60 acast.com Paranormia https://audioalways.lnk.to/ParanormiaPod en Audio Always True Crime,Paranormal,ghosts,curse,haunted,cults Always True Crime Are you ever awake in the cruellest hours of the night, when the world is quiet, but your mind isn’t?


That’s where Paranormia begins.


Hosted by journalist and parapsychologist Elizabeth McCafferty, Paranormia is a weekly storytelling podcast where true crime collides with the supernatural, the psychological, and the macabre. Each episode explores real cases where belief in something unseen becomes dangerous, cursed objects drive people to violence, psychic visions predict tragedy, cults where worship turns deadly, and hauntings blur into guilt, obsession, or faith.


Elizabeth blends rigorous research with cinematic storytelling to uncover what happens when reason falters and fear takes hold. Because these aren’t just ghost stories, they’re stories about us: about the human need to explain the inexplicable, to find meaning in the dark.


Paranormia: where paranoia meets the paranormal.


Subscribe, and stay awake with us.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


For more true crime that you'll be obsessed with head to AlwaysTrueCrime.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Are you ever awake in the cruellest hours of the night, when the world is quiet, but your mind isn’t?


That’s where Paranormia begins.


Hosted by journalist and parapsychologist Elizabeth McCafferty, Paranormia is a weekly storytelling podcast where true crime collides with the supernatural, the psychological, and the macabre. Each episode explores real cases where belief in something unseen becomes dangerous, cursed objects drive people to violence, psychic visions predict tragedy, cults where worship turns deadly, and hauntings blur into guilt, obsession, or faith.


Elizabeth blends rigorous research with cinematic storytelling to uncover what happens when reason falters and fear takes hold. Because these aren’t just ghost stories, they’re stories about us: about the human need to explain the inexplicable, to find meaning in the dark.


Paranormia: where paranoia meets the paranormal.


Subscribe, and stay awake with us.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


