True Nightmare Stories

Creator at Obomedia
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Science Fiction
  • Daily

Some experiences stay with people because they are difficult to explain and even harder to forget. A strange sound in the dark, an unsettling encounter, or a night that takes an unexpected turn can become the kind of story that is repeated for years. True Nightmare Stories brings together disturbing accounts, frightening situations, and moments that leave people questioning what really happened. The podcast focuses on stories that feel close to real life, whether they involve unexplained events, dangerous situations, or fear that grows from something ordinary. Not every story offers a clear answer, and that uncertainty is often what makes the memory linger long after the moment has passed.

  1. 9h ago

    The Detective Who Buried a Man Alive: The Barry Gibbs Frame-Up

    The Detective Who Buried a Man Alive: The Barry Gibbs Frame-Up A postal worker, a decorated detective, and two witnesses - but only one man spent nineteen years in prison. This episode reveals how a single off-duty detective steered an investigation, coerced an identification, and left a Vietnam veteran to serve nearly two decades for a murder he did not commit. How did a routine life become perfect cover for a frame-up? In this episode, we walk through the events of November 4, 1986, the roles played by the people at the Belt Parkway crime scene, and the gaps that turned a four-day trial into a nineteen-year conviction. What evidence was hidden, who was pressured, and how did the truth finally emerge? Person: Barry Gibbs Person: Louis Eppolito Date: November 4, 1986 Location: Belt Parkway, Brooklyn Duration: 19 years in prison - Barry Gibbs was 38 years old, a postal worker and Vietnam veteran with no prior arrests. - The victim was found strangled and thrown from a moving vehicle on November 4, 1986. - A jogger named Peter Mitchell witnessed the body being thrown and later identified Gibbs at a lineup after Eppolito showed him who to select. - Parks officer Gentili saw the driver at the scene but never identified Barry Gibbs and was not presented at trial by the defense. - Barry Gibbs’ trial lasted four days and led to a conviction that resulted in 19 years of imprisonment. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The Detective Who Buried a Man Alive: The Barry Gibbs Frame-Up

  2. 1d ago

    The Axe That Vanished: How Evidence Was Turned Into Silence

    The Axe That Vanished: How Evidence Was Turned Into Silence Fear sits behind ordinary nights: two seventeen-year-old girls cycled home from Teddington Lock in 1953 and by morning one body floated in the Thames and another washed up two miles downstream; an axe thought to be the murder weapon was handled so casually it became nearly useless as evidence - how did an object vanish into silence and change the course of justice? In this episode, we tell the story of the disappearances and deaths of Barbara Songhurst and Christine Reed, the arrest and conviction of Alfred Whiteway, and the unanswered question about the axe that jurors sent to the judge before delivering their verdict; could the missing forensic clarity around that axe explain why this case still matters? Person: Barbara Songhurst Person: Christine Reed Person: Alfred Whiteway Date: 31 May 1953 (night of disappearance) Location: Teddington Lock, Thames - Barbara Songhurst was found floating in the Thames at 8:15 the morning after, 800 yards downstream from Teddington Lock. - Christine Reed’s body was discovered five days later on Glover’s Island, two miles further downriver. - Both victims were seventeen years old and had their shoes neatly placed together in undergrowth beside the towpath. - Alfred Whiteway was twenty-one, lived less than a mile from the lock, and had prior convictions including a 1948 burglary sentence and recent sexual assaults in the area. - The axe believed to be the murder weapon was taken home by a police officer and used to chop firewood before reaching the courtroom. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The Axe That Vanished: How Evidence Was Turned Into Silence

