Let's Talk About The Facts

Join Madison Bateman and me as we talk about the ORIGINAL war on Christmas and take a stroll through some good old fashioned holiday superstitions!

We thought we were bringing you a brand new to the podcast story, but it seems we might have had a case of the Ghost of Podcast Past... Tune in to hear a remastered version of a Christmas Chrime, then hit us up on social media to let us know what you think happened!

It's that time of year again... Christmas Chrimes! Is this a Santa Claus or more of a sanity clause, because we're heading to Cisco, Texas with Madison Bateman in our WayBack Machine... all the way back to 1927 to talk about one of the greatest bank heists and subsequent manhunts West Texas has ever seen!

Take a cool drive with Madison Bateman and the team as we journey down the quintessential American highway, coincidentally NOT the same name as the Sonic beverage (Route 44), and its historical ghosteries! Click that seatbelt, turn up the volume, and let your hair loose as we go for a long drive!

[content warning: extreme violence, historically accurate accounts of slavery] Have you heard of the haunted New Orleans mansion and the story of the truly despicable Delphine LaLaurie? Madison Bateman joins this week as we talk about the real story of what happened according to contemporary accounts, because if there was ever a wicked witch of the South, Delphine was certainly a candidate.

In the 1940s, there was a ship sending out an SOS message, a failed attempted response, and several sources of the event - but where is the Ourang Medan and her doomed crew? Join Vondexter Montegut II and I to figure out if we can get to the bottom of this sunken ghost ship?

Guest Robby DeVillez joins this week to talk about Tuscaloosa's alleged haunted house, the Drish Manor. Can we call this one Haunted? Is it a Nahnted? Or is it the elusive third option of a house built on land that was just ripe for misfortune? Join us for a story that brings history to the mystery, and see what you think!

You've heard of haunted houses and haunted prisons, but get ready for a haunted farm… then cave? Travel down to the 1800s Tennessee to meet the Bell Witch and hear Madison Bateman and I discuss the origin of the tale, possible spin off story concepts such as the Real Housewives of Red River, and all of the Bell Witch's subsequent tales of spookings and hauntings for decades to come!

You've heard of Bigfoot, Mothman, or the Loch Ness Monster, but have you heard of these 5 Incredible Cryptids that have made their home in the United States, living their absolute best lives in the hearts and myths of towns across the country? Join Rachael Hip-Flores and myself on a journey of adventure and intrigue as we discuss some cryptids that brought smiles to our faces as we enter Spooky Season!

Matt Robinson joins in again for the conclusion of this two-parter of Jimmy Hoffa's life story. The end is a mystery, and we take you through all of what could have happened, the major players that could have participated in his disappearance, and the major places that have been considered his final resting place. Join us for the wild conclusion of one of America's strangest mysteries!

For our first half of Discovering Jimmy Hoffa, we jump into what feels like a historical mystery - who is this man that seems to be a punchline? From clandestine CIA endorsed and organized crime assisted missions to potential association with the JFK assassination, Jimmy Hoffa was an enigma. Though he was the face of the Labor Movement and held ties to Civil Rights and championed the rights for workers, there is so much more to this person than just the fact he disappeared. This first episode goes through the the histories and mysteries that his life took. Join Matthew Robinson and me to see what you didn't know was interconnected. 

It's no secret that psychic culture is pervasive in today's culture, but some individuals get lost in the shuffle. This time, we're talking about two individual psychics who had a major impact as psychics, and the stories they've left behind.

Jennifer Furrey joins again to talk about one of the nosiest neighbors we've discussed on this show. In 1976, the town of Circleville would begin to receive letters from a writer who is determine to kick up a fuss. How can letters cause this town such trouble, and how long can this go on? Tune in to hear the the mysterious stories penned with hate by the Circleville Writer.

The radioactive cloud of smoke out of the Fernald, Ohio nuclear plant NLO was not the only scandal to happen, but the disappearance and death of pipe fitter Dave Bocks has been questionable since 1984. We look at the allegations made by friends and family and talk about the thoughts. Though the case has not been declared a homicide, there is enough questionable activity to generate an Unsolved Mysteries episode and still leaves friends and family asking questions today. We look at whistleblowing and what could have happened that night in 1984, but also what happened in the United States before the Chernobyl incident regarding nuclear power and mistakes happening on this side of the ocean.

