The Spooky Darlings

In this episode of our Cryptid Crawl,  The Spooky Darlings make a stop in Maine, where we go ‘upta camp’ to meet the Specter Moose, a larger-than-life, ghostly white, seemingly bulletproof moose, spotted by many for the past hundred years. Next, we learn about the Waldoboro Wildman, a real 'corker' of a cryptid described as a  small, bipedal humanoid covered in black fur, that made headl...

On this 3D episode, the sisters dive into the bizarre world of women who fall for violent men and the psychology behind the phenomenon. Do you root for the bad guy in scary movies? Did you have a crush on Darth Vader? From the women who obsessed over Richard Ramirez (the Night Stalker), to Casey White’s prison break fueled by romance, to one woman convinced she found her twin flame behind bars in...

In this Follow-up-Friday  the Spooky Darlings give updates about what they've (we've?) been up to, and talk about podcasts, SLOMW, (all the Taylor Frankie Paul drama, plus our love for Connor and Jessie), new information on past reports  and true-crime updates from the Kelsey Fitzsimmons trial to the identifcation of the Lover's Lane murderer. This episode is low-pressure high-energ...

What if your church asked you to adopt 30 cats in the name of god? Sheryl Ruthven is obsessed with control and attention, so what's a girl to do?! Start a cult of course!  Enter Freedom Fire Ministries. This cult has it all! Having her followers pray for her ex-husbands death. Even an alleged murder plot! This is the most bizarre cult you've never heard of. Starring 30 cats per household...

Today we stop in Louisiana for a dive into the bayous and swamps, where we meet three Cryptids from the Pelican State- none of them birds! First, the Darlings will terrify you with the Rougarou - Is it a Werewolf? A Man? A Gator? No one knows. Then, we get deep into the vampire lore of New Orleans with the 1900's tale of Jacque St. Germain, who is rumored to be walking the streets of New Orle...

This week on Spooky Darlings, Emily takes Hayley and Nettie down one of the most bizarre legal rabbit holes we’ve ever covered—the Afroman defamation lawsuit. What started as a police raid on Afroman’s home quickly turned into a viral moment… and then a full-blown legal battle. After officers searched his house, Afroman used security footage from the raid in his music, merch, and social media—lead...

In our 16th installment of our FUF episodes, (Follow-Up-Friday) we discuss the kidnapping of a man by Gerald the Dolphin, discuss the recent rash of Bigfoot sightings across Ohio, and report on the four-decade old murder of 13 year-old Sarah Geer, another cold case solved by DNA. Along with this, we have a listener email and will be reading some of our reviews out loud! Sources: https://www.cnn.co...

All aboard! This week The Spooky Darlings get a full description of a literal train ride to the Windy City, plus some of the ghostly legends that haunt the iconic skyline. From the spooky stories surrounding the only structures to survive the Great Chicago Fire - The famous Chicago Water Towers, to the chilling apparitions seen gliding along the grand hallways of The Drake Hotel, home to  an unsol...

Next stop on our Cryptid Crawl is the Bluegrass State of Kentucky, where we consider the Hopkinsville Goblins— curious gravity-defying creatures with glowing hands and eyes, the Kentucky Gravediggers— scavenging grave stalkers, and the Pope Lick Monster— a half man-half goat that haunts a railroad trestle. From farms, to graveyards, to railroads— these Kentucky cryptids do not disappoint! Sources:...

In 2005, a 21-year-old woman walked into a hotel near the Miami airport. Hours later, she was found left for dead miles away, the victim of a brutal attack. Security cameras never showed her leaving the building. No witnesses saw her walk out. How did a young woman disappear from a hotel filled with cameras without anyone noticing? How did she end up in a remote lot outside the city? In this episo...

It’s another Follow-Up-Friday! Listen as we give some updates on old cases, share some stories and recommendations, and share a little travel talk!  Message us! Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings ! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at thespookydarlings@gmail.com . Follow us on instagram and TikTok @thespookydarlingspodcast for more! Peruse our m...

This week in a special Spooky Darlings 3D episode, we are turning up the volume on some of the music industry's most iconic feuds. From the decade- long rivalry of 50 Cent and Ja Rule to the carefully chronicled conflicts surrounding Taylor Swift, to the electric and sometimes comical competition between legends Michael Jackson and Prince, - we are diving into ego, artistry, revenge tracks an...

