Episode 67: The Smurl Family Haunting | The True Story Behind The Conjuring: Last Rites

J.D. Barker Interview | New York Times Bestselling Author of There's Something I Keep Upstairs

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] In this special episode of Veil of Echoes, we sit down with New York Times and international bestselling author J.D. Barker to discuss his latest novel, There's Something I Keep Upstairs. From psychological suspense and atmospheric horror to real-world inspiration, we explore the power of place, memory, and the kinds of stories that linger long after the final page. We also discuss the inspiration behind the novel, the role of dread in storytelling, and J.D.'s upcoming projects including The First Scarlet Door. And in true Veil of Echoes fashion, a storm rolled in just as the interview began. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ FEATURED GUEST J.D. Barker New York Times & International Bestselling Author Find J.D.'s books, upcoming releases, and more: 🌐 https://jdbarker.com [https://jdbarker.com/] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ IN THIS EPISODE • The origins of J.D. Barker's storytelling career • Why psychological horror stays with us • Building atmosphere through restraint and dread • Real locations that inspire fiction • There's Something I Keep Upstairs • The First Scarlet Door • The connection between place, memory, and fear ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ ABOUT VEIL OF ECHOES Veil of Echoes is a cinematic true crime and paranormal podcast exploring the stories that continue to echo long after they should be over. 📧 veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com [veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com] ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ MUSIC CREDITS Original music featured in this episode by Dave Daddario. Find Dave's work here: ▶️ YouTube: @davedaddario We are incredibly grateful for Dave's continued work creating the immersive soundscapes that help bring Veil of Echoes to life. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ COMING THIS FRIDAY We travel to Maine's legendary Wood Island Life Saving Station to explore its history, hauntings, and the paranormal legends that helped inspire There's Something I Keep Upstairs. ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.

Ep. 69 | The Haunting of Wood Island Life Saving Station: Ghosts, Shipwrecks & the Unsolved Mystery of 1972

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] Wood Island looks like something from a postcard. Just off the coast of southern Maine, near the New Hampshire border, sits a historic Life Saving Station surrounded by blue Atlantic waters and centuries of maritime history. But beneath that beauty lies a much darker story. In this episode of Veil of Echoes, we explore the haunting history of Wood Island and the station that has stood watch over Portsmouth Harbor for more than a century. From Yellow Fever quarantine hospitals and Spanish-American War prisoners to deadly storms, shipwreck rescues, and reports of unexplained paranormal activity, Wood Island's past is filled with tragedy and mystery. We'll examine the legend of the mysterious Girl on the Shore, the chilling reports of footsteps and voices inside the station, and one of the island's strangest unsolved mysteries—the discovery of two unidentified sets of human remains in 1972, a case that remains unresolved decades later. Special thanks to bestselling author J.D. Barker for sharing his research and experiences connected to Wood Island, which helped inspire this episode. Is Wood Island truly haunted? Or is its tragic history simply impossible to forget? Listen and decide for yourself. 🌊 IN THIS EPISODE ✔️ The history of Wood Island  ✔️ Yellow Fever quarantine patients  ✔️ Spanish-American War prisoners  ✔️ The 1908 Wood Island Life Saving Station  ✔️ Maritime rescues and heroic surfmen  ✔️ The 1896 murder-suicide  ✔️ The legend of the Girl on the Shore  ✔️ Paranormal reports and hauntings  ✔️ The 1972 unidentified skeletal remains mystery  ✔️ J.D. Barker's connection to Wood Island  ✔️ The restoration of the historic station 🔗 SOURCES *  Interview with J.D. Barker  * There's Something I Keep Upstairs by J.D. Barker  *  Wood Island Life Saving Station Association  *  Historical records from the Town of Kittery, Maine  *  U.S. Life Saving Service historical archives  *  U.S. Coast Guard historical archives  *  Portsmouth Harbor maritime history resources  *  Newspaper and historical accounts relating to Wood Island  *  Public reporting regarding the 1972 unidentified remains discovery  📧 SHARE YOUR STORY Have a paranormal encounter, unexplained experience, true crime connection, or strange story you'd like featured on Echoes From The Veil? 📩 veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.

