Local Legends with Lark Farlee covers news stories from my small hometown, Brown County Indiana. We'll be diving deep in to local lore, ghost stories, true crime, and even the paranormal. Join me every Sunday for the spoops, gossip, and craziness! You can send in your own stories to locallegendswithlark@gmail.com to be featured on the podcast.
Today's episode kicks off a new series I'll be doing covering Indiana's dark history. In this episode we will be covering Indiana's history with the KKK. We'll be going through the history of the KKK, how Indiana played a critical role in it's popularity (and was at one time the state with the highest members of the KKK), and how the KKK's ideology of hatred and racism is still reflective in current day politics.
In today's episode we will be covering the local legends surround IU Bloomington. We've got ghosts, murder, stalking, tunnels, disappearing bodies, birdmen, etc. We'll be going through it all and covering the legends surrounding the college.
As a local Brown Countian I've always wondered how the small community of Gnaw Bone (located just a few minutes from downtown Brown County) got its name. In today's episode we will be going through the main theories behind the name and the legends surrounding it.
In today's episode we will be covering the events that lead up to the disappearance of Lauren Spierer, the parties involved, the investigation that took place, and the main theories as to what might have happened to her.
Today's episode is another fun ghost story covering the legend of the headless ghost of the covered bridge in Story. New drinking game: take a shot every time I say bridge in this episode!
Happy October everyone! We made it to the best month of the year. Today's story is a mysterious cold case involving the murder of a famous and well loved Dentist. Whose love of women was as well known as his practice. We'll break down the facts like we always do and at the end go over some plausible motives.
Happy July-oween! In honor of being one month closer to Halloween we'll be covering another spooky ghost story from Brown County. This one deals with a one eyed, suicidal, befriender of local rabbits specter.
Today's episode we will be covering the time a Brown County resident was a little too welcoming and ended up with a stranger's bag of meth in their couch. PSA that wireless landlines are the way to go folks!Link to article:https://bcdemocrat.com/2023/02/21/police-blotter-greenwood-woman-stops-at-strangers-home-for-help-reportedly-hides-meth-in-couch/
Today's episode is a rough one. We will be covering the case of a mother who brutally killed her child and got away with it.Link to article: https://bcdemocrat.com/2023/04/06/mother-of-7-month-old-sentenced-to-5-years-probation-other-charges-dropped/
Like the title states today's episode we will be covering the time a ghost wrecked havoc on a small Indiana town to the point where it caused an angry mob to form to drive the ghost out of town.
In today's episode, we will be covering the 1962 murder of a local father of 6 by Willie Ruth with an axe handle. This case involves sexual tensions between mother and son and the violence that can ensue.
In today's episode, we will cover the local legend of Madame Signa. We will be diving into the facts, what is a mentalist, who was Madame Signa, what cases did she "solve", and was she a real technician of mentalism or a fraud?
What better way to round out the spookiest month of the year than by talking about witches? We'll be diving into the history of witches, and witch hunts, and covering a witch hunt that took place in Indiana in 1932.Links to articles:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Witch_(word)https://www.pem.org/salem-witch-trials#:~:text=During%20the%20Great%20Age%20of,for%20witchcraft%20and%2050%2C000%20executedhttps://fultoncountypost.com/wroi-news/598042
Today's episode will be covering the tales of bears in Brown County. Like everything that happens in Brown County, the bears are also a little bit, strange. Link to articles:http://genealogytrails.com/ind/brown/stories-bears.html
Today's episode will cover the mysterious disappearance of Randall "Randy" White. The details surrounding his disappearance are odd in a too-perfect or staged way. We'll be breaking down the case like we always do and sharing some possible theories about what might have happened to Randy.
In today's episode, we will cover the recent case of a child being hit by their own school bus. It sounds like something out of Pet Semetary, only in Brown County, right?Links to Articles:https://bcdemocrat.com/2023/03/10/child-run-over-by-bus-investigation-ongoing/https://bcdemocrat.com/2023/03/28/brown-county-student-hit-by-school-bus-woman-drove-on-suspended-license/
Today's episode came highly requested, which is the murder of Hannah Wilson. Hannah was a student at IU Bloomington and was murdered, her body was found in Brown County. We will discuss the details, break down the case, and trial like always!
Today's episode will cover the attempted murder of two women in Brown County. We will cover the case, the trial, and the parties involved. Luckily this case was one that was able to be resolved with the victims surviving the event.Links to articles:https://bcdemocrat.com/2016/08/25/shooting-suspect-charged-with-attempted-murder-2/https://bcdemocrat.com/2016/12/27/man-accused-of-attempted-murder-requests-trial-date/https://bcdemocrat.com/2018/08/29/have-no-mercy-man-sentenced-to-60-years-for-attempted-murder-of-two/
Was it a local legend in itself? Or was there some truth behind the tales I heard of a nomadic group that passed through Brown County in the 1900s? In today's episode, we will discuss this group, who they were, their history, and the stories I heard of them from locals in Brown County.
