Creepalachia

In this episode of Creepalachia, I sit down with Morgan Morrison, co-owner of Rock City Cake Company in Charleston, West Virginia. What started as a conversation about cake and creativity quickly turned into one of the eeriest tales we’ve ever shared. Their shop isn’t just a bakery — it’s located on the very site of the 1949 Woolworth Fire, where seven Charleston firefighters lost their lives. Tha...

In this episode, J.D. sits down with Austin Hatfield, a former rabbit farmer from Beckley, West Virginia, who traded farm chores for barbells—and made it all the way to the CrossFit Games. Austin opens up about how rural life and responsibility shaped him long before competition ever did. From loading hay bales to carb loading up for the Open, his story is Appalachia at its grittiest and most insp...

In one of the most emotional episodes yet, J.D. sits down with Charles Stewart, a former Army combat medic who spent 12 years in Iraq. But this isn’t just a story about war—it’s a raw and unflinching conversation about what happens after the battlefield. Charles opens up about losing friends in combat, the trauma of being both healer and survivor, and how he ended up homeless for two years battlin...

This week on Creepalachia, I’m joined by S. D. Smith—also known as Sam Smith—author of The Green Ember saga, Jack Zulu and the Waylander’s Key, Mooses with Bazookas, and more. We talk through how he started one of the most successful Kickstarter campaigns to come out of West Virginia. We dig into the heart of what makes a story matter: his journey as a storyteller rooted in rural West Virginia, ho...

In this wild, musical, and deeply Appalachian episode, musician Jonah Carden joins J.D. to perform original songs and tell the stories behind them—stories soaked in grit, heartbreak, and a little bit of beer-soaked chaos. Jonah shares what it’s really like to play in bars across Appalachia, including some of the craziest moments on stage, how music has helped him process the hard stuff, and that o...

In this no-holds-barred episode, J.D. sits down with three people on the front lines of the addiction crisis in Appalachia: Dave Taylor, Outreach Coordinator of Wise Path Recovery and a man in long-term recovery himself https://wisepathrecoverycenters.com/ Sgt. BJ Adkins, community outreach officer with the Raleigh County Sheriff’s Department, who grew up inside the storm of addiction https://www....

In this emotional and powerful episode, J.D. sits down with Diana Mills, Dana Fann, and Kaden—the daughters and grandson of David Fann, whose 2016 murder remains unsolved. Together, they walk us through the timeline of events, the unanswered questions, and the pain of not knowing who took their loved one’s life. But more than that, they tell us who David Fann was—a father, a grandfather, a man dee...

In this episode, Mark and Courtney, the creators of Mountain State Mysteries, join J.D. for a gripping conversation about some of West Virginia’s most disturbing and unsolved true crime cases. From the disappearance of Gretchen Fleming in Parkersburg, to the unsolved disappearance of Cherice Gwinn-Stephens, the devastating case of Chandice Cochran, and the brutal legend of The Mad Butcher of Fayet...

#RuralEMS #AppalachianFirstResponders In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Jonathan Cresong—an EMT-Paramedic, firefighter, and master diver with Upper Laurel Fire Rescue—joins J.D. to talk about the harsh, heroic, and often overlooked realities of working in emergency services across rural Appalachia. Jonathan opens up about the unique challenges of saving lives in places where help is far aw...

*EDITOR’S NOTES 1. We discuss the leading suspect of this case in great detail. While we don’t mention his name, we do mention that he is out of prison. This is not the case, as we have found after the show that he is in fact in prison for quite a while. Stay tuned for future updates involving the murder of Margie Dodd. 2. Kent Dodd identified Margie in the photographs by viewing rings that she ow...

In this episode, Benny and Ella Dunfee sit down with J.D. to share the story of Outlaw Billy Foster—a man who spent 28 years in prison and left behind a trail of haunting, raw, and deeply personal artwork. Benny, a longtime friend of Billy’s, has made it his mission to find and preserve Billy’s art—not to excuse what was done, but to remember the man behind the sentence. Also joining the conversat...

In this soulful and powerful episode, Appalachian musician Randy Gilkey joins J.D. for a conversation about life, loss, music, and meaning. Blind since birth, Randy opens up about how his father’s influence, his spiritual grounding, and his journey through sobriety have shaped both his life and his art. He shares what it’s like navigating the world without sight, how music has served as both thera...

In this candid and deeply reflective episode, Rev. Chip Bennett, Southern District Superintendent of the United Methodist Church in West Virginia, joins J.D. for a raw and honest conversation about faith in a complicated world. Together, they tackle some of the toughest questions facing Christianity today: Why do bad things happen to good people? Where does the Church stand on gay marriage? Should...