Missing Veil Files | Case File 009: What Happened to Kyron Horman?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] On the morning of June 4, 2010, seven-year-old Kyron Horman proudly arrived at Skyline Elementary School in Portland, Oregon, to participate in his school's science fair. He posed for photographs. He showed off his project. And then he vanished. What should have been an ordinary school day became one of the most baffling missing child cases in American history. Despite one of the largest search efforts ever conducted in Oregon, thousands of tips, FBI involvement, and years of investigation, Kyron has never been found. In this episode of Missing Veil Files, we examine the timeline of Kyron's final known movements, the massive search that followed, the scrutiny surrounding those closest to him, and the theories that continue to surround his disappearance more than sixteen years later. Someone knows what happened. The question is whether they will ever come forward. 📁 SHOW NOTES Case File: 009 Name: Kyron Richard Horman Age at Disappearance: 7 Date Missing: June 4, 2010 Location: Skyline Elementary School, Portland, Oregon Status: Missing Topics Covered • Kyron's early life and family background  • The Skyline Elementary School science fair  • The final confirmed sighting of Kyron  • The largest criminal investigation in Oregon history  • The search efforts surrounding Skyline Elementary and Sauvie Island  • Terri Horman's timeline and public scrutiny  • The murder-for-hire allegation involving Kaine Horman  • DeDe Spicher's involvement in the investigation  • Civil litigation filed by Desiree Young  • Ongoing theories and unanswered questions  • Where the case stands today If You Have Information Anyone with information regarding the disappearance of Kyron Horman is encouraged to contact the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office or the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Sources • Multnomah County Sheriff's Office  • Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  • National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)  • Oregon Department of Justice  • KGW News Portland  • KATU News Portland  • The Oregonian  • CBS News  • NBC News  • ABC News  • Dr. Phil Interview with Terri Horman (2016)  • Court filings related to Young v. Horman  • Publicly available law enforcement statements and press conferences Music Credits Original music provided by Dave DAddario. YouTube: @davedaddario Missing Veil Files Missing Veil Files is a special series from Veil of Echoes dedicated to sharing the stories of missing persons, keeping their names alive, and supporting the families who continue searching for answers. If there is a case you believe deserves to be featured, contact us at: 📧 veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.

Ep. 68: Columbine High School Part 3: The Aftermath | We Are Columbine

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] In the final chapter of our Columbine series, we explore what happened after the gunfire stopped. As first responders cautiously entered the school, survivors remained trapped inside classrooms, parents desperately searched for answers, and the nation watched in horror as events unfolded live on television. We examine the rescue of Patrick Ireland, remembered by many as "The Boy in the Window," the heroic actions and tragic death of teacher Dave Sanders, the victims whose lives were stolen on April 20, 1999, and the lasting impact Columbine left on America. We also explore the myths, misconceptions, and unanswered questions that followed the tragedy, as well as how the Columbine community found the strength to move forward under a message that would become a symbol of resilience: We Are Columbine. This episode contains discussions of mass violence, murder, suicide, trauma, and the deaths of minors. Listener discretion is strongly advised. Echoes From the Veil Have a paranormal experience, true crime encounter, near-death experience, stalking encounter, or unexplained story? Send it to: 📧 veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com [veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com] Your story may be featured in a future installment of Echoes From the Veil. Monthly Listener Giveaways Congratulations to our first giveaway winners: 🔮 Jenna 🔮 Rhonda Additional giveaways are coming soon, including: • Veil of Echoes Collector Tarot Cards • Candles • Crystals • Wax-Sealed Letters • Exclusive Veil of Echoes Collectibles Music & Sound Design Original music, theme music, trailer music, and sound design by Dave Daddario. 🎵 YouTube: youtube.com/@davedaddario Audio Used • Historical news coverage of the Columbine High School massacre • Columbine-related emergency dispatch audio • Patti Nielson 911 call excerpts • Patrick Ireland rescue news coverage excerpts • Historical news audio used for commentary, educational, and documentary purposes • Original music and sound design by Dave Daddario • Additional editing, production, and sound design by Veil of Echoes Sources • Jefferson County Sheriff's Office Columbine Report • FBI Columbine Investigation Files • Columbine by Dave Cullen • Walking in Daniel's Shoes by Tom Mauser • Survivor and Witness Testimony Archives • CNN Columbine Coverage Archive • Denver Post Columbine Archive • History Channel Columbine Resources • Columbine Memorial Foundation Resources • National Center for Victims of Crime Resources Next Episode The Wood Island Life Saving Station A remote rescue station off the coast of Maine. A history filled with tragedy. And a haunting that would later inspire bestselling author J.D. Barker's novel, There's Something I Keep Upstairs. ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.

