State of the Unknown | Documented Hauntings and Real Paranormal Cases Across America

Robert Barber
  • 5.0 (18)
  • DOCUMENTARY
  • UPDATED BIWEEKLY

Strange things happen. Sometimes they leave records.  State of the Unknown examines strange events that disrupted real lives. From documented hauntings and unexplained encounters to cases that forced police, clergy, doctors, or investigators to respond, each episode focuses on what actually happened — who was involved, what was reported, and what changed afterward. These are not campfire stories. They are incidents with names, dates, locations, and consequences. Some have clear explanations. Others do not. But all of them left a mark. If you’re drawn to strange events told straight, without exaggeration, without theatrics, this is your show. New episodes every week. 🔗 www.stateoftheunknown.com📸 @stateoftheunknownpodcast

  1. Haunted Object: Robert the Doll | Why Visitors Apologize After Taking His Photo — Ep. 52

    1D AGO

    Haunted Object: Robert the Doll | Why Visitors Apologize After Taking His Photo — Ep. 52

    Robert the Doll is one of the most famous haunted objects in the United States. For decades, the doll has been connected to stories of movement, strange sounds, changing expressions, camera malfunctions, visitor misfortune, and apology letters sent by people who believe they disrespected him. But before Robert became a museum exhibit in Key West, he was connected to Robert Eugene “Gene” Otto, the Otto home, and a private story that later grew into public legend. In this episode of State of the Unknown, join host Robert Barber as we look at what is documented, what has been reported, and what remains unclear in the story of Robert the Doll. This is not about proving Robert is haunted. It is about how a real object became the center of a legend that people still respond to today. This episode examines the history of Robert the Doll, his connection to Gene Otto and Key West, Florida, and the claims that followed him from the Otto home to Fort East Martello Museum. Reports include claims of footsteps, giggling, movement, changing facial expressions, malfunctioning cameras, visitor misfortune, and apology letters written to Robert by people hoping to break the curse. Robert remains one of the most widely known haunted dolls in American paranormal history, often discussed alongside haunted objects, cursed artifacts, museum hauntings, and supernatural folklore. This episode focuses on the documented timeline, reported claims, and the ongoing ritual of visitors writing apology letters to Robert the Doll. Support the show State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states. 👁️‍🗨️ New episodes every Tuesday — with full-length stories every other week, and shorter mini tales in between. 📬 Reach out: contact@stateoftheunknown.com 📣 Follow the strange: @stateoftheunknownpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, & Threads 🔍 Want more? Visit stateoftheunknown.com to explore show notes and submit your own story. Join the Conversation Join the conversation! Head to our Facebook group at State of the Unknown Listeners to connect with other listeners, suggest topics, and get behind-the-scenes updates. Share Your Take Have a theory about this episode? Message me anytime on Instagram @stateoftheunknownpodcast - I read every DM. Some stories don’t stay buried. We go looking anyway.

    28 min
  2. Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery | The Place Where the Dead Don’t Stay Buried — Ep. 51

    APR 28

    Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery | The Place Where the Dead Don’t Stay Buried — Ep. 51

    Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery has a reputation, and it didn’t come from stories alone. Visitors have reported seeing figures moving between the headstones, unexplained lights in the trees, and one photograph that captured something no one could explain. Join host Robert Barber as State of the Unknown examines the documented history of Bachelors Grove Cemetery in Illinois, one of the most well-known haunted cemeteries in the United States. From eyewitness accounts of ghost sightings to paranormal investigations and the famous “Madonna of Bachelors Grove” photograph, this episode breaks down what witnesses say they experienced—and what still hasn’t been explained. Located in Midlothian, Illinois, Bachelors Grove Cemetery has been the subject of decades of reports involving apparitions, shadow figures, phantom vehicles, and unexplained phenomena. Investigators, photographers, and visitors have all described similar encounters, raising questions about whether these experiences can be explained by environmental factors, psychological influence, or something else entirely. If you’re interested in real paranormal cases, haunted locations, ghost sightings, and documented supernatural encounters, this episode explores one of America’s most talked-about haunted cemeteries through a grounded, evidence-based lens. 🎧 Topics covered: Bachelors Grove Cemetery Illinois historyMadonna of Bachelors Grove ghost photoHaunted cemeteries in the United StatesDocumented paranormal investigationsEyewitness ghost sightings and encountersUnexplained phenomena and supernatural reports Support the show State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states. 👁️‍🗨️ New episodes every Tuesday — with full-length stories every other week, and shorter mini tales in between. 📬 Reach out: contact@stateoftheunknown.com 📣 Follow the strange: @stateoftheunknownpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, & Threads 🔍 Want more? Visit stateoftheunknown.com to explore show notes and submit your own story. Join the Conversation Join the conversation! Head to our Facebook group at State of the Unknown Listeners to connect with other listeners, suggest topics, and get behind-the-scenes updates. Share Your Take Have a theory about this episode? Message me anytime on Instagram @stateoftheunknownpodcast - I read every DM. Some stories don’t stay buried. We go looking anyway.

