In this episode, we explore one of the most infamous poltergeist cases in North America: the so-called Great Amherst Mystery, which occurred in Amherst, Nova Scotia in 1878-79. Centering on 18-year-old Esther Cox, her sister’s household and the investigator Walter Hubbell, we walk through the bewildering phenomena of objects flying, knocks on the wall, unexplained fires, swelling seizures, and the question: was this supernatural, psychological or a hoax?   We trace the narrative from its traumatic catalyst through the escalation of events, the public spectacle, the investigation, and the eventual fading of activity. We also dig into the skeptical evaluations, the cultural context of spiritualism in the 19th century, and what this case tells us about the human mind, belief and the boundary between the seen and unseen.   📚 Recommended Resources Hubbell, Walter. The Great Amherst Mystery: A True Narrative of the Supernatural. 1888.  “Esther Cox and the Great Amherst Mystery” — Episode from Stuff You Missed in History Class.  “A Critical Study of ‘The Great Amherst Mystery’” — by Dr. Walter Prince, Journal of the American Society for Psychical Research, 1919.  Wikipedia entry on the Great Amherst Mystery.  🎧 Thanks & Call-to-Action   Thank you for joining us for this deep dive into the Amherst case. If you enjoyed the episode, please rate & review From the Void on your favorite podcast platform, share it with someone who loves spooky history, and follow us on social media. Until then — keep your eyes open, your mind curious, and your headphones plugged in.

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.

In the spring of 1990, families across Britain began reporting visits from strangers claiming to be social workers.  They spoke with authority, carried clipboards, even asked to photograph or examine children — and then vanished. Police launched Operation Childcare, a nationwide manhunt involving more than twenty forces, but no arrests were ever made. Were these criminals, insiders, or the product of a moral panic born from fear and mistrust? Join John Williamson by the fireside as we unravel one of the strangest unsolved mysteries of late-20th-century Britain — a story where rumor met authority, and where fear itself became the evidence.     📚 Verified Sources & Further Reading   Primary & Contemporaneous Reporting The Guardian (1990 – 1991) – National coverage of “bogus social workers” investigations. The Independent (2 July 1995) – Retrospective article, “Huge sums wasted on bogus social worker hunt.” The Scotsman, Yorkshire Post, and Sheffield Star (1990) – Regional reporting of early incidents and community reactions. South Yorkshire Police – Operation Childcare Summaries (1990 – 1991) – Referenced in The Independent and later BBC coverage.   Secondary Analyses & Documentary Sources BBC Archives / BBC News Magazine Features – “Bogus social workers and the panic of 1990.” Unresolved Podcast, episode “Phantom Social Workers,” forensic summary of police statements and media timeline. All That’s Interesting – “Inside The Strange Phantom Social Worker Panic That Swept Britain In The 1990s” (2023). Michele Gargiulo Blog – “Phantom Social Workers and the UK Mystery” (2020), with references to Operation Childcare documents.   Historical Context The Cleveland Inquiry (1988) – UK Parliamentary report into the Cleveland, England, child-abuse scandal that precipitated nationwide mistrust of social services. Children Act 1991 (UK) – Legislative reforms to child-protection policy and identity verification for social workers following late-1980s abuse cases. Sociological Texts on Moral Panic – Stanley Cohen, Folk Devils and Moral Panics (1972; rev. ed. 1980), foundational framework referenced by UK academics analyzing the case. 🧭 Key Themes Trust vs. Authority — How fear of the state and desire for safety collided. Information and Rumor — Life before the internet and the limits of 1990s investigation. The Afterlife of Fear — Why some mysteries persist precisely because they were never solved. 🔗 Credits & Production Written & Hosted by: John Williamson Produced by: John Williamson Productions LLC Research & Script Development: Harper (Research Assistant) Phantom Social Worker: Ashley Tarbet Music: Original score inspired by Ben Frost, Max Richter, and Ólafur Arnalds.

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.

