Astonishing Legends

Astonishing Legends finally tackles the infamous Entity haunting case from the 1970s, featuring an exclusive interview with researcher Xavier Ortega from GhostTheory.com. This is the story of Doris Bither, a single mother in Culver City, California, who was repeatedly assaulted by spectral entities in her home. Ortega shares new information from his interviews with Bither’s sons, providing unprecedented insight into the family’s experiences. For the first time, it’s revealed that the paranormal activity began after Bither attempted to communicate with entities through Ouija board seances. Listeners will hear about strange phenomena witnessed by multiple observers, including apparitions, unexplained noises, and physical attacks. Scott, Forrest, and Xavier will share details of spectral assaults in Part 1 of this series that most folks haven’t heard about. This is a deep dive into one of the most disturbing paranormal cases in American history, with new revelations that have never before been shared publicly.

A special announcement regarding Hurricane Helene. https://reddit.com/r/asheville https://www.bpr.org/bpr-news/2024-09-28/list-ways-to-donate-and-help-flood-victims-in-western-north-carolina-after-hurricane-helene https://umcmission.org/ United Way link updated from link in the announcement: https://www.unitedway.org/hurricane-helene#

In our conclusion to our two-part series on American Bloodfalls, we dive deeper into the mysterious phenomenon that baffled witnesses across 19th-century America. Our special guest, Tom Maxwell, guides us through more perplexing incidents of blood and meat raining from the sky, from the famous Kentucky Meat Shower of 1876 to the final recorded event in 1902. We examine the scientific analyses of the time, which often identified the fallen material as animal tissue yet failed to propose any reasonable theories about its origins. Tom helps us navigate the theories proposed over the years and why they fall short when confronted with eyewitness accounts and the scale of events. We’ll discuss connections to biblical accounts and consider how these events might reflect their time's cultural and spiritual climate. Then, of course, we’ll get to the theories, even though the mundane ones have been tough to identify with this legend. But yes, portals and UFOs will probably make the scene. Tom helps us grapple with how

Bloodfalls and meat showers - phenomena that sound more like biblical plagues than historical events. Yet, reports of these bizarre occurrences peppered the American landscape for over a century. From Alabama to Massachusetts, Tennessee to California, eyewitnesses sometimes described small red clouds followed by downpours of blood, flesh, and viscera. Some were subjected to the red rain on entirely cloudless days. While many saw divine judgment, skeptics suspected elaborate hoaxes. Scientists proposed numerous theories ranging from vomiting vultures to atmospheric anomalies, while newspapers spread the stories far and wide. But what really happened during these grisly events? Were they connected or separate phenomena with similar descriptions? And why did they seem to stop abruptly at the turn of the 20th century? Join us as we delve into this bloody chapter of American history with our special guest, Tom Maxwell, former frontman of the Squirrel Nut Zippers and bloodfall expert, for Part 1 of this 2-part seri

Richard & Susan drop in with some important upcoming dates and announcements about all things RHPB, including a couple of SPECIAL UPCOMING EPISODES you’ll want to know about right away… Enjoy!

The authorities may have finally learned of the man on the moor's identity, yet, as they say, this only raised many more questions than his real name answered.  As police questioned his family, his neighbors, service providers, and even an ex-girlfriend, a picture of a pretty peculiar man emerged.  "Neil Dovestone" went by the name David Lytton.  However, even his legal name was perhaps a privacy screen to hide his emotions and past behind, as his given name was David Keith Lautenberg.  Described as a kind and conscientious man, Lytton also led a very ascetic and minimalist lifestyle, adding to the mystery of his mindset.  Those who knew him in England, even his partner at the time, Maureen Toogood, had no idea he had quietly moved to Pakistan after abruptly cutting off contact to live there for several years.  Even with more pieces to the puzzle now in place, there's still no clue as to what led him to where he chose to end everything and why.  Was it solely his doing, or was someone else involved?  What see

On Friday, December 11, 2015, at 9:04 a.m., a man started a train journey at Ealing Broadway Station in west London, England.  At 9:50 a.m., he arrived at Euston station to book an over two-hour trip to Manchester.  The next day, at 10:47 a.m., his body was discovered by a cyclist close to the Chew Track near Saddleworth Moor in the Peak District National Park.  The man was 6 feet 1 inch tall, white, of slim build, and had receding grey hair and blue eyes and determined to be between 60 and 70 years of age.  However, this description was the only identifying factor initially discovered about him.  He had no ID, wallet, phone, or keys, nothing to tell who this man was.  He was dressed nicely but inappropriately for a hike in such inclement weather.  The only item found on his person was a container of Pakistani origin labeled for thyroid medication but which now contained strychnine.  This was the poison that led to his death.  The cyclist also found the man in an odd position; his arms crossed over his chest

