From The Void Podcast

Episode OverviewIn this episode, we travel back to London’s Whitehall district—a place infamous for political intrigue, shadowy alleyways, and, in the autumn of 1888, a mystery so disturbing it was almost forgotten beneath the thunder of the Jack the Ripper murders happening at the same time.This is the story of The Whitehall Women—a case involving multiple unidentified female remains discovered in and around Whitehall. Long before modern forensic science, police were left piecing together bodies found in separate locations, months apart, with no clear suspect, no confirmed victim identity, and a timeline that overlaps with another unsolved murder series just streets away.Overshadowed by the Ripper mythology, this case has become one of Victorian London’s darkest cold cases. And in many ways, it’s even stranger.In This Episode, We Explore:The grisly discovery of a woman’s torso during construction of the new Metropolitan Police headquartersThe earlier and later discoveries of additional body parts in the Thames and in vaults beneath WhitehallWhy investigators believed the remains belonged to a single unidentified womanHow this murder fits into the broader pattern of the so-called “Thames Torso Murders”Comparisons between the Torso Murderer and the Ripper — and why many historians believe they were not the same personThe forensic limitations of 1888 and how they shaped the investigationThe haunting question that lingers:Who were the Whitehall Women, and why did nobody report them missing?Why This Case MattersUnlike the Ripper victims, the Whitehall Women had no names, no occupations, no known family — at least, none that history recorded. Their anonymity is part of what makes this case so chilling.The killer showed anatomical precision, access to private spaces, and enough confidence to deposit remains in highly trafficked areas — including right under the noses of the authorities building Scotland Yard.This case forces us to consider the women Victorian society ignored, the victims whose stories weren’t sensational enough for newspapers, and the mysteries still sitting in archival corners waiting to be fully understood.Like the Episode?If you’re enjoying From The Void, please consider:Leaving a 5-star reviewSharing the episode with a friendSubscribing so you don’t miss future mysteriesSupporting the show through PatreonYour support keeps the fireside burning — and the stories coming.

Episode OverviewIn this episode, we step out of the world of ghosts, time slips, disappearances, and strange creatures — and venture into a mystery far closer to home:Your own brain.For decades, scientists believed memory worked like a filing cabinet: one idea, one location. But a few unexpected experiments — severed neural pathways, maze-running rats, shattered holograms, and neurological oddities that shouldn’t have been possible — began pointing to something far stranger.The result was a radical proposal now known as the Holographic Brain Theory — the idea that memories may not be stored in one spot at all, but are distributed throughout the brain, much like how every fragment of a hologram contains the entire image.And if that’s true… it could fundamentally reshape how we understand memory, trauma, consciousness, and even the nature of reality itself.Tonight, we explore the scientists who made this discovery, the experiments that shouldn’t have worked, and the strange implications of a mind that behaves more like a hologram than a hard drive.In This Episode, We Explore:👉 Karl Pribram and the neuroscientific puzzle that led him to the holographic model👉 Why removing large portions of rats’ brains didn’t erase their memories👉 The eerie parallels between holograms and how the brain distributes information👉 What this model might say about trauma, dreams, and altered states of consciousness👉 How the theory overlaps with physicist David Bohm’s holographic model of the universe👉 The criticisms, limitations, and ongoing research around holographic memory storage👉 What this theory could mean for identity, emotion, and the mystery of consciousness👉 Why some scientists think the holographic brain may help explain paranormal experiences, near-death accounts, or the sense of “expanded consciousness”Why This Theory MattersThe Holographic Brain Theory isn’t just about neuroscience — it’s about how we understand ourselves.If memory is distributed throughout the brain…If consciousness isn’t confined to a single location…If the mind processes reality holographically…Then the boundary between brain, self, and world may be far blurrier than we think.This model challenges:traditional neurosciencemetaphysicsour assumptions about the limits of human perceptionand even aspects of spiritual and paranormal experiencesIt’s a scientific theory with implications that stretch into philosophy, psychology, and the edges of the unknown.

