This week, The Spooky Darlings explore the Nain Rouge of Detroit, the terrifying Michigan Dogman, the eerie tale of the Ada Witch, and the very real lumberjack P.K. Small whose bizarre appearance and behavior earned him the nickname “Slackjaw,” or “the Ogre of Seney”. Cryptids, curses, and backwoods chaos await.
Sources:
https://visitdetroit.com/inside-the-d/the-legend-of-the-nain-rouge-in-detroit/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nain_Rouge
Podcast Theories of the Third Kind, Episode 297 - Nain Rouge
#49- Con Man, Escape Artist, and Sucker for Love: The Extraordinary Life And Crimes of Steven Jay Russell
Steven Jay Russell wasn’t just a con man — he was an escape artist, master manipulator, and one of the most unbelievable criminals Texas ever tried to contain.
Join The Spooky Darlings as they unravel the bizarre true story of Steven Jay Russell: from insurance fraud and impersonation schemes to his jaw-dropping prison escapes that embarrassed law enforcement again and again. His final capture led to years spent in brutal solitary confinement, a cruel punishment for a non-violent offender.
Steven Jay Russell was a charming genius, convincing liar, and a man the system tried to break...
FUF #20: Hantavirus, Hawaii, and Horrible doppelgängers!
Join the sisters as they catch up, and then discuss current events, and current drama!
Starting with what we're reading and watching, to what we are paying attention to in the media. Taylor Frankie Paul to the beloved Lani monk seal in Hawaii.
We might even get a deplorable doppelgänger out of this!
Sources:
New Girl inspiration TikTok: @viperpilotkarathrace
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Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share emai...
#48- We Haunt Who We Want: The Uncanny Story of Elsa Barker and Judge David P. Hatch
This week the Spooky Darlings are meeting you on the Astral Plane!
In 1887, a California judge built a Victorian mansion on a hilltop in Los Angeles — a house that would later appear in Spider Baby, Silent Scream, and Insidious: Chapter 2. Some houses just have a type.
But the real story isn't the house.
It's 1912. A poet named Elsa Barker is alone in her Paris apartment when she feels a sudden, overwhelming compulsion to pick up a pencil. Her hand moves as if seized from the outside. Words come. And at the end of the...
Cryptid Crawl #21: Massachusetts Mayhem! The Dover Demon, the Bridgewater Triangle, and the Black Flash of Provincetown
This week, The Spooky Darlings head to the Bay State for a Cryptid Crawl filled with tiny demons, cursed swamps, and a shadowy blue-glowing-eyed creature with superhuman strength leaping through the fog.
First, we dive into the eyewitness accounts of the Dover Demon — the bizarre, big-eyed creature spotted crawling along stone walls by terrified teens in 1977. Then we venture into the infamous Bridgewater Triangle, a region packed with UFO sightings, phantom animals, poltergeist activity, and generations of eerie encounters. Finally, we head to the coast to uncover the mystery of Provincetown’s Black Flash: a dark, lightning-fast figu...
#47- Tragedy at Taliesin House: Fire, Fatality, and Frank Lloyd Wright
The Spooky Darlings tell of the life of the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright—a visionary who transformed American architecture. From his early days in Wisconsin to his groundbreaking innovations, Wright reimagined how people lived in their homes.
But behind the genius was a life marked by scandal, ambition, and unthinkable tragedy. In 1914, Wright’s beloved Taliesin estate became the site of a brutal and shocking massacre—one he rarely spoke about.
Over a century later, his influence still shapes the world around us… but so does the mystery and horror tied to his name.
<...
FUF #19: Suntans, Secrets & Suspicious Scientist Deaths
We kick things off with a full Mexico recap — the good, the chaotic, and one truly hilarious attempt at speaking Spanish that we may never recover from. Then we get into what we’ve been watching, listening to, and spiraling about lately.
From there, we check in on the ever-evolving drama of Mormon Wives (because obviously), before shifting into something much darker…
A series of mysterious deaths involving scientists in both the U.S. and China — cases with strange circumstances, missing context, and a lot of unanswered questions. We break down a few of the most unse...
#46- Haunted Stalls & Deadly Calls: Creepy Bathroom Urban Legends
Public restrooms are already unsettling enough… but what if something sinister is lurking behind the stall door?