In today's episode, we will cover the child solicitation sting operation in Brown County, and neighboring counties that led to the arrest of more than twenty men in total, and was the most extensive sting operation of its kind to date. Trigger warning as this episode covers some disturbing and dark subject matter.Links to articles:https://dailyjournal.net/2020/12/11/pulling-back-the-curtain-10-captured-in-child-solicitation-operation-2/https://dailyjournal.net/2022/11/21/courts-roundup-men-sentenced-for-child-solicitation-driving-illegally/https://dailyjournal.net/2022/11/04/johnson-county-officers-arrest-20-men-in-largest-child-solicitation-sting-to-date/
In today's episode, we will cover a more recent case of arson in Brown County, the investigation that took place, and the perpetrator that was caught!Links to Articles:https://bcdemocrat.com/2023/01/03/police-blotter-shelbyville-man-charged-with-arson-two-additional-felonies/
Today's story is a new case of animal cruelty in Brown County. Unlike the previous ones we've covered, this one has a happy ending!Link to articles:https://bcdemocrat.com/2022/12/13/police-county-woman-charged-with-cruelty-to-animals/
Today's episode is the last one for 2022! We will be covering the local legend that is the Stone Head landmark. Who carved it, the lore, and the ultimate theft/beheading of the landmark as well.Links to articles:https://www.indystar.com/story/news/2016/11/17/iconic-brown-county-statute-beheaded/93792768/https://scholarworks.iu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/2022/21693/Kay%202017%20%28Stonehead%29.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=yhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stone_Head,_Indiana
Today's episode is a rough one, regarding a couple in Brown County charged with animal abuse and neglect. This case changed the ways in which animal cruelty charges would be administered in Brown County in the future.Link to article:https://fox59.com/news/pair-charged-with-animal-cruelty-after-horse-pigs-found-dead-on-brown-county-property/
Today's episode is the last one of the spooky month and we are ending it on the spookiest note of all, that's right folks, werewolves in Brown County!
In today's episode, we will cover the monster that lead to the largest monster hunt in history and the horrifying events that eyewitnesses experienced. That's right folks the Mill Race Monster! This swampy fiend caused a reign of terror in a small town located near Brown County.Link to articles:https://exemplore.com/cryptids/Indiana-Monster-Hunt-The-Mill-Race-Monster
In today's episode, we will break down the fire that ravaged the Seasons Lodge in Brown County. We will be delving into the case details, the aftermath, and the theories of what caused the fire because this one is a mystery folks!Link to Articles:https://bcdemocrat.com/2017/01/04/10-years-later-seasons-fire-a-mystery/
Piranhas, pythons, and monitor lizards oh my! In today's episode, we will be covering several cases involving weird creatures that were caught near Lake Monroe. Swim at your own risk.Link to articles:https://www.wishtv.com/news/rare-4-pound-fish-found-in-central-indiana-lake/https://www.indystar.com/story/life/2015/06/28/shark-sharks-indiana-reservoirs-tiger-sharks-jaws-movie-jaws/29341887/
In today's episode, we will cover the recent case of a local teen in Brown County who is to be tried as an adult for murdering his friend. Join us as we break down the case and the details we know thus far.Link to article:https://bcdemocrat.com/2022/08/09/teen-waived-to-adult-court-to-face-reckless-homicide-involuntary-manslaughter-felonies/
In another case of camper-related unfortunate events, today's story is one surrounding the exploding camper at a park in Brown County. Link to article:https://bcdemocrat.com/2020/11/17/indianapolis-man-flown-out-after-camper-explosion/
Today's episode will cover an intense flood in Brown County in 1913. Luckily no lives were lost in this flood, however, mayhem, chaos, and "humorous" accidents took place. Join me as we break down the events that took place during the three-day flood!Links to articles:https://newspapers.library.in.gov/?a=d&d=BCD19130327.1.1&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-brown+county------
Today's episode is an older case revolving around the body of a deceased man being found in a camper on private property. This is not the only case where someone was found dead in a camper in the hills of Brown County.Links to articles:http://bcdemocrat.com/2021/04/23/man-found-dead-in-camper-on-private-property/
In today's episode, we will once again be talking about bigfoot. That's right folks, Mr. Sasquatch makes another appearance in a series of sightings that took place in the backwaters of Lake Monroe. Link to article:https://www.indianasportsman.com/threads/bigfoot-creature-spotted-at-lake-monroe.2094/
The case of the murder of Patrick Harper has been closed and the murderer sentenced. In today's episode, we will break down the sentencing and have a refresher as well.Link to article:https://bcdemocrat.com/2022/05/17/woman-pleads-guilty-to-murder-sentencing-set-for-next-month/