  3. 2d ago

    When the Wrong Cargo Arrived: Undercover in a Medellín Sting

    When the Wrong Cargo Arrived: Undercover in a Medellín Sting The wrong shipment turned a year-long undercover sting into a surreal trap: agents found 272 crates with 19,000 pounds of marijuana worth over $21 million-none of it what was promised. How did a meticulously built identity and a single misdelivered container upend an operation that had taken months to earn trust? In this episode, we follow Detective Richard Eppolito’s undercover work as "Tony Romano," the months of cultivation inside New York’s drug networks, and the simultaneous February 3, 1993, raids that unfolded across a warehouse and six locations. What went wrong between the broker’s promise and the cartel’s delivery? Person: Richard Eppolito Alias: Tony Romano Date: February 3, 1993 Seizure: 272 crates, 19,000 pounds of marijuana Value: more than $21 million - Operation began with a December 1991 tip naming a broker called Eduardo. - The port of New York received approximately 5,000 shipping containers per day. - Each shipping container held between 18,000 and 30,000 pounds of cargo. - Wiretaps were deployed after an initial buy established probable cause. - The raid targeted one warehouse and six separate New York locations simultaneously. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    When the Wrong Cargo Arrived: Undercover in a Medellín Sting

  4. 3d ago

    The Casino Bomb That Nearly Flattened Tahoe - And Why It Stayed Silent

    The Casino Bomb That Nearly Flattened Tahoe - And Why It Stayed Silent A one-thousand-pound bomb was carried into a Nevada casino office disguised as a photocopier, sat unseen on an executive floor above 600 sleeping guests, and produced X-ray images so dense a federal lab could not penetrate them - yet the device never detonated. What single overlooked detail kept Stateline from turning into total destruction, and why did the builder include a warning that the FBI would be targeted again? In this episode, we trace the morning of August 26, 1980, at Harvey's Resort Hotel and Casino in Stateline, Nevada, describe the discovery of the metal box and its letter, and follow the initial investigative and response actions up to the aborted ransom drop - asking how a device so carefully engineered failed to destroy the building. Person: Captain Ron Perrini Person: FBI Special Agent Bill Jonkey Date: August 26, 1980 Location: Harvey's Resort Hotel and Casino, Stateline, Nevada Demand: $3 million - Two men entered Harvey's front entrance at 5:30 a.m. carrying what they described as a photocopier and rode the elevator to the executive offices. - The metal box measured about the size of a large filing cabinet and was divided into an upper section with 28 numbered switches and a lower section impenetrable to X-rays. - Switch 23 was the only switch in the up position while the other 27 were down. - A letter at the base of the box claimed the device contained 1,000 pounds of TNT and described three separate timers set to detonate. - Nuclear Emergency Search Team blast estimates predicted significant structural damage between 1,500 and 2,500 feet, severe damage to 800 yards, and total destruction within 200 meters. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The Casino Bomb That Nearly Flattened Tahoe - And Why It Stayed Silent

  5. 4d ago

    The Hair That Didn't Belong: Neighbor, Hammer, and Silence

    The Hair That Didn't Belong: Neighbor, Hammer, and Silence A single dark lock of hair placed in a dead woman's hand turned a brutal murder into a puzzle that refused to make sense: the strand did not belong to Heather Barnett, and police found a towel with mixed blood but no immediate suspect. How could a crime that was methodical, staged and unhurried leave behind a piece of hair that pointed to someone else? In this episode, we follow the known facts of the November 12, 2002 homicide in Bournemouth and the immediate forensic trail that puzzled investigators, asking how proximity, planning, and a stranger's hair came together in a house where nothing else seemed random. Person: Heather Barnett Date: November 12, 2002 Location: Bournemouth Person: Danilo Restivo Item: green towel with mixed DNA - Heather Barnett, age 48, was found murdered on November 12, 2002 after being struck with a hammer that fractured her skull. - Two children, a 14-year-old boy and an 11-year-old sibling, found her and a 14-year-old made the 999 call. - A lock of Heather's own hair was in her left hand and a different, darker lock of hair was deliberately placed in her right hand. - Sports shoe prints tracked through blood across every room with none leading toward the front door, and the killer had changed clothes in the living room. - A green towel near the front door carried blood with a mixed DNA profile including Heather's and an unknown second individual. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The Hair That Didn't Belong: Neighbor, Hammer, and Silence