This week, we’re diving headfirst into some of the most chilling bathroom urban legends from around the world—where privacy is an illusion and knocking might be the worst thing you can do.
First, we explore Japan’s infamous Aka Manto, the mysterious masked spirit who offers you a deadly choice of red or blue paper (and trust us… there’s no winning). Then, we head into haunted school bathrooms with Hanako-san, the ghostly girl...
Cryptid Crawl #20 -Maryland! Those Chicken Neckers Ain't From Here!
In this episode of our Cryptid Crawl, The Spooky Darlings visit the fine state of Maryland, so grab a Natty Boh and settle in! From the famous Snallygaster, to (not as insidious as it sounds) Peeping Tom the Flickergeist, and finally a journey with the Sykesville Monster that's a whole 'nother story. Don't miss this one, I think even them O's will tune in!
Sources:
https://patch.com/maryland/ellicottcity/peeping-tom-flickergeist-ilchester-tunnel
https://urbanlegend.fandom.com/wiki/Peeping_Tom_the_Flickergeist
https://www.preston-posits.com/blog/cryptids-of-north-america-10-maryland
https://boundarystones.w...
#45 Disappearance and Deception: The Disturbing Case of Lucinda Huels
Lucinda Huels vanished under mysterious circumstances, leaving her family desperate for answers. When she returned over 8 years later, relief quickly gave way to confusion as inconsistencies and unanswered questions began to surface. What should have been a happy reunion instead deepened the mystery, turning the case into a haunting story of disappearance, identity, and a truth that didn’t quite add up.
Sources:
https://crimeblogger1983.blogspot.com/2017/08/disappeared-tinze-lucinda-huels.html
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/unfound/id1151955197?i=1000413484027
https://www.fox13news.com/news/fox-13-investigates-searching-for-lucinda
htt...
FUF #18: Beasts, Bodies, and Bad Boyfriends. High Drama!
It's Follow Up Friday!! Settle in while we catch up on life, the media we've been devouring, and the wildly unhinged news cycle.
First up: the bizarre story out of Oklahoma, where a woman was attacked by a mysterious "dog-like" creature that has everyone debating cryptid vs. coyote. Then we dive into the heartbreaking and deeply unsettling case of a young man whose remains were discovered in his family's tree house four years after he disappeared — his family had believed all along that he'd simply run away.
To lighten things up (sort of), we get int...
#44 The Will and the Widow: The Murder of Mildred Cotter
Who killed Mildred Cotter? For decades, reclusive Mildred Cotter lived a quiet life in her Port Washington apartment in Long Island, New York. The widow of a homicide detective, she lived comfortably alone, no children and no close relatives or friends. Then, one morning her home-health aide discovered Mildred's apartment had been ransacked, and amid the chaos she discovered Mildred's battered and lifeless body. It was clear foul play was afoot.
But, the Port Washington Homicide unit had their work cut out for them. Who would want to kill this frail, lonely old lady, who seemingly had n...
Cryptid Crawl #19 - Maine! Cryptids of the Finest Kind
In this episode of our Cryptid Crawl, The Spooky Darlings make a stop in Maine, where we go ‘upta camp’ to meet the Specter Moose, a larger-than-life, ghostly white, seemingly bulletproof moose, spotted by many for the past hundred years. Next, we learn about the Waldoboro Wildman, a real 'corker' of a cryptid described as a small, bipedal humanoid covered in black fur, that made headlines in the 19th century. We finish with the terrifying story of the Palmyra Wolves, a group of creatures who gave one family a 'wicked crazy' night, fighting for their lives. Ayuh, these Maine crypti...
#43 The Hybristophilia Files: Women Who Love Men Who Kill
On this 3D episode, the sisters dive into the bizarre world of women who fall for violent men and the psychology behind the phenomenon. Do you root for the bad guy in scary movies? Did you have a crush on Darth Vader? From the women who obsessed over Richard Ramirez (the Night Stalker), to Casey White’s prison break fueled by romance, to one woman convinced she found her twin flame behind bars in Brian Kohberger, the sisters cover a lot of wild ground. Join in!
Sources:
wikipedia.com
Peacock - Richard Ramirez: Th...
