The Darker Side of Life Podcast

Important Announcement

The Murder of Clothilde Marchand

Quick Note: I realize there is no theme music in this and it's due to a lot of computer issues recording. Recording on a new computer that wouldn't save my file, a new version of what I record on and not having some of the tools I need to do certain editing things, etc. Sooooo, I just got fed up and decided to leave it out. Because life is short, and there are stories to tell. Anyway, onto the show... Clothilde Marchand was a French artist, a mom and a woman who got caught in the crosshairs of o...

The Mad Gasser of Mattoon

At the end of summer 1944, the residents of small town Mattoon, Illinois, started reporting strange chemical smells in their homes that led to intense symptoms of sickness. Many also reported seeing a figure outside their home that would flee the scene. This figure became known as the Mad Gasser of Mattoon and for weeks, a terrorized town and police force scratched their heads, unable to figure out who was behind these weird attacks that left some Mattoon resident literally paralyzed. Sources: T...

The Disappearance of Tyler Davis

Tyler Davis was spending the weekend away with his wife to celebrate her birthday. In the early morning hours of February 24, 2019, Tyler walked away from his hotel in the busy Easton Town Center shopping mall outside of Columbus, Ohio. No one has seen Tyler since.

The Death of Ellen Greenberg

Ellen Greenberg was found in her Philadelphia apartment in the middle of a 2011 snow storm with 20 stab wounds to her body, including 10 to the back of her neck. It seemed to many to be an obvious homicide. The Medical Examiner's eventual "revised" ruling in the manner of Ellen's death would shock many and send her parents on a quest for justice for their daughter. Fourteen years later, recent developments mean the public might find out what actually happened to Ellen Greenberg. Sources: CNN, Ne...

No January Episode

I'll be back in February!

Krampus

Half demon, half goat. The anti-Santa. Punisher of bad children. Krampus has had many roles through the years and has developed quite the reputation. Who is this Christmastime figure whose folk tradition thrives today throughout the world?

The Sinking of the RMS Empress of Ireland

She wasn't as famous as the Titanic, but the RMS Empress of Ireland was an important part of life for so many traveling from Canada to Europe and the crew that worked on her. But on her first journey of the season in May 1914, tragedy struck The Empress of Ireland, sending her sinking from under her passengers before many would even know what was happening.

Hoia Baciu - Romania's Most Haunted Forest

Happy Halloween from The Darker Side of Life! Light those Jack O' Lanterns and follow me into Hoia Baciu, Romania's most haunted forest. You never know what you might see when you step into the trees. Sources: https://hoiabaciuforest.com/en/, https://www.jhmoncrieff.com/haunted-travel-romanias-hoia-baciu-forest/, https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/europe/romania/hoia-baciu-haunted-forest-travel-guide-b2256555.html, https://romaniatourstore.com/blog/hoia-baciu-forest-mysterious-legends/, The Ta...

Engineering Disasters

Engineers are held to a code of ethics that will "hold paramount" the safety and health of the public. But what happens when that code is forgotten? Or worse, flat out ignored? Sources: YouTube AdventureMe "What Remains of the Battersea Funfair?", MyLondon.com. BBC.com, Wikipedia, NASA.gov, KMBC.com., NPR.org, InterestingEngineering.com, onlineethics.org

The Disappearance of Lisanne Froon and Kris Kremers

On April 1, 2014, Dutch friends Lisanne Froon and Kris Kremers set out to hike a popular trail in Boquete, Panama. The two friends were vacationing together in the small tourist town, finding adventures around Boquete until they would start their volunteering jobs at a local school. When the women didn't return from their hike on the El Pianista trail, a frantic search would uncover more mysteries than answers about what happened to the girls.

An Exciting Announcement!

Hello there, listeners! You might have thought we dropped off the face of the earth over the last year. But The Darker Side of Life is back with an announcement and some changes going forward.

Phoebe Handsjuk

On December 2, 2010, Phoebe Handsjuk spent a day home at the apartment she shared with her boyfriend in Melbourne, Australia. It had been a rough week for her. By the end of the day, Phoebe's body would be found in a lower level garbage room of the apartment building, where investigators say she managed to fit down an extremely narrow garbage chute from the 12th floor. Officials ruled her death a suicide, but Phoebe's family has questions regarding the suspicious nature of her death and the lack...

Conspiracies of the Denver International Airport

You might think the only thing going on at Denver International Airport is people heading out on vacation. Think again. Because when it comes to DIA, there might be more going on than meets the eye.

The Murder of Russell and Shirley Dermond

In May of 2014, Georgia couple Russell and Shirley Dermond were invited to a party at a friend's house, but failed to show up. Days later, friends became worried after no contact was made with the couple, both in their 80s, since then. When someone went to check on them, they found Russell's decapitated body in the garage and Shirley was missing. What happened on that day is still a mystery and one of Putnam County's most baffling cold cases.

Sarah and Ryan Widmer

Antarctica

It's a cold, desolate place. Not many people go there. But it's natural beauty and potential for science make it an almost haven for some people. However, for the lucky few that get to go, rigorous physical and psychological testing is often required. They sometimes spend months on end in darkness and isolation, with only a few other humans around for thousands of miles. And sometimes mysterious things happen, or crime - this week were talking about what it's like living on Antarctica.

Whakaari/White Island Volcano Eruption

On December 9, 2019, Whakaari, an active volcano off the coast of New Zealand, erupted. This was not like other eruptions from Whakaari. A popular tourist destination for adventurers, 47 people were on the volcano at the time of eruption. The aftermath was devastating to all involved.

The Cult Murder of Mark Kilroy

It was supposed to be a fun spring break trip - in 1989, Mark Kilroy and his friends from college went to South Padre Island, Texas, to party and have fun. During a short trip across the border into Mexico one night, Mark got separated from his friends - and was never seen alive again. His family and friends suffered an excruciating 4-week search for Mark, until his body was found on a Mexican ranch - along with evidence of a cult that practiced human sacrifice.

Helltown, Ohio

Welcome to Helltown, Ohio! It's now your average ghost town from the Wild West. Boston, Ohio was once home to a thriving community until they were told they no longer owned their homes and were forced to leave. What moved in to what became known as Helltown would give anyone chills.

The Spirits of the Dakota Building

As one of the first luxury apartment buildings on New York City's Upper West Side, the building now known as the Dakota has had a long history. Many know of the Dakota's most recent history, most famously the site of the murder of John Lennon, who lived there at the time - but as with many older historical, unique buildings, the Dakota soon gained a reputation of being haunted. In this episode, we'll talk about some of the spirits of the Dakota.

The Disappearance of Agatha Christie

It was a story that only Agatha Christie could write. But in this mystery, she was the main character.

The Murder of "Iron Man" Michael Malloy

In the early 1930s, things were tough for many Americans. The Great Depression was underway, prohibition was going strong, and people found themselves struggling to keep jobs and desperate for money. In New York City, a group of men - later dubbed the Murder Trust - decided on a get rich quick scheme that involved taking out an expensive life insurance policy on an alcoholic man they knew, killing him, and collecting on the policy. Except their victim, Michael Malloy, was MUCH tougher than they ...

The Dancing Plague of 1518

This is not your mama's dance party. Or at least we hope not. The dancing plague of 1518 involved bloodied feet, broken ribs and even death. What started as one woman's mysterious dancing through the streets quickly escalated to something that baffled church officials and physicians in Strasbourg, France and over the course of two months grew out of control. What would cause people to dance until they literally dropped?

The Kidnapping of Barbara Mackle

In 1968, college student Barbara Mackle was kidnapped from an Atlanta hotel when two armed individuals came into her room, tied her up, drugged her and forced her into a car. The kidnappers intended to get a ransom - $500,000 - from her wealthy family, but they also imposed a strict set of rules regarding the ransom drop and how they would find Barbara afterward. However, a carefully planned kidnapping soon turned terrifying after the ransom money drop was bungled, leaving the kidnappers anxious...

The Disappearance of Karlie Guse

Sixteen year old Karlie Guse disappeared from her home in October 2018. She had returned to her family home the night before after being out at a house party and her behavior was frantic and erratic. Her dad and stepmom did what they could through the night to keep her calm, but when they woke up the next morning, Karlie was nowhere to be found.

The Hermann House Poltergeist

In 1958, the Hermann family of Seaford, NY, began to experience strange things in their house. It began with bottle lids suddenly and collectively popping off at the same time. What began as a mild annoyance became more extreme, as small objects started moving on their own, and larger pieces of furniture gradually started falling over by themselves. Police, paranormal investigators, priests, friends and neighbors - from around the country - came by to offer an explanation, or help to the Hermann...

Moll Dyer

Moll Dyer lived on the outskirts of Leonardtown, Maryland in the late 1600s. Maryland was said to be more tolerant than other neighboring New England states. Many people thought Moll was a witch because of her knowledge of herbalism and ability to heal with her "potions." People in town accepted Moll for who she was as long as it helped them. But in the winter of 1697, the tides turned and the enduring legend of Moll Dyer was born.

The Disappearance of Nicholas Barclay

In summer of 1994, 13-year-old Nicholas Barclay went missing. He was playing basketball with some friends, and never returned home. Three years later, his family received a phone call that Nicholas had been finally found - in Europe, as a victim of an international sex trafficking ring. When Nicholas came home, he was...different. He looked the same, acted the same, and was "glad to have his family back." But soon his family learned an unbelievable secret about Nicholas...

The Tuberculosis Hospital of Mammoth Cave

Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the world's largest known cave system. It's known for many things: soaring passages, ancient artifacts left behind by its first explorers and some of the most breathtaking underground scenery you could imagine. No one would expect to find a tuberculosis hospital. But for several people in the mid 1800s suffering from tuberculosis, they were willing to try anything to find a cure for an incurable disease. Even if it meant living in the depths of Mammoth Cave.