In Part Two of The Abduction of Betty and Barney Hill, we compare and contrast story elements of the too-close encounter taken from what the couple remembered about the night of the abduction, Betty’s lucid dreams, and regression hypnotherapy.  We also have the pleasure of interviewing researcher and author Kathleen Marden, Betty Hill’s niece, who was present for the contemporary testimony and witness to the physical evidence at the time.  Kathleen has dedicated decades to meticulously investigating her aunt and uncle’s case and the UFO phenomenon in general.  She has held various positions within the Mutual UFO Network from 1991 to 2023, such as Director of Field Investigator Training and Founder/Director of MUFON’s Experiencer Resource Team.  Kathleen was awarded MUFON’s “Researcher of the Year” trophy in 2012.  Join us for a fascinating conversation where we separate fact from fiction and the conscious from the subconscious regarding one of history’s most famous “Close Encounters of the Fourth Kind.” Visi

On the night of September 19, 1961, around 10:30 p.m., Betty and Barney Hill drove back to their home in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, after a vacation in Niagara Falls and Montreal.  As they passed the town of Lancaster along U.S. Route 3, Betty saw a bright light in the sky just below the Moon that she initially thought was a falling star, except this light was moving upward and erratically, growing larger and more brilliant.  The Hills pulled over for a closer look through binoculars.  Betty said she saw an oddly shaped craft with multicolored lights that flashed as it traveled across the face of the Moon.  Barney saw what he first reasoned was a commercial jetliner, but when the craft silently descended rapidly in their direction without turning, he realized it was not a plane.  They resumed driving as the object continued its quick descent toward their car until it hovered above the highway about 80 to 100 feet off the ground, causing Barney to stop in the middle of the road.  Using the binoculars again, Ba

Scott and Forrest are joined by Chris Cullari and Ed Voccola, the hosts of Scared All The Time, for a live show at Monster Fest 2. Featuring live listener stories and EVP’s collected live on site from the Sallie House DR60! Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode. And check out more from our hit network show Scared All The Time!

On June 29, 1988, around 2:30 a.m., Christopher "Chris" Davis drove home after working the night shift at his local McDonald's. Driving along Browntown Road, which cuts through the dense woods of Scape Ore Swamp in South Carolina, Chris hears the pop of a flat tire on his car. As he finishes installing the spare, he notices something large and dark coming out of the trees, moving towards him about 30 yards away and swinging its arms. In an interview with The Item newspaper, Chris described seeing this humanoid creature with glowing red eyes close up, saying it was "green, wetlike, about seven feet tall and had three fingers... a red-eyed devil." Terrified, Davis ran to the driver's door and jumped in. Once inside, this bipedal beast was now right outside his window, where he could see it from the neck down. It then jumped up onto the roof of his car, where he could see its "rough-looking, black-fingernailed hands, sticking down from the windshield." The cryptid deeply grunts as Chris peels out, attempting to

Those who have visited Hawaii have experienced its natural beauty, soothing lifestyle, and the charm and friendliness of the inhabitants. However, only a select few may have encountered what the locals know and revere – the supernatural entities and legends that are still active and enduring. Some, like seeing "Madame Pele," can invigorate awe and wonder, while others can be terrifying. One of the latter and seemingly more prevalent is encountering the Night Marchers. They usually appear as a column of warriors floating above the ground along a predetermined path, weapons or torches in hand. Many report only hearing their presence in the form of unexplainable beating drums or the ghostly blowing of a conch shell. And just seeing them, it's said, ensures a disappearance or violent death to the witness if the proper respect isn't paid in their presence. But what is their origin story, and what do they want? Are they soldiers defeated by King Kamehameha I advancing towards a counterattack or seeking revenge? Or

When most of us think of shipwrecks, images of rough ocean waves and sailing vessels of yore come to mind. But those familiar with the Great Lakes region of the north-central United States and southern Canada know all too well that these massive bodies of fresh water produce devastating storms and treacherous swells to rival any sea. Estimates are that around 6000 vessels and 30,000 lives have fallen victim to their notoriously severe weather and deadly waters. In December 1927, a "raging blizzard" on Lake Superior claimed the steamship SS Kamloops and all 22 souls aboard. But was she really a "Ghost Ship," as the legends often describe? The ship went missing and remained undiscovered until 1977 but is in unusually, reasonably intact condition. So, although the wreck was found, the SS Kamloops is still known for a ghost of its own. At least one crew member remains, still manning his station, who is perhaps both a ghost and a corpse. Some divers on the wreck have claimed that the body of this crewman follows t