FUF #17: Secret Lives of The Spooky Darlings
In this Follow-up-Friday the Spooky Darlings give updates about what they've (we've?) been up to, and talk about podcasts, SLOMW, (all the Taylor Frankie Paul drama, plus our love for Connor and Jessie), new information on past reports and true-crime updates from the Kelsey Fitzsimmons trial to the identifcation of the Lover's Lane murderer. This episode is low-pressure high-energy sister banter. We have SO MANY THINGS TO SAY!
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Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at the...
#42 Crazy Cat Cult Lady: Sheryl Ruthven and the Cult of Eva's Eden
What if your church asked you to adopt 30 cats in the name of god? Sheryl Ruthven is obsessed with control and attention, so what's a girl to do?! Start a cult of course! Enter Freedom Fire Ministries. This cult has it all! Having her followers pray for her ex-husbands death. Even an alleged murder plot! This is the most bizarre cult you've never heard of. Starring 30 cats per household, sounds cozy...til the smell hits! Join us as Hayley takes us on a wild cat-crazy ride!!
Sources:
https://www.hbomax.com/shows/cur...
Cryptid Crawl #18- Louisiana! Cryptid Jambalaya
Today we stop in Louisiana for a dive into the bayous and swamps, where we meet three Cryptids from the Pelican State- none of them birds! First, the Darlings will terrify you with the Rougarou - Is it a Werewolf? A Man? A Gator? No one knows. Then, we get deep into the vampire lore of New Orleans with the 1900's tale of Jacque St. Germain, who is rumored to be walking the streets of New Orleans to this day. Finally, you think your dad is bad? He's nothing compared to the Pere Malfait, a bayou dwelling mimic, ready...
#41 - God Bless Afroman: Lawsuits and Lemon Pound Cakes
This week on Spooky Darlings, Emily takes Hayley and Nettie down one of the most bizarre legal rabbit holes we’ve ever covered—the Afroman defamation lawsuit.
What started as a police raid on Afroman’s home quickly turned into a viral moment… and then a full-blown legal battle. After officers searched his house, Afroman used security footage from the raid in his music, merch, and social media—leading several officers to file a lawsuit against him, claiming defamation, invasion of privacy, and emotional distress.
So what actually happened during the raid? What did Afroman put in his...
FUF# 16: Gerald the Dolphin, Bigfoot Migration, and other News
In our 16th installment of our FUF episodes, (Follow-Up-Friday) we discuss the kidnapping of a man by Gerald the Dolphin, discuss the recent rash of Bigfoot sightings across Ohio, and report on the four-decade old murder of 13 year-old Sarah Geer, another cold case solved by DNA. Along with this, we have a listener email and will be reading some of our reviews out loud!
Sources:
https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/21/us/california-cold-case-cigarette-dna
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Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would...
#40 - Haunted Chicago: Murder at The Drake Hotel.
All aboard! This week The Spooky Darlings get a full description of a literal train ride to the Windy City, plus some of the ghostly legends that haunt the iconic skyline. From the spooky stories surrounding the only structures to survive the Great Chicago Fire - The famous Chicago Water Towers, to the chilling apparitions seen gliding along the grand hallways of The Drake Hotel, home to an unsolved murder that still haunts the heart of the city—Chicago just might be one of America's most haunted places.
Sources:
https://www.thedrakehotel.com...
Cryptid Crawl #17: Kentucky Fried Cryptids - We’ll Never Be Your Beasts of Bourbon (Country)
Next stop on our Cryptid Crawl is the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, where we consider the Hopkinsville Goblins— curious gravity-defying creatures with glowing hands and eyes, the Kentucky Gravediggers— scavenging grave stalkers, and the Pope Lick Monster— a half man-half goat that haunts a railroad trestle. From farms, to graveyards, to railroads— these Kentucky cryptids do not disappoint!
Sources:
Wikipedia, WDRB Louisville News, Encyclopedia of Louisville by John E. Kleber, The Courier Journal, Monstro Bizarro: Monsters and Mysteries in America by Lyle Blackburn
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kelly%E2%80%93Hopkinsville_encounter...
#39- Left for Dead: the Case of Inna Budnytzka
In 2005, a 21-year-old woman walked into a hotel near the Miami airport. Hours later, she was found left for dead miles away, the victim of a brutal attack.
Security cameras never showed her leaving the building. No witnesses saw her walk out.
How did a young woman disappear from a hotel filled with cameras without anyone noticing? How did she end up in a remote lot outside the city?
