meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

The Highgate Vampire | Mass Hysteria, Occult Obsession, or Something More Horrifying?

Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories

Darren Marlar

History, True Crime, Society & Culture, Documentary

4.64.1K Ratings

🗓️ 18 March 2026

⏱️ 108 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the 1970s Highgate Cemetery became the stuff of legends, with rumors of a vampire, bizarre occultic rituals, and a rivalry so wild it could’ve been lifted out of a horror novel.

*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*

Take the Weird Darkness Survey: https://weirddarkness.com/SURVEY

IN THIS EPISODE: Did a vampire stalk London’s Highgate cemetery in the 1970s? (Highgate Vampire: The Horror of the Dead) *** He was alone at home when firemen were called. The entire house was blazing... except for one room. The room that contained the corpse of J. Temple Thurston. (The Mysterious Death of J. Temple Thurston) *** A ghostly spirit brings comfort to a dying man’s grandchild. (A Comforting Nurse) *** Death comes to us all, but today children are shielded from the reality of death – only the stylized version they see in television and film. But years ago, when there was a death, it was a family affair – everyone of all ages participated in the funeral and grieving process. And some people coped with their grief by being artistic – such as writing a weird song called “The Hearse Song”. *** We all know people who love nature and the outdoors. Some will even have their own gardens and will talk to the flowers and plants, thinking it will help them thrive. But how would you react when you are sure the plants are talking back to you? (The Girl Who Talks To Trees) *** Mitchell Quy watched while the police looked for his missing wife; he even joined the search himself. No one ever expected that Mitchell was the one who had killed her. (He Murdered His Wife – Then Pretended To Look For Her) *** In 1986, the Tallmanns moved into what they thought was the ideal family home. They couldn’t have been more wrong. (Sharing Bunk Beds With Evil) *** A Weirdo family member shares how he has been stalked by a terrifying entity for many years. (The Sinister Caprine Creature) *** Not even the serial killer Dennis Nilsen himself can say exactly how many people he murdered. There were just too many. (Britain’s Kindly Killer) *** How is it possible for a man as powerful and prominent as a Supreme Court judge to disappear forever? It happened to the Big Apple’s Justice Joseph F. Crater. (The Most Missingest Man In New York)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = The Foreboding
00:00:44.220 = Show Open
00:03:25.930 = The Highgate Vampire: Horror of the Dead
00:21:41.093 = Britain’s Kindly Killer ***
00:26:15.241 = The Sinister Caprine Creature (submitted by a Weird Darkness listener)
00:33:52.695 = The Most Missingest Man in New York
00:54:34.961 = Sharing Bunk Beds With Evil ***
01:05:45.198 = He Murdered His Wife, Then Pretended To Look For Her
01:11:12.411 = A Comforting Nurse ***
01:15:59.629 = The Hearse Song
01:24:38.443 = The Girl Who Talks To Trees ***
01:27:25.995 = The Mysterious Death of J. Temple Thurston
01:40:34.619 = Show Close*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
HELPFUL LINKS & RESOURCES…
https://WeirdDarkness.com/MUSIC = Songs and Videos by our Weird Darkness punk band, #DarkWeirdness
https://WeirdDarkness.com/STORE = Tees, Mugs, Socks, Hoodies, Totes, Hats, Kidswear & More
https://WeirdDarkness.com/HOPE = Hope For Depression or Thoughts of Self-Harm
https://WeirdDarkness.com/NEWSLETTER = In-Depth Articles, Memes, Weird DarkNEWS, Videos & More
https://WeirdDarkness.com/AUDIOBOOKS = FREE Audiobooks Narrated By Darren Marlar
SOURCES and RESOURCES:“The Sinister Caprine Creature” by Benji, submitted directly to http://www.weirddarkness.com/submit
“The Most Missingest Man In New York” by Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/u7hkxgk
“The Highgate Vampire: Horror of the Dead”: https://tinyurl.com/tx3c5xt
“Britain’s Kindly Killer” by Orrin Grey for The Line Up: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3khways3
“Sharing Bunk Beds With Evil” by M.J. Steel: (website no longer exists)
“The Girl Who Talks To Trees” by an unknown author: (website no longer exists)
“The Mysterious Death of J. Temple Thurston” for Anomaly Info: https://tinyurl.com/svlkhh8
“He Murdered His Wife – Then Pretended To Look For Her” by William DeLong for All That’s Interesting:https://tinyurl.com/u2a68vn
“A Comforting Nurse” from Your Ghost Stories: https://tinyurl.com/r8jtq5s
“The Hearse Song” story written by Troy Taylor: https://tinyurl.com/qum538g
“The Hearse Song” music rendition by Rusty Cage from the album “GangStalkers”: https://amzn.to/2NSZrZW
“The Hearse Song” additional lyrics and music by Harley Poe: https://amzn.to/2xwF4HL=====
(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)
= = = = =
"I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46
= = = = =
WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.
=====
Originally aired: September 18, 2018
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/HighgateVampire
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: #WeirdDarkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all things strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold cases, conspiracy theories, and more. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “20 Best Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a blend of “Coast to Coast AM”, “The Twilight Zone”, “Unsolved Mysteries”, and “In Search Of”.DISCLAIMER: Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Bigfoot, a legend, a joke, or something real. I'm a former police officer, trained to follow

0:07.4

evidence, not myths, to question stories until facts take over. Then I stepped into the woods.

0:15.2

Welcome to the Sasquatch Odyssey podcast. Every episode features firsthand encounters from people who've come face to face with

0:22.3

something they can't explain. Real witnesses, real fear, real experiences that don't fade with time.

0:30.1

But this isn't Camp Fire storytelling. I also sit down with boots on the ground researchers

0:35.1

using hard science, critical thinking, and proven methods

0:38.6

to find answers. Footprints. Audio. Field data. No hype. No hoaxes. Just investigation.

0:47.5

One question drives it all. Does Sasquatch truly exist? If evidence matters. if mystery deserves scrutiny, join me on

0:56.3

Sasquatch Odyssey, and let's find out together. Have you ever wondered why Victorians mailed

1:00.8

dead birds as love letters? Why the 1800s had so many miracle tonics that were just cocaine?

1:08.2

Or why an entire town once blamed a goat for political corruption.

1:12.8

Then, dear listener, you have found your people.

1:16.5

Welcome to the Strange History Podcast, where every episode explores the bizarre, hilarious,

1:23.4

unsettling, and occasionally, someone please check on humanity corners of our past.

1:29.5

We dig up the stories your textbooks skipped.

1:32.6

From haunted mansions and medical oddities to forgotten jobs, cursed holidays, and historical

1:38.5

scandals so ridiculous they sound fake, but aren't.

1:43.2

And yes, there will be sarcastic commentary, historical chaos, and questionable fake sponsors

1:50.0

like Dr. Pumpernichael's patented goat-based relationship therapy side effects may include

1:57.0

regret.

1:58.4

So come join the adventure.

2:00.3

You can find the Strange History podcast on Apple Podcasts,

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Darren Marlar, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Darren Marlar and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.