Creepy Shit

There is a 50-acre patch of woods in Mathews County, Virginia that has been terrifying people for over 300 years — and the paper trail to prove it goes all the way to a federally funded government archive at the University of Virginia. 

Old House Woods is one of those locations that makes you question everything, because the witnesses aren’t anonymous internet strangers. They’re named. They’re dated. They gave their accounts to newspapers. And the history underneath those accounts — pirates, Revolutionary War gold, a royal governor who went rogue, Blackbeard operating miles away, a plantation built on a burial ground that caught fire and put itself out — is all on the record. 

This week, I'm joined by Ale and Tom from Macabre Monday to dig into one of the most layered, most documented, and somehow most overlooked haunted locations in America. Phantom ships. Skeleton soldiers in armor. Treasure that was never recovered. And a storm ghost who rises above the trees to scream warnings at fishermen. Welcome to Old House Woods. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

PS. This is just the beginning - This is the official kickoff to our Summer Series of Woods, Roads, Lakes and Lighthouses & More. Are you ready? Press Play

Everyone thinks they know the story of H.H. Holmes — America’s first serial killer, the Murder Castle, two hundred victims, trap doors and gas chambers. But what if most of that was invented?

In this episode of Creepy Shit, we go full deep dive on H.H. Holmes - pulling from historical records, newspaper archives, and court documents to separate verified fact from the yellow journalism myths that have dominated this story for over a century. Because here’s the thing: the documented truth is scarier than the legend.

We cover it all! This is not your average H.H. Holmes episode. No exaggeration. No inflation. Just the records — and the haunting that followed.

Listen if you’re into: true crime, paranormal history, haunted locations, Chicago history, serial killer deep dives, ghost stories, historical true crime, dark history podcasts

New episodes of Creepy Shit drop every Monday. Follow us on Instagram @creepy_shit_podcast. Support the show on Patreon for exclusives, early release episodes & more (Patreon.com/creepyshitpodcast).

Research sources: 
Chicago Tribune historical archives, Wikipedia (H.H. Holmes), Britannica, Adam Selzer / Harold Schechter scholarship

We’re diving deep into America’s deadliest aviation disaster and the absolutely wild paranormal activity that started within HOURS of the crash. I’m talking about American Airlines Flight 191, the DC-10 that fell from the sky at Chicago O’Hare on May 25, 1979, killing 273 people in thirty-one seconds of pure hell.

But here’s where it gets really messed up: the passengers never left. We’ve got phantom knocking on doors, ghostly figures reeking of aviation fuel asking for help, mysterious radar blips of planes that don’t exist, and a warning voice that’s been helping air traffic controllers prevent disasters for decades. Airport employees are seeing passengers in outdated clothes trying to catch flights that will never take off, and residents near the crash site are dealing with security systems going haywire because spirits keep opening doors that aren’t there.

This isn’t your typical ghost story - this is 270+ souls who were interrupted mid-journey and are still trying to get home. From the maintenance fuck-up that caused the disaster to the ongoing hauntings that’ll make you think twice about flying through O’Hare, we’re covering it all.

Trust me, don't listen to this if you are about to step onto a plane. 

References & Resources
Primary Sources:
- National Transportation Safety Board Final Report: American Airlines Flight 191 (December 21, 1979)

- Chicago Tribune archives and victim profiles (1979-2024)

- American Hauntings Investigation records

- Aviation Safety Network crash database

Paranormal Documentation:
- Haunted Places directory: American Flight 191 Crash Site

- Aviation employee forum testimonials (anonymous sources)

- Mobile home park resident accounts (1979-2010s)

- Air traffic controller unofficial reports

Historical Context:
- McDonnell Douglas DC-10 maintenance records and procedures

- Federal Aviation Administration investigation files

- O’Hare International Airport expansion documentation

Additional Reading:
- “Ghosts of Flight 191” - American Hauntings archives

- Aviation maintenance safety protocols post-1979

- Electromagnetic field studies of crash sites

- Trauma psychology and collective memory research

*Note: Many paranormal accounts come from unofficial sources due to airline industry policies regarding supernatural reports. Employee testimonials are anonymized to protect careers.*

She's been inside the most haunted places on Earth alongside Sam & Colby - and she didn't just survive them. She READ them. 

Ashley Ryan is an officially ordained Hermetic Priestess, a practitioner of ancient esoteric tradition, and one of the most highly sought after, as well as fascinating figures in the paranormal world.

in this episode, she sits down with us to talk about what it actually means to hold that title, what Hermetic practice looks like in real life, and what she's witnessed on location that cameras cant always capture.

This isn'ta ghost story. It's the framework behind one. 

Okay, so imagine getting your wedding photos back and finding THREE GHOSTLY FIGURES standing behind a kid at your reception. Now imagine those figures are probably the gangsters who got murdered there in the 1930s. Welcome to the Wabasha Street Caves in St. Paul, Minnesota – where John Dillinger used to dance, Ma Barker planned heists, and apparently some mobsters never got the memo that the party’s over.

