Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

Ouija Boards: Innocent Toy, Parlor Game, or Dangerous Paranormal Portal?

The Ouija board started as a simple parlor game in 1890 — but paranormal researchers warn it might open doorways to something far more sinister. And if a spirit starts spelling out the name Zozo, you may have just made contact with one of the most dangerous entities on the other side. IN THIS EPISODE: Some believe the Ouija board is a harmless game – others feel it is a paranormal, evil portal to allow entry into our world of ghosts, dead relatives, and even demonic entities. How dangerous is the Ouija Board? (Ouija Board Dangers) *** On April 12th, 1961 the first man to ever make it into space was a Russian cosmonaut by the name of Yuri Gagarin. He is considered a hero to his country, and an inspiration worldwide to those who are fascinated by space travel. But what few do not know is that there is a theory that there was someone before Yuri Gagarin – and the story has been kept a secret. (The Cosmonaut Conspiracy) *** Apparently, if you want to have a satisfying life, it’s best to not have the name Elizabeth Brewer. I have two stories completely unrelated except that atthe center of each sombre tale is a woman named Elizabeth Brewer. (Two Terrible Tales of Elizabeth Brewer) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Show Open 00:01:49.989 = Ouija Board Dangers 00:13:23.084 = *** The Cosmonaut Conspiracy 00:26:41.234 = *** Two Terrible Tales of Elizabeth Brewer 00:44:02.400 = ***The Golgotha Dancers (Bonus Story - Fiction) 01:06:21.361 = Show Close *** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “Is The Ouija Board Dangerous” (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2adx4nxx [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2adx4nxx]) and “Why You Should Avoid Contacting The Sinister Demon Zozo” https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3cnmc9he [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3cnmc9he]) by Stephen Wagner; and “Who Invented The Ouija Board” (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/v8xavm6h [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/v8xavm6h]) by Mary Bellis -- both for LiveAbout.com “The Cosmonaut Conspiracy” by David Crookes from All About Space Magazine, posted at LiveScience.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/hn5m2r52 [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/hn5m2r52] “Two Terrible Tales of Elizabeth Brewer” by William Ellis-Rees for London Overlooked: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/kbxvw4a2 [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/kbxvw4a2], https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5y7yukyk [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/5y7yukyk] “The Golgotha Dancers “By Manly Wade Wellman, originally published in Weird Tales October, 1937 Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = = (Over time links seen above 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 ©2026, Weird Darkness. = = = = = Originally aired: May 26, 2021 EPISODE PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/DangerousOuija 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 things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised. #WeirdDarkness, #OuijaBoard, #Zozo, #Paranormal, #DemonicEntity, #SpiritBoard, #Supernatural, #HorrorStories, #TrueScaryStories, #Occult

The Static Growler: What's Hiding in the Signal?

Long ago, an ominous radio frequency would burst to life with mysterious static — and hidden inside were whispers and growls. They called the voice the Static Growler, and some say it could find its way inside your mind. | “The Static Growler… Or So It Seems” by Scott Donnelly #MicroTerrors Find more family-friendly frights and creepy games to play on our website at http://MicroTerrors.com [http://microterrors.com/]! Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/microterrors [https://www.facebook.com/microterrors] Other stories, novels, and more from author Scott Donnelly: https://amzn.to/3LymHaU [https://amzn.to/3LymHaU] Other narrations, podcasts, and audiobooks from voice artist Darren Marlar: https://WeirdDarkness.com [https://weirddarkness.com/] = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = Weird Darkness©, 2026 Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids™, 2026#ScaryStoriesForKids #StoriesForKids #KidsStories #HalloweenKids #MicroTerrors #HalloweenStories #WeirdDarkness https://weirddarkness.com/StaticGrowler

Did a Voodoo Cult Commit Louisiana's Deadliest Ax Murders?