For part two of our examination of the elusive force that flowed through Joasia Gajeweski, we're fortunate and honored to present a conversation with three knowledgeable professionals familiar with the case. We first learned of this fantastic story and the book that documented it from a clinical therapist, author, parapsychologist, past show guest, and friend, Brandon Massullo. Brandon then offered to put us in touch with psychologist, researcher, and author James Houran, Ph.D., who studied the case extensively. And for the trifecta, another past guest and friend, Michael Kishbucher, connected us with Joel Stern. Joel was a staff translator and reviewer in the Office of Language Services at the U.S. State Department in Washington, DC, for 28 years. He translated The Elusive Force: A Remarkable Case of Poltergeist Activity and Psychokinetic Power into English and spent decades attempting to get the book published, which finally occurred in 2023. Joel also spent time with Joasia and her family during the proces

The Astonishing Legends Network presents the third episode of Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf! Listen, and after you love it, find and subscribe to it wherever you get your podcasts! Richard delves into challenging misconceptions held by both skeptics and believers through the lens of Jule Eisenbud's "The World of Ted Serios," which underscores the significance of caution in scientific inquiry while also exploring the debilitating doubt often encountered in paranormal exploration. “Certainly an attitude of caution and skepticism should be expected of anyone undertaking to test a hypothesis according to conventional cannons of scientific inquiry. But not the kind of gnawing, festering doubt that took possession of me." –The World of Ted Serios by Jule Eisenbud In this episode of Richard Hatem’s Paranormal Bookshelf, we’re exploring The World of Ted Serios by Jule Eisenbud. And we’re taking on one of the longest-standing feuds in the world of paranormal exploration: skeptics vs. believers. In the 1960s

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Significant poltergeist events often start with a minor incident and incrementally grow with a bit of intensity until they eventually fade.  This is somewhat true about the paranormal activity in a small town in southern Poland in 1983, except in this case, what started as a weird action by an unseen force quickly escalated into one of the most extreme and extraordinary poltergeist cases ever recorded.  Around 3:00 a.m. on April 4th of that year, Marian Tomecki awoke to a decorative straw mat falling on his head.  He tried to fasten it back to the wall when it "tore itself from his hands and danced around." Immediately, glassware and household items erratically fly around the apartment belonging to his daughter and son-in-law where he was staying, smashing into walls and furniture.  Andrzej and Ewa Gajewski's 13-year-old daughter and Marian's grandaughter, Joasia, appeared to be the catalyst for the impossible destruction, consistent with current theories about human conduits in many cases of the phenomena. 

“Whether you believe in ghosts or not—these stories are true.” –Ghosts & Specters by Bruce and Nancy Roberts Being a kid can be scary.  In the premiere episode of Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf, Richard takes us on a nostalgic journey back to his childhood discovery of the book that changed everything.  Travel back to 1974 as he recounts the pivotal moment when Aunt Sally gifted him Ghosts & Specters by Bruce and Nancy Roberts. This slim hardback, filled with haunting tales and eerie photographs, ignited Richard's fear and imagination and sparked a complicated lifelong fascination with the strange and unexplained that would later fuel his screenwriting career. While Ghosts & Specters by Bruce and Nancy Roberts may seem unlikely to inspire an entire life, to Richard, it is anything but. It started him on a journey into the unknown, and he’s never looked back. Published by Doubleday, this collection of 10 stories describes ghostly apparitions and happenings paired with ghoulish photographs

In part two of our exploration of the Third Man Syndrome, we continue recounting harrowing tales of survival in extreme and unusual environments or “EUEs,” such as Christopher Columbus’ 15th-century pilot taking the helm for Joshua Slocum during the first solo circumnavigation of the globe; and Aron Ralston’s excruciating canyon escape after becoming trapped for 127 hours.  We then explore the scientific hypotheses as to why this surprisingly not-so-rare phenomenon occurs.  As researchers and authors Peter Suedfeld and John Geiger stated, theories can range from the mystical to the psychodynamic to the situational and the neurological.  Listeners will also recognize that some proposed causes overlap with past show concepts such as infrasound, the “God Helmet,” and Shadow People.  Whatever the explanation is for an ethereal savior appearing in a desperate moment of need, and like so many paranormal happenings, to the beholder, what matters is that it was real enough.  And the Third Man was real enough to save

A strange occurrence often happens to people engaged in an adventurous activity or who fall victim to an unfortunate circumstance.  They find themselves with a companion whose presence would typically be impossible.  Usually, the person is at a critical moment in a life-or-death situation in an extreme and unusual environment.  When they are weakened and dying from exposure, suffering privation of sustenance, lost and alone, when they are about to lose all hope and accept their demise, that’s when this otherworldly friend suddenly appears to render aid and encouragement, giving them a superhuman will or strength to survive.  Psychologists label this a “sensed presence experience” but are at a loss for a simple explanation.  These presences may be seen, heard, and sometimes even touched.  They appear in dire situations to people from all walks of life.  They may materialize as a known friend, a deceased relative, a religious figure, or an indeterminate benefactor.  Still, whatever their form, there is no doubt