This week I’m diving into one of the most well-documented haunted locations in the Midwest. We’re talking bullet holes still visible in the walls, an actual unsolved gangland murder, newspaper archives, historical photos, and HUNDREDS of witnesses reporting the same phenomena for decades. Plus there’s this wedding photo that tour guides still show people that’ll make your skin crawl.

But here’s the twist – you can literally book your wedding there RIGHT NOW. It’s a functioning event venue with swing dancing on Thursday nights. How fucking cool is that?

I’m breaking down the full history: the French mushroom farmers, the Prohibition-era speakeasy, the “safe city” deal between gangsters and corrupt cops, the night someone asked the band to leave early (spoiler: not good), and why these particular ghosts seem obsessed with being nice to kids.

Whether you believe in the paranormal or not, this story is *wild*. And it’s all documented, all accessible, all verifiable. Come for the gangster history, stay for the phantom jazz music and the guy in the Panama hat who keeps disappearing through walls.

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

Primary Sources:
- Wabasha Street Caves official tours and historical archives (wabashastreetcaves.com)

- Minnesota Historical Society - Castle Royal photographs (1933)

- St. Paul newspapers - 1930s gangland murder reports

- Star Tribune - “Most Haunted Place in Minnesota” feature

Historical Context:
- “The O’Connor System” - St. Paul’s safe city arrangement for criminals (1920s-1930s)

- FBI records on John Dillinger, Ma Barker, and the Barker-Karpis Gang

Paranormal Documentation:
- Twin Cities Paranormal Society investigation reports

- Ghost Adventures & Mysteries at the Museum TV episodes

- Multiple tour guide firsthand accounts (Brett Williams, Donna Bremer)

- Wedding photo - shown during ghost tours (not publicly available online)

Visit:
- Wabasha Street Caves: 215 Wabasha St S, St. Paul, MN 55107

- Tours: Historic Cave Tour, Gangster Bus Tour, Lost Souls Ghost Tour

- Swing Dancing: Thursday nights with live big band music

- Phone: (651) 224-1191

Further Reading:
- “Minnesota Hauntings” by Ryan Jacobson

- Atlas Obscura - Wabasha Street Caves entry

- Explore Minnesota Tourism - Gangster history resources

*All research conducted Dec-Feb 2025-2026. Historical facts verified through multiple independent sources.*

In 1897, Adolph Luetgert — Chicago’s self-made “Sausage King” — became the center of one of the most disturbing and sensational murder cases in American history. When his wife Louisa vanished on the night of May 1st, police followed the evidence straight to the basement of his northwest side sausage factory. What they found there changed criminal justice forever — and allegedly left something behind that never quite left.

This week on Creepy Shit Podcast, we break down the fully documented, court-record-verified story of the Luetgert murder case: the lye vat, the bone fragments, the engraved ring, the forensic anthropologist who took the stand in one of America’s earliest uses of forensic science in a murder trial, and the two trials that captivated an entire city. We also get into the ghost sightings that started almost immediately after the crime — the white figure at the fireplace, the watchmen who ran, the twice-relocated house, and the basement that still makes people uneasy today.

No embellishment. No invented details. Just the real, documented, deeply unsettling truth — which, as always, is scarier than anything we could make up.

References & Resources:

∙ Alchemy of Bones: Chicago’s Luetgert Murder Case of 1897 — Robert Loerzel

∙ WTTW Chicago: Chicago Mysteries with Geoffrey Baer

∙ Mysterious Chicago — Adam Selzer

∙ Cook County Court Records, 1897–1898 (Illinois State Archives)

∙ CBS Chicago: Chicago Hauntings series​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

The Appalachian Mountains are older than the dinosaurs — and something has been living in them ever since. This week, I’m joined by Danielle and Cassie of the National Park After Dark podcast as we pull back the curtain on the true paranormal history of Appalachia. 

From Dogman encounters and Mothman sightings to cryptid folklore rooted in centuries of documented eyewitness accounts, we’re going deep into the haunted heart of America’s most mysterious mountain range. 

I’ve been tiptoeing around this region — you heard me cover Dudley Town — but today we go all the way in. This one is not for the faint of heart, Press play if you dare

Not all horror is paranormal. This week on Creepy Shit, we’re diving deep into McKamey Manor—the controversial “extreme haunted house” in Summertown, Tennessee that has sparked nationwide debate, multiple investigations, and over 170,000 petition signatures calling for its closure.

What happens when a haunted attraction crosses the line from entertainment into something far more disturbing? Former Navy veteran Russ McKamey operates what he calls “survival horror” experiences that require a 40-page waiver, proof of medical insurance, and a doctor’s clearance. Participants endure waterboarding, physical assault, psychological torture, and hours of documented abuse—all technically legal because they consented.

But what happens when safe words are ignored? When participants end up hospitalized? When the $20,000 prize that no one has ever won might not even exist?

We examine the documented survivor testimonies, including Laura Hertz Brotherton’s 2016 hospital visit after extensive injuries. We explore the 2023 Tennessee Attorney General investigation, the 2024 attempted murder charges against Russ McKamey (later dropped), and the Hulu documentary that exposed the truth behind America’s most extreme haunted attraction.

This episode investigates the psychology behind extreme haunts, the legal gray areas of consent, and the disturbing question: where’s the line between consensual thrill-seeking and actual torture?

**CONTENT WARNING** This episode contains detailed discussions of physical assault, waterboarding, psychological torture, domestic violence allegations, and extreme physical experiences. Listener discretion advised.

Primary Sources & Documentation:

1. Hulu Documentary (2023)

- “Monster Inside: America’s Most Extreme Haunted House”

- Directed by Andrew Renzi

- Features survivor testimonies and investigation footage

2. Netflix Documentaries

- “Haunters: The Art of the Scare” (2017)

- “Dark Tourist” (Season 1, Episode featuring McKamey Manor, 2018)

3. Investigative Journalism

- Nashville Scene: “Tennessee’s McKamey Manor: Torture on Demand” by Megan Seling (February 2018)

- CBS42: “The Truth of McKamey Manor, Tennessee’s Extreme Horror Attraction” (October 2022)

- WKRN: “Owner of McKamey Manor charged with attempted murder, rape” (July 2024)

4. Legal Documents

- Tennessee Attorney General Investigation announcement (October 31, 2023)

- Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office arrest records (July 2024)

- McKamey Manor lawsuit against Tennessee AG (2024)

5. Podcast Series:

- “Inside McKamey Manor” (8-part series, 2024)

  - Hosted by Elizabeth McCafferty

  - Audio Always production

  - Available on all podcast platforms

Petitions & Public Response:

- Change.org: “Shut down McKamey Manor” (170,000+ signatures)

  - Created by Frankie Towery

  - Active petition ongoing

Official Sources:

- McKamey Manor official website (operational as of December 2024)

- McKamey Manor YouTube channel (contains edited tour footage)

- McKamey Manor social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter)

Media Coverage:

- Los Angeles Times coverage

- The Guardian reporting

- New York Daily News articles

- Travel Channel’s “Halloween Craziest” feature

Expert Commentary

- Lawrence County District Attorney Brent Cooper statements (2018)

- Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti investigation (2023)

- Lawrence County Commissioner Scott Franks public statements (2017)

Research on Extreme Haunts:

- Academic studies on consent in extreme entertainment

- Psychological research on ordeal experiences

- Legal analysis of consent waivers and liability

Additional Context:

- Extreme haunt industry standards and safety protocols

- Comparison to legitimate extreme attractions (Blackout, Ten Thirty One Productions)

- BDSM community consent practices and safe word protocols

- Medical ethics literature on informed consent

Gather around, creepy crew, because this one stopped me dead in my tracks & then you voted and requested for more, and I love to deliver. 

At Edington Priory Church in Wiltshire, England — a 14th-century medieval priory consecrated in 1361 — there is a stone coffin that exists in a permanent spiritual no-man’s-land. It doesn’t rest in the ground. It doesn’t rest inside the church. It sits mounted on the boundary wall, sealed, ornate, and shrouded in legends so dark they’ll make your skin crawl.

The Church has no records. Historians have no consensus. And whoever — or whatever — lies inside has been denied holy ground for centuries. 

The why is where it gets really interesting.
We’re going to talk about it.

Get ready to explore one of America’s most haunted cities! We’re diving DEEP into Salem, Massachusetts—where history, tragedy, and the paranormal collide in the most spine-chilling ways possible.

In this episode, we’re taking you on a twisted tour through Salem’s most significant and sinister locations. We’ll uncover the real story behind Gallows Hill, where nineteen innocent people were executed during the infamous Salem Witch Trials of 1692. But that’s just the beginning—we’re also exploring the some of the most Haunted Inn's for your stay and the eerie energy that blankets this entire town.

And we’ve got something EXTRA special for you—we’re joined by the amazing Mandy and Avery from the Thick Thighs, Creepy Vibes podcast! Together, we’re swapping stories, discussing the lingering hauntings that plague these historical landmarks, and getting into why Salem remains one of the most paranormally active places on Earth.

From spectral sightings near the execution site to unexplained phenomena at the Witch Trials Memorial, this episode is PACKED with creepy history, supernatural theories, and the kind of dark mysteries that will keep you up at night.

Whether you’re a history buff, a paranormal enthusiast, or just obsessed with all things spooky, this Salem deep-dive is not to be missed!