We're back again with a haunted or nahnted, and this time in Monticello, Arkansas. With my sister-in-law, Jennifer Furrey, I take her through the story of the Spencer family finding the home of their dreams! Unfortunately, it seems to already be occupied by some interesting characters from the past. Information based on the book from homeowner Mark Spencer, "A Haunted Love Story: The Ghosts of the Allen House" - we take a dive into a haunted home that sits not that far away from places Jennifer and I know all too well.

From gangsters to ghouls, the Arlington Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas has had a very interesting history. Matthew Robinson joins for a historical tale of who could haunt the halls of this bathhouse and resort destination, and what other goings on there might be lurking in the halls of the third iteration of the structure after being rebuilt twice from disastrous misfortune takes down the first two.

What a refreshing change! We have the pleasure of updating you on the movement of two cases that we covered at the start of the show! Kicking off season three, Nate Ruegger joins to update the movement since our episodes on the case of Jam Master J and the disappearance of Morgan Nick.

For the last of our trip down memory's memory lane to prepare for Season 3, I dragged Mike along for a wild trip to outback. An Australian family of five mysteriously disappeared during a tech-free road-trip in the Australian outback in 2016. Even stranger is that the family members turned up one-by-one after a week-long journey of more than 1,600km (995 miles). The spellbinding mystery that captivated Australia culminated with a police investigation and two of them placed in psychiatric care.

Still counting down to Season 3, we have to get spooky. During one of our spooky seasons, we took a virtual trip to Mexico and had a chat about one of their creepiest locations. How did it come to be, and why is it still there? Was this a labor of love, or was the inhabitant of the island keeping spirits at bay? 2,200 dolls hang on the Island of the Dolls. Tune in as Kelly and I discuss the possibilities of how this island came to be, and what more there is to learn about this part of Mexico City's history.

On our way to Season 3, we would be remiss to not look back at the time spent with our remarkable guest, Francois the Great from Luminary Sounds, when he joined us to tell the story of Jam Master Jay and the undeniable legacy he left on the music industry. Though Jam Master Jay's murder has been unsolved since 2002, recent developments had coincidentally happened close to the time of our recording. Join us as we jump into the story, pose theories, and talk about the profound art that Jam Master Jay and Run-D.M.C. produced.

The Facts are back! As we dust off the cobwebs, we've pulled out some friend-favorites to get the mood right for an all new season of questions without answers! This was one of our first episodes, Tinseltown's own murder mansion turned time capsule is a story of local legend. After lying dormant for over sixty years, this strange house has its own story to tell, and we'll dive into all of the details as Alex joins the windy roads and finds out exactly when Spaghettios debuted!

On Christmas Eve 2006, an angry man took the lives of many people at the Christmas party at his former in-law's house while wearing a Santa suit and carrying a package to disguise his weapons. Listen in as guest Nate Ruegger weighs in on what went on to lead up to this night, the tragic deaths of the party-goers, and the aftermath.

Season 3 is still alive and kicking! Grab the tissues as we jump into a story where every single turn could have been avoided and countless lives could have been saved, but to save money, people were viewed as a useless commodity. To lighten the heaviness that we bring you, we follow up with a personal anecdote from our guest, Rhona, about how her neighbor set their house on fire and her immediate response. Special appearances and huffs by Amie the Dog.

We welcome in Season 3 with a re-release of last year's spooky season fave, our 10 Urban Legends discussed and debunked. With guest Kelly Larson, we patchworked ten stories together and discussed if there was a basis in reality or a total fabrication of overactive imaginations. Did we make this a game? Of course! Join in and see if you can get 10/10! Tweet us @talkabtfacts and maybe we'll send out #hauntedornaunted stickers this time!

This week, Elizabeth and Nate discuss the case that inspired the film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. Is it a mystery, or is it a clear misuse of power? Stay tuned after the story if you're a Disney fan! We went to Disney, and it was Elizabeth's first trip! Accompanied by Nate + many other pod guests, we braved the park and we talk about our exciting adventure! Tweet us what your favorite ride/experience is!

This week, Elizabeth tells yet another Arkansan tale of unsolved proportions, the Boys on the Tracks. Yanked from the 1980s archives, this story takes twists and turns from potential CIA involvement to police cover up. Whatever truly happened it still unknown. Nate Ruegger joins us all once again to find out what we know so far about this 30+ year old cold case.

