The Eclectic: True Crime & Paranormal Stories

Hope - True Crime & Paranormal

Step into the shadows with The Eclectic, a podcast where folklore, true crime, the paranormal, and bloody history converge. From ghostly legends and UFO encounters to the darkest deeds of history’s most infamous figures, each episode pulls back the curtain on the mysteries that haunt us. With a tone that’s chilling yet captivating, The Eclectic is for those who crave stories that linger long after the episode ends.

  1. 4d ago

    Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? / The Charles Walton Murder

    Send us Fan Mail In 1943, four boys exploring woodland in Hagley Wood discovered a human skull hidden inside the trunk of a wych elm tree. The victim was later identified only as “Bella” — but who she was, how she died, and who placed her inside the tree have never been answered. Then, just a few years later and less than fifty miles away, another case unsettled rural England. In the village of Lower Quinton, farm labourer Charles Walton was found brutally murdered in circumstances that fuelled rumours of witchcraft, ritual killing, and the occult. Over time, the two cases became linked through folklore, speculation, and fear. In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the mystery of Bella in the wych elm and the murder of Charles Walton — examining the evidence, the theories, and the strange atmosphere that continues to surround both cases. Because sometimes, it’s the stories around a crime that become impossible to bury. 🎧 Listen now on Acast, Spotify & Apple Podcasts  📌 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @theeclecticpodcast Who put Bella in the wych elm? - Wikipedia Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm? — Foulplay Games "Who put Bella in the Wych-Elm?" - The Documentary - a Film and Theatre crowdfunding project in Stourbridge by Jayne Harris The 80-year-old mystery of the skeleton found in a wych elm - BBC Reel ‘Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?’: Espionage, Witchcraft, and other Theories – Curious Archive Who put Bella in the Wych Elm? Cathi Unsworth on the spooky true story - Serpent's Tail The Woman in the Tree: Revisiting the Wych Elm Mystery Bella in the Wych Elm - Josef Jakobs - 1898-1941

    42 min

  2. May 19

    Lake Shawnee Amusement Park

    Send us Fan Mail Hidden in the hills of West Virginia lies an abandoned amusement park with a history far darker than its rides suggest. Before Lake Shawnee Amusement Park became a family attraction, the land was connected to violence, tragedy, and loss. Over the years, a series of deaths — both historical and accidental — helped build its reputation as one of America’s most haunted locations. Visitors and investigators have reported strange experiences throughout the park, from unexplained figures and sounds to encounters they struggle to explain. In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the history of Lake Shawnee Amusement Park, the tragedies tied to the land, and the stories that continue to surround it. Because sometimes, places remember what happened there. Lake Shawnee Amusement Park - Wikipedia The 8 Most Horrifying Amusement Park Deaths In History Lake Shawnee Amusement Park – The Funfair of Tragedy in Princeton, West Virginia – Residual Whispers Lake Shawnee Amusement Park – Amanda Headlee Abandoned US Theme Park ‘One of World's Most Haunted’ Sites - Newsweek Lake Shawnee Abandoned Amusement Park (2026) - All You SHOULD Know Before Going (with Reviews) Lake Shawnee Abandoned Amusement Park in Rock, WV - Mercer County WV : Mercer County WV LAKE SHAWNEE ABANDONED AMUSEMENT PARK - Updated April 2026 - 24 Photos & 11 Reviews - 470 Matoaka Rd, Rock, West Virginia - Historical Tours - Phone Number - Yelp The History of Lake Shawnee - Abandoned Haunted Lake Shawnee Amusement Park | The Lady Dicks Lake Shawnee Amusement Park - Haunted and Abandoned The Haunted History of Lake Shawnee Amusement Park - Road Unraveled

