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IN THIS EPISODE: Many ghost stories are frightening but leave the person encountering them shaken, but no more worse for wear. Perhaps a light touch on the shoulder, the moving of an object, a whisper in the ear, or a cold chill for the more intense cases. But then there are those hauntings that leave the person hysterical… or physically hurt… or even dead. We’ll look at some of the most violent ghosts and hauntings of all time. (History’s Most Violent Ghosts) *** Dixon, Illinois needed a bridge – Mr. L.E. Truesdell was an expert bridge builder. But people had doubts as to whether what he was being asked to do could be accomplished. The naysayers were ignored – and tragedy arrived, (The Truesdell Bridge Disaster) *** The witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts were horrid… the trials in Europe even more so. Now, imagine being a soldier tried as a witch because you returned with supernatural knowledge imparted to you after you were abducted by extraterrestrials. It sounds like the makings of a terrible novel and an even worse movie… but it’s the true story of Major Thomas Weir. (The True Story of the Alien Abduction Witch Trial) *** He’s believed to have killed over 50 women inside his soundproof torture trailer – which he called his “toy box.” We’ll look at the case of serial killer David Parker Ray. (Evils of the Toybox Killer) *** Our criminal justice system tries to be the most fair in the world – considering the accused “innocent until proven guilty.” And while our system is not perfect, for the most part it does its job well. But because it is not perfect, once in a while a murderer walks… or even worse, an innocent defendant goes to prison. And in some cases, that innocent person is convicted and imprisoned based on one thing – they confessed to the crime that they didn’t commit. Why would someone do that? (Why Do Innocent People Confess?) *** Port St. Lucie, Florida is full of disturbing urban legends – some true, many false – as urban legends go. But somehow, most all of these terrifying stories tie back to a single oak tree in a neighborhood park, and Florida’s first serial killer. (The Devil Tree Hauntings)

SOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…
“History’s Most Violent Ghosts” by Robert F. Mason for Ranker: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3x42y575
“The True Story of the Alien Abduction Witch Trial” by Marcus Lowth for UFO Insight: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bdhrv3hu
“The Devil Tree Hauntings” posted at MiamiHaunts.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2sp2wakz
“Evils of the Toybox Killer” by Jaclyn Anglis for All That’s Interesting: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/jep7tnxf
“The Truesdell Bridge Disaster” by Kathi Kresol for HauntedRockford.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/4c94hvjy
“Why Do Innocent People Confess?” by Lea Rose Emery for Ranker: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/bjtvenfv
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OTHER PODCASTS I HOST…
Paranormality Magazine: (COMING SOON!) https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/paranormalitymag
Micro Terrors: Scary Stories for Kids: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/microterrors
Retro Radio – Old Time Radio In The Dark: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/retroradio
Church of the Undead: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/churchoftheundead
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(Over time links seen above 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.)

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TRANSCRIPT: https://weirddarkness.com/archives/16367