For more true crime that you'll be obsessed with head to AlwaysTrueCrime.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> true Audio Always podcasts@audioalways.com 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd paranormia episodic https://assets.pippa.io/shows/6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd/1763990919190-2853c3a9-b9fd-45c3-9bc1-5cebe474cb24.jpeg https://audioalways.lnk.to/ParanormiaPod Paranormia Serial Killer: The Zodiac Serial Killer: The Zodiac Tue, 31 Mar 2026 23:01:00 GMT 32:42 69cc1a6d92d007a7658f0991 false https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/serial-killer-the-zodiac 69cc1a6d92d007a7658f0991 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd serial-killer-the-zodiac full 2 19 Between 1968 and 1969, a mysterious killer haunted Northern California, murdering at least five people and sending cryptic letters and ciphers to local newspapers. Calling himself the 'Zodiac,' he taunted police and the public, but his true identity has never been revealed. This episode explores the crimes, the chilling letters, and the lasting mystery of the Zodiac Killer.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Between 1968 and 1969, a mysterious killer haunted Northern California, murdering at least five people and sending cryptic letters and ciphers to local newspapers. Calling himself the 'Zodiac,' he taunted police and the public, but his true identity has never been revealed. This episode explores the crimes, the chilling letters, and the lasting mystery of the Zodiac Killer.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Cult: Heaven’s Gate Cult: Heaven’s Gate Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:01:00 GMT 28:26 69c27b09d832f1da931060ad true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/heavens-gate 69c27b09d832f1da931060ad 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd heavens-gate full 2 18 In March 1997, a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California became the site of one of the most unsettling mass deaths in modern history. 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate group were found arranged in identical clothing, their deaths carefully planned and documented. Led by Marshall Applewhite, the group had spent decades developing a belief system that blended religion, science fiction, and extraterrestrial salvation, teaching that Earth was temporary and that a spacecraft from the “Next Level” would come to take them home. As comet Hale-Bopp comet appeared in the 1990s, their beliefs crystallised into a final act they described not as suicide, but as “graduation.” This episode explores how the group formed and how belief created one of the most haunting cult cases in American history.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In March 1997, a mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California became the site of one of the most unsettling mass deaths in modern history. 39 members of the Heaven’s Gate group were found arranged in identical clothing, their deaths carefully planned and documented. Led by Marshall Applewhite, the group had spent decades developing a belief system that blended religion, science fiction, and extraterrestrial salvation, teaching that Earth was temporary and that a spacecraft from the “Next Level” would come to take them home. As comet Hale-Bopp comet appeared in the 1990s, their beliefs crystallised into a final act they described not as suicide, but as “graduation.” This episode explores how the group formed and how belief created one of the most haunting cult cases in American history.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Serial Killer: The Vampire of Sacramento Serial Killer: The Vampire of Sacramento Wed, 18 Mar 2026 00:01:00 GMT 33:25 69b980da13c7a93c936db0db true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-vampire-of-sacremento 69b980da13c7a93c936db0db 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-vampire-of-sacremento full 2 17 In the late 1970s, Sacramento was shaken by a series of brutal killings carried out by Richard Trenton Chase, a man later labelled the “Vampire Killer.” Convinced that his blood was being poisoned and that he needed to survive by taking blood from others, his behaviour escalated from harming animals to attacking people. In just one month, six lives were taken. This episode explores who Richard Chase was, how his beliefs developed, and how a suburban city became the backdrop for one of the most disturbing true crime cases in American history.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In the late 1970s, Sacramento was shaken by a series of brutal killings carried out by Richard Trenton Chase, a man later labelled the “Vampire Killer.” Convinced that his blood was being poisoned and that he needed to survive by taking blood from others, his behaviour escalated from harming animals to attacking people. In just one month, six lives were taken. This episode explores who Richard Chase was, how his beliefs developed, and how a suburban city became the backdrop for one of the most disturbing true crime cases in American history.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Hoax: The Fairies of Cottingley Hoax: The Fairies of Cottingley Wed, 11 Mar 2026 00:01:00 GMT 29:01 69b050bfa54b09a74a4beef7 false https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-fairies-of-cottingley 69b050bfa54b09a74a4beef7 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-fairies-of-cottingley full 2 16 The Cottingley Fairies might not seem like the kind of story you’d expect on Paranormia. In 1917, Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright produced photographs that appeared to show tiny winged figures, ‘fairies’, dancing beside Cottingley Beck. What could have stayed a family joke quickly spread far beyond the Yorkshire village. The images reached Theosophists who believed they were proof of hidden worlds, and eventually Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, who published them in The Strand magazine and argued they might change how people think about reality. This episode explores how a childhood hoax became an international story, and why so many people, in a world still recovering from war and loss, wanted to believe it.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> The Cottingley Fairies might not seem like the kind of story you’d expect on Paranormia. In 1917, Frances Griffiths and Elsie Wright produced photographs that appeared to show tiny winged figures, ‘fairies’, dancing beside Cottingley Beck. What could have stayed a family joke quickly spread far beyond the Yorkshire village. The images reached Theosophists who believed they were proof of hidden worlds, and eventually Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes, who published them in The Strand magazine and argued they might change how people think about reality. This episode explores how a childhood hoax became an international story, and why so many people, in a world still recovering from war and loss, wanted to believe it.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Cult: Final Fantasy House Cult: Final Fantasy House Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:01:00 GMT 34:08 69a70f28db942e85cc83bbac true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-final-fantasy-house 69a70f28db942e85cc83bbac 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-final-fantasy-house full 2 15 In the early 2000s, a small group of teens and young adults found each other online through Final Fantasy VII fandom, where they felt understood. But survivor accounts describe a household in State College, Pennsylvania, where a leader turned fantasy and roleplay into a system of control. This episode traces how a fandom became a closed world, and why its aftermath became an internet legend. Some names are pseudonyms from reporting in Vice, while others are composite characters based on survivor accounts.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In the early 2000s, a small group of teens and young adults found each other online through Final Fantasy VII fandom, where they felt understood. But survivor accounts describe a household in State College, Pennsylvania, where a leader turned fantasy and roleplay into a system of control. This episode traces how a fandom became a closed world, and why its aftermath became an internet legend. Some names are pseudonyms from reporting in Vice, while others are composite characters based on survivor accounts.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Missing: The Foundling of Nuremberg Missing: The Foundling of Nuremberg Wed, 25 Feb 2026 00:01:00 GMT 31:15 699dd809e84fcb90f2ce85ff true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-foundling-of-nuremberg 699dd809e84fcb90f2ce85ff 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-foundling-of-nuremberg full 2 14 In May 1828, a teenage boy named Kaspar Hauser appeared in Nuremberg with letters claiming he’d been raised in total isolation, sparking fascination and doubt. As officials, doctors, and crowds tried to understand him, rumours grew…was he a victim, a fraud, or something more? Reports of attacks and injuries deepened the mystery, dividing opinion. In 1833, he died from a stab wound. Was he murdered, or did he write his own ending? 


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In May 1828, a teenage boy named Kaspar Hauser appeared in Nuremberg with letters claiming he’d been raised in total isolation, sparking fascination and doubt. As officials, doctors, and crowds tried to understand him, rumours grew…was he a victim, a fraud, or something more? Reports of attacks and injuries deepened the mystery, dividing opinion. In 1833, he died from a stab wound. Was he murdered, or did he write his own ending? 


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Ghost Story: The Ghost Who Pulled the Trigger Ghost Story: The Ghost Who Pulled the Trigger Wed, 18 Feb 2026 00:01:00 GMT 40:04 699457eed85aecd27a9e9a58 true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-ghost-who-pulled-the-trigger 699457eed85aecd27a9e9a58 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-ghost-who-pulled-the-trigger full 2 13 In January 1804, a man was shot dead on a dark lane in West London after residents of Hammersmith became convinced a ghost was haunting their streets. When Francis Smith fired at what he thought was the figure, he killed Thomas Millwood, a bricklayer walking home in his white work clothes. This episode retraces how fear spread through the community, leading to that moment, and follows the case into court, where it raised a bigger question… can belief ever excuse taking a life?


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In January 1804, a man was shot dead on a dark lane in West London after residents of Hammersmith became convinced a ghost was haunting their streets. When Francis Smith fired at what he thought was the figure, he killed Thomas Millwood, a bricklayer walking home in his white work clothes. This episode retraces how fear spread through the community, leading to that moment, and follows the case into court, where it raised a bigger question… can belief ever excuse taking a life?


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Cult: The Long Way to Jonestown Cult: The Long Way to Jonestown Wed, 11 Feb 2026 10:31:22 GMT 44:24 698c5a7a43d0a1680b453b9b true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-long-way-to-jonestown 698c5a7a43d0a1680b453b9b 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-long-way-to-jonestown full 2 12 In November 1978, more than 900 people died in Jonestown, Guyana, an event often reduced to a warning about blind obedience. This episode looks at what led up to it, from the early days of the Peoples Temple offering support and community, to the slow loss of choice and control that made leaving feel impossible. It also explores daily life in Jonestown and the final days, showing how a place meant to protect people became one that trapped them.


Content warning: This episode contains discussion of mass death, psychological coercion, and harm involving children. Listener discretion is advised.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In November 1978, more than 900 people died in Jonestown, Guyana, an event often reduced to a warning about blind obedience. This episode looks at what led up to it, from the early days of the Peoples Temple offering support and community, to the slow loss of choice and control that made leaving feel impossible. It also explores daily life in Jonestown and the final days, showing how a place meant to protect people became one that trapped them.


Content warning: This episode contains discussion of mass death, psychological coercion, and harm involving children. Listener discretion is advised.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Urban Legend: Cropsey, The Boogeyman of Staten Island Urban Legend: Cropsey, The Boogeyman of Staten Island Wed, 04 Feb 2026 00:01:00 GMT 43:15 6982242bcbdc915a1c11b4a8 true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/cropsey-the-boogeyman-of-staten-island 6982242bcbdc915a1c11b4a8 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd cropsey-the-boogeyman-of-staten-island full 2 11 For years, children on Staten Island were warned about Cropsey, a boogeyman said to haunt the abandoned Willowbrook buildings. It began as a way to keep kids away, but in the 1970s and 80s, children started going missing. This episode looks at the real cases behind the legend, and how fear and tragedy became blurred into myth.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> For years, children on Staten Island were warned about Cropsey, a boogeyman said to haunt the abandoned Willowbrook buildings. It began as a way to keep kids away, but in the 1970s and 80s, children started going missing. This episode looks at the real cases behind the legend, and how fear and tragedy became blurred into myth.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Haunted: The Cecil Hotel Haunted: The Cecil Hotel Wed, 28 Jan 2026 00:01:00 GMT 41:03 6978d1ff66b2854e79379b5e true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-cecil-hotel 6978d1ff66b2854e79379b5e 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-cecil-hotel full 2 10 In January 2013, a 21 year old Canadian student named Elisa Lam checked into The Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. She was travelling alone, documenting her journey online, and calling her parents every day. Then the calls stopped. Weeks later, her body was discovered in a rooftop water tank above the hotel. Police released surveillance footage of Elisa behaving erratically in a hotel elevator. The video went viral, transforming a missing person investigation into a global obsession. This episode explores how a tragic death turned into a myth and what it reveals about mental illness, internet culture, and how easily a real person can be lost inside a legend.


Support note:

This episode discusses mental illness, suicide, and distressing themes. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available.

UK & ROI: Samaritans - call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

US: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - call or text 988

Canada: Talk Suicide - call 1-833-456-4566

Australia: Lifeline - 13 11 14

Or visit findahelpline.com for local support worldwide


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In January 2013, a 21 year old Canadian student named Elisa Lam checked into The Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. She was travelling alone, documenting her journey online, and calling her parents every day. Then the calls stopped. Weeks later, her body was discovered in a rooftop water tank above the hotel. Police released surveillance footage of Elisa behaving erratically in a hotel elevator. The video went viral, transforming a missing person investigation into a global obsession. This episode explores how a tragic death turned into a myth and what it reveals about mental illness, internet culture, and how easily a real person can be lost inside a legend.


Support note:

This episode discusses mental illness, suicide, and distressing themes. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available.

UK & ROI: Samaritans - call 116 123 or visit samaritans.org

US: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - call or text 988

Canada: Talk Suicide - call 1-833-456-4566

Australia: Lifeline - 13 11 14

Or visit findahelpline.com for local support worldwide


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Unsolved: The Case at Dyatlov Pass Unsolved: The Case at Dyatlov Pass Wed, 21 Jan 2026 00:01:04 GMT 56:57 696fbc503738e9e7d1896554 true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-case-at-dyatlov-pass 696fbc503738e9e7d1896554 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-case-at-dyatlov-pass full 2 9 In February 1959, nine experienced hikers disappeared in the northern Ural Mountains. When searchers found their tent weeks later, it was cut open from the inside. Boots were left neatly behind, food sat untouched, and footprints, some barefoot, led into the snow. Over the months that followed, the bodies were recovered in stages. Some had died of exposure and others suffered catastrophic internal injuries with almost no external wounds. The Soviet investigation closed the case with a single, unsettling phrase: “an insurmountable force of nature,” but theories, from avalanches to military tests and conspiracy, have persisted. This episode looks at what is known, what remains disputed, and how a remote mountain turned into a legend.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In February 1959, nine experienced hikers disappeared in the northern Ural Mountains. When searchers found their tent weeks later, it was cut open from the inside. Boots were left neatly behind, food sat untouched, and footprints, some barefoot, led into the snow. Over the months that followed, the bodies were recovered in stages. Some had died of exposure and others suffered catastrophic internal injuries with almost no external wounds. The Soviet investigation closed the case with a single, unsettling phrase: “an insurmountable force of nature,” but theories, from avalanches to military tests and conspiracy, have persisted. This episode looks at what is known, what remains disputed, and how a remote mountain turned into a legend.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Cursed Object: The Dybbuk Box Cursed Object: The Dybbuk Box Wed, 14 Jan 2026 00:01:00 GMT 43:06 6966662985eeb56853332906 true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-dybbuk-box 6966662985eeb56853332906 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-dybbuk-box full 2 8 In 2001, a small wooden wine cabinet appeared in an eBay listing from Portland. Its seller claimed it had belonged to a 103 year old Holocaust survivor and that it contained a dybbuk, a restless spirit from Jewish folklore. He warned that opening it had brought illness, nightmares, and a sense of being watched. Over the years, the cabinet passed through multiple owners, each reporting disturbing experiences. But as the legend grew, investigators began to question where it came from, and whether the story attached to the box matched the traditions it claimed to draw from. This episode traces how an ordinary object became a modern haunting, and what the Dybbuk Box reveals about belief.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In 2001, a small wooden wine cabinet appeared in an eBay listing from Portland. Its seller claimed it had belonged to a 103 year old Holocaust survivor and that it contained a dybbuk, a restless spirit from Jewish folklore. He warned that opening it had brought illness, nightmares, and a sense of being watched. Over the years, the cabinet passed through multiple owners, each reporting disturbing experiences. But as the legend grew, investigators began to question where it came from, and whether the story attached to the box matched the traditions it claimed to draw from. This episode traces how an ordinary object became a modern haunting, and what the Dybbuk Box reveals about belief.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Witches: The San Francisco Killers Witches: The San Francisco Killers Wed, 07 Jan 2026 00:01:00 GMT 35:00 695d49dbd1ba84fb8f027c8f false https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-witch-killers-of-san-francisco 695d49dbd1ba84fb8f027c8f 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-witch-killers-of-san-francisco full 2 7 In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Michael and Suzan Carson drifted through the American West, moving between communes, shared apartments, and marijuana farms. They changed their names, adopted a patchwork belief system of mysticism and religion, and came to see themselves as warriors in a hidden war. Between 1981 and 1983, they killed three people and insisted their victims were witches. This episode traces how an ordinary couple built a shared delusion powerful enough to justify killing, and why the story has been remembered as something occult rather than what it was: a case study in belief, control, and the human capacity to turn ideology into violence.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Michael and Suzan Carson drifted through the American West, moving between communes, shared apartments, and marijuana farms. They changed their names, adopted a patchwork belief system of mysticism and religion, and came to see themselves as warriors in a hidden war. Between 1981 and 1983, they killed three people and insisted their victims were witches. This episode traces how an ordinary couple built a shared delusion powerful enough to justify killing, and why the story has been remembered as something occult rather than what it was: a case study in belief, control, and the human capacity to turn ideology into violence.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Voodoo Murder: The Hurricane Lovers Voodoo Murder: The Hurricane Lovers Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:01:00 GMT 41:00 6953bb162305c7fb14ee6747 true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-hurricane-lovers 6953bb162305c7fb14ee6747 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-hurricane-lovers full 2 6 After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was a city stripped bare. Zack Bowen, a former soldier, and Addie Hall, a poet and bartender, stayed behind, scavenging and living in the streets while photographed as symbols of defiance. A year later, Addie was killed, and Zack took his own life, leaving behind a shocking crime scene. This episode explores how disaster, trauma, and addiction turned a brief romance into tragedy, and why the story became mythologised as a “voodoo murder.”


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.


***


Support & Resources:

This episode discusses suicide, domestic abuse, addiction, and trauma. If you or someone you love needs support, help is available:


United Kingdom:

Samaritans - Call 116 123 (24/7) or visit samaritans.org 

National Domestic Abuse Helpline - Call 0808 2000 247 (24/7) or visit nationaldahelpline.org.uk 


United States:

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988 (24/7) or visit 988lifeline.org 

Veterans Crisis Line - Call 988, then press 1, or text 838255

National Domestic Violence Hotline - Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org 


Australia:

Lifeline Australia - Call 13 11 14 (24/7) or visit lifeline.org.au 

1800RESPECT - Call 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au 


Global:

International Association for Suicide Prevention

Find local helplines at findahelpline.com 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was a city stripped bare. Zack Bowen, a former soldier, and Addie Hall, a poet and bartender, stayed behind, scavenging and living in the streets while photographed as symbols of defiance. A year later, Addie was killed, and Zack took his own life, leaving behind a shocking crime scene. This episode explores how disaster, trauma, and addiction turned a brief romance into tragedy, and why the story became mythologised as a “voodoo murder.”


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.


***


Support & Resources:

This episode discusses suicide, domestic abuse, addiction, and trauma. If you or someone you love needs support, help is available:


United Kingdom:

Samaritans - Call 116 123 (24/7) or visit samaritans.org 

National Domestic Abuse Helpline - Call 0808 2000 247 (24/7) or visit nationaldahelpline.org.uk 


United States:

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988 (24/7) or visit 988lifeline.org 

Veterans Crisis Line - Call 988, then press 1, or text 838255

National Domestic Violence Hotline - Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org 


Australia:

Lifeline Australia - Call 13 11 14 (24/7) or visit lifeline.org.au 

1800RESPECT - Call 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au 


Global:

International Association for Suicide Prevention

Find local helplines at findahelpline.com 

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Missing: The Sodder Christmas Mystery Missing: The Sodder Christmas Mystery Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:01:00 GMT 48:02 694a85abf7567117391e47db false https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-sodder-christmas-mystery 694a85abf7567117391e47db 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-sodder-christmas-mystery full 2 5 On Christmas Eve 1945, a fire tore through a family home in the hills of West Virginia. Four children escaped, but five never came out. When the smoke cleared, there were no bodies in the ashes and no bones.In the years that followed, the Sodder family rejected the official story. They spoke of cut phone lines, a missing ladder, warnings from strangers, and a photograph mailed decades later that seemed to show one of the lost children alive. For eighty years, the case has hovered between accident and conspiracy. This episode explores the disappearance of the Sodder children and the questions that refuse to fade.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> On Christmas Eve 1945, a fire tore through a family home in the hills of West Virginia. Four children escaped, but five never came out. When the smoke cleared, there were no bodies in the ashes and no bones.In the years that followed, the Sodder family rejected the official story. They spoke of cut phone lines, a missing ladder, warnings from strangers, and a photograph mailed decades later that seemed to show one of the lost children alive. For eighty years, the case has hovered between accident and conspiracy. This episode explores the disappearance of the Sodder children and the questions that refuse to fade.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Ghost: The Philip Experiment Ghost: The Philip Experiment Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:01:00 GMT 42:02 69418919cc3f4b4c73a1c93d true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-philip-experiment 69418919cc3f4b4c73a1c93d 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-philip-experiment full 2 4 In 1972, a group of Canadians invented a fictional ghost named Philip to test whether belief alone could make him appear. Each week, they gathered around a table, and soon knocks and moving furniture seemed to respond to them. This episode explores the Philip Experiment and the uneasy space where psychology, ritual, and expectation collide, showing how belief can shape reality, or at least how it feels like it does.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In 1972, a group of Canadians invented a fictional ghost named Philip to test whether belief alone could make him appear. Each week, they gathered around a table, and soon knocks and moving furniture seemed to respond to them. This episode explores the Philip Experiment and the uneasy space where psychology, ritual, and expectation collide, showing how belief can shape reality, or at least how it feels like it does.


***


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Spirits: The Ouija board jury Spirits: The Ouija board jury Wed, 10 Dec 2025 00:01:00 GMT 31:22 6936b65bd447b58783993997 false https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-ouija-board-jury 6936b65bd447b58783993997 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-ouija-board-jury full 2 3 In early 1994, the murder of Harry and Nicola Fuller brought twelve jurors to a Brighton hotel, locked away from the world with nothing but silence, photographs, and each other. As the pressure mounted, four of them reached for a Ouija board, half a joke, half a plea for clarity, and asked the dead for answers. The verdict that followed would crumble under the weight of its own strangeness. This episode explores how isolation bends the mind, how belief can slip through the cracks of law, and how a single night in a seaside hotel became one of the most unsettling chapters in British justice.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In early 1994, the murder of Harry and Nicola Fuller brought twelve jurors to a Brighton hotel, locked away from the world with nothing but silence, photographs, and each other. As the pressure mounted, four of them reached for a Ouija board, half a joke, half a plea for clarity, and asked the dead for answers. The verdict that followed would crumble under the weight of its own strangeness. This episode explores how isolation bends the mind, how belief can slip through the cracks of law, and how a single night in a seaside hotel became one of the most unsettling chapters in British justice.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Cult Murder: The Disappearance of Mark Kilroy Cult Murder: The Disappearance of Mark Kilroy Wed, 03 Dec 2025 00:01:00 GMT 31:11 692ee01a24ca2001755a84bb true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/the-disappearance-of-mark-kilroy 692ee01a24ca2001755a84bb 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd the-disappearance-of-mark-kilroy full 2 2 In March 1989, Spring Break in South Texas was alive with crowds and music, until 21-year-old Mark Kilroy vanished somewhere between the bars of Matamoros and the quiet roads beyond the border. What began as a missing-person search soon led investigators to Santa Elena Ranch, a remote compound tied to a group calling themselves a religious society, a place where superstition, ritual, and violence appeared to intersect. As the investigation unfolded, rumours of black magic, sacrifice and folk-religious practices spread rapidly, blurring the line between fact and folklore. This episode explores how fear, belief, and cartel mythmaking shaped one of the strangest cases of its era, and why, in the borderlands, the truth often shifts with the shadows.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In March 1989, Spring Break in South Texas was alive with crowds and music, until 21-year-old Mark Kilroy vanished somewhere between the bars of Matamoros and the quiet roads beyond the border. What began as a missing-person search soon led investigators to Santa Elena Ranch, a remote compound tied to a group calling themselves a religious society, a place where superstition, ritual, and violence appeared to intersect. As the investigation unfolded, rumours of black magic, sacrifice and folk-religious practices spread rapidly, blurring the line between fact and folklore. This episode explores how fear, belief, and cartel mythmaking shaped one of the strangest cases of its era, and why, in the borderlands, the truth often shifts with the shadows.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.


Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> <![CDATA[Urban Legend: Slender Man,The Internet's Monster]]> Wed, 26 Nov 2025 01:01:00 GMT 30:16 69257cd320344a041394b001 true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/slender-man-the-internets-monster 69257cd320344a041394b001 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd slender-man-the-internets-monster full 2 1 In May 2014, the quiet suburb of Waukesha, Wisconsin, became the setting for one of the strangest and most unsettling crimes in modern history. Two twelve-year-old girls lured their best friend into the woods and stabbed her nineteen times, leaving her for dead. When police found them hours later, walking calmly down a highway, they said they’d done it for Slender Man, a faceless figure born from an internet forum, a digital myth that somehow took root in their minds. Journalist Elizabeth McCafferty explores how an online story turned into shared delusion, how imagination became belief, and how belief became violence. Was it mental illness, manipulation, or something more elusive? Because in a world where fiction spreads faster than fact, Slender Man isn’t just a monster made online. He’s what happens when fear finds Wi-Fi.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> In May 2014, the quiet suburb of Waukesha, Wisconsin, became the setting for one of the strangest and most unsettling crimes in modern history. Two twelve-year-old girls lured their best friend into the woods and stabbed her nineteen times, leaving her for dead. When police found them hours later, walking calmly down a highway, they said they’d done it for Slender Man, a faceless figure born from an internet forum, a digital myth that somehow took root in their minds. Journalist Elizabeth McCafferty explores how an online story turned into shared delusion, how imagination became belief, and how belief became violence. Was it mental illness, manipulation, or something more elusive? Because in a world where fiction spreads faster than fact, Slender Man isn’t just a monster made online. He’s what happens when fear finds Wi-Fi.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.


Paranormia is an Audio Always production.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Introducing Paranormia Introducing Paranormia Wed, 26 Nov 2025 00:01:00 GMT 2:40 69245f9b635983fa8fbd8940 true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/introducing-paranormia 69245f9b635983fa8fbd8940 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd introducing-paranormia full 2 Are you ever awake in the cruellest hours of the night, when the world is quiet but your mind isn’t? That’s where Paranormia begins, a weekly podcast where true crime collides with the supernatural. Journalist and parapsychologist Elizabeth McCafferty uncovers real cases where belief turns deadly and fear becomes evidence. In this opening episode, she traces her fascination with the unexplained and reveals the idea behind the series: stories from the thin space between psychology and the paranormal, where reason falters, fear takes hold, and belief turns dangerous.


Because sometimes the haunting isn’t out there… it’s in here. Paranormia: where paranoia meets the paranormal.


Subscribe, and stay awake with us.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Are you ever awake in the cruellest hours of the night, when the world is quiet but your mind isn’t? That’s where Paranormia begins, a weekly podcast where true crime collides with the supernatural. Journalist and parapsychologist Elizabeth McCafferty uncovers real cases where belief turns deadly and fear becomes evidence. In this opening episode, she traces her fascination with the unexplained and reveals the idea behind the series: stories from the thin space between psychology and the paranormal, where reason falters, fear takes hold, and belief turns dangerous.


Because sometimes the haunting isn’t out there… it’s in here. Paranormia: where paranoia meets the paranormal.


Subscribe, and stay awake with us.


If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]> Paranormia Paranormia Tue, 25 Nov 2025 09:46:05 GMT 1:12 69257add20344a0413944a04 true https://shows.acast.com/paranormia/episodes/paranormia 69257add20344a0413944a04 6704e5211a3de581c6a143cd paranormia trailer 2

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]>

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

]]>