    40 min

  3. May 12

    The Somerton Man: A Mystery Revisited

    Send us Fan Mail In 1948, the body of an unidentified man was discovered on Somerton Beach in Adelaide. He carried no identification.  There were no signs of violence.  And every label on his clothing had been removed. What followed became one of the most enduring mysteries of the twentieth century — a hidden message reading “Tamám Shud,” a coded note found in a rare book, and a trail of clues that never led to a clear answer. Decades later, advances in DNA analysis have led researchers to propose an identity for the man. But while a name may now exist, questions remain about how he died — and why he was never identified at the time. In this episode of The Eclectic, we revisit the Somerton Man case — the evidence, the code, and the modern developments that have reshaped the mystery without fully resolving it. Because even when a name is found… the story isn’t always finished. 🎧 Listen now on Acast, Spotify & Apple Podcasts  📌 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @theeclecticpodcast Somerton Man - Wikipedia https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-australia-62314555  The Taman Shud Case Coronial Inquest - Derek 'But what poison?' Mystery of the Somerton Man | State Records of South Australia The Enduring Mystery of the Somerton Man, One of Australia's Most Puzzling Cold Cases full_case_file.pdf Mystery Solved? DNA Tentatively Identifies Somerton Man | HowStuffWorks Tamam Shud was probably NOT spy-related - explanation : r/UnresolvedMysteries Body of 'Somerton Man', South Australia's strangest cold case, to be exhumed | 7NEWS The Somerton Man - Australia's Greatest Crime Mystery - Biographies by Biographics Who was the Somerton Man? Solving Australia's coldest case | New Scientist Solved: The Somerton Man Mystery Podcast Summary with Carter Roy, Advertiser Timeline of Events | Anemptyglass Wikia | Fandom My Somerton Man Wish List - Cipher Mysteries Solving the mystery of the Somerton Man Somerton Man Identity Solved : r/history SOMERTON MAN MYSTERY: THE INQUEST DOCUMENTS: PART 1, A NEW FIND? UPDATE 1: 1949 INQUEST DOCUMENT EMBEDDED

    35 min

  4. May 5

    The Dancing Plague of 1518

    Send us Fan Mail In the summer of 1518, a woman began dancing in the streets of Strasbourg. She didn’t stop. Within days, others joined her. Then dozens more.  Soon, entire groups were dancing uncontrollably — for hours, for days, in some cases until they collapsed from exhaustion. Authorities were unable to explain it. Physicians at the time suggested it was a natural illness. Others believed it to be something far less understood. In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the Dancing Plague of 1518 — the accounts, the historical context, and the theories that attempt to explain how and why so many people lost control. Because sometimes, the body moves… without reason. 🎧 Listen now on Acast, Spotify & Apple Podcasts  📌 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @theeclecticpodcast Dancing plague of 1518 - Wikipedia The Dancing Plague Reconsidered v2 In the “dancing plague” of 1518, hundreds of people danced uncontrollably for two months. - History Facts Dancing plague of 1518 | Facts & Theories | Britannica Chapter 7: The Great Dancing Plague of 1518 | Crossing the Styx: History's Most Unusual Deaths The Dancing Plague of 1518 | Horror The mystery of the dancing plague of 1518 | Sky HISTORY TV Channel Dancing Diseases: A Public Health Perspective on Emerging Outbreaks and Response Strategies

    31 min

  5. Apr 28

    Seath Mor - Five Stones One Curse

    Send us Fan Mail In Rothiemurchus, there’s a grave that no one will touch. It belongs to Seath Mòr Sgorfhiachlach—a 14th-century clan chief known as The Great Shaw. But it isn’t the man people fear. It’s what sits on top of his grave. Five stones.  Placed in a rough cross formation.  Known as the Homing Stones—because no matter where they’re taken… they come back. Thrown into the River Spey—they return.  Moved in defiance—people fall ill.  Lifted without warning—some never make it home. From a drowned servant in the 1800s…  To a fatal crash just hours after disturbing the grave…  To a death in the cemetery itself in 1978… The stories are consistent. The warning is clear. Today, an iron cage stands over the grave. Not to keep people out—but perhaps to keep something in. In this episode of The Eclectic, we uncover the legend of Seath Mòr, the curse of the five stones, and the question no one has ever answered: Why do they always come back?  | https://tartantrailblazers.co.uk/2021/02/19/loch-an-eilein-rothiemurchus/ | https://mymacabreroadtrip.com/the-cursed-grave-of-seath-mor/ | https://peterhead.live/blog-post/seath-mor-grave-protected-5-cursed-stones/ | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3W3cxgowQk | https://bagtownclans.com/index.php/2023/01/29/7608/ | https://mymacabreroadtrip.com/the-cursed-grave-of-seath-mor/ | https://oldweirdscotland.com/cursed-stones-of-the-doune/ | https://vocal.media/horror/the-real-haunted-story-of-cursed-grave-of-seath-mor | https://oldweirdscotland.com/cursed-stones-of-the-doune/ | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2w6RxT_taYs | https://peterhead.live/blog-post/seath-mor-grave-protected-5-cursed-stones/ | https://oldweirdscotland.com/cursed-stones-of-the-doune/ https://moonmausoleum.com/the-ghostly-duel-with-seath-more-in-rothiemurchus-forest/ https://storiesliffe.com/archives/23290 The Wire Mesh Tomb of Seath Mòr: Mysteries and Curses in the Scottish Highlands Pagan Kitchen: The Grave of Seath Mor Sgorfhiaclach