That's right folks today's story is a weird one surrounding the time monkeys escaped from the local attraction known as the Reptile Kingdon Serpentarium Inc. Join us as we break down the case and go into the details of the Serpentarium Inc.As always a big shoutout to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro and outro of the podcast. You can find his music on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=G80ORAlLSjKyhcCflacOZgLink to articles:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zft3vWsbmrshttps://indianadb.com/company/288940/reptile-kingdom-serpentarium-inc.htmlhttps://aim.newspapers.com/clip/13969350/brown-county-democrat/
Today's episode is brutal, covering the death of a local Census worker by a neighbor's pack of dogs. As always a huge shoutout to Aaron Marshall for the intro/outro of the podcast. You can check out his other work here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=cyTYekgtQ2SLj9eEQs3I5wLinks to articles:https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2001-07-08-0107080395-story.htmlhttps://www.deseret.com/2000/6/13/19512447/autopsy-reveals-census-worker-died-from-dog-attack-injurieshttps://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jun-13-mn-40382-story.htmlhttps://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2000/06/13/nation-in-brief/8f7a6ef9-ca33-47ee-8b1b-91471157cb4c/
Maw! Paw! They're after the chickens again! In today's episode, we will be covering the case of the chicken rustlers. This was a series of chicken nabbings that took place in Brown County during the Great Depression. Join us as we break down the case and the woman that helped end chicken rustling once and for all!As always a huge shoutout to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro/outro of the podcast. You can find his music on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=1Cg1a4DWQdumvwZhY37qSALinks to Articles:https://www.newsdemocrat.com/2018/08/31/fighting-the-chicken-rustlers/
Today's episode is another weird one regarding an unidentifiable body in an incinerated car. Join us as we break down the details of the case and come up with a few theories of what might have happened.As always a huge shoutout to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro/outro of the podcast. You can check out his music here on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=oF8QBSwNSVOoPUs4Jk-kNALink to articles:https://bcdemocrat.com/2019/01/08/dna-to-be-used-in-identifying-victim-in-car-fire-accident/
A mysterious unsolved murder case from the 1930s. This one is a head stratcher. Who killed who? And why isn't the body count adding up? In this episode, we will be covering the mysterious murder case of local Brown County farmers, breaking down the case, and coming up with our own hypothesis of what might have happened.As always a huge shoutout to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro/outro of the podcast. You can check out his music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=uX3UGSkaRLKen3OfKgIeZgLink to articles:http://browncountygenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/04/thriller-thursday-brown-murder-mystery.htmlhttp://browncountygenealogy.blogspot.com/2011/04/thriller-thursday-brown-murder-mystery_21.html
In today's episode, we will be taking a look at two news stories from Brown County. The first will be a child abduction case and the second a new update on the Angela Weisheit murder case. As always a huge shoutout to Aaron Marhsall for creating the intro/outro for the podcast. You can find his music on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=yp2dUCsETlqUROGdbz-_HgArticles Used:https://bcdemocrat.com/2022/01/18/murder-charge-dropped-prosecutor-says-indianapolis-man-remains-primary-suspect/https://bcdemocrat.com/2022/02/01/meant-to-be-local-officers-dispatchers-reunite-with-girl-at-center-of-child-abduction-arrest-in-state-park/https://bcdemocrat.com/2022/01/24/local-police-arrest-man-wanted-for-child-abduction/
In today's episode, we will be diving into the local legend of John Dillinger and his gang and their ties to Brown County. We will be breaking down Dillinger's antics, who he was, what he did, and how it all comes back to Brown County.As always a huge shoutout to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro/outro for the podcast. You can check out his music on Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=kW1JTJ8uRE69IqMPCCKPZwLinks to articles:https://www.wrtv.com/lifestyle/history/1984-go-inside-the-first-museum-dedicated-to-john-dillingerhttps://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1992-09-03-9203200246-story.html
In today's episode, we will be covering a brutal case of murder and decapitation. Dubbed the case of the bodies in the barrels, what led this man to murder, who were the victims, and what were the details of this case? All of these questions and more will be answered as we take a deep dive into the case.As always, huge shoutout to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro/out to the podcast his music can be found here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=LMUQYu5iQriAGf21dS9RcwLinks to article:https://www.indystar.com/story/news/crime/2013/11/30/nashville-man-killed-by-police-faced-arrest-warrant/3792491/https://law.justia.com/cases/indiana/court-of-appeals/2010/04261003jgb.htmlhttps://mylifeofcrime.files.wordpress.com/2009/08/pelfree-charging-docs.pdf