Season 9 is coming one week from today with all new true stories, interviews, and more!

Long before The Exorcist terrified moviegoers, a quiet middle-class family in 1940s Maryland claimed something unholy had taken hold of their son. In this episode, we revisit the chilling, real-life case that inspired William Peter Blatty’s novel — the 1949 exorcism of a boy known only by the pseudonym Roland Doe.We’ll retrace the case from its first strange knocks and flying objects in the family’s home, to the desperate search for help that led Jesuit priests to St. Louis, Missouri — where one of the most documented exorcisms in modern history unfolded.Drawing on eyewitness diaries, press coverage, and later Church records, we’ll separate fact from folklore and ask: what really happened in that room? Was Roland’s possession spiritual, psychological, or something science still can’t explain?📚 Recommended ResourcesThomas B. Allen, Possessed: The True Story of an Exorcism (1993)William Peter Blatty, The Exorcist (1971)The 1949 Exorcism Diary (transcripts archived by St. Louis University)“Diary of an Exorcist” – article, Washington Post Magazine (1998)American Psychological Association Journal: studies on dissociative disorders and possession-like states.

In the 3rd installment of our Possession Series, we turn to one of the most controversial figures to bridge psychology and the paranormal: Dr. M. Scott Peck, psychiatrist, best-selling author of The Road Less Traveled, and—later in life—a reluctant believer in demonic possession.This episode explores how Peck’s clinical background shaped his approach to exorcism, the patients who challenged his skepticism, and the ways he sought to reconcile science, faith, and evil. We’ll look at his case studies, his insistence that genuine possession is rare, and his cautionary stance toward both blind belief and total disbelief. Then we’ll ask what his work means for modern discussions of mental health, spirituality, and the human shadow.📚 Recommended ResourcesPeck, M. Scott. People of the Lie: The Hope for Healing Human Evil (1983)Peck, M. Scott. Glimpses of the Devil: A Psychiatrist’s Personal Accounts of Possession, Exorcism, and Redemption (2005)Interviews with Dr. Peck on PBS and in Psychology Today discussing the intersection of psychiatry and spirituality.American Psychiatric Association position papers on religion and mental health.Scholarly critiques of Glimpses of the Devil in The Journal of Religion and Health.

In 1976, a 23-year-old German woman named Anneliese Michel died after undergoing 67 Catholic exorcisms over 10 months. Her death would spark one of Europe’s most controversial legal battles — pitting faith against medicine, and belief against responsibility. Was Anneliese a victim of possession? Or of a system that failed to recognize mental illness as something sacred, not demonic? In this haunting episode, John Williamson takes you beyond the horror-film legend to uncover the human story — one of devotion, suffering, and the thin line between faith and fear. 📚 Verified Sources & Further Reading Primary & Contemporaneous Accounts Court Records, Klingenberg am Main (1978) – West German trial transcripts of Fr. Ernst Alt, Fr. Arnold Renz, and the Michel family. Der Spiegel Archives (1976–1978) – German reporting on the death, trial, and public reaction. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung – Coverage of the legal and theological controversy following the verdict. Bishop Josef Stangl’s Official Approval (1975) – Diocese of Würzburg documentation authorizing the exorcisms under the Rituale Romanum. Secondary Analyses The Guardian, “Faith and Madness: The Story of Anneliese Michel” (2003). BBC Radio 4 – Beyond Belief (2013) – Episode exploring demonic possession and the Michel case. Anna Katharina Michel, Anneliese: A Family’s Story (1999) – Family perspective and diary excerpts. Felix Kersten, Der Teufel und Anneliese Michel (2006) – German investigative account combining psychological and theological interpretation. Dr. Felicitas Goodman, anthropologist, How About Demons? Possession and Exorcism in the Modern World (1988). Related Academic Context DSM-II / DSM-III Diagnostic Shifts – Understanding how epilepsy and psychosis were classified in the 1970s. Catholic Canon Law on Exorcism (1962–1999) – Comparison of pre- and post-Vatican II guidelines. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) – Hollywood’s adaptation of the case, and how the real story differs. 🧭 Key Themes Faith vs. Medicine – When spiritual belief collides with scientific understanding. Obedience and Guilt – How devotion to authority shaped Anneliese’s final days. Suffering and Meaning – Why humanity continues to see the sacred in pain. Media Mythology – How Anneliese’s death became one of modern history’s most enduring exorcism legends. 🔗 Credits & Production Written & Hosted by: John Williamson Produced by: John Williamson Productions LLC Research & Script Development: Harper (Research Assistant) Music: Original score inspired by Jóhann Jóhannsson and Ben Frost. Special Thanks: To theologians, psychiatrists, and survivors who continue to examine the boundaries of faith and the mind.