#PoopInfrastructure #SanitationMatters In this surprisingly necessary and undeniably real episode, J.D. hosts a roundtable like no other—The Super Toilet Bowl—a deep dive (pun intended) into the future of sanitation infrastructure in West Virginia. Joining the conversation are three industry pros: 🚽 Veronica Crosier, Executive Director of the Portable Sanitation Association International 💧 Luke...

#ParanormalAppalachia #GhostTourStories  In this episode, Pam Huff and Christy McCumbers from Appalachian Ghost Tours join J.D. to talk about their passion for preserving haunted history and uncovering the most active paranormal hotspots in Southern West Virginia. From historic cemeteries to downtown shadows, Pam and Christy share what it's like to lead ghost tours in towns with deep roots—an...

#UFOEncounters #MothmanSightings #ParanormalInvestigation In this episode, J.D. sits down with Joe Perdue and Ron Lanham, the creators of Wild and Weird West Virginia, to talk about their lifelong fascination with UFOs, Bigfoot, Mothman, and the paranormal—but with a twist: they don’t just believe, they collect data. Joe and Ron explain how they turned their curiosity into a full-blown investigati...

#CryptidTalk #CryptidOrigins #UFOEncounters  In this fun and wide-ranging episode, Mothboy Mike from the hit podcast 'Mothboys' joins J.D. to talk all things cryptids, conspiracies, and creatures that shouldn’t exist—plus how a group of friends turned their love for the weird into one of the most beloved cryptid podcasts around. From Mothman and Flatwoods Monster to lesser-known beasts a...

#FuneralDirectorLife #Creepalachia In this honest and fascinating episode, Sally Ratcliff, a funeral director of 20 years, sits down with J.D. to talk about the side of life—and death—most people never see. From embalming and body prep, to grief coordination, funeral planning, and handling the emotional weight of it all, Sally gives a behind-the-curtain look at what it truly means to care for the...

#BigfootExperience #MothmanEncounter #AppalachianParanormal In this adventurous and wide-ranging episode, Juventino Diz Garcia—better known online as the Spanish Lumberjack—sits down with J.D. to talk about his journey through the Paranormal Trails of West Virginia and the encounters that left him changed forever. From a chilling Bigfoot experience deep in the Appalachian woods to a strange moment...

#SodderChildren #TrueCrimeAppalachia In this landmark episode, Miranda Weeks, the great-great-granddaughter of George and Jennie Sodder, sits down with J.D. and Jozy to tell the full story of one of America’s most enduring and heartbreaking mysteries—the disappearance of five Sodder children after a fire on Christmas Eve, 1945. Miranda shares the real family history, walks us through every major t...

#hauntedappalachia  In this episode, J.D. sits down with Josh Clark, author of the chilling Appalachian novel The Haunting of Shoals Hollow. Set deep in the hills, the book weaves ghost stories, family secrets, and small-town folklore into a slow-burn supernatural tale that feels both intimate and eerie. Josh talks about the inspiration behind the story, his love for Appalachian horror, and why Sh...

#ParanormalEncounters #GhostStories #Creepalachia In this spine-tingling and thought-provoking episode, Theresa Racer and Jess Madden sit down with J.D. to share their real-life experiences as paranormal investigators—and the chilling encounters that keep them coming back. Theresa and Jess speak with grounded honesty about what it’s like chasing the unexplained in Appalachia. They dig into moments...

#SuicideAwareness #BreakingTheSilence #Creepalachia In this deeply personal and emotional episode, Eva Toney sits down with J.D. to share the story of her father’s suicide—and the lasting impact it had on the family he left behind. Eva speaks with raw honesty about the grief, confusion, anger, and silence that followed. This isn’t just a story about loss—it’s about what happens in the aftermath. H...

#AppalachianWitchcraft #PaganPerspective *May be some cuss words I missed censoring in this one! Apologies. In this bold and eye-opening episode, J.D. sits down with Dottie the Witch—also known as Dottie the Psychic—for a real conversation about paganism, witchcraft, and what those words actually mean in Appalachia. Together, they unpack the deep-rooted misconceptions surrounding Appalachian witch...

#Outdoors #Creepalachia In this down-to-earth and wide-ranging episode, Dwayne Moore and Kelly Moore sit down with J.D. to talk about how they built a massive online following through their Facebook page Full Rut—a thriving social hub for hunters, anglers, and outdoor enthusiasts across Appalachia and beyond. They share the story behind the brand, what makes their community so engaged, and why aut...