Paranormia

An ordinary wooden chair hanging in a museum in North Yorkshire is said to carry a deadly curse. In this episode, Elizabeth explores the legend of the Busby Stoop Chair, tracing its origins back to a brutal murder in 1702 and following the stories of those who allegedly paid the price for sitting in it. She uncovers how a real historical crime became a lasting piece of local legend and paranormal folklore. Elizabeth also shares a new horror book she’s picked up...If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth takes us to the wooded outskirts of Florence, where between 1968 and 1985 a killer known as the “Monster of Florence” stalked young couples parked in secluded cars. Sixteen people were murdered across eight attacks in rural lovers’ lanes. But as the investigation dragged on for decades, suspects multiplied, confessions unraveled, and the truth only became more elusive. So was this a single, methodical killer moving through the Tuscan darkness, or a case where fear and flawed policing helped create the monster? Plus Elizabeth shares a little about her recent trip to a spider convention! This story was provided by a Paranormia listener. If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Elizabeth checks in as Paranormia wraps its first season, with a quick look back at CrimeCon Birmingham and a glimpse into what’s coming next… From the science that might explain ghosts, including a device that can trigger the feeling of a presence in the room, to unsettling encounters linked to a real life plane crash where crew members reported sightings of those who didn’t survive… and a court case so strange it saw “demonic possession” used as a legal defence.Plus, a reminder that if you’ve got a story you think Elizabeth should dig into, she wants to hear from you: paranormia@alwaystruecrime.comParanormia will be back in a couple of weeks. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the 1980s a kitsch mass-produced painting of a tearful child was linked to a spate of unexplained house fires across the UK in the 1980s. Firefighters noticed that when they attended house fires there was often one object left intact, the big blue eyes of a little crying boy, its edges singed, the frame sooty. But surviving seemingly countless fires. So how did the legend of the crying boy painting lead to a massive tabloid bonfire? Find out, on this episode of Paranormia.***If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Between 1968 and 1969, a mysterious killer haunted Northern California, murdering at least five people and sending cryptic letters and ciphers to local newspapers. Calling himself the 'Zodiac,' he taunted police and the public, but his true identity has never been revealed. This episode explores the crimes, the chilling letters, and the lasting mystery of the Zodiac Killer.***If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the late 1970s, Sacramento was shaken by a series of brutal killings carried out by Richard Trenton Chase, a man later labelled the “Vampire Killer.” Convinced that his blood was being poisoned and that he needed to survive by taking blood from others, his behaviour escalated from harming animals to attacking people. In just one month, six lives were taken. This episode explores who Richard Chase was, how his beliefs developed, and how a suburban city became the backdrop for one of the most disturbing true crime cases in American history.***If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the early 2000s, a small group of teens and young adults found each other online through Final Fantasy VII fandom, where they felt understood. But survivor accounts describe a household in State College, Pennsylvania, where a leader turned fantasy and roleplay into a system of control. This episode traces how a fandom became a closed world, and why its aftermath became an internet legend. Some names are pseudonyms from reporting in Vice, while others are composite characters based on survivor accounts.***If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In November 1978, more than 900 people died in Jonestown, Guyana, an event often reduced to a warning about blind obedience. This episode looks at what led up to it, from the early days of the Peoples Temple offering support and community, to the slow loss of choice and control that made leaving feel impossible. It also explores daily life in Jonestown and the final days, showing how a place meant to protect people became one that trapped them.Content warning: This episode contains discussion of mass death, psychological coercion, and harm involving children. Listener discretion is advised.***If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In January 2013, a 21 year old Canadian student named Elisa Lam checked into The Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. She was travelling alone, documenting her journey online, and calling her parents every day. Then the calls stopped. Weeks later, her body was discovered in a rooftop water tank above the hotel. Police released surveillance footage of Elisa behaving erratically in a hotel elevator. The video went viral, transforming a missing person investigation into a global obsession. This episode explores how a tragic death turned into a myth and what it reveals about mental illness, internet culture, and how easily a real person can be lost inside a legend.Support note:This episode discusses mental illness, suicide, and distressing themes. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available.UK & ROI: Samaritans - call 116 123 or visit samaritans.orgUS: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - call or text 988Canada: Talk Suicide - call 1-833-456-4566Australia: Lifeline - 13 11 14Or visit findahelpline.com for local support worldwide***If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 2001, a small wooden wine cabinet appeared in an eBay listing from Portland. Its seller claimed it had belonged to a 103 year old Holocaust survivor and that it contained a dybbuk, a restless spirit from Jewish folklore. He warned that opening it had brought illness, nightmares, and a sense of being watched. Over the years, the cabinet passed through multiple owners, each reporting disturbing experiences. But as the legend grew, investigators began to question where it came from, and whether the story attached to the box matched the traditions it claimed to draw from. This episode traces how an ordinary object became a modern haunting, and what the Dybbuk Box reveals about belief. ***If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans was a city stripped bare. Zack Bowen, a former soldier, and Addie Hall, a poet and bartender, stayed behind, scavenging and living in the streets while photographed as symbols of defiance. A year later, Addie was killed, and Zack took his own life, leaving behind a shocking crime scene. This episode explores how disaster, trauma, and addiction turned a brief romance into tragedy, and why the story became mythologised as a “voodoo murder.”***If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production.***Support & Resources:This episode discusses suicide, domestic abuse, addiction, and trauma. If you or someone you love needs support, help is available:United Kingdom:Samaritans - Call 116 123 (24/7) or visit samaritans.org National Domestic Abuse Helpline - Call 0808 2000 247 (24/7) or visit nationaldahelpline.org.uk United States:988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call or text 988 (24/7) or visit 988lifeline.org Veterans Crisis Line - Call 988, then press 1, or text 838255National Domestic Violence Hotline - Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org Australia:Lifeline Australia - Call 13 11 14 (24/7) or visit lifeline.org.au 1800RESPECT - Call 1800 737 732 or visit 1800respect.org.au Global:International Association for Suicide PreventionFind local helplines at findahelpline.com  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1972, a group of Canadians invented a fictional ghost named Philip to test whether belief alone could make him appear. Each week, they gathered around a table, and soon knocks and moving furniture seemed to respond to them. This episode explores the Philip Experiment and the uneasy space where psychology, ritual, and expectation collide, showing how belief can shape reality, or at least how it feels like it does.***If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In March 1989, Spring Break in South Texas was alive with crowds and music, until 21-year-old Mark Kilroy vanished somewhere between the bars of Matamoros and the quiet roads beyond the border. What began as a missing-person search soon led investigators to Santa Elena Ranch, a remote compound tied to a group calling themselves a religious society, a place where superstition, ritual, and violence appeared to intersect. As the investigation unfolded, rumours of black magic, sacrifice and folk-religious practices spread rapidly, blurring the line between fact and folklore. This episode explores how fear, belief, and cartel mythmaking shaped one of the strangest cases of its era, and why, in the borderlands, the truth often shifts with the shadows.If you have a story where crime and the otherworldly intertwine, something strange, unexplained or just plain haunted, get in touch at paranormia@alwaystruecrime.com.Paranormia is an Audio Always production. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.