Between 1911 and 1912, entire families across Louisiana and Texas were slaughtered in their sleep with an ax — their bodies sometimes arranged in prayer, their blood drained into buckets, and cryptic messages scrawled on the walls. A 17-year-old girl confessed to 35 of the murders, claimed she belonged to a secret voodoo cult called the Church of Sacrifice — and then vanished into history. IN THIS EPISODE: A series of ax murders took place in Louisiana and Texas. Gruesome as they were, they began to horrify the public even more when they were admitted to by a teenaged voodoo priestess. Despite her confession though, a pair of authors say that there was someone else in the area at the time even more dangerous and who likely did most of the killing unbeknownst to even the voodoo priestess. That man is know simply as “The Man From The Train”. Plus, we’ll look a few more gruesome ax murders that took place in the 1800s. CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Lead-In 00:00:53.506 = Show Open 00:02:28.706 = Voodoo Murders of Clementine Barabet 00:17:52.092 = *** The Man From The Train 00:33:05.318 = *** Ax Murders of the 1800s 00:52:26.088 = Show Close SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “The Voodoo Murders of Clementine Barnabet” (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2c5fcw [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2c5fcw]) and “The Man From The Train” (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3fc77w4h [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3fc77w4h]) by Benjamin Welton for ListVerse “Axe Murders of the 1800s” by Elizabeth Yetter (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/vjfc6dp6 [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/vjfc6dp6]), and Josh Gotter (https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/367wz7rd [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/367wz7rd]) for ListVerse BOOK: “The Man From The Train: Discovering America’s Most Elusive Serial Killer” by Bill James and Rachel McCarthy James: https://amzn.to/3fiuHhM [https://amzn.to/3fiuHhM] Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = = (Over time links seen above 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 ©2026, Weird Darkness. = = = = = Originally aired: May 24, 2021 EPISODE PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/VoodooCult 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 things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised. #WeirdDarkness #TrueCrime #VoodooMurders #AxMurders #SerialKiller #CultMurders #LouisianaTrueCrime #UnsolvedMysteries #TrueCrimeHistory #OccultMurders

Gertrude Baniszewski | The Woman Who Charged Neighborhood Kids a Nickel to Watch Her Torture a Girl

In 1965, a carnival worker left his two daughters in the care of a struggling Indianapolis mother for $20 a week. What followed was one of the most horrific cases of torture and murder in American history — despite dozens of people knowing it was happening. IN THIS EPISODE: Gertrude Baniszewski – a woman whose evil ran so deep, it flowed through her children and their friends and displayed itself in the torture, mutilation and murder of a young girl. (Torture Mother) *** On January 2, 1935, a man who signed the guest register as “Roland T. Owen” checked into the President Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri – and never checked out. (The Man in Room 1046) *** If you ask a dying loved one to try and reach you from the other side when they finally pass away, don’t be surprised if they follow up on that promise. (My Mom’s Wake) *** The last cabin standing along the beach at Hunting Island State Park is a celebrity among locals and visitors as folks have taken to a love affair with the little blue cabin’s fight against nature over the past few years. Oh… and it also appears to be haunted. (Little Blue Ocean Cabin) CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)… 00:00:00.000 = Disclaimer and Lead-In 00:01:42.103 = Show Open 00:03:33.891 = The Torture Mother, Part 1 00:17:39.437 = *** The Torture Mother, Part 2 00:38:39.253 = *** The Man In Room 1046 00:45:45.323 = My Mom’s Wake 00:51:06.802 = *** Little Blue 00:55:43.060 = Show Close *** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE… “The Man in Room 1046” by Troy Taylor: http://bit.ly/2QJcZpW [http://bit.ly/2QJcZpW] “My Mom’s Wake” by Pete Inesc: http://bit.ly/2EObXUE [http://bit.ly/2EObXUE] “Little Blue Ocean Cabin” posted at GhostsNGhouls.com (link no longer available) “The Torture Mother” posted at Murderpedia.org: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4xcbkut7 [https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4xcbkut7] Weird Darkness theme from Alibi Music Library = = = = = (Over time links seen above 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 ©2024, Weird Darkness. = = = = = Originally aired: June 01, 2019 EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirdarkness.com/TortureMother 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 things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised. #WeirdDarkness #TrueCrime #SylviaLikens #TortureMother #GertrudeBaniszewski #TrueCrimeHistory #IndianapolisTrue Crime #1960sCrime #TrueCrimeCommunity #MurderCase

Australian Mayor Has to Ask People to STOP EATING Toilet Seats

A Tasmanian mayor's routine trip to a public restroom turned into an official plea for citizens to stop snacking on the facilities. READ or SHARE: https://weirddarkness.com/tasmania-mayor-dont-eat-toilet-seats [https://weirddarkness.com/tasmania-mayor-dont-eat-toilet-seats] WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness. #WeirdDarkness, #WeirdDarkNEWS, #BizarreNews, #WeirdNews, #Tasmania, #Australia, #StrangeButTrue, #OddNews, #ViralNews, #WTFNews