Welcome back to the podcast! I am back from a small hiatus and ready for 2022. Today's episode will be covering the history and events that led to the town of Elkinsville being abandoned. What would lead to a town loved by its locals to be turned into a ghost town and ultimately destroyed? As always a huge shoutout to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro/outro for the podcast. You can find his music on Spotify by following the link: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=inMToTJ7TsiC-Bo-4U3VKgArticles used in today's episode:GHOST STORY - Chicago TribuneBreaking Blue | Ghost Towns and Abandoned Attractions of Indiana pt. 1Tours share history of Elkinsville – ‘The Town That Was'
In today's episode we will be covering the lore and myths surrounding the mystical hill in Nashville Indiana "Browning Mountain". A place filled with stories of blood sacrifices, cursed land, bigfoot, and UFO sightings. Is there something to these tales or is it just local lore?Shoutout to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro and outro of the podcast. You can check out his music here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=48PZG3QCTOOc9v2zkz8PbALinks to articles:https://www.heraldtimesonline.com/story/lifestyle/2012/11/18/unique-introduction-to-browning-mountain-brings-curiosity/47604929/http://theaccidentalspook.blogspot.com/2012/06/watcher-of-stones.htmlhttp://outdoorindiana.blogspot.com/2010/10/indianas-stonehenge.htmlhttp://naturalbloomington.com/blog/2017/12/03/return-hoosier-national-forest%E2%80%99s-browning-mountain
In 1977 an IU Student was reported missing. 44 years later her killer has yet to identified. In today's episode we will be covering the cold case of Ann Harmeier. We will be discussing the possible suspect in her murder the serial rapist, kidnapper, and murderer Jeffrey Lynn Hand. Throughout this episode I call Jeffrey *Jeremy* apologies for that!Links to Articles:https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/crime/who-killed-iu-student-ann-harmeier-in-1977-state-police-still-trying-to-solve-this-cold-casehttps://www.tribstar.com/news/local_news/could-solved-cold-case-unravel-harmeier-homicide/article_f4ca413d-b205-51fe-bf28-49990c553312.html
Today's episode is one of neighbor turned murderer and one that hits close to home. That's right folks on the road I grew up on a neighbor I knew was recently murdered by another neighbor over a dispute over a mailbox. Links to Articles:https://bcdemocrat.com/2021/09/21/homicide-victim-identified-as-local-man/ https://bcdemocrat.com/2021/09/28/everybody-loved-him-friends-family-recall-slaying-victim/Thanks to Aaron Marshall for the intro and outro of the podcast! Check out his music at the link below:https://open.spotify.com/artist/1peMLUHoO3t6DsuIGMP2vQ?si=sYgo_VBvT-aBI8qSuYqlTQ
Today's episode will cover the recent discovery of skeletal remains in the woods of Brown County by a hunter.Link to Articles:http://www.bcdemocrat.com/2021/10/19/police-hunter-found-human-remains-in-woods/
Today's episode is regarding the recent acts of vandalism and desecration of a local cemetery in Brown County. Links to articles:http://www.bcdemocrat.com/2021/08/11/headstones_disturbed_at_becks_grove_cemetery/Link to the Brown County Cemetery Preservation Society Website:http://www.peacefulvalleyheritage.com/history.html
Today's episode is a continuation of the Angela Weisheit murder case. We will be going over the recent case update released by the investigation team. This update details the timeline of events, how one of the people arrested for Angela's murder is related to her, as well as how Angela was murdered. This case is a disturbing and brutal one. Thank you as always to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro/outro of the podcast. You can check out his music on Spotify by searching for Aaron Marshall.Link to articles:http://www.bcdemocrat.com/2021/09/15/indianapolis_man_charged_with_murder_of_woman_found_in_brown_county-3/
HAPPY HALLOWEEN! Today's episode will be a collection of spooky stories pulled from the historical archives of Brown County. Curl up with your favorite hot beverage and get cozy while listening to these scary tales.As always thank you to Aaron Marshall for the intro and outro for the podcast. You can check out his music on Spotify by searching for Aaron Marshall.Link to articles:http://www.bcdemocrat.com/2020/10/31/haunted_brown_county_spooky_stories_from_the_archives/
Today's episode will cover Brown County's own unsolved mystery, the case of Clarence and Geneva Roberts. Can a man die twice? What happened in those fires? And who was involved? How could there of been multiple unidentified bodies? We will be breaking down the case from the beginning, piecing together the timeline of events to answer some of these questions.As always a big thank you to Aaron Marshall for creating the intro/outro to the podcast. You can check out his music on Spotify by searching for Aaron Marshall.Link to articles:https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/indiana/unsolved-mystery- https://mytruecrimestories.com/2021/06/01/the-man-who-died-twice-the-mystery-of-the-death-of-clarence-roberts/ https://unsolvedmysteries.fandom.com/wiki/Clarence_and_Geneva_Roberts