    25 min
  3. Bonus Episode | Beyond the St. Louis Exorcism: What Do Real Exorcisms Actually Look Like?

    APR 21 ·  BONUS

    Bonus Episode | Beyond the St. Louis Exorcism: What Do Real Exorcisms Actually Look Like?

    The St. Louis exorcism shaped what many people think possession is supposed to look like, but what do real cases actually report? In this bonus episode of State of the Unknown, Robert Barber steps back from a single case to look at the broader question of possession and exorcism. Drawing on documented accounts and recurring patterns across different cases, this episode explores the gap between what people expect to see…and what is actually reported. From behavioral changes and physical reactions to the influence of belief, media, and cultural expectations, possession cases don’t follow a single clear pattern. And once a case like St. Louis becomes widely known, it doesn’t just stay a case—it becomes a reference point. So when similar experiences are reported again… are they independent accounts? Or are they shaped by something people already recognize? 🎧 In this episode: What “possession” means across different contextsThe difference between expectation and reported experienceWhy cases like the St. Louis exorcism influence future accountsHow patterns show up across unrelated reportsWhere explanation ends—and uncertainty begins Episodes Mentioned The St. Louis Exorcism: The Case That Inspired The Exorcist—and Shaped What People Think Possession Looks Like (Episode 50) The Betty and Barney Hill UFO Abduction: America’s First Alien Encounter — Ep. 21 Support the show State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states. 👁️‍🗨️ New episodes every Tuesday — with full-length stories every other week, and shorter mini tales in between. 📬 Reach out: contact@stateoftheunknown.com 📣 Follow the strange: @stateoftheunknownpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, & Threads 🔍 Want more? Visit stateoftheunknown.com to explore show notes and submit your own story. Join the Conversation Join the conversation! Head to our Facebook group at State of the Unknown Listeners to connect with other listeners, suggest topics, and get behind-the-scenes updates. Share Your Take Have a theory about this episode? Message me anytime on Instagram @stateoftheunknownpodcast - I read every DM. Some stories don’t stay buried. We go looking anyway.

    10 min
  4. The St. Louis Exorcism: The Case That Inspired The Exorcist—and Shaped What People Think Possession Looks Like (Episode 50)

    APR 14

    The St. Louis Exorcism: The Case That Inspired The Exorcist—and Shaped What People Think Possession Looks Like (Episode 50)

    In 1949, a teenage boy in St. Louis became the center of one of the most documented exorcism cases in American history. What followed involved multiple priests, medical observation, and handwritten records describing events that have never been fully explained. Decades later, the case would inspire The Exorcist. But the version most people know doesn’t come from the full record. In this episode of State of the Unknown, we go back to what was documented at the time—what witnesses reported, what clergy recorded, and how the events were described as they unfolded. This is not the dramatized version. This is what was written down. This episode examines the 1949 St. Louis exorcism case, one of the most documented possession cases in the United States. Accounts from priests, reported medical observations, and written records describe a series of events involving alleged possession, religious intervention, and unexplained physical phenomena. The case has been referenced in discussions of real-life exorcisms, possession cases, and religious investigations, and remains one of the most widely cited examples connected to The Exorcist. Reports from the time include claims of abnormal behavior, reactions to religious objects, and events witnessed by multiple individuals involved in the case. This episode focuses on what was documented and reported during the events in St. Louis in 1949, rather than later interpretations or dramatized retellings. Related Episode: If you want the full background behind the house and how this case became The Exorcist, listen to: 👉 The St. Louis Exorcist House: The 1949 Possession Case That Inspired The Exorcist — Ep. 37 Support the show State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states. 👁️‍🗨️ New episodes every Tuesday — with full-length stories every other week, and shorter mini tales in between. 📬 Reach out: contact@stateoftheunknown.com 📣 Follow the strange: @stateoftheunknownpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, & Threads 🔍 Want more? Visit stateoftheunknown.com to explore show notes and submit your own story. Join the Conversation Join the conversation! Head to our Facebook group at State of the Unknown Listeners to connect with other listeners, suggest topics, and get behind-the-scenes updates. Share Your Take Have a theory about this episode? Message me anytime on Instagram @stateoftheunknownpodcast - I read every DM. Some stories don’t stay buried. We go looking anyway.