In this episode, we dig into one of Brazil’s most baffling unsolved mysteries: the 1966 deaths of two electronics technicians, found wearing lead masks on Vintém Hill. What were they trying to do? What clues did they leave behind? And why has this strange case captivated investigators, UFO hunters, spiritualists, and conspiracy theorists for decades? Key Topics Covered The timeline and discovery: how the bodies were found, what was with them (masks, notes, clothing) Biographical background: who were Manoel Pereira da Cruz and Miguel José Viana The cryptic instructions left behind — “ingest capsules,” “await signal,” “protect metals” Possible explanations: spiritualism / UFO contact, ritual experiment, poisoning, homicide, hoax Skeptical assessment: what we do know, what is speculation, where evidence fails Why the case still fascinates — how mystery becomes mythology Lessons for seekers of weird and unexplained phenomena   Recommended Resources & Further Reading   General Overviews / Reference “Lead masks case” (Wikipedia) — solid baseline for facts and variants  Solving the Lead Masks of Vintem Hill (Skeptoid) — skeptical breakdown of theories  The Lead Masks Case: Brazil’s Most Chilling Mystery (Michele Gargiulo blog) — atmospheric telling + context  The Lead Masks Case: Unexplained Deaths & Alleged Extraterrestrial Contact (Dante Castelo) — a speculative lens on the story    Podcast / Audio / Video Stuff They Don’t Want You to Know — “The Lead Mask Case” episode (show notes)  YouTube: The Lead Masks of Vintém Hill (documentary / storytelling Historical / Deep-Dive Analyses The Lead Masks Case — PMIG96 blog (Portuguese / translated source with investigative detail)  Dead in Lead: The Puzzling Lead Mask Deaths (Medium) — a fresh narrative framing    Enjoying the show? Rate, review, and subscribe so you don't miss a single episode! Also, be sure to share with a friend!

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.

🧵 Episode Summary: In Part 2 of Echoes Over Sandia, we move from the facts of the case into the deeper shadows surrounding it. Why were key documents altered or redacted? Why was the incident never fully addressed in official Air Force investigations? And how does this case intersect with larger questions about secrecy, nuclear oversight, and aerial phenomena during the Cold War?   We also examine the classified memo trail, testimonies from Sandia weapons personnel, and the growing belief among researchers that this wasn’t just another radar glitch—it was a serious breach of airspace by something no one could identify, and no one wanted to explain.   If you’ve ever wondered what happens when a major military installation comes face to face with the unknown, this is your episode.   🔑 Key Topics: Redacted Air Force memos and internal inconsistencies Kirtland’s strategic importance in the 1950s The Cold War context for UFO secrecy What FOIA requests reveal—and what they don’t Connections to broader patterns in U.S. military UFO encounters 📚 Resources & Further Reading: Project Blue Book Archive – https://www.bluebookarchive.org UFOs and Nukes by Robert Hastings Declassified Kirtland AFB incident documents [Insert Link if hosting PDFs] NICAP report on November 1957 sightings – https://nicap.org The Black Vault (FOIA database) – https://www.theblackvault.com Audio Clips: Richard Doty: Rebelliously Curious w/Chrissy Newton https://youtube.com/shorts/KrKxPy1O2C0?si=zPhGJNsvYi00kXmk Robert Hastings: Society for Scientific Exploration https://youtu.be/miEy-Ebmo8k?si=v2crj0l-5MzfXZ9O 🔁 Follow & Subscribe: If these stories intrigue you, From The Void brings you deeper. Subscribe now and leave us a review—it helps us reach more listeners who are ready to question the shadows.   🧠 Instagram | TikTok | YouTube | Threads: @FromTheVoidPod 🌐 Website: www.fromthevoidpod.com

🧵 Episode Summary: On the night of November 4th, 1957, something tore across the New Mexico sky—something that would never be fully explained. In Part 1 of Echoes Over Sandia, we examine the mysterious object spotted near Kirtland Air Force Base, a sighting that sparked classified reports, conflicting testimonies, and decades of speculation.   Drawing on declassified military documents, expert analysis, and witness accounts, we piece together what may be one of the most credible UFO incidents in U.S. history. Was it a secret military craft? An intelligence-gathering operation gone awry? Or something not of this world?   This episode sets the stage—covering the sighting itself, the Air Force’s internal response, and the eerie echoes that continue to ripple through UFO research circles today.   🔑 Key Topics: Overview of the 1957 Kirtland AFB sighting Background on Sandia Base and its nuclear significance Eyewitness reports and radar confirmations The “Project Blue Book” response Why this case still stands out in the historical record   Enjoying the show? Subscribe, rate, review, and share with a friend! 

