Wendigo Psychosis: The Sickness That Drove Men to Cannibalism
Weird Darkness: Paranormal & True Crime Stories
Darren Marlar
4.6 • 4.1K Ratings
🗓️ 4 January 2026
⏱️ 54 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
IN THIS EPISODE: The Wendigo is terrifying enough – with its backstory claiming it is the creation of a person who chose to become a cannibal, and ended up twisting up into the legendary monster. But that’s just it – so far, it’s only just a legend. We have no solid proof of its existence. But even more horrifying than the Wendigo is Wendigo Psychosis – something that is not a legend at all. (Wendigo Psychosis: When Humans Become Monsters) *** Lauretta Lyons was killed in her own home on June 9th, 1966. And now, so many decades later, authorities are still at a loss as to who committed the murder. (The 1966 Murder Rockford Police Failed: Witnesses Identified the Killer — But He Was Never Charged) *** What does it feel like to die? We obviously won’t know personally until we die ourselves, as it’s hard to talk to someone about their experience of dying if they are… well… dead. But Reverend J.T. Mann can describe it – as he was hanged… died… and then came back to life to tell the story of what happened to his soul while he was gone. (The Man Who Came Back From the Noose: Rev. J. T. Mann) *** We’ll look at a few other legendary creatures and cryptids that have some interesting stories attached to them! (Mythical Creatures You've Probably Never Heard Of)
CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…
00:00:00.000 = The Face of the Wendigo
00:00:50.500 = Show Open
00:02:54.563 = Wendigo Psychosis: When Humans Become Monsters
00:13:34.059 = *** Mythical Creatures You've Probably Never Heard Of
00:27:18.914 = **** The 1966 Murder Rockford Police Failed: Witnesses Identified the Killer — But He Was Never Charged
00:34:53.557 = The Man Who Came Back From the Noose: Rev. J. T. Mann
00:39:54.302 = *** A Ouija Board, a Demon House, and a Lifetime of Terror
00:52:11.523 = Show Close
*** = Begins immediately after inserted ad break
SOURCES and RESOURCES:
“Wendigo Psychosis” by Kathy Weiser for Legends of America: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ymvwr3cr
“More Mythological Monsters” by Estelle for ListVerse: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/dd9dy63a
“The 1966 Murder Rockford Police Failed: Witnesses Identified the Killer — But He Was Never Charged” by Kathi Kresol for Haunted Rockford: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/ysmfm8ap
“The Man Who Came Back From the Noose: Rev. J. T. Mann” by Robert A. Waters for the website Kidnapping, Murder and Mayhem: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/82vvt58p
“A Ouija Board, a Demon House, and a Lifetime of Terror” by Weirdo family member, Reverend Terry Wheless=====(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: May 19, 2021
EPISODE PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/WendigoPsychosis
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 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.
#Wendigo #Cryptids #NativeAmericanLegends #ParanormalStories #ScaryStories #TrueHorror #Monsters #CreepyStories #Folklore #WeirdDarkness
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | According to Basil Johnson, an Ojibwe teacher and scholar in Ontario, Canada, the |
| 0:08.4 | Wendigo was gaunt to the point of emaciation. Its desiccated skin pulled tautly over its bones. |
| 0:15.9 | With its bones pushing out against its skin, its complexion the ash gray of death and its eyes pushed |
| 0:21.8 | back deep into their sockets. |
| 0:23.3 | The Wendigo looked like a gaunt skeleton, recently disinterred from the grave. |
| 0:29.7 | What lips it had were tattered and bloody. |
| 0:33.0 | Its body was unclean, and suffering from separations of the flesh, giving off a strange and eerie |
| 0:39.2 | odor of decay and decomposition, of death and corruption. |
| 0:44.3 | I'm Darren Marler, and this is Weird Darkness. Welcome, Weirdo's. |
| 0:59.4 | I'm Darren Marler, and this is Weird Darkness. |
| 1:03.7 | Here you'll find stories of the paranormal, supernatural, legends, lore, crime, conspiracy, mysterious, macabre, unsolved, and unexplained. |
| 1:17.6 | Coming up in this episode, Loretta Lyons was killed in her own home on June 9, 1966. |
| 1:26.9 | And now, so many decades later, authorities are still at a loss as |
| 1:31.5 | to who committed the murder. What does it feel like to die? We obviously won't know personally |
| 1:39.6 | until we die ourselves, as it's hard to talk to someone about their experience of dying if they |
| 1:45.1 | are, well, dead. |
| 1:47.7 | But Reverend J.T. Mann can describe it, as he was hanged, died, and then came back to life |
| 1:55.6 | to tell the story of what happened to his soul while he was gone. |
| 2:06.5 | The Wendigo is terrifying enough, with its backstory claiming it is the creation of a person who chose to become a cannibal and ended up twisting up into the legendary monster. |
| 2:12.3 | But that's just it. So far, it's only just a legend. We have no solid proof of its existence. |
| 2:19.7 | But even more horrifying than the Wendigo is Wendigo Psychosis, something that is not legendary |
| 2:27.6 | at all. |
... |
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