    33 min

  6. Apr 21

    The Lead Masks Case: Instructions for Death

    Send us Fan Mail In 1966, two men were found dead on a hillside in Niterói, Brazil — dressed in suits, lying side by side, and wearing strange lead eye masks. There were no signs of violence.  No clear cause of death.  And in their pockets, investigators found a note containing cryptic instructions:  “16:30 be at the specified place… 18:30 ingest capsules… after effect, protect metals… wait for signal.” In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the Lead Masks Case — the timeline, the evidence, and the theories that have emerged over decades. From scientific experimentation and spiritualism to conspiracy and the unexplained, this case remains one of the strangest unsolved mysteries of the twentieth century. Because sometimes, the clues only deepen the mystery. 🎧 Listen now on Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📌 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @theeclecticpodcast Sources used: Lead masks case - Wikipedia Two Men Were Found Dead Wearing Lead Masks And Suits, And They Had A Cryptic Note With Them - Chip Chick The Lead Masks Case: Brazil’s Most Chilling Mystery — Michele Gargiulo The Lead Masks Case: Mysterious 1966 UFO Deaths on Brazil’s Vintém Hill Lead Masks Case: sources (part 3) – pmig96 The Lead Masks Case | Criminal Unresolved: The Lead Masks Case on Vintém Hill - The Ghost In My Machine The Lead Masks Case; the name given to the events which led to the death of two Brazilian electronic technicians: Manoel Pereira da Cruz and Miguel José Viana. Their bodies were discovered on August 20, 1966 and wearing these masks. What killed them is still unknown : r/UnexplainedPhotos The Lead Masks Case - Historic Mysteries The Lead Masks of Vintem Hill, an unsolved mystery from brazil : r/UnresolvedMysteries

    27 min

  7. Apr 14

    The Black Donnellys: Violence, Vengeance, and a Family Erased

    Send us Fan Mail In nineteenth-century Ontario, the Donnelly family became the centre of one of Canada’s most violent and enduring legends. Accused of theft, feuds, and lawlessness, the Donnellys were feared and resented by their neighbours. Tensions simmered for years — until one brutal night in 1880, when a vigilante mob descended on their homestead, killing members of the family and burning the house to the ground. In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the story of the Black Donnellys — the history, the rumours, and the events that led to one of the most shocking acts of frontier justice. We examine whether they were truly criminals, victims of community hatred, or something in between. Because sometimes, the line between justice and vengeance disappears entirely. 🎧 Listen now on Acast, Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📌 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @theeclecticpodcast Exploring Local Mississauga Connections to the Black Donnelly Tragedy — Modern Mississauga Media Black Donnellys - Wikipedia Heaven and Hell on Earth: The Massacre of the"Black Donnellys" MQ5.indd The Black Donnellys: Canada’s Tragic Roustabouts – Crime Library Black Donnellys | Origin of the Massacre and Ghosts | Article

    41 min

  8. Apr 7

    Spring-Heeled Jack: The Terror That Leapt Through London

    Send us Fan Mail In the early nineteenth century, London was gripped by fear of a figure that seemed to defy explanation. Witnesses described a man — or something like one — with glowing eyes, clawed hands, and the ability to leap impossibly high over walls and rooftops. He appeared suddenly, attacked without warning, and vanished just as quickly into the night. He became known as Spring-Heeled Jack. In this episode of The Eclectic, we explore the origins of the legend, the eyewitness accounts that spread panic across Victorian England, and the theories that attempt to explain him — from aristocratic prankster to mass hysteria, or something far stranger. Because sometimes, the most unsettling stories are the ones that refuse to stay in the realm of myth. 🎧 Listen now on  Spotify & Apple Podcasts 📌 Follow on Instagram & TikTok: @theeclecticpodcast Spring-heeled Jack - Wikipedia Legend of Spring Heeled Jack | ukmythology Was Spring-Heeled Jack Real? | HistoryExtra Meet Spring-Heeled Jack, the Leaping Devil That Terrorized Victorian England - Atlas Obscura Spring-heeled Jack Facts for Kids BBC - Legacies - Myths and Legends - England - Black Country - Spring-Heeled Jack - Article Page 1 Spring-Heeled Jack - Dannye Chase Spring Heeled Jack Spring-heeled Jack – Did a Fire-breathing Phantom Haunt Victorian London? - David Castleton Blog - The Serpent's Pen Spring Heeled Jack: The Terror of London | The Unredacted Spring Heeled Jack: The Terror of Victorian England - Discovery UK https://folkrealmstudies.weebly.com/victorian-mysteries-spring-heeled-jack.html  16 Frightening Details in the Story of Spring Heeled Jack

    34 min
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Step into the shadows with The Eclectic, a podcast where folklore, true crime, the paranormal, and bloody history converge. From ghostly legends and UFO encounters to the darkest deeds of history’s most infamous figures, each episode pulls back the curtain on the mysteries that haunt us. With a tone that’s chilling yet captivating, The Eclectic is for those who crave stories that linger long after the episode ends.

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