    36 min
  5. The Snedeker Haunting | The Case Inside a Funeral Home That Investigators Couldn’t Explain — Ep. 49

    APR 7

    The Snedeker Haunting | The Case Inside a Funeral Home That Investigators Couldn’t Explain — Ep. 49

    In the 1980s, the Snedeker family moved into a house in Southington, Connecticut, looking for space and stability while their son Philip underwent cancer treatment. What they didn’t fully understand at the time was what the house had been before they moved in. It wasn’t just an older home. It had once operated as a funeral home. Rooms that didn’t quite make sense. Doorways wider than expected. A basement built around a fixed porcelain table and a floor designed to drain. At first, those details didn’t mean much. But over time, the family began to describe experiences inside the house that they couldn’t explain—starting in the basement, and eventually extending beyond it. Join host Robert Barber as he examines the reported events of the Snedeker haunting, a case that drew in Ed and Lorraine Warren and later became the basis for The Haunting in Connecticut. Through firsthand accounts, reported experiences, and the way the story was later shaped and retold, this episode looks at what was said to have happened inside that house—and what remains uncertain. According to the family, what began as a sense that something wasn’t right became something more direct. Objects appeared to move. Sounds were heard in empty rooms. And in the basement, Philip described encounters that went beyond anything easily explained. As the situation escalated, the Warrens were called in to investigate. After spending time in the house, they concluded that what was happening wasn’t isolated—and wasn’t likely to stop on its own. Their involvement gave the case a framework, but it didn’t bring it to a clear end. Over time, the story of the Snedeker haunting spread beyond the house itself. It was documented, adapted, and eventually turned into a major motion picture. But as the story grew, so did the questions. How much of what’s known today comes directly from what the family experienced? And how much was shaped afterward? This episode of State of the Unknown breaks down the layers of the case—what was reported, how it was presented, and why the details don’t always line up the same way. Support the show State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states. 👁️‍🗨️ New episodes every Tuesday — with full-length stories every other week, and shorter mini tales in between. 📬 Reach out: contact@stateoftheunknown.com 📣 Follow the strange: @stateoftheunknownpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, & Threads 🔍 Want more? Visit stateoftheunknown.com to explore show notes and submit your own story. Join the Conversation Join the conversation! Head to our Facebook group at State of the Unknown Listeners to connect with other listeners, suggest topics, and get behind-the-scenes updates. Share Your Take Have a theory about this episode? Message me anytime on Instagram @stateoftheunknownpodcast - I read every DM. Some stories don’t stay buried. We go looking anyway.

    25 min
  6. The Lindley Street Poltergeist | The Girl Said It Was a Hoax… So What Did Police Witness? — Ep. 48

    MAR 31

    The Lindley Street Poltergeist | The Girl Said It Was a Hoax… So What Did Police Witness? — Ep. 48

    A young girl said the haunting was a hoax. But police were inside the house when objects reportedly moved…. In 1974, police were called to a small home on Lindley Street in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Inside, they reported objects moving on their own. Furniture shifting. Activity that continued while people were in the room watching—and without a clear source. What started inside that house didn’t stay there. Neighbors came to see it. More people followed. Even those who arrived expecting to find an explanation began reporting things they couldn’t account for. But as more people became involved, the story became harder to pin down. Some described movement happening directly in front of them. Others described moments where something had already changed before they realized it. And over time, the question shifted. Not just what was happening inside that house… but whether everyone was seeing the same thing when it did. Join host Robert Barber as he examines the Lindley Street Poltergeist—what was reported, who was there, and what holds up under closer examination. Episode mentioned:  The Haunting of Madison Seminary: The Investigation That Spoke Back - Ep. 27 on Apple Podcasts on Spotify Support the show State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states. 👁️‍🗨️ New episodes every Tuesday — with full-length stories every other week, and shorter mini tales in between. 📬 Reach out: contact@stateoftheunknown.com 📣 Follow the strange: @stateoftheunknownpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, & Threads 🔍 Want more? Visit stateoftheunknown.com to explore show notes and submit your own story. Join the Conversation Join the conversation! Head to our Facebook group at State of the Unknown Listeners to connect with other listeners, suggest topics, and get behind-the-scenes updates. Share Your Take Have a theory about this episode? Message me anytime on Instagram @stateoftheunknownpodcast - I read every DM. Some stories don’t stay buried. We go looking anyway.

    28 min
  7. The Cash–Landrum Incident | The Night the Sky Burned Over Texas — And What It Did to Them — Ep. 47

    MAR 24

    The Cash–Landrum Incident | The Night the Sky Burned Over Texas — And What It Did to Them — Ep. 47

