31. INFAMOUS: The Murder of Irene Garza & The Sins of the Catholic Church

31. INFAMOUS: The Murder of Irene Garza & The Sins of the Catholic Church

In 2002, The Boston Globe published an investigation that permanently changed the way many people viewed the Catholic Church. What began as reporting on a single priest accused of abusing children quickly unraveled into something much larger — a disturbing pattern of accused clergy being quietly reassigned, victims silenced, complaints buried, and church officials seemingly more focused on avoiding scandal than stopping the abuse itself. And as the investigation continued, more victims began coming forward. Not just in Boston. Everywhere. More than 40 years before those revelations came to light, 25-year-old Irene Garza walked into Sacred Heart Catholic Church in McAllen, Texas for confession — and never came home. Five days later, her body was discovered floating in a muddy irrigation canal. She had been brutally beaten, sexually assaulted, and suffocated. Almost immediately, suspicion began circling around a priest — a man connected to another violent attack, whose belongings were later found near the canal where Irene’s body had been dumped, and who multiple people would later claim admitted to killing her. And still… nothing happened. No arrest. No justice. Not for decades. Over time, Irene’s story would become part of something much larger — a reckoning that exposed long-buried truths about power, protection, and accountability. In this episode, we unravel the horrifying murder of Irene Garza, the investigation that went cold, the alleged institutional protection surrounding the case, and the decades-long fight to finally bring the truth into the light. TW: This episode contains discussion of murder, sexual assault, clergy abuse, institutional cover-up allegations, violence against women, and graphic details surrounding the discovery of a victim’s body. Listener discretion is advised. Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841]Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6d5l6327AqS3I3aDoKTrti] Apple Podcasts ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841] ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠Instagram ⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/darklyspeakingpodcast/] ⁠TikTok ⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@darklyspeakingpodcast] ⁠Website ⁠ [https://www.darklyspeakingpodcast.com/](Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com [Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com] ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

30. THE TERRIFYING TALES OF: Haunted Appalachia — True Encounters & Backwoods Horror

Parts of the Appalachian mountains have been here longer than almost anything we know — hundreds of millions of years. Long before people… before the forests that cover them now… and they’ve seen a lot since. People have passed through, settled, disappeared… but the stories remain... Tonight, I’m going to walk you through a series of real-life horror stories straight from Appalachia — someone waking up to something circling their tent in the middle of the night… a voice in the woods that turns into something much worse… a haunted boarding school in Kentucky with a tragic past… and something caught on camera that no one can explain. So get comfortable… settle in… we’re stepping back into Appalachia. Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841]Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6d5l6327AqS3I3aDoKTrti] Apple Podcasts ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841] ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠Instagram ⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/darklyspeakingpodcast/] ⁠TikTok ⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@darklyspeakingpodcast] ⁠Website ⁠ [https://www.darklyspeakingpodcast.com/](Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com [Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com] ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

29. THE TERRIFYING TALES OF: Skinwalkers — Shapeshifters in the Dark

You’ve probably heard the stories—something calling your name from outside… something that looks wrong… not quite animal… not quite human. And if you’ve spent any time on the darker side of the internet, you’ve probably heard the word Skinwalker. It’s become one of the most talked-about—and most misunderstood—topics in paranormal spaces. Videos claiming to show proof of a shapeshifting cryptid. Dogs opening doors. Deer standing on their hind legs. Animals staring a little too long, like something behind their eyes is watching you back. Figures that move wrong. Voices calling out from the dark, trying to pull people closer. But if it were only that simple...  The deeper you go, the more heinous it becomes—because the reality is far darker than most people realize. This being is not a creature. Not a myth in the way people think—but a human, tied to a deeply disturbing path.  Skinwalkers are rooted in Navajo belief—referred to as yee naaldlooshii. In its original context, this topic isn’t meant to be discussed openly—so what we’re covering here only scratches the surface.  TW: This episode contains discussion of disturbing encounters, cultural beliefs involving taboo practices, and unsettling themes. Listener discretion is advised. Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841]Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6d5l6327AqS3I3aDoKTrti] Apple Podcasts ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841] ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠Instagram ⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/darklyspeakingpodcast/] ⁠TikTok ⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@darklyspeakingpodcast] ⁠Website ⁠ [https://www.darklyspeakingpodcast.com/](Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com [Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com] ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

28. THE MYSTERIOUS DEATH OF: The Yuba County Five

On February 24th, 1978, five young men left Yuba City in Northern California for what should have been an ordinary night — a college basketball game, a short drive home, and plans for the next morning they had been looking forward to for weeks. But they never made it home. Days later, their car was discovered abandoned on a remote mountain road — hours away from where they should have been and headed in the opposite direction of home.  This case is often compared to the Dyatlov Pass Incident where nine hikers vanished in the northern Ural Mountains of Soviet Russia and were later discovered scattered across a frozen mountainside under mysterious circumstances. I covered that story in Episodes 16 and 17 — and the parallels between the two cases are deeply unsettling. Four of the men would eventually be found — one having survived for weeks in the trailer — while one was never recovered. Their names were Gary Mathias, Bill Sterling, Jack “Jackie” Hewitt, Ted Weiher, and Jack Madruga. Nearly five decades later, their disappearance remains one of the most disturbing and perplexing death investigations in California history — now known as The Yuba County Five. TW: This episode contains discussion of death, exposure to extreme winter conditions, starvation, and the discovery of human remains in remote wilderness. Listener discretion is advised. Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841]Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6d5l6327AqS3I3aDoKTrti] Apple Podcasts ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841] ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠Instagram ⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/darklyspeakingpodcast/] ⁠TikTok ⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@darklyspeakingpodcast] ⁠Website ⁠ [https://www.darklyspeakingpodcast.com/](Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com [Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com] ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

27. MISSING: The Jack Family and the Highway of Tears

In the early morning hours of August 2nd, 1989, the Jack family packed up and left home after Ronnie Jack accepted a job offer from a mysterious stranger earlier that day. They were last believed to be traveling along Highway 16 in northern British Columbia — a remote corridor later known as the Highway of Tears. For decades, this stretch of road has been linked to the disappearances and murders of dozens of Indigenous women and girls, many of whose cases remain unsolved. More than 35 years later, the Jack family has never been seen again, and their disappearance remains one of Canada’s most perplexing unsolved cases.  TW: This episode contains references to violence, sexual assault, and systemic abuse against Native women and peoples. It also includes discussion of police mishandling of criminal investigations. Listener discretion is advised. Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841]Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/show/6d5l6327AqS3I3aDoKTrti] Apple Podcasts ⁠ [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/darkly-speaking/id1828815841] ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ [https://www.youtube.com/@DarklySpeakingPodcast] ⁠Instagram ⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/darklyspeakingpodcast/] ⁠TikTok ⁠ [https://www.tiktok.com/@darklyspeakingpodcast] ⁠Website ⁠ [https://www.darklyspeakingpodcast.com/](Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com [Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com] ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.