Total Conundrum

At just seven years old, Steven Stayner was taken while walking home from school—beginning a seven-year nightmare that would shock the nation. But this isn’t just a story about abduction. It’s a story about survival… resilience… and a decision that would turn a victim into a hero. In this episode, we follow Steven’s journey from captivity to escape—and the incredible moment where, instead of runni...

If you’re into true crime, the supernatural, and the unexplained… you’re in the right place. In this episode of Total Conundrum, we sit down with the incredible team from Afterlife Paranormal to explore real investigations, chilling encounters, and the moments that make you question everything you thought you knew about the afterlife. From haunted locations and spirit communication to shocking evi...

What happens when you invite experienced paranormal investigators onto your show… and then the power suddenly goes out during the recording? In this eerie — and unexpectedly hilarious — episode of Total Conundrum, Jeremy and Traci sit down with special guests Rob Gutro and Monique Too Soon, who share their real-life experiences investigating haunted locations together and the chilling encounters f...

Today we sit down with the incomparable Kelly Blackheart — also known as Kelly Zabielski — whose journey is nothing short of fearless, hilarious, and wildly inspiring. Kelly has lived multiple lives: from playing collegiate volleyball to working in renewable-energy finance, to acting in commercials and appearing on MTV… all before pivoting hard into comedy and podcasting. She walks us through her...

This week on Total Conundrum, we sit down with Minnesota author Patrick W. Marsh, creator of The Greenland Diaries series and a master of monsters both real and symbolic. We dive into: • How Patrick builds terrifying (and emotional) creatures • Using monsters as metaphors for mental health • His writing process and creative rituals • Minnesota’s unique horror identity • His upcoming projects and e...

Tonight, we’re taking you straight into one of the most haunted houses in America — The Oman House, perched just steps from the infamous Sharon Tate murder site on Cielo Drive. We’re joined by paranormal investigator and homeowner David Oman, who’s spent over two decades documenting and living among intense supernatural phenomena. David spills behind-the-scenes secrets from shows like Ghost Advent...

In this transformative episode of Total Conundrum, we welcome Deborah Roque—a medium, healer, and the visionary behind Paranormal Paradigma. With over 20 years in education and a lifetime of spiritual experiences, Deborah shares how she transitioned from academia to spirit work, what it’s like to collaborate with Spirit Guides, and how we can all begin to shift our understanding of the paranormal...

Grab your favorite salt rounds and a flask of vampire blood, Conundrum Crew — because this week, Jeremy and Traci sit down with the legendary Ty Olsson! You know him as Benny Lafitte from Supernatural, Niko Zimmer from The 100, and the unforgettable Original Dragon from Dragon Tales (yes, seriously — that’s range!). Ty opens up about life behind the camera, hilarious on-set moments, the wild world...

In this chilling and heartwarming episode of Total Conundrum, Jeremy and Traci welcome Rob Gutro — medium, paranormal researcher, and author of several books on spirits and the afterlife. Rob has a unique gift: he communicates not only with human spirits, but also with pets who’ve crossed over. From exploring the science of energy to sharing moving stories of animals reaching out from beyond, Rob...

In this extra-special crossover, we’re teaming up with T.W.A.T.S. (The Wisconsin Apparition Tracking Society) and our paranormal podcast friends over at I Scream You Scream to bring you a chilling and hilarious deep dive into one of America’s first documented spirit possession cases — the infamous Roff House in Watseka, Illinois. We unpack the eerie legacy of Lurancy Vennum and Mary Roff, chat abo...

This week, we’re teaming up with our creepy-cool neighbor from Wisconsin — Star from Creepy Shit Podcast! She’s joining us to share her favorite kind of nightmare fuel: the chilling history and hauntings of Poveglia Island, Italy’s most cursed speck of land. We dive into the dark past of plague pits, tortured souls, and paranormal investigations that went very, very wrong. Star brings her signatur...

What do Al Capone’s ghost, a raincoat raft, and a haunted prison hospital have in common? They’re all part of the chilling history of Alcatraz—“The Rock.” Join Traci & Jeremy as they dive into the eerie past and lingering paranormal of America’s most infamous prison. From failed escapes and ghost banjos to cold spots in solitary confinement, this episode delivers hardcore history with haunted...

In 1982, a wave of terror swept across Chicago—not with a gun or a knife, but with something found in nearly every medicine cabinet: Tylenol. In this emotionally charged deep-dive, Traci and Jeremy walk through the heartbreaking, minute-by-minute unfolding of the Tylenol murders. From 12-year-old Mary Kellerman’s tragic collapse to the devastating loss of three members of the Janus family within h...