There's no place like home, and there's no place like Kansas, our 16th stop along the Cryptid Superhighway. This week, The Spooky Darlings drop into the Sunflower State,  where there is more to fear than deadly tornadoes. Amidst the giant blooms and sinkholes, lurk several mysterious monsters. This episode explores Sinkhole Sam - a strange creature seen slithering around several sinkhole...

In the summer of 1994, four young women in San Antonio — Elizabeth Ramirez, Cassandra Rivera, Kristie Mayhugh, and Anna Vasquez — were accused of committing an unthinkable crime against two children. In San Antonio, a city charged with homophobia and lingering “satanic panic” fears, the openly gay women were convicted despite a lack of credible forensic evidence and sentenced to prison. Years late...

It's another Follow-up-Friday! (FUF) And this week the sisters talk love, loss, and the Olympics. We read a listener's personal ghost story and recap the last few weeks. All served with the usual sprinkling of sister banter! Message us! Thanks for listening to The Spooky Darlings ! If you have a creepy, strange, or cool story you would like to share email us at thespookydarlings@gmail.co...

This week, the Darlings cross the Atlantic and dip our toes into the dark waters of European folklore. In Germany, we meet the Wolpertinger, a stitched-together forest creature that may be more than just an old hunting-tale. In Scotland, we encounter the Kelpie , a shape-shifter with a beautiful allure and deadly intentions. If it offers you a ride, darling...decline. Finally, in the cold Scandina...

It is our 15th stop along the Cryptid Highway, and this week The Spooky Darlings delve into monsters of Iowa . And they all have claws. We tackle the infamous Van Meter Visitor, a winged, bird-like creature that made itself known in a town in 1903, recent encounters with Iowa Dragons, who appear to be excactly as the name describes , and a brokenhearted and vengeful ghost named Lucinda, who haunts...

In 1971, nursing student Patricia Mann and her boyfriend Jesse McBane vanished after a Valentine’s dance—only to be found murdered days later in the woods outside Durham, North Carolina. More than 50 years later, their case remains unsolved, shadowed by lack of communication across multiple agencies working the case. Three suspects endure: two doctors whose stories never quite added up, and one lo...

Join us for our 13th installment of our FUF (Follow-Up-Friday) episode, as we talk true crime updates, give a recap of the "Au Pair Affair' trial of Brendon Banfield, mourn the loss of one of our favorite actresses, Catherine o'Hara, (Long Live Moira Rose!), and get deep into a discussion about what makes a Cryptozoologist. We even throw in a listener email, and announce the winner...

Deep in the largest underwater cave in the world, where only a few have braved the depth and the dark,  Dave Shaw, in a record-breaking deep water cave dive, discovers the body of a diver who had been missing for 10 years, Dion Dreyer.  Shaw makes a promise to himself and to Dion's faamily. He wants to bring Dion home.  Join us as we explore the deep and dark tale of the the brave and harrowi...

Indiana might be known for cornfields and basketball, but strange things have been happening there for decades. In this episode, we head to the Hoosier State to uncover three of its most intriguing legends. From the puzzling Oil Pit Squid found living in toxic sludge, to the mysterious Crawfordsville Monster that baffled witnesses in the late 1800's, to the spectral Lady in Black said to wand...

We're headed to 18th-century France to unravel the ghastly story of the Beast of Gévaudan, a creature at the heart of several brutal slayings that left a small countryside community living in terror. As the bodies piled up, the villagers searched for answers. What or who is responsible for these deaths? From eyewitness accounts and failed hunting expeditions, to involvement from the King of F...

This Follow-Up Friday is rife—and ripe—with recaps and recommendations. We unpack what those words actually mean (and when to use them), share TV, movie,  and podcast recs, and swap stories—including a TikTok scam cautionary tale. We will take you along on our recent ghost hunt in a haunted theater, and we hear a paranormal tale straight from the mouth of a listener. This episode is rife with stor...

Perched on the edge of The Grande Ronde Valley, The Lodge at Hot Lake Springs, also known as Hot Lake Hotel, has a rich and fascinating past. In this episode, we explore the history of the infamous Eastern Oregon landmark, from its early days as a luxury resort, to its later years as a hospital and sanitorium. Along the way, we share the ghost stories told in our childhood that still hover in the...

It's time for Illinois cryptids people!   In this episode, we head to the Prairie State to uncover  some of Illinois' most chilling cryptids. From the 1970's encounter with a creature dubbed The Enfield Horror, to the large and smelly Tuttle Bottoms Monster, to the ancient and mysterious Piasa Bird, a massive man eating creature painted on the cliffs along the Mississippi hundreds o...