Nate Ruegger is back again, and this time presents a case of Japanese confectionary confusion that only the 1980s can give! Get ready for the twists and turns, the ups and downs, the zigs and zags, told only in the way that Nate can tell, as we buckle up for safety on this absolutely bizarre and unprecedented case from the unsolved archives in the Japanese police history.

Get ready for the most chaotic storytelling yet! Shea Fairaday joins to talk about the Texarkana Moonlight Murders after an accidental hiatus of the LTATF team. Never caught, the Moonlight Murders were the source of many pop culture inspiration, but let's talk about the madness behind the media!

When did Nelson Mandela die? What in the Beren-sh*t is it? What do you mean there's news about the Lindbergh baby? Play along with Von and myself to see if you've fallen victim to one of the many common misconceptions, or if you're on the theory of an alternate universe, examples that there is a glitch in the Matrix!

Have you ever found yourself afraid of a toy, or looking at something lifelike for too long, thinking it blinked? Or having you seen the films of the Annabelle series or Child's Play? Well, today I bring to you, and our barely willing guest Von, the true stories behind them, the real Annabelle doll and the 117 year old OG doll of crime, Robert the Doll. Do you believe in ghost stories and haunted dolls? Whether or not you do, these stories might make you think twice before looking at the uncanny valley as just somewhat of a phenomenon, or perhaps we're biologically predisposed to fear things that look like us. But the question is- why? If you've got an opinion either way, let us know! Tweet us @talkabtfacts and tell us what you think!

In 1996, Kristin Smart was a 19-year-old Stockton, CA native and freshman at the California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. She would last be seen walking home from a party then vanish entire. The decades-long case captivated the nation, and has received renewed interest with the 2021 arrest of a suspect, Paul Flores and his father, Ruben. Paul Flores was a person of interest from practically day one, but perhaps worst of all - the campus police did not believe the reports of Kristin missing for so long, valuable evidence was not only lost, but essentially scrubbed away.

On one edge of Madison Square in Savannah, GA sits one of its finest – and most infamous – Southern architectural achievements – The Sorrel Weed House. The amber-colored home is shaped in a Greek revival aesthetic has evoked strong feelings in locals and tourists alike for decades in Savannah’s Historic District. Those emotions are largely rooted in the rumored supernatural events, and confirmed historical ones, that have given Sorrel-Weed House it’s air of mystery.

It may seem like a dated cliché now, but the idea behind putting missing children on milk cartons was a huge advancement in how the United States finds missing and exploited children. This tactic was a stepping stone to laws like Amber Alerts and photos in newspaper ads. Etan Patz’s disappearance was ultimately solved, but still left many questions around the guilt of his convicted killer. Adam Walsh was abducted from a Sears department store and later found murdered, but there are still questions around whether or not the killer has been caught. What are do you think?

An Australian family of five mysteriously disappeared during a tech-free road-trip in the Australian outback in 2016. Even stranger is that the family members turned up one-by-one after a week-long journey of more than 1,600km (995 miles). The spellbinding mystery that captivated Australia culminated with a police investigation and two of them placed in psychiatric care.

Join Tilly & Susan Bridges as they journey with me into the world of the 1970s & 80s in Dallas, Texas... where a cult formed by a woman best known as Terri Hoffman would have unbelievable deaths circulating around around her before long. Conscious Development of Body, Mind, and Soul was Terri's brain child, but when members were either too close or ready to leave... you'd better tune in to hear what happens.

In 1976, skeletal remains are found inside of a canoe of a photographer who resided in the Grand Canyon for over 50 years. The question is, did these remains have anything to do with the disappearance of a couple that stopped by the photographer's studio during their honeymoon in the late 1920s? Join us for a unique story-ception, a story within a story, as recommended by one of our faithful listeners!

Skylar Presents: An (alleged) Alien Abduction from 1961 to an unaware Elizabeth. What the collective conscious knows to be the shape and form of an "extraterrestrial" comes from the account of Barney and Betty Hill. Take a listen, and let us know what you think! Skylar presents a great theory, but Elizabeth isn't willing to buy it. Where do you sit? And next week, we'll find out if our resident alien expert/avoidant Von weighs in on this "butter crisis" Skylar mentions at the top of the episode.

This week, take a look at the 1867 story of the Mary Celeste and what happened to her missing crew. I can tell you where the Mary Celeste came from, how she came to be in the middle of the Atlantic, and who hauled her into shore once found abandoned... but only you can decide for yourself which of these many theories could be the most plausible, or if there is something else that could explain this over 150 year old mystery.

