The Darker Side of Life Podcast

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. 

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 of policework done to investigate properly. 

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. 

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.

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.

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. 

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. 

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. 

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. 

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

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 thought. The Murder Trust tried some pretty crazy ways of murdering someone to make it look accidental - but there's  a reason their victim was nicknamed Iron Man Mike. 

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? 

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, police frustrated and Barbara's parents worried beyond belief. Barbara herself however, was in the most precocious position of all - she had been hidden away in an underground capsule, buried alive. 

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. 

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 family. But no one knew for sure what was happening, and the general consensus seemed to be that the family was dealing with a poltergeist.

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.

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...

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. 

In 1987, Ruthie Mae McCoy called 911. She told the dispatcher that someone was "trying to tear the cabinet down" and to please send help. Police came, but left. A few days later she was found dead in her apartment in one of Chicago's ABLA housing projects. Her murder illustrates a problem that plagued ABLA Homes - that people climbed between apartments and broke into units via tunnels built behind bathroom medicine cabinets. Even moreso, her death highlights issues that poor people still face today, and her life was on track to become an example of the societal benefits of stopping the cycle of poverty. 

Hy Brasil: The mysterious island where you can have riches of gold and silver, possible immortality and hang time  with the gods and giant bunnies. All you have to do is find it! Believe us, it's harder than it sounds. 

In 1962, a routine landfill cleanup went underway in Centralia, Penn. Burning trash was a common way of clearing it out, except this time something was different - fire fell into a hole leading to an abandoned coal mine.  What proceeded was decades health issues for the residents, toxic gases in homes and schools, the threat of the ground opening up from underneath their feet, and .... government inaction on almost every level. Today, the town is near abandoned and looks like something from an apocalypse movie. We'll talk about what happened and how it ended up as a worse-case scenario, and how the incident should serve as a warning (and example) for current leaders in our climate crisis. 

Liz Barraza was a light in the world. She was creative, imaginative and loved getting lost in the world of sci-fi and fantasy with her husband and friends. But in the early morning hours of January 25, 2019, it all ended when someone approached Liz in her driveway and shot her. Who would target someone like Liz Barraza? Why would someone target Liz Barraza? These are questions many are still trying to find answers too. 

Warning: This episode contains explicit content.Most people remember the trial - it was full of scandalous sexual details, insight into Mormonism, horrifying crime scene photos, and lie after lie after lie told by the woman charged with murder. It was watched by millions as it aired, allowing the public to try and figure out what happened the night of June 4, 2008 when Travis Alexander was killed at his home in Mesa, Arizona. Most people recognize her name - Jodi Arias - as much as they recognize the lies she told about her victim and how she continued to demonize him in court. This week, we'll talk about Jodi Arias and her lies and attempted manipulation of everyone around her, and we'll discuss the murder of Travis Alexander - and tell you more about his life, his friends and family, and the impact he had on those around him.

In the famous words of Ross Gellar, "We're going on a break!" Or, something along those lines. But yes, we are briefly hitting the pause button to take care of some exciting changes that are coming the way of one of the Darker Side of Life girls. But don't worry, we will be back in no time with new content for our awesome listeners. You all can't get rid of us that easily. 

In late summer 1945, WWII was heating up in the Pacific for a final showdown. The heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis suffered an attack by a Japanese bomber, and while undergoing repairs, got orders for a secret cargo mission back to the Pacific front. With the cargo delivered and mission complete, an enemy submarine fired on the ship, sinking it in 12 minutes. Hundreds of sailors and marines ended up in the water, awaiting rescue. However, a major miscommunication among a handful of people meant that nobody knew the Indianapolis had sank - so the men in the water fought sunburn, dehydration, starvation, delirium and constant shark attacks while they waited for ANY help at all. This week we tell the amazing story of these survivors, and discuss the major plot twists in the aftermath of the sinking.  

Ten year old Kyron Horman was almost finished with school until the summer vacation. He was excited to show off his science fair project on Red Eyed Tree Frogs. According to Kyron's stepmom Terry, she saw Kyron walking down the hallway toward his class as she was leaving the science fair. When Kyron didn't get off the bus that afternoon, the school told his parents that Kyron had never been to class that day. This set off the biggest search in Oregon history. 