Join us as we talk with Dave from Midwest Spirit Seekers — one of the most passionate and experienced paranormal investigators in the Midwest! In this episode, we explore haunted locations, discuss the most effective paranormal equipment, and hear about some truly spine-tingling experiences. Dave opens up about the realities of ghost hunting, from eerie voices caught on tape to mysterious shadows...

In 1903, the quiet little town of Van Meter, Iowa, got a visit from something strange — an eight-foot, bat-winged, bulletproof, sulfur-smelling nightmare with a glowing horn. And no, this isn’t a rejected Marvel villain. Jeremy and Traci dig into one of Iowa’s strangest cryptid tales — The Van Meter Visitor. From eyewitness accounts and old newspaper articles, to modern investigations, DNA tests o...

Description: Before dawn on April 18, 2016, fitness instructor and devoted mother of three, Missy Bevers, arrived at Creekside Church of Christ in Midlothian, Texas, ready to lead her early-morning Camp Gladiator boot camp. But within minutes, she was brutally murdered by an unknown figure dressed head-to-toe in SWAT-style tactical gear. In this episode, Jeremy and Traci dig deep into the haunting...

Description: September 16, 1994 — Ruwa, Zimbabwe. Sixty-two schoolchildren ran screaming across the playground, claiming they had just seen something that would haunt them for the rest of their lives. Silver discs in the sky. Small black-clad beings with massive eyes. And a telepathic warning about Earth’s future. No adults saw it. But the kids’ stories matched — right down to the smallest details...

He was just eight years old when he killed for the first time… and no one noticed. In this episode of Total Conundrum, Jeremy and Traci unravel the disturbing life of Carroll Edward Cole, a serial killer whose crimes went undetected for decades—despite confessions, hospital warnings, and chilling early behavior. From his traumatic childhood and early acts of violence, to the series of murders he c...

In this chilling deep dive, Jeremy and Traci unravel one of America’s strangest and most documented cases of spirit possession: the story of Lurancy Vennum and Mary Roff, known as the Watseka Wonder. We journey through the quiet streets of 19th-century Watseka, Illinois, into the lives of two families connected by tragedy, belief, and the beyond. From Lurancy’s terrifying seizures and trance state...

Episode Title: The Butcher of Plainfield: Ed Gein’s Twisted Legacy – with John from Dairyland Frights Episode Description: This week on Total Conundrum, we’re digging up one of the darkest and most disturbing tales in true crime history: the story of Ed Gein — the real-life inspiration behind horror icons like Norman Bates, Leatherface, and Buffalo Bill. Joining us is John from Dairyland Frights,...

He left the lights on, the radio playing hymns, and walked out of his New Jersey mansion like nothing happened. But inside that house? A scene so disturbing it shocked the nation. In this killer crossover with ZachSolved Mysteries, we unravel the chilling story of John List — the devout Lutheran who methodically murdered his entire family, disappeared without a trace, and evaded capture for nearly...

What happens when a suburban dad turns serial killer… and his house refuses to forget? Welcome to Fox Hollow Farm — part true crime, part paranormal nightmare. In this spine-chilling episode of Total Conundrum, Traci and Jeremy dive into the dual life of Herb Baumeister, a respected businessman who hid a dark secret behind the doors of his Indiana mansion. From mannequins by the pool to ghost voic...

A ghost that talks. A curse that kills. A legend that refuses to die. In this episode, we dive deep into the terrifying true story of the Bell Witch—the entity that haunted a Tennessee family in the early 1800s, whispered their secrets, attacked them in their sleep, and may have even murdered John Bell Sr. We cover: The eerie beginnings – How the Bell family became America’s most haunted household...

“Vampire Anthems & Rock Operas with G Tom Mac” Episode Summary: In this electrifying episode of Total Conundrum, we’re joined by the legendary G Tom Mac—the voice, the mind, and the creative force behind Cry Little Sister, the haunting anthem that defined The Lost Boys. But his story doesn’t stop there. From working with KISS and Roger Daltrey to being sampled by Eminem on a Grammy-winning alb...

Total Conundrum x Jamison Newlander: The Frog Brother Files Episode Summary: This week, we sit down with the iconic Jamison Newlander, better known as Alan Frog from the cult classic The Lost Boys! Jamison gives us a peek behind the scenes of vampire hunting in the ‘80s, what it was like working alongside the Coreys, and how the film continues to influence fans and pop culture nearly 40 years late...