In this episode, we follow the obsessive trail of a private investigator who refused to let the mystery die—and whose theory would expose a...
FUF#15 Snakes on a Train!
It’s another Follow-Up-Friday! Listen as we give some updates on old cases, share some stories and recommendations, and share a little travel talk!
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Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at thespookydarlings@gmail.com.
Follow us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!
Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.printful.me/
...
#38 - The Art of the Clap Back: Feuds, Fame, and a Formal Thank you to Beyoncé
This week in a special Spooky Darlings 3D episode, we are turning up the volume on some of the music industry's most iconic feuds. From the decade- long rivalry of 50 Cent and Ja Rule to the carefully chronicled conflicts surrounding Taylor Swift, to the electric and sometimes comical competition between legends Michael Jackson and Prince, - we are diving into ego, artistry, revenge tracks and the power plays that have shaped our modern music culture. Three sisters, three dark tales of revenge and maybe even murder?
(And, and just to cover our bases, we'd like to sincerely...
Cryptid Crawl #16: Midnight in Kansas - Cryptids of the Sunflower State
There's no place like home, and there's no place like Kansas, our 16th stop along the Cryptid Superhighway. This week, The Spooky Darlings drop into the Sunflower State, where there is more to fear than deadly tornadoes. Amidst the giant blooms and sinkholes, lurk several mysterious monsters. This episode explores Sinkhole Sam - a strange creature seen slithering around several sinkholes and lakes, eluding to an underground cave system, The Hamburger Man - a terrifying apron-wearing meat-smearing roadside legend, and, The Thing on Unknown lane, a creature too tall, too thin, and too creepy for words.
#37 - San Antonio Four: The Devil Didn't Make Anyone Do Anything
In the summer of 1994, four young women in San Antonio — Elizabeth Ramirez, Cassandra Rivera, Kristie Mayhugh, and Anna Vasquez — were accused of committing an unthinkable crime against two children. In San Antonio, a city charged with homophobia and lingering “satanic panic” fears, the openly gay women were convicted despite a lack of credible forensic evidence and sentenced to prison.
Years later, one of the accusers recanted and said she had been pressured into making the allegations. What followed was a long fight for justice, involving shifting science, new Texas legislation, and the tireless work of the Innocence Project...
FUF#14 The Enchanted Olympics
It's another Follow-up-Friday! (FUF) And this week the sisters talk love, loss, and the Olympics. We read a listener's personal ghost story and recap the last few weeks. All served with the usual sprinkling of sister banter!
Message us!
Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at thespookydarlings@gmail.com.
Follow us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more!
Peruse our merch store at https://thespookydarlings.p...
#36 - Old World Oddities: Cryptids of Europe
This week, the Darlings cross the Atlantic and dip our toes into the dark waters of European folklore.
In Germany, we meet the Wolpertinger, a stitched-together forest creature that may be more than just an old hunting-tale. In Scotland, we encounter the Kelpie, a shape-shifter with a beautiful allure and deadly intentions. If it offers you a ride, darling...decline. Finally, in the cold Scandinavian night, we wake up the Gjenganger, a corporeal revenant that doesn't drift like a ghost, but walks, intent on revenge and justice.
Three countries. T...
Cryptid Crawl #15- Iowa! Claws in the Cornfields
It is our 15th stop along the Cryptid Highway, and this week The Spooky Darlings delve into monsters of Iowa. And they all have claws. We tackle the infamous Van Meter Visitor, a winged, bird-like creature that made itself known in a town in 1903, recent encounters with Iowa Dragons, who appear to be excactly as the name describes, and a brokenhearted and vengeful ghost named Lucinda, who haunts the cliffs above Stony Hollow Road, and likes to scratch those who dare to call her name.
This field of dreams i...
#35 - The Valentine’s Dance Murders: Two Doctors and a Scoundrel (The Mann–McBane Case)
In 1971, nursing student Patricia Mann and her boyfriend Jesse McBane vanished after a Valentine’s dance—only to be found murdered days later in the woods outside Durham, North Carolina. More than 50 years later, their case remains unsolved, shadowed by lack of communication across multiple agencies working the case. Three suspects endure: two doctors whose stories never quite added up, and one local scoundrel with a troubling history.
Join The Spooky Darlings as we retrace the couple’s final hours and examine the suspicious behavior of thre...