  6. 5d ago

    The Man in the Closet: How a Routine Life Hid Murder

    The Man in the Closet: How a Routine Life Hid Murder Everyday routines hid a stranger sleeping four feet from a husband's bed for an entire month, and a video in the cloud became the only thing that unraveled it. How did a life of predictable phone calls, a county courthouse wedding, and a hardware store end with a camera and a closet-used-as-prison? In this episode, we tell the sequence of events that led from pizza delivery and daily phone calls to a decision made while the homeowner was out for twenty minutes. Listen to how the routines that defined Randy Roberts’ life intersected with Candace and Ricardo’s choices - and what finally exposed the truth. Person: Randy Roberts Person: Candace Roberts Person: Ricardo Location: Roanoke, Virginia Date: July 4, 2011 - Randy called his mother every weekday at 1:00 PM without fail. - Randy was 37 years old and owned a hardware store on a quiet commercial strip. - Candace delivered pizza to the store on Tuesdays and Thursdays before they started dating. - Ricardo lived in the master bedroom walk-in closet behind hanging clothes for one month. - Randy walked away from the house for about twenty minutes the night he returned to be attacked. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The Man in the Closet: How a Routine Life Hid Murder

  7. 6d ago

    She Shot Him, Then Walked To The Gallows: Ruth Ellis' Truth

    She Shot Him, Then Walked To The Gallows: Ruth Ellis' Truth The morning Ruth Ellis walked to the gallows, she wore her own clothes, refused a reprieve, and said only that she wanted to be with the man she had killed. The jury took less than thirty minutes to convict her, yet the courtroom never heard about a gun that "appeared from nowhere," a pregnancy ended by a punch, or who taught her to shoot - so what single hidden detail makes the whole case crack open? In this episode, we follow the timeline from the night Ruth waited outside the Magdala to the execution at Holloway Prison, laying out events, relationships, and courtroom omissions that shaped the verdict and aftermath. What was left unasked in court that changes how we understand Ruth's act? Person: Ruth Ellis Date: 13 July 1955 Location: Holloway Prison, London Victim: David Blakely Child: Andy, age 10 - At 9:20 pm on Easter Sunday 1955, Ruth stood outside the Magdala with a freshly oiled and loaded revolver in her handbag. - She fired all six rounds at David Blakely: four bullets hit him, one missed, one ricocheted and cut a passerby's hand. - Ruth was born 9 October 1926 in Rhyl, North Wales, the third of six children. - She managed the Little Club on Brompton Road until being fired in December 1954, after which she lost the bedsit attached to the club. - The jury at the Old Bailey took less than thirty minutes to convict her of murder. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    She Shot Him, Then Walked To The Gallows: Ruth Ellis' Truth

  8. Oct 26

    The Straw That Chose a Killer: South Jamaica's Midnight Betrayal

    The Straw That Chose a Killer: South Jamaica's Midnight Betrayal A single drawn straw decided which man would die for eight thousand dollars in South Jamaica, Queens - a petty gesture that welded chance to murder at 3:28 AM on February 26, 1988. The episode traces how a sandwich lie, a parole visit, and a prison phone call set four men on a collision course with a rookie cop; who pulled the string that night, and why? In this episode, we follow the chain of events that linked a deli raid, a near‑murdered parole officer, and prison calls to the killing of Officer Eddie Byrne, asking whether one small choice could have altered everything. Person: Officer Eddie Byrne Date: February 26, 1988 Location: South Jamaica, Queens Person: Lorenzo "Fat Cat" Nichols Person: Brian Rooney - Four men drove into South Jamaica at 3:00 AM to kill a police officer for $8,000. - The dispatch call reporting the shooting came in at 3:28 AM on February 26, 1988. - Lorenzo "Fat Cat" Nichols was arrested in July 1985 after $30,000 in cash, firearms, heroin, and cocaine were found in a deli. - Nichols was freed on $70,000 bail and later had a prior 14‑year sentence reimposed after his parole officer Brian Rooney called Detective Sergeant Mike McGinnis. - Howard "Pappy" Mason was convicted on a firearms charge on February 24, 1988, and made a prison call to Philip Copeland two days before the killing. To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com. © 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved. This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: business@obomedia.com.

    The Straw That Chose a Killer: South Jamaica's Midnight Betrayal
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About

Some experiences stay with people because they are difficult to explain and even harder to forget. A strange sound in the dark, an unsettling encounter, or a night that takes an unexpected turn can become the kind of story that is repeated for years. True Nightmare Stories brings together disturbing accounts, frightening situations, and moