Perplexity: A Mystery Podcast

Episode 156: Zombies- History, Folklore, and REAL Cases

When you think of classic horror creatures… what comes to mind? Vampires? Werewolves? Demons? Absolutely. But what about the undead? Reanimated humans with just one goal in mind: to consume human flesh. These creatures are absolutely terrifying, captivating to watch on the big screen, and they’re iconic to the horror genre. But did you know tales of these beings go back for centuries? And there are even some verified cases.  Today’s 3 year anniversary episode is all about ZOMBIES! ------ WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT: Join the Patreon [https://patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast] for perks and ad free episodes! Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!!! Buy Kaydra a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/perplexitymysterypodcast] and get a shoutout! Merch! [https://www.bonfire.com/store/perplexity-mystery-podcast/] Be sure to tag us on Instagram in your merch! Subscribe to the YouTube channel! [https://www.youtube.com/@perplexitymysterypodcast]  Website [https://www.perplexitymysterypodcast.com/] Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok @PerplexityMysteryPodcast. Have a story to tell or want to request a topic? Email Kaydra at PerplexityMysteryPodcast@gmail.com [https://gmail.com/] ------ SOURCES: https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-zombies [https://www.history.com/articles/history-of-zombies] Wikipedia  https://yokai.com/nuribotoke/?srsltid=AfmBOor0ay9CvKRUs584kxTWCDp4iUSbnlOQgG2RWHI07tWlYZtBeFWt [https://yokai.com/nuribotoke/?srsltid=AfmBOor0ay9CvKRUs584kxTWCDp4iUSbnlOQgG2RWHI07tWlYZtBeFWt] https://yokai.com/jikininki/?srsltid=AfmBOooUNwm0RdbMmARlp8wqBQZNDk9cs94kvfwciTsKld_7783J8QrV [https://yokai.com/jikininki/?srsltid=AfmBOooUNwm0RdbMmARlp8wqBQZNDk9cs94kvfwciTsKld_7783J8QrV] https://visithaiti.com/haiti-up-close/haitian-zombies-insider-insights/ [https://visithaiti.com/haiti-up-close/haitian-zombies-insider-insights/] https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/12/13/250844800/zoinks-tracing-the-history-of-zombie-from-haiti-to-the-cdc [https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/12/13/250844800/zoinks-tracing-the-history-of-zombie-from-haiti-to-the-cdc] https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2023/10/30/268-history-of-zombies-from-haiti-and-voodoo-to-the-night-of-the-living-dead-english-vocabulary-lesson/ [https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2023/10/30/268-history-of-zombies-from-haiti-and-voodoo-to-the-night-of-the-living-dead-english-vocabulary-lesson/] https://www.iflscience.com/scientists-once-scanned-the-brains-of-3-suspected-zombies-in-haiti-69013 [https://www.iflscience.com/scientists-once-scanned-the-brains-of-3-suspected-zombies-in-haiti-69013] https://www.harvardmagazine.com/faculty-community/are-zombies-real [https://www.harvardmagazine.com/faculty-community/are-zombies-real] https://www.biologyonline.com/articles/dead-man-walking [https://www.biologyonline.com/articles/dead-man-walking] https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326871#3-The-reanimated-virus [https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/326871#3-The-reanimated-virus] https://www.ronelthemythmaker.com/zombies-in-folklore-and-fiction-folklore-atozchallenge/ [https://www.ronelthemythmaker.com/zombies-in-folklore-and-fiction-folklore-atozchallenge/] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5555431/ [https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5555431/] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Episode 155: Haunted Mississippi

TW: murder, suicide, extreme racial violence Mississippi’s history whispers through shadows and time. From pre-war mansions where footsteps still echo long after midnight, to forgotten cemeteries where the air feels heavy with memories, there’s a lot to discuss about this state. The grounds have been soaked with blood, the cities chatter with chilling ghost stories, and its’ even said there are enigmatic creatures lingering beneath the Spanish moss and river mist. Today’s episode is all about the haunting history and locations of Mississippi. ------ WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT: Join the Patreon [https://patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast] for perks and ad free episodes! Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!!! Buy Kaydra a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/perplexitymysterypodcast] and get a shoutout! Merch! [https://www.bonfire.com/store/perplexity-mystery-podcast/] Be sure to tag us on Instagram in your merch! Subscribe to the YouTube channel! [https://www.youtube.com/@perplexitymysterypodcast]  Website [https://www.perplexitymysterypodcast.com/] Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok @PerplexityMysteryPodcast. Have a story to tell or want to request a topic? Email Kaydra at PerplexityMysteryPodcast@gmail.com [https://gmail.com/] ------ SOURCES: https://julianjohnsonlaw.com/the-tragic-story-of-l-q-ivy-a-lynching-that-must-not-be-forgotten/ [https://julianjohnsonlaw.com/the-tragic-story-of-l-q-ivy-a-lynching-that-must-not-be-forgotten/] https://www.mississippihauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/ [https://www.mississippihauntedhouses.com/real-haunts/] https://www.hauntedrooms.com/mississippi/haunted-places [https://www.hauntedrooms.com/mississippi/haunted-places] https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/23/travel/mcraven-house-ghost-hunt-mississippi [https://www.cnn.com/2025/10/23/travel/mcraven-house-ghost-hunt-mississippi] https://www.visitvicksburg.com/blog/mcraven-house-vicksburgs-most-haunted-mansion/ [https://www.visitvicksburg.com/blog/mcraven-house-vicksburgs-most-haunted-mansion/] Wikipedia https://youtu.be/4-PV_S11HGE [https://youtu.be/4-PV_S11HGE] https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/mississippi/most-haunted-house-in-ms-is-terrifying [https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/experiences/mississippi/most-haunted-house-in-ms-is-terrifying] https://smliving.net/haunted-history/ [https://smliving.net/haunted-history/] https://www.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2015/10/does_the_haunted_garden_of_hop.html [https://www.gulflive.com/mississippi-press-news/2015/10/does_the_haunted_garden_of_hop.html] https://msfolklore.wordpress.com/2022/07/28/the-chatawa-monster/ [https://msfolklore.wordpress.com/2022/07/28/the-chatawa-monster/] https://paranormaltraveler.com/1514/the-eola-hotel-a-haunted-southern-icon/ [https://paranormaltraveler.com/1514/the-eola-hotel-a-haunted-southern-icon/] https://www.lib.uwo.ca/archives/virtualexhibits/londonasylum/hydrotherapy.html [https://www.lib.uwo.ca/archives/virtualexhibits/londonasylum/hydrotherapy.html] https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/whitfield/ [https://mississippiencyclopedia.org/entries/whitfield/] https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/29136 [https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/29136]  https://umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2018/03/asylum-hill-project--what-a-great-story-this-is.html [https://umc.edu/news/News_Articles/2018/03/asylum-hill-project--what-a-great-story-this-is.html] https://www.tvi.show/haunted-halls/the-haunted-halls-of-the-university-of-mississippi [https://www.tvi.show/haunted-halls/the-haunted-halls-of-the-university-of-mississippi] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Episode 154: Vanished on Thanksgiving

TW: Murder, sexual assault This time of year is often spent with the ones we love. It’s a time for conversation, connection, laughter, and the comforting chaos of shared traditions. But for some families, this time of year is a reminder of heartbreak and unanswered questions. So for today’s true crime episode, we will be focusing on 2 unsolved cases. These are the perplexing stories of John Woodruff and Karen Mitchell. ------ WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT: Join the Patreon [https://patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast] for perks and ad free episodes! Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!!! Buy Kaydra a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/perplexitymysterypodcast] and get a shoutout! Merch! [https://www.bonfire.com/store/perplexity-mystery-podcast/] Be sure to tag us on Instagram in your merch! Subscribe to the YouTube channel! [https://www.youtube.com/@perplexitymysterypodcast]  Website [https://www.perplexitymysterypodcast.com/] Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok @PerplexityMysteryPodcast. Have a story to tell or want to request a topic? Email Kaydra at PerplexityMysteryPodcast@gmail.com [https://gmail.com/] ------ SOURCES:  https://medium.com/@aeb2471/he-died-in-the-name-of-conservation-the-murder-of-john-h-woodruff-cd614cfbb0df [https://medium.com/@aeb2471/he-died-in-the-name-of-conservation-the-murder-of-john-h-woodruff-cd614cfbb0df] https://schenectadyhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-02-compressed.pdf [https://schenectadyhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/2022-02-compressed.pdf] https://truecrimediva.com/john-howie-woodruff/ [https://truecrimediva.com/john-howie-woodruff/] https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2022/06/fallen-game-wardens-of-new-york/ [https://www.newyorkalmanack.com/2022/06/fallen-game-wardens-of-new-york/] https://charleyproject.org/case/karen-marie-mitchell [https://charleyproject.org/case/karen-marie-mitchell] https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Karen_Mitchell [https://int-missing.fandom.com/wiki/Karen_Mitchell] https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1863dfca.html [https://www.doenetwork.org/cases/1863dfca.html] https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/karen-marie-mitchell-0 [https://oag.ca.gov/missing/person/karen-marie-mitchell-0] Wikipedia https://www.cityofschenectady.gov/248/General-History-Settlement-to-1960 [https://www.cityofschenectady.gov/248/General-History-Settlement-to-1960] https://abcnews.go.com/US/robert-durst-arrest-prompts-questions-unsolved-missing-girl/story?id=29724162 [https://abcnews.go.com/US/robert-durst-arrest-prompts-questions-unsolved-missing-girl/story?id=29724162] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_AFJIQeYxk [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_AFJIQeYxk] https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/lynne-schulze [https://www.murdershetold.com/episodes/lynne-schulze] https://www.huffpost.com/entry/you-cant-imagine-robert-d_b_7777076 [https://www.huffpost.com/entry/you-cant-imagine-robert-d_b_7777076] See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Introducing: Missing in Hush Town

In March 2001, 11-year-old Bethany Leanne Markowski vanished without a trace during a scheduled visit with her father. He claims she walked into the Jackson, Tennessee mall — and then she was simply gone. No witnesses. No confirmed sightings. No answers. Now, more than two decades later, Missing In Hush Town returns for a powerful second season to re-examine Bethany’s case with fresh ears and renewed urgency. Working alongside Bethany’s family, retired and current law enforcement, journalists, and those who have never stopped searching, this season digs deep into the events leading up to her disappearance, the early investigative missteps, and the haunting question that still hangs over Hush Town: Where is Bethany Markowski? Join us as we trace Bethany’s story, amplify the voices of those who love and miss her, and uncover new perspectives that may help bring her home. Listen to Season Two of Missing In Hush Townwherever you get your podcasts, and learn more at www.missinginhushtown.com [http://www.missinginhushtown.com/]. Listen here on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prologue/id1704565234?i=1000732955557 [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prologue/id1704565234?i=1000732955557] Listen here on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UUMpAb5AWAbZtfzlfybGQ?si=9bee5134c2c6416f [https://open.spotify.com/episode/2UUMpAb5AWAbZtfzlfybGQ?si=9bee5134c2c6416f] Follow us on Instagram at @missinginhushtown See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].

Episode 153: Mary Vincent & Roxanne Hayes

TW: sexual assault, murder, extreme violence In September of 1978, 15 year old Mary Vincent was hitchhiking in California. She would accept a ride from a man in a blue van by the name of Lawrence Singleton. Little did Mary know, Singleton was a monster. Mary's life would be forever changed. This is an unbelievable and inspiring case of survival, but also of other lives that were senselessly lost due to insufficient California laws against sexual predators. This is the story of the survival of Mary Vincent and the murder of Roxanne Hayes. ------ WAYS TO SUPPORT & CONNECT: Join the Patreon [https://patreon.com/perplexitymysterypodcast] for perks and ad free episodes! Hit that follow button, drop a 5 star review, and spread the word!!! Buy Kaydra a coffee [https://buymeacoffee.com/perplexitymysterypodcast] and get a shoutout! Merch! [https://www.bonfire.com/store/perplexity-mystery-podcast/] Be sure to tag us on Instagram in your merch! Subscribe to the YouTube channel! [https://www.youtube.com/@perplexitymysterypodcast]  Website [https://www.perplexitymysterypodcast.com/] Follow Perplexity on Instagram and TikTok @PerplexityMysteryPodcast. Have a story to tell or want to request a topic? Email Kaydra at PerplexityMysteryPodcast@gmail.com [https://gmail.com/] ------ SHOW NOTES: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Vincent_(artist) [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Vincent_(artist)] https://www.openceilingsmagazine.com/features/mary-vincent-a-life-of-survival [https://www.openceilingsmagazine.com/features/mary-vincent-a-life-of-survival] https://blurredbylines.com/articles/mary-vincent-lawrence-singleton-attack-survival/ [https://blurredbylines.com/articles/mary-vincent-lawrence-singleton-attack-survival/] Season 4 Episode 1 “I Survived” See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy [https://art19.com/privacy] and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info [https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info].