In July 1996, the body of Blair Adams was found in a parking lot of a construction site in Knoxville, Tennessee. Circumstances surrounding his death were already unusual - he was partially clothed, he had severe injuries to his body, and among his pockets and belongings found nearby were thousands of dollars in cash, gold bars, platinum and jewelry. Investigators soon discovered the days before his death were just as mysterious - Blair had sudden behavioral changes, thought people were coming to kill him, and embarked on an international road trip that his friends and family struggled to make sense of. Was Blair's paranoia justified? Was he having a mental break of some sort? Who would kill him and leave the valuables behind? Police still grapple with these questions, as his case is still unsolved. 

Residents in the South of England woke up the morning of February 9, 1855, to a winter wonderland. A storm the night before had dumped snow over the countryside. But people started to see something different in the snow, something that didn't belong. Footprints. It wasn't only the type of footprint that was confusing, it was where they were. The prints crossed snowy fields, wandered up to doorsteps, traveled over haystacks and even ended up on roofs. Were they the prints of some sly animal out for an evening in the blustery weather, or were they the work of something more sinister? 

It wasn't easy being in a position of power in 10th Century Europe. But for Italy and the papacy, it was even worse - for a long period, the pope of the Catholic Church was the only person to have authority to crown the next Holy Roman Emperor. Because this was such a powerful position, many people were willing to kill for it.Sometimes a new pope would pass decrees undoing certain rules of previous popes, or to promote their own personal or political gain. But the case of Pope Formosus was different - he was made to answer for his alleged crimes after his death, by (literally) exhuming his dead body and putting him on trial. 

On March 25, 2017,  police in West Palm Beach received a 911 call. The man on the other end confessed to murdering someone and asked for police to come. The caller was Randy Herman Jr., and the victim was Brooke Preston. Not only were Randy and Brooke roommates and close friends for almost a decade, but Randy would have an interesting defense of his crime. He claimed he was sleepwalking. 

In 1900s New York City, two brothers from a well-to-do family found themselves in a bad situation. When one brother went blind, the other quit his job to be able to care for his sick sibling. As time went on, the brothers withdrew from society and ventured outside less and less, and developed a dangerous habit - hoarding. While living among tons of items in their house, one brother began setting booby traps to keep people out. One day, a neighbor called the police to report the smell of a decomposing body - and what they found was awful. This week we talk about Homer and Langley Collyer, their eccentric habits, and how some people come to become hoarders. While often popularized as entertainment on TV, hoarders usually have one or more mental health issues that lead to that lifestyle, and overcoming it might be harder than most people think. 

Sit back during this holiday season and enjoy some darker tales of Christmastime folklore from around the world. 

In 1929, Netta Fornario came to the small Scottish island of Iona for a break from the hectic pace of London city life. For island residents - most devout Christians - she was an outsider, but a friendly, kind person, who was just a little different. Netta was a practitioner of the occult, believed in fairies, and thought of herself as a healer, even trying to heal people through telepathy.  However, one November day, Netta didn't return home. Days later, her body was found on a hillside, nude, with a knife nearby and a cross carved into the earth. Was it murder? Did she take her own life? Was it simply an accident? In this episode we'll talk about her life, theories around her death, and how the people of Iona took Netta in as one of their own. 

When Selena Not Afraid grew up, she wanted to go to college near her older brother and eventually own her own horse farm. The teenager from Montana had her whole life ahead of her when she disappeared at a rest stop on New Years Day, left behind by the people who were taking her back home after a New Years Eve party. When her body was found days later, the family still didn't have the answers they wanted and continue to push to find out what happened to Selena.  

It's a story worthy of a modern-day soap opera: Successful millionaires fight for the love of a young, beautiful, popular actress, creating a love triangle filled with luxury, social status (and the occasional meddling mother-in-law.) But it's also a story that we've seen recently, and in real life - wealthy, older men raping and trafficking underage girls, a murder of a ringleader, and millionaires going without punishment for committing various crimes. In a story filled with Jeffrey Epstein parallels, in this episode we talk about the murder of New York architect Stanford White; Harry Thaw, the man who killed him, and Evelyn Nesbit, the girl they fought over - and how this killing uncovered a disgusting part of the underbelly of the New York high. society scene of the 1900s. 

Happy Halloween to all our listeners! Dana and Kristen both have stories to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. 

When the Dandy family wanted to get away from the loud and busy city life of Buffalo, New York, they found what would seem like the perfect place to relocate: a beautiful farmhouse in Hinsdale, New York. But it wasn't long before the family started to experience things they couldn't explain. And for years, a grab bag of unexplainable paranormal activity shadowed their every day life. 

