Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

They say he watches from the shadows, always wearing a hat — but the Hat Man isn’t just another shadow person… he’s something far more terrifying.

EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/DemonicHatMan

READ or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3xfr8h77

FEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: Unlike most shadow people figures, the Hat Man - this tall, dark being often appears during times of emotional turmoil. With accounts from all over the world, questions continue to be asked about his origin – is he supernatural? Interdimensional? Just our imagination? Demonic… or extraterrestrial? What is the Hat Man – and what are his motives? (The Night Terror That is The Hat Man) *** He was a charismatic activist and local celebrity who counted the elite of Philadelphia among his friends. But behind closed doors, Ira Einhorn's relationship with his girlfriend Holly Maddux was fraught with abuse, control, and ultimately, murder. The shocking discovery of Holly's body in a trunk in Einhorn's apartment was only the beginning of the hunt for the man they’d eventually call “The Unicorn Killer.” (Holly Maddux And The Unicorn Killer) *** On May 1, 1897, Louisa Luetgert, the wife of a prominent Chicago sausage-maker, mysteriously vanished. The last sighting of her was with her husband, Adolph, as they walked into his sausage factory. This chilling disappearance not only shocked the city but also caused a notable decline in sausage sales that summer. Gee, I wonder why. (The Sausage Maker And His Wife) *** Centuries of worship and tragedy have left behind more than just memories in some churches… they’ve also left behind spirits, some holy… some not. From ghostly priests and weeping brides to mysterious mists and phantom lights, there are hauntings that linger in these ancient sanctuaries. What eerie tales are hidden within the walls of the world’s oldest… and most haunted… churches? (Attending Church Eternally As A Ghost) *** In June 2006, Gilbert Gilman vanished without a trace during a short walk in Olympic National Park. Despite an extensive search and numerous theories, no evidence of his fate has ever been found. Was he a victim of foul play, or did he choose to disappear? (The Mysterious Disappearance of Gilbert Gilman)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00.00.000 = The Foreboding
00:01:33.430 = Show Open
00:04:32.154 = The Night Terror That is The Hat Man
00:23:37.380 = The Sausage Maker And His Missing Wife ***
00:37:01.097 = The Mysterious Disappearance of Gilbert Gilman
00:42:16.722 = Attending Church Eternally As A Ghost (Haunted Churches) ***
00:54:19.519 = Holly Maddux And The Unicorn Killer ***
01:02:21.051 = Show Close
01:03:57.285 = SONG: “The Hat Man” by Dark Weirdness (https://weirddarkness.com/music)
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break

LISTEN ON PODCAST APPS:
Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps
*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*

SOURCES and RESOURCES:
SONG: “The Hat Man” by Dark Weirdness: https://weirddarkness.com/music
“The Night Terror That Is The Hat Man” source: Erica McCann, Graveyard Shift: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/mbwzkup3; Brandon Michaels, Ranker: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yxz4b38j
“Holly Maddux And The Unicorn Killer” source: The Scare Chamber: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8bmr32
“Attending Church Eternally As a Ghost” source: Patrick Thornton, Graveyard Shift: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2zyhhree
“The Mysterious Disappearance of Gilbert Gilman” source: Strange Outdoors: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ycx59v88
“The Sausage Maker And His Missing Wife” by Troy Taylor (used with permission): https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yc3dnfcm
(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.
Originally aired: May 21, 2024
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE HEARING? WEIRD DARKNESS posts episodes 7 DAYS A WEEK! Listen FREE wherever you get podcasts or visit https://weirddarkness.com/listen. • Paranormal • True Crime • Ghosts • UFOs • Cryptids • Unexplained • Want even more? Become an OFFICIAL WEIRDO for commercial-free episodes, bonus episodes, weeknight live chats, audiobooks & more at https://WeirdDarkness.com/OFFICIAL

The thrilling conclusion! Scout Brooks and Mandy Lee have fought their way across the alien world of Thryos, battling monstrous Throats in a desperate search for Professor Nog's captured friend, Farrow. But with danger closing in from every direction — and Scout's own friend Chuck now caught snooping around Fort Nogs back home — nothing about this mission has gone according to plan.

Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://pod.link/1655277373
Find more family-friendly frights and creepy games to play on our website at http://MicroTerrors.com!
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/microterrors
Other stories, novels, and more from author Scott Donnelly: https://amzn.to/3LymHaU
Other narrations, podcasts, and audiobooks from voice artist Darren Marlar: https://WeirdDarkness.com
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Weird Darkness©, 2026
Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids™, 2026#MicroTerrors #WeirdDarkness

Redacted juvenile court records released this week show the county went to court over the Siders children in 2020 and again in 2021, documented roaches, elevated lead and bruising, and both times left every one of them in the house.

SOURCES, LINKS, AND PRINT VERSION: https://weirddarkness.com/SidersCase20260829

Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://pod.link/1078714736
WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE HEARING? WEIRD DARKNESS posts episodes 7 DAYS A WEEK! Listen FREE wherever you get podcasts or visit https://weirddarkness.com/listen. • Paranormal • True Crime • Ghosts • UFOs • Cryptids • Unexplained • Want even more? Become an OFFICIAL WEIRDO for commercial-free episodes, bonus episodes, weeknight live chats, audiobooks & more at https://WeirdDarkness.com/OFFICIAL

A rookie phenom hitting .392 takes a fastball to the head, and comes out of the coma carrying a stranger's offer he can't shake and a batting slump he can't break.

Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/OTR

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Open
00:01:30.028 = CBS Radio Mystery Theater, “The Devil’s Brew” (August 02, 1978) ***WD
00:45:46.577 = The Clock, “Pretty Cousin Amy” (February 07, 1956)
01:09:45.192 = The Crime Club, “Murder On Margin” (May 22, 1947) ***WD
01:36:16.796 = Crime Classics, “Axe Droot Family, How They Feared” (August 10, 1953)
02:06:02.814 = Danger Dr Danfield, “Red Jacoby” (October 06, 1946) ***WD
02:31:15.303 = The Devil And Mr O, “Hollywood Visitor” (February 18, 1972) ***WD(LQ)
02:59:43.294 = Diary of Fate, “Stanley Becker” (July 27, 1948) ***WD
03:25:10.256 = Dimension X, “No Contact” (October 28, 1950) ***WD
03:54:45.792 = The Eleventh Hour, “Desperado In Rain” (ADU)
04:20:18.578 = Escape, “Plunder of the Sun” (November 08, 1949)
04:49:22.497 = Beyond The Green Door, “Alfred Porter, Ghosts, Vampires” (1966) ***WD
04:53:08.307 = Tales From The Tomb, “Don’t Drink With Strangers” (1960s)
04:56:48.055 = Incredible But True, ‘The End of David Lang” (1950-1951) ***WD
05:00:11.758 = Show Close

(ADU) = Air Date Unknown
(LQ) = Low Quality
***WD = Remastered, edited, or cleaned up by Weird Darkness to make the episode more listenable. Audio may not be pristine, but it will be better than the original file which may have been unusable or more difficult to hear without editing.
CUSTOM WEBPAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/WDRR0759

A young woman’s tragic death at a notorious cliffside sparks an investigation that uncovers far more than anyone expected.

EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/DeadlyDigitalDeception

READ or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/yr54dvnb

FEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: After receiving a series of devastating text messages, twenty-year-old Renae Marsden drove to a seaside cliff and was never seen again. What began as a tragic suicide after receiving heartbreaking text messages from the man she loved, soon unraveled into something far more disturbing. *** She thought her past was buried — until a stranger unearthed it and turned her life into a waking nightmare. (Unmasking Giovanni) *** She left her ex to reclaim her life — but he used the internet to haunt her from the shadows. (When Your Ex Becomes Your Digital Shadow) *** In a world where predators hide behind profiles, spotting the red flags of cyberstalking might be the only thing standing between safety and surveillance. We’ll look at some way you can keep yourself from becoming a victim – or perhaps help someone who is getting dangerously close to becoming one! (Digital Predator Red Flags) *** What if the most powerful force shaping your thoughts, choices, and future… isn’t human at all? (Is AI Controlling Us?)

CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding
00:02:18.837 = Show Ope
00:04:17.851 = The Case of Renae Marsden, Part 1
00:16:34.496 = The Case of Renae Marsden, Part 2 ***
00:27:20.823 = Unmasking Giovanni ***
00:34:48.017 = The Consultant Who Couldn’t Be Stopped
00:41:58.307 = When Your Ex Becomes Your Digital Shadow
00:50:57.772 = Digital Predator Red Flags ***
00:58:39.602 = Are AI Systems Secretly In Control Of Us?
01:07:25.724 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break

LISTEN ON PODCAST APPS:
Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps
*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*

SOURCES and RESOURCES:
“The Case of Renae Marsden”: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/may/20/coroner-condemns-catfisher-over-sydney-woman-renae-marsdens-suicide, https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/catfishing-renaes-parents-call-for-new-law-after-daughters-death/8b054266-dcd1-4e87-bb14-ed7896f8092e,https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/catfish-victim-told-mother-she-found-out-the-truth-inquiry-told-20200210-p53z9m.html, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10638977/Renae-Marsden-Grieving-parents-reveal-text-received-daughter-died.html, https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/tragic-final-text-to-mum-from-catfished-woman-renae-marsden/news-story/5019e2c0999a5768971b3b4ae1af6438, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUkDADMJ6o0&rco=1 | Footage of The Gap: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8pe8cm,https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p89dr9c
“Unmasking Giovanni”: https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/woman-sentenced-for-cyberstalking,https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/miami-woman-sentenced-for-cyberstalking-on-facebook-and-instagram/1978996/, https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/miami-student-sentenced-cyberstalking-facebook-and-instagram, https://wsvn.com/news/local/woman-sentenced-to-22-months-in-prison-for-cyberstalking
“The Consultant Who Couldn’t Be Stopped”: https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2024/07/pernicious-cyberstalker-sentenced-9-years-prison-unrelenting-harassment
“When Your Ex Becomes Your Digital Shadow”: https://icts.uct.ac.za/services-security-security-resources-general-cyber-security/thandis-story-terror-cyber-stalking-based-true-story
“Are AI Systems Secretly In Control Of Us?”: https://weirddarkness.com/are-ai-systems-secretly-in-control-of-us/
“Digital Predator Red Flags”: https://www.stjohns.edu/news-media/johnnies-blog/cyberstalking-protect-online-identity
(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)

WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.
Originally aired: April 10, 2025
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE HEARING? WEIRD DARKNESS posts episodes 7 DAYS A WEEK! Listen FREE wherever you get podcasts or visit https://weirddarkness.com/listen. • Paranormal • True Crime • Ghosts • UFOs • Cryptids • Unexplained • Want even more? Become an OFFICIAL WEIRDO for commercial-free episodes, bonus episodes, weeknight live chats, audiobooks & more at https://WeirdDarkness.com/OFFICIAL