    On December 29, 1980, three witnesses driving along a rural road outside Dayton, Texas reported one of the most unusual UFO encounters ever documented in the United States. Betty Cash, Vickie Landrum, and Vickie’s seven-year-old grandson Colby Landrum were returning home after a night of bingo when they noticed a bright light ahead on Farm-to-Market Road 1485. As they drove closer, the light revealed a massive diamond-shaped craft hovering low above the road. Witnesses later said flames burst from the underside of the object and intense heat filled the car. When Betty Cash briefly stepped outside to look at the craft, she later said the air itself felt hot enough to burn. Moments later, the sky filled with multiple military-style helicopters surrounding the glowing craft. Witnesses estimated that as many as twenty helicopters were present, and several observers later noted that the aircraft described resembled CH-47 Chinook helicopters, a heavy-lift aircraft used by the United States Army. Within hours of the encounter, the witnesses began suffering severe physical symptoms including burning skin, blisters, nausea, headaches, and hair loss. Betty Cash was eventually hospitalized with documented burns and blistering, injuries that some physicians said resembled patterns sometimes associated with radiation exposure, although no confirmed radiation source was ever identified. In 1982, Betty Cash and Vickie Landrum filed a lawsuit against the United States government under the Federal Tort Claims Act, arguing that the presence of military helicopters suggested the object might have been connected to a government operation. After several years of investigation, the case was dismissed in federal court in 1986 because the witnesses could not prove the helicopters belonged to the U.S. military. More than four decades later, the Cash–Landrum Incident remains one of the most controversial UFO encounters ever reported. Topics CoveredCash–Landrum Incident Texas UFO encounter Dayton Texas UFO sighting Betty Cash and Vickie Landrum CH-47 Chinook helicopters UFO lawsuit against the U.S. government Support the show State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states. 👁️‍🗨️ New episodes every Tuesday — with full-length stories every other week, and shorter mini tales in between. 📬 Reach out: contact@stateoftheunknown.com 📣 Follow the strange: @stateoftheunknownpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, & Threads 🔍 Want more? Visit stateoftheunknown.com to explore show notes and submit your own story. Join the Conversation Join the conversation! Head to our Facebook group at State of the Unknown Listeners to connect with other listeners, suggest topics, and get behind-the-scenes updates. Share Your Take Have a theory about this episode? Message me anytime on Instagram @stateoftheunknownpodcast - I read every DM. Some stories don’t stay buried. We go looking anyway.

    30 min
  8. Bonus Episode: The Black Forest Haunting | The Colorado Poltergeist Case That Was Never Explained

    MAR 17 ·  BONUS

    Bonus Episode: The Black Forest Haunting | The Colorado Poltergeist Case That Was Never Explained

    In the late 1960s, a quiet home in the Black Forest area near Colorado Springs became the center of a disturbing series of events. The family living there claimed objects moved on their own, household items were thrown across rooms, and unexplained disturbances seemed to occur while people were standing there watching. In this bonus episode of State of the Unknown, join host Robert Barber as he examines the reported events surrounding the Black Forest haunting, a lesser-known American poltergeist case that has circulated in paranormal literature for decades. Accounts of the case place the disturbances in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when the Black Forest region was far more isolated than it is today. According to the family who lived in the home, the activity began with small incidents before escalating into objects sliding across tables, items falling from shelves, and objects reportedly being thrown across rooms without anyone touching them. Reports of the disturbances eventually reached paranormal researchers familiar with alleged poltergeist activity. Investigators looked for ordinary explanations including structural issues, environmental factors, and psychological stress within the household. But like many reported poltergeist cases, the events eventually faded and no clear explanation was ever established. Today the Black Forest haunting remains one of many unsettling cases that sit somewhere between witness testimony and documented evidence. Were the disturbances the result of misunderstood natural causes… or something that investigators simply couldn’t explain? This episode was inspired by a listener suggestion. If there’s a case you think I should cover, you can email me at contact@stateoftheunknown.com — I read every message Support the show State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast tracing the haunted highways, forgotten folklore, and unexplained phenomena across America’s 50 states. 👁️‍🗨️ New episodes every Tuesday — with full-length stories every other week, and shorter mini tales in between. 📬 Reach out: contact@stateoftheunknown.com 📣 Follow the strange: @stateoftheunknownpodcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, & Threads 🔍 Want more? Visit stateoftheunknown.com to explore show notes and submit your own story. Join the Conversation Join the conversation! Head to our Facebook group at State of the Unknown Listeners to connect with other listeners, suggest topics, and get behind-the-scenes updates. Share Your Take Have a theory about this episode? Message me anytime on Instagram @stateoftheunknownpodcast - I read every DM. Some stories don’t stay buried. We go looking anyway.

    14 min
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About

Strange things happen. Sometimes they leave records.  State of the Unknown examines strange events that disrupted real lives. From documented hauntings and unexplained encounters to cases that forced police, clergy, doctors, or investigators to respond, each episode focuses on what actually happened — who was involved, what was reported, and what changed afterward. These are not campfire stories. They are incidents with names, dates, locations, and consequences. Some have clear explanations. Others do not. But all of them left a mark. If you’re drawn to strange events told straight, without exaggeration, without theatrics, this is your show. New episodes every week. 🔗 www.stateoftheunknown.com📸 @stateoftheunknownpodcast

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