[NOTE: This is Part Two to The Robin Hood Hills Murders (Part One) Episode. For a complete story, make sure to listen to it first before this.] Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelly are behind bars for a crime that has no physical evidence tying them to it. Rachael Hip-Flores joins me as we go through 1999-2011, then the case as it stands today. Justice one day will be served.

A sample of what the Patreon will be offering, I interview Rachael Hip-Flores before we record Part Two of our two-part series on the West Memphis three. As Rachael had no knowledge of the case, we discussed her thoughts and feelings after having taken some time to digest her initial feelings, and how she feels about the upcoming information she'd soon learn. Episodes like this and more will become available on the Patreon! Smaller cases, oddities, and interesting but short stories will be posted, but also interviews with our guests about how they feel after learning about stories they hadn't heard of. Find us at http://patreon.com/talkabtfacts

And we're back! Season 2 premiere with the first of the West Memphis 3 & The Forgotten West Memphis 3 episodes deep diving into the case, the trials, and the aftermath, but also how a killer could still be on the loose after all this time. Part One discusses the murders of 3 young boys (content warning) and the following criminal trials of three teenagers immediately accused of Satanic activity with no evidence to support it.

Mitrice Richardson was a young, twenty-four year old Black woman who had one fateful encounter with the Lost Hills Sheriff's Station that would result in her disappearance and untimely death. Every single event could have prevented. Defunding the Police has been on many of our minds, and with that comes considering how that could have benefitted with the spreading of responsibility.

The end of 2020 brought to light the case of Brandon Bernard, a man who was sentenced to death at just eighteen years old. Skylar Ezell joins to tell the story of the original crime, the updates, and we discuss the disparities of "punishment" in the judicial system. Justice is not blind, and as we say goodbye to 2020 forever, we should say goodbye to "normal" as before. The new normal is coming, and change is imminent.

Raw and uncut, the same bunch from Part One discuss their thoughts on the "top suspects" of the media and police, then discuss the culture of surrounding child abduction, targeting of girls and young women, and what we can do to challenge the failing process of putting blame on victims and instead enforcing public safety knowledge regardless of gender or sexual identity. Also, Justin turns into a Robot for a while.

This year, we're finishing off Christmas Chrimes with the good ol' classic, Jonbenét Ramsey. On our very first panel episode, veterans Rachael Hip-Flores and Kelly Larson are joined with newcomer Justin Plasket to listen to the facts of the chrime, ask questions, and process the information now as adults as the four of us are either the same age or close to that of the young American pageant queen. However, next week we'll discuss suspects, theories, and how growing up through sensationalized child abduction and murder shapes our views on this case, but also how we see the world today.

For Holiday Fun, Elizabeth brings on Facts veteran Kelly Larson to discuss some Christmas Chrimes across the United States, having Kelly try to guess what state some of these wacky misadventures happened in. Come join and see if you can figure out if you can beat Kelly's score!

Today we venture into one of the scariest unsolved Christmas Chrimes from 1945, the unsolved case of the 5 Sodder Children who may or may not have perished in a house fire. I discuss the story with West Virginia native, JJ, who has never heard it before. We come to a conclusion which is all to common today, but we're interested to hear what you all may think! Tweet us!

This is our fourth Native American Heritage month episode, as promised! Nick joins today as we discuss the true and actual history of the Trail of Tears, what is taught in school, and the reality of what is happening in Native communities today.

Don't let high school history books teach you that Native American heroes are relegated to the 1700s-1800s. Native Americans have affected foundational society for many, many years, but as a collective society, we can't pull their names out of our memory. We know why, but that's no excuse not to take the time and celebrate amazing heroes who have accomplished incredible things WITHIN THIS CENTURY. Leslie Grant joins as my guest, and we want you to come along on this journey of discovering heroes we should have known about all along!

Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women is an epidemic across the United States and Canada. In Canada, it's even considered a genocide. So far, this violation of human rights is flying under the radar of mass media, so it is time to make some noise. Kelly Larson joins to discuss two cases, one solved and one not, as we commit to continue to make noise for this cause. Learn more and donate at https://www.nativewomenswilderness.org/

One of the American school system's best kept secrets is how the state of Hawaii joined the union. Did you know that it was originally a sovereign kingdom? Join VonDexter Montegut II in learning about the incredible Last Queen of Hawai'i and, as he phrased, "This Anthology of Caucasity."