Episode Summary: In Part 2 of our investigation into the Zodiac Killer, we turn our focus to the victims—who they were, what happened to them, and how their stories helped shape one of the most haunting unsolved cases in American history. We take you to Lake Berryessa, where a disturbing attack was carried out in broad daylight, and to the streets of San Francisco, where a cab driver was murdered in cold blood.   We explore how police began to connect the dots between these brutal crimes and examine the disturbing letters and ciphers that continued to arrive at newspapers and law enforcement offices. Finally, we begin to sift through the most prominent suspects—some supported by evidence, others by myth—and consider why the Zodiac has never been definitively identified.   What You’ll Learn: •A victim-by-victim account of each confirmed Zodiac attack •How the killer’s methods evolved—and what remained consistent •Key forensic evidence from the Paul Stine crime scene •The Zodiac’s taunting communication with police and press •An overview of major suspects, including Arthur Leigh Allen •How the case continues to influence true crime, cryptography, and pop culture   Victims Discussed in This Episode: •David Faraday & Betty Lou Jensen – December 20, 1968 •Darlene Ferrin & Michael Mageau – July 4, 1969 •Bryan Hartnell & Cecelia Shepard – September 27, 1969 •Paul Stine – October 11, 1969   Key Locations: •Lake Herman Road, Benicia •Blue Rock Springs Park, Vallejo •Lake Berryessa, Napa County •Presidio Heights, San Francisco   Sources & References: •Zodiac by Robert Graysmith - The Zodiac Killer: The Story of America's Most Elusive Serial Killer  •Zodiac Unmasked by Robert Graysmith •FBI Vault: Zodiac Killer Files •San Francisco Police Department Archives •ZodiacKiller.com victim and letter archives •Napa County Sheriff’s Department case files •ZodiacKillerCiphers.com •Casefile Podcast – Case 12: The Zodiac •“The Most Dangerous Animal of All” by Gary L. Stewart •San Francisco Chronicle coverage by Paul Avery (1969–1971) •Archival interviews with SFPD Inspector Dave Toschi •CBS News, ABC7, and CNN retrospectives •Audio dramatizations based on the Zodiac letters and police transcripts (public domain)   Listen + Subscribe: www.fromthevoidpod.com    💬 Join the Conversation:   Have a theory or tip? Want to share your thoughts on the case? 📧 Email us: fromthevoidpodcast@gmail.com 📲 DM us on Instagram or TikTok: @fromthevoidpodcast  

Episode Summary: In this chilling episode, we dive deep into the origins of the Zodiac Killer—one of the most infamous unsolved serial murder cases in American history. From the brutal Lake Herman Road murders in 1968 to the terrifying Blue Rock Springs attack, we retrace the early crimes that launched a wave of fear across Northern California. We explore the killer’s encrypted letters sent to newspapers, the public hysteria that followed, and how the San Francisco Chronicle became an unwilling accomplice in amplifying his reign of terror.   Was the Zodiac seeking infamy, power, or something darker? This episode lays the groundwork for understanding his methodology, messaging, and the early investigative failures that allowed him to disappear into legend.   What You’ll Learn: •The timeline and details of the Zodiac’s first confirmed murders •The killer’s cryptic letters and the meaning behind the ciphers •The media’s complicated role, especially that of the San Francisco Chronicle •First-person accounts and law enforcement responses •Why the Zodiac case remains so captivating—and so frustrating   Sources & References: •Zodiac by Robert Graysmith •FBI Vault: Zodiac Killer File •San Francisco Chronicle Archives •History.com – “Zodiac Killer” entry •The New York Times archival articles (1969–1974) •Murderpedia: The Zodiac Killer •Cipher Foundation: Zodiac Ciphers Database •CBS News Retrospective Coverage •Paul Avery reports (Chronicle, 1969–70) •Audio from original Zodiac letters read by voice talent   Listen + Subscribe: www.fromthevoidpod.com    🙏 Support & Follow:   If you enjoyed this episode, leave a 5-star review, share it with a friend, and follow From The Void for more deep dives into the world’s most baffling mysteries.   📧 Send tips or theories to: fromthevoidpodcast@gmail.com 🔍 Follow us on Instagram and TikTok: @fromthevoidpodcast    

📌 Episode Description:   Welcome to History on the Margins – the podcast where we dig into the weird, the wild, and the wonderfully overlooked corners of history. And what better way to kick things off than with a teaser episode just in time for the start of college football season?   In this episode, we take you on a fast-paced ride through the strangest stories in college sports: from teams accidentally scoring on themselves, to mascots getting straight-up kidnapped, to games interrupted by wildlife, nudity, or good old-fashioned chaos.   Think of this as a hype reel – a sampler plate of absurdities – to get your adrenaline going for a full season of ridiculous, riveting, and rarely-told history.   Whether you’re a die-hard fan or can’t tell a field goal from a foul ball, trust us: you’ve never heard college sports history quite like this.   🔊 Why Listen: •Perfect primer for college football season •Laugh-out-loud storytelling meets real history •Great for sports fans, trivia buffs, and lovers of oddball facts   📅 New episodes drop soon: Full-length episodes launch starting next week on Tuesday, September 2nd – covering everything from royal corpses on trial to deadly desserts. Subscribe now and get ready for some history that doesn’t make the textbooks.   📢 Help Us Spread the Word: If you liked this teaser, share it with a friend, post it on social, or shout it from your nearest tailgate. And don’t forget to leave a review – we’ll shout out our favorite ones in future episodes!