FUF#13 Officially Budding Cryptozoologists
Join us for our 13th installment of our FUF (Follow-Up-Friday) episode, as we talk true crime updates, give a recap of the "Au Pair Affair' trial of Brendon Banfield, mourn the loss of one of our favorite actresses, Catherine o'Hara, (Long Live Moira Rose!), and get deep into a discussion about what makes a Cryptozoologist. We even throw in a listener email, and announce the winner of our Tote-bag give away!
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Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email u...
#34-The Dead Below: Bushman's Hole and The Final Dive of Dave Shaw
Deep in the largest underwater cave in the world, where only a few have braved the depth and the dark, Dave Shaw, in a record-breaking deep water cave dive, discovers the body of a diver who had been missing for 10 years, Dion Dreyer. Shaw makes a promise to himself and to Dion's faamily. He wants to bring Dion home.
Join us as we explore the deep and dark tale of the the brave and harrowing dive of Dave Shaw and Don Shirley as they attempt to recover a body long lost, and discover that not all things are...
Cryptid Crawl #14 - Indiana! Hoosier Horrors
Indiana might be known for cornfields and basketball, but strange things have been happening there for decades. In this episode, we head to the Hoosier State to uncover three of its most intriguing legends. From the puzzling Oil Pit Squid found living in toxic sludge, to the mysterious Crawfordsville Monster that baffled witnesses in the late 1800's, to the spectral Lady in Black said to wander the most haunted cemetery in Indiana, The Step Cemetery, these stories raise more questions than answers, and prove that there's more than corn growing in the Midwest.
Sources;
#33 Pardon Our French: The Beast of Gévaudan
We're headed to 18th-century France to unravel the ghastly story of the Beast of Gévaudan, a creature at the heart of several brutal slayings that left a small countryside community living in terror. As the bodies piled up, the villagers searched for answers. What or who is responsible for these deaths? From eyewitness accounts and failed hunting expeditions, to involvement from the King of France himself, we walk you step by step through this terrifying story of a bloodthirsty creature that refused to die.
Sources: https://www.betedugevaudan.com/en/the-story-of-the-beast-of-gevaudan.html , wikipedia.com
...
FUF #12: Rife, Ripe, and Ready to Recap!
This Follow-Up Friday is rife—and ripe—with recaps and recommendations. We unpack what those words actually mean (and when to use them), share TV, movie, and podcast recs, and swap stories—including a TikTok scam cautionary tale. We will take you along on our recent ghost hunt in a haunted theater, and we hear a paranormal tale straight from the mouth of a listener. This episode is rife with stories and ripe with laughter.
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#32 Our Favorite Haunted Getaway: Hot Lake Hotel (Ghosts Included)
Perched on the edge of The Grande Ronde Valley, The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs, also known as Hot Lake Hotel, has a rich and fascinating past. In this episode, we explore the history of the infamous Eastern Oregon landmark, from its early days as a luxury resort, to its later years as a hospital and sanitorium. Along the way, we share the ghost stories told in our childhood that still hover in the air, like the steam that rises from the lake. Now renovated, this boutique hotel is a beautiful, peaceful, and relaxing place to stay. Just don't...
Cryptid Crawl #13- Illinois! It's Monster Season
It's time for Illinois cryptids people!
In this episode, we head to the Prairie State to uncover some of Illinois' most chilling cryptids. From the 1970's encounter with a creature dubbed The Enfield Horror, to the large and smelly Tuttle Bottoms Monster, to the ancient and mysterious Piasa Bird, a massive man eating creature painted on the cliffs along the Mississippi hundreds of years ago, Illinois has many monsters lurking in the shadows, and The Spooky Darlings will try to uncover them!
Turn the lights down low, and the volume up! It's time to get spo...
#31. Front Page Noose! The Trial and Botched Execution of "Cheerful Eva" Dugan.
This week The Spooky Darlings invite you back in time to 1930 to hear the true story of the first and last woman to be hanged from the gallows in Arizona. Eva Dugan's life didn't start with crime, it started with survival. With her childhood shaped by poverty, and her early marriage shaped by abandonment, Eva learned to look out for herself.
She became the prime suspect in the disappearance of her chicken rancher boss, but things got even stranger when Eva also disappeared. She is eventually tracked down and charged with a crime. But does the evidence sup...