Episode 67: The Smurl Family Haunting | The True Story Behind The Conjuring: Last Rites

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2536916/fan_mail/new] For more than a decade, the Smurl family claimed they shared their Pennsylvania home with something terrifying. What began as unexplained noises, foul odors, and strange disturbances would eventually escalate into one of the most controversial haunting cases in American history. The family reported shadowy figures, violent attacks, unexplained scratches, and encounters with an unseen presence that seemed determined to drive them from their home. As the activity intensified, the Smurls sought help from renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who concluded that multiple spirits—and a powerful demonic entity—were responsible for the haunting. But were the Smurls truly experiencing a demonic infestation, or was there another explanation behind the events that unfolded on Chase Street? In this episode, we explore the complete history of the Smurl haunting, the Warrens' investigation, the reported exorcisms, and the debate that continues to divide believers and skeptics decades later. This is the real story that helped inspire The Conjuring: Last Rites. ──────────────────── 🎙️ EPISODE CONTENTS • The Smurl family's move to West Pittston, Pennsylvania • Strange noises, odors, and unexplained activity • The alleged attacks and escalating hauntings • Ed and Lorraine Warren's investigation • The infamous mirror message • Reported exorcisms and church involvement • Skeptics vs. believers • The lasting legacy of one of America's most debated hauntings ──────────────────── 🌫️ ECHOES FROM THE VEIL Have a paranormal experience, unexplained encounter, true crime experience, or strange story you'd like to share? Email us at: veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com [veilofechoespodcast@gmail.com] Your story may be featured in a future episode of Echoes From The Veil. ──────────────────── 📱 FOLLOW VEIL OF ECHOES Instagram: @veilofechoespodcast TikTok: @veilofechoespodcast Facebook: Veil of Echoes Podcast ──────────────────── 🎁 MONTHLY GIVEAWAYS Want a chance to win exclusive Veil of Echoes merchandise, collector tarot cards, crystals, candles, and other haunting surprises? Follow us on social media to learn how to enter our monthly giveaways. ──────────────────── ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This episode discusses alleged paranormal experiences and claims. Portions of this episode include historical reporting, witness testimony, and reported paranormal accounts that remain debated and unverified. ──────────────────── 🎵 MUSIC & AUDIO CREDITS Original music featured in this episode was composed by Dave DAddario and created exclusively for Veil of Echoes and Missing Veil Files. Listen to more of Dave's work: YouTube: @davedaddario This episode also contains brief excerpts of historical news broadcasts and publicly available interviews featuring members of the Smurl family, Ed Warren, and Lorraine Warren. These clips are used for commentary, criticism, education, and discussion purposes. ──────────────────── 📚 SOURCES The Haunted (1986) By Robert Curran, Jack Smurl, Janet Smurl, Ed Warren, and Lorraine Warren Historical newspaper archives and contemporary reporting Interviews with Jack Smurl and Janet Smurl Interviews with Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren The Haunted (1991 Television Film) Research from paranormal investigators, clergy statements, and skeptical analyses of the Smurl case Additional historical and investigative sources examining the Smurl haunting and its lasting cultural impact ──────────────────── 🎙️ Veil of Echoes A cinematic true crime and paranormal podcast. Because some stories refuse to stay buried. ✨ Step through the veil with us… 🔮 Follow on TikTok & Instagram: @VeilOfEchoesPodcast 👻 Share your stories: VeilOfEchoesPodcast@gmail.com 🕯️ New episodes drop every Monday (True Crime) & Friday (Paranormal) — where true crime meets the supernatural.