The Death of Hitler: What If the Story We’ve Been Told Isn’t True?   Guest: Robert Hutchinson – investigative journalist and author of What Really Happened: The Death of Hitler For decades, history books have confidently closed the chapter on Adolf Hitler’s final days: April 30th, 1945. A bunker beneath Berlin. A suicide pact. Case closed.   But what if the truth is messier—and far more mysterious?   In this episode of From the Void, I sit down with investigative journalist and author Robert Hutchinson to dig into the shocking inconsistencies and unanswered questions surrounding Hitler’s supposed death. Drawing from FBI files, declassified intelligence, and eyewitness contradictions, Hutchinson makes the case that the official story may not be the only story.   Did Hitler die in that bunker? Or did he escape—vanishing into the fog of post-war chaos and Cold War politics?   We cover: •🔎 Conflicting eyewitness accounts from the bunker •🔥 The Soviet cover-up and suppression of forensic evidence •📂 Declassified U.S. intelligence files suggesting Hitler sightings in South America •🧪 Questions around the dental remains and the credibility of autopsy reports •🚢 The role of secret U-boat activity near Argentina •🧠 How the chaos of war—and the politics of postwar alliances—may have hidden the truth •🕵️ Why so many high-ranking Nazis did escape, and what it tells us   Whether you’re a skeptic or a true believer in the official narrative, this conversation will challenge what you think you know—and ask why history was so quick to close the book on one of the 20th century’s darkest figures.   📘 About the Guest:   Robert Hutchinson is a veteran journalist, researcher, and author known for his work on conspiracy theories, military history, and controversial cover-ups. His book What Really Happened: The Death of Hitler explores the lingering mysteries around Hitler’s death and how disinformation and geopolitical power shaped the official story.   📚 Book: What Really Happened: The Death of Hitler 🌐 Website: roberthutchinson.com   🔗 Links & References: •FBI Declassified Files on Hitler: vault.fbi.gov/adolf-hitler •Argentine submarine records and postwar Nazi escape routes •Eyewitness testimony from bunker survivors •Reports on skull fragment DNA testing by Russian authorities   📢 Stay Connected:   If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to: ✅ Subscribe 🌟 Leave a rating & review 📣 Share it with a friend who loves mysterious history   From the Void will return with an all-new season on Monday, September 8th—just in time for fall, featuring even more strange and unusual stories, and a brand-new format to bring you more episodes, faster.   In the meantime, check out our new show: 🎧 History on the Margins — Launching Tuesday, September 2nd    

Episode Overview Dive into one of Northern Virginia’s most chilling urban legends: the Bunnyman of Clifton. Was he a mere make‑believe boogeyman, or a figure rooted in real history… and something darker? We explore the odd, twisted tales behind this ominous rabbit figure haunting the backroads of Fairfax County.   What to Expect in This Episode •Setting the Scene: The infamous Colchester (aka Bunnyman) Bridge—a quiet span turned spine‑tingling legend hub. •Origin Stories: From escaped asylum patients to rural vengeance, we trace the fragmented lore. •Eyewitness Fragments: Tales of axe-wielding rabbits, shattered car windows, and midnight terror—some sensational, some chillingly specific . •Fact vs. Folklore: Sorting the 1970s headlines (“Virginia Hopping Over ‘Bunny‑Man’”; “Axe‑wielding bunny man keeps Va. town on alert”; etc.) and whether the legend was fueled by media hysteria . •Historic Perspective: Insights from Brian A. Conley’s research (“The Bunny Man Unmasked”) and Fairfax County’s archived investigation . •Modern Interpretations: How the Bunnyman lives on in pop culture and podcasts—from One Strange Thing to The Curse of Bunnyman—each adding layers to the myth .   Resources & Credit Lines •Primary sources: Newspaper reports from 1970 editions like Fort Lauderdale News, The Lowell Sun, Miami Herald . •Research archives: Fairfax County historian‑archivist Brian A. Conley’s “The Bunny Man Unmasked”; Fairfax County Public Library resources . •Media references: One Strange Thing – Episode 67: The Bunny (May 2, 2025) ; 1001 Heroes, Legends… – The Curse of Bunnyman (August 3, 2025) .   Reach out with episode suggestions or just to say hello at www.fromthevoidpod.com