From The Void: The Ammons Family Exorcism In 2011, in a small house in Gary, Indiana, something terrifying took hold of a family. The Ammons household became the site of strange noises, violent possessions, and chilling encounters that drew in police, social workers, and eventually the Catholic Church. This case would come to be known as the “House of 200 Demons”—a story so unsettling that seasoned professionals walked away shaken. From levitating children to inexplicable footprints, from midnight terrors to an exorcism documented in official records, the Ammons case has been called one of the most compelling modern American hauntings. In this episode of From The Void, we sit by the fire and dive deep into the chilling events of the Ammons Family Exorcism. Was it genuine demonic possession? Mass hysteria? Or something stranger still? Resources & Further Reading Want to dig deeper into the Ammons case? Here are some of the primary sources and reports referenced in this episode: •Indianapolis Star Investigation by Marisa Kwiatkowski (January 2014): “The Exorcisms of Latoya Ammons” – the definitive longform piece that first broke the story nationally. •Indiana Department of Child Services reports (2012–2013) documenting unusual events and observations by caseworkers. •Father Michael Maginot’s testimony and diocesan records from the Catholic Diocese of Gary. •Police Captain Charles Austin’s statements about his own experiences at the Ammons house. •Zach Bagans’ documentary Demon House (2018) – a sensationalized but notable pop-culture treatment of the case. •Coverage in The Washington Post, USA Today, and The Daily Mail (2014) reporting on the story’s reach. Follow & Support If you enjoyed this episode: •Subscribe to From The Void wherever you get your podcasts. •Follow along on social media for my 31 Days of Horror film challenge and behind-the-scenes looks at upcoming episodes. •Share this episode with friends who love true hauntings and unexplained mysteries.

This week, I’m not sitting by the fire alone. Joining me is my old podcast partner and good friend, Adam, for a special conversation about something near and dear to both of us: horror movies. Together, we dig into: Why horror has such a grip on us The movies that first hooked us as fans The films that still give us chills (and laughs) today A few deep-cut recommendations you might not expect Adam's Top 10: 1. The Exorcist 2. The Burbs 3. Event Horizon 4. The Shining 5. The Babadook 6. Oddity 7. Talk To Me 8. The Conjuring 9. Insidious 10. The Ring John's Top 10: 1. The Exorcist 2. The Burbs 3. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 4. Fright Night 5. Trick r' Treat 6. Cabin in the Woods 7. The Shining 8. IT 9. The Blair Witch Project 10. Bram Stoker's Dracula October is the perfect time to celebrate the genre, and this episode is all about why horror continues to thrill, disturb, and inspire us. 💀 Follow Along: 31 Days of Horror All month long, I’m watching a different horror movie every night and posting about it on social media. Follow along with From The Void and join the conversation — share your picks, your favorites, and the ones that scared you the most. 👉 Follow From The Void on: Instagram X / Twitter TikTok If you’re enjoying the show, don’t forget to rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify — it helps other listeners find their way into the void.