Bonds between siblings isn't uncommon. But it's said that the bond between twins might be deeper or more intense than a non-twin sibling relationship.  The bond between twins June and Jennifer Gibbons was nearly supernatural - from near birth, these twins almost acted as if they were one person split into two bodies. An agreement early in their childhood to never speak to adults, their ability to mimic each other's movements even while separated, and their almost inability to live without each other soon became an inability to live WITH each other. Each girl had to find a way to co-exist while feeling "possessed" by her sister, and the only way out appeared to be unthinkable.

Sixteen year old Skylar Neese was a smart, bubbly, driven teenager with a smile that could light up a room.  As an only child, Skylar was doted on by her mom and dad. She fought for the underdog and was loved by so many of her classmates.  But it was the two people Skylar trusted the most that would take it all away.

New Year's Eve in 1999 was a night of excitement and uncertainty - most were celebrating the new millennium, some were fearful of Y2K and a handful waited for the End of Days. One such group was the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, a cult in Africa led by a woman who said she saw visions of the Virgin Mary. However, Credonia Mwerinde was a strict leader who starved her followers and forced them into hard labor, and when the world didn't end in the year 2000, she turned to horrific measures to maintain control....

Clowns: Rainbow hair, colorful clothing, big shoes, balloon animals. What's not to love? Well, for some people, plenty. On the surface clowns are seen as wacky and whimsical characters falling out of cars at the circus. So why do they cause such a panic when they're seen out in the real world? The reasons might surprise. Hint: It's not all Stephen King's fault. 

In the late 1800s New England, a tuberculosis outbreak killed almost a quarter of the population. While the medical community wasn't yet aware of the disease or how to treat it, some turned to religion for relief, and some had .... other ideas. As the disease consumed people's bodies, some thought the cause was vampires rising from the dead to feed on the living. Stopping them involved exhuming bodies and destroying them ... or worse. In this episode, we'll talk about New England vampire panic, and discuss the death and aftermath of a young woman named Mercy Brown, whose story would spread around the world. 

On June 12, 1912, the residents of Villisca, Iowa woke to find their small town changed forever. Sometime during the night the well-known Moore family and their two overnight guests were killed in their beds. The murder weapon: an ax taken from the Moore property. Left behind was a crime scene so horrifying and odd that people are still trying to make sense of it over one hundred years later. 

In the 1950s and 60s, the United States and USSR were locked in a space race to land a human on the moon. As the Soviets excelled at being the first to launch a satellite and put the first human in space, much of the West feared the speed and advanced technology of their rivals. In the aftermath of the Cold War, many around the world began to think the Soviets were masters of propaganda, and they weren't as successful as they appeared to be. Were they knowingly killing cosmonauts and hiding their deaths for the sole purpose of being 'first'? Today we discuss the conspiracy of the Lost Cosmonauts. 

Don't worry guys, we aren't going anywhere. But life got in the way of this weeks' episode.

Even though we have come a long way when it comes to mental health treatment and care, we still can't forget where we started. Athens Lunatic Asylum is testament to that. The sprawling building in Southeast Ohio looked more like a castle than an asylum. Thousands of people over 119 years came through the doors, committed for reasons such as childbirth, general bad health and illness that was still decades away from being diagnosed. Some may still linger in the halls. Each had a story to tell.

Each year, the allure of Mt. Everest attracts climbers from around the world. People hope to climb the world's highest peak in a challenge of human endurance and spirit - but it doesn't always have a happy ending. Some climbers achieve their dreams on Everest, but many die trying. This week, we will examine common issues that plague high-altitude climbers, tell stories of mountaineers whose bodies are permanently embedded on the mountain, and discuss why, as one climber put it, "Above 8,000 meters is no place for morality."

On September 8, 2017, nineteen year old Kenneka Jenkins headed out to a birthday party with friends at a Chicago area hotel. At the end of the night when her friends couldn't find her, they searched for hours into the early morning hours. When she was eventually found dead in a hotel freezer, family, friends and the community were left shocked and looking for answers. How could a fun night out turn so tragic for a girl just getting started in her life? 

In one of our more heartbreaking stories, we cover the murder of the Rev. Carol Daniels, a woman who ministered to a small church in Anadarko, Oklahoma. She was murdered inside of her church, on a Sunday morning, and the brutal manner of her death left many more questions than answers, and her family and friends heartbroken.