The Treehouse In The Woods

This week’s Weird Wednesday takes a detour from folklore into something far more chilling, the real-life horror story of Ilse Koch, the so-called Witch of Buchenwald. Once a Nazi war wife living in luxury on the edge of a concentration camp, Ilse’s name became synonymous with cruelty, sadism, and disturbing rumors of human-skin souvenirs. But how much of what we’ve heard is fact, and how much is d...

Step into part two of our October series, The Real Faces of Horror, where we uncover the true crimes that inspired some of horror’s most twisted tales. This week, we’re heading back to 1870s Kansas to meet The Bloody Benders, a family of innkeepers with a deadly secret beneath their floorboards. Their story of deception, violence, and disappearance would go on to inspire horror classics like The H...

This Weird Wednesday starts with a bizarre true story from the Nevada desert, illegally dumped cremains. But the real deep dive? The Japanese Kappa: water-dwelling tricksters with turtle shells, creepy heads, and a strange obsession with cucumbers. Folklore, true crime, and just enough weirdness to get you through the week.

In the first installment of our October special series The Real Faces of Horror, we dive into the chilling life and crimes of Ed Gein, the real-life murderer and grave robber who inspired some of the most infamous horror films of all time, including Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and The Silence of the Lambs. From his disturbing childhood in rural Wisconsin to the shocking discoveries made a...

For this weeks special bonus episode we dive into the brutal and bizarre story of Princess Olga of Kiev. From burning cities with birds to burying her enemies alive, Olga’s revenge was legendary. But here’s the twist—this ruthless ruler later became a saint. Was she a holy woman, a savage queen, or something in between? Join us as we unravel Olga’s story.

In 1966, two men were discovered dead on a hillside near Rio de Janeiro. Dressed in formal suits, wearing strange lead masks, and carrying a cryptic notebook with instructions like “be at the place determined” and “ingest capsules, wait for the effect”, their deaths remain one of the strangest unsolved mysteries in modern history. Were they victims of a secret ritual, government experiments, UFO c...

In January 1935, a young man checked into the Hotel President in Kansas City under the name Roland T. Owen. Days later, he was found brutally beaten and stabbed inside his locked hotel room—Room 1046. What followed was a bizarre and haunting investigation filled with false names, mysterious phone calls, cryptic last words, and even a stranger who paid for his funeral. In this episode, we dive into...

Picture it: Las Vegas, 2021… Zak Bagans’ mom hands me a free sticker. Fast forward to our anniversary trip, and we find ourselves inside one of the creepiest places in Vegas, Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum. In this Weird Wednesday episode, we share our experiences wandering through haunted relics and chilling exhibits, from the infamous Dybbuk Box and Devil’s Rocking Chair to Ed Gein’s cauldron, Dr. K...

In July 2001, 20-year-old Megan Barroso vanished in Simi Valley, California. When her body was discovered days later, investigators faced a terrifying crime—but an unusual clue would eventually bring her killer, Vincent Sanchez, to justice. The unlikely hero? Glitter. In this episode of The Treehouse in the Woods, we dive into Megan’s story, the horror of her final night, and how something as smal...

Disappearances, strange lights, eerie sounds, and yes, even Bigfoot. In this Weird Wednesday episode, we’re diving into the mysteries of the Bennington Triangle in Vermont. From missing hikers to Native Abenaki lore, we’ll explore what might be lurking in the woods… while one of us is convinced it’s Bigfoot and the other isn’t buying it. You decide.

In this episode of The Treehouse in the Woods, we trace Duncan McKenzie’s violent path across the Northwest, beginning with the Oct. 26, 1973 murder of 15-year-old Deborah (Debra) Prety in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and leading to the Jan. 21, 1974 murder of Lana Harding in Conrad, Montana. We center Deborah’s story, then follow the investigation, McKenzie’s conviction for Harding’s murder, and his 199...

In this Weird Wednesday episode of The Treehouse in the Woods, we dive into two of the most unsettling sound mysteries ever recorded. The Bloop – In 1997, an earth-shaking, ultra-low frequency sound was picked up in the Pacific Ocean, louder than anything ever captured before. Was it shifting ice? A secret submarine experiment? Or could it be evidence of something massive lurking in the depths? Th...

