When a retired Russian soldier receives a magic bag from God that can trap anything inside it, he uses it to outsmart devils, imprison Death itself, and ultimately discovers that eternal life is the cruelest punishment of all.

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IN THIS EPISODE: You see it in movies, TV shows, literature… when you have a scene with early humans it’s just a matter of time before you’re exposed to a human sacrifice. But why? With all of the animals out there to choose from, the harvesting of fruits and vegetables they could’ve placed on an altar… why human sacrifice? (Why Human Sacrifice?) *** You’re in a battle, you’ve had several horses shot out from under you, and suddenly someone points out that you’ve lost your leg. How do you respond to that? Whatever your answer, you probably wouldn’t be as suave about it as Lord Uxbridge was. (The Strange Tale of Lord Uxbridge’s Leg) *** Cornering the market in heroin and cocaine trafficking, Vito Rizzuto's mafia family dominated Montreal until his death in December 2013. (Canada’s Mafia Godfather) *** A senior couple seemed to be enjoying their retirement. They were heading home from their apartment in Florida to their home in New York as they did every Spring. But somewhere between they vanished into the ether. What happened to Charles and Catherine Romer? (The Vanishing of Charles and Catherine Romer) *** And later, we’ll look at a few lawsuits that should never made it to a courtroom… but we’re glad they did, because they make for a great kicker story for the podcast! (Lawsuits That Never Should Have Made it To a Courtroom) *** But first… a retired Russian soldier receives a magic bag from God, which ends up wreaking havoc in both heaven and hell! It’s the legend of Ivan Turbinca. (Ivan Turbinca: The Man Who Belonged In Neither Heaven Nor Hell)
ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness 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 thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = Show Intro
00:02:25.641 = Ivan Turbinca
00:10:33.267 = The Strange Tale of Lord Uxbridge’s Leg
00:18:58.743 = Why Human Sacrifice?
00:25:31.125 = The Vanishing of Charles And Catherine Romer
00:34:45.084 = Canada’s Mafia Godfather
00:43:33.209 = Lawsuits That Never Should Have Made It To a Courtroom
00:57:10.845 = Show Close
SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“Ivan Turbinca: The Man Who Belonged In Neither Heaven Nor Hell” by Valda Roric for Ancient Origins: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8n8xa7
“Why Human Sacrifice?” by Joseph Watts for The Conversation: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p86favf
“The Vanishing of Charles and Catherine Romer” by Crystaldawn for Lost And Found Blogs:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2prwn7np
“The Strange Tale of Lord Uxbridge’s Leg” by Kaushik Patowary for Amusing Planet: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8fzt4m
“Canada’s Mafia Godfather” by Austin Harvey for All That’s Interesting: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4mvk6ka4
“Lawsuits That Never Should Have Made it To a Courtroom” by Paul Medina for ListVerse: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/y6m5uwhn=====(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 ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: October 09, 2023
NOTE: Some of this content may have been created with assistance from AI tools, but it has been reviewed, edited, narrated, produced, and approved by Darren Marlar, creator and host of Weird Darkness — who, despite popular conspiracy theories, is NOT an AI voice.
EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/IvanTurbinca
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