In March 1922, a quiet Bavarian farmhouse called Hinterkaifeck became the site of one of Germany’s most chilling unsolved crimes. Six family members, including two young children, were brutally murdered with a mattock, and the killer may have lived in the house for days afterward. Strange footprints in the snow, voices in the attic, and eerie signs of someone watching the family all led to a case...

What happens when sleep paralysis feels less like a dream and more like a warning? In this episode of The Treehouse in the Woods, Teasha shares her terrifying personal sleep paralysis story, complete with hands reaching out of her mattress, a shadowy figure in the room, and an overwhelming sense of dread. That eerie feeling of a home invasion turned chillingly real. Join us for a spine-tingling We...

Step into the bizarre and disturbing world of Pazuzu Algarad, the self-proclaimed Satanist whose filthy North Carolina home earned the nickname “the house of doom” or, as we call it, “the house of doodoo.” From his dark persona and disturbing lifestyle to the murders that shocked the community, we dive into how Pazuzu built his cult-like following and what really went on inside those walls. In thi...

In this week’s Weird Wednesday episode, we dive into the strangest moments history has to offer: the mysterious Dancing Plague, the contagious Laughing Plague, and the eerie legend of the Pied Piper. Along the way, we get a little personal and explore how my family tree claims ties to royalty… and even Jesus. Join us for a mix of history, legend, and a few laughs—because sometimes truth is strange...

In this follow-up to our Steven Stayner episode, we turn our attention to his older brother, Cary Stayner, the Yosemite Serial Killer. What began as a family tragedy with Steven’s abduction took a darker turn years later when Cary committed a series of brutal murders near Yosemite National Park. In this episode, we trace his crimes, his capture, and the chilling legacy he left behind.

In this week’s Weird Wednesday, we crack open two of history’s most puzzling books: the Codex Gigas, also known as the Devil’s Bible, and the Voynich Manuscript, an illustrated enigma written in a language no one can decipher. From bizarre illustrations to whispered theories of curses, aliens, and secret codes, we explore what makes these ancient works so enduringly strange. It’s a little spooky,...

In 1972, 7-year-old Steven Stayner vanished on his walk home from school in Merced, California. What followed was a shocking 7-year captivity that would grip the nation — and an escape that would make headlines around the world. In this episode, we dive deep into the chilling story of Steven Stayner’s kidnapping by Kenneth Parnell, the manipulation that kept him away from home, and the moment that...

Is there a giant winged creature lurking in the forests near Mount St. Helens? In this Weird Wednesday episode, we dive into the eerie legend of Batsquatch—a towering, bat-winged cryptid first spotted after the infamous 1980 volcanic eruption. We explore reported sightings, chilling descriptions, and the wildest theories about what Batsquatch could be: a government experiment, an interdimensional...

He didn’t want fame. He didn’t want a legacy. But he did want control. Israel Keyes was a serial killer unlike any other, no victim profile, no consistent method, and no trail left behind. He built kill kits, buried them across the country, and used his job and fake aliases to travel unnoticed. From Alaska to Vermont, from coffee stands to quiet suburbs, he planned for everything, except getting c...

We’re back in Rathdrum, Idaho, for this Weird Wednesday episode, diving into the creepy folklore that didn’t make it into our first true crime case. Locals have long whispered about a human chain that would form across backroads late at night… and maybe they weren’t just trying to scare each other. From hooded figures and alleged cult activity to modern-day Reddit posts that echo stories passed do...

In 1973, the quiet town of Rathdrum, Idaho, was shaken by the brutal murders of Rita and Ronald Marcussen. This case quickly spiraled into whispers of cults, Satanic rituals, and a mysterious group known only as the Witches of Rathdrum. This week, we break down the facts of the Marcusson double homicide, the media frenzy that followed, and the long shadow it cast over a small community caught betw...

Welcome to The Treehouse in the Woods, a true crime and paranormal podcast from the shadowy corners of the Pacific Northwest. Each week, we’ll bring you one haunting case or strange story: from unsolved murders and forgotten cults to eerie sightings and deep conspiracies. In this trailer, meet your hosts and get a taste of what’s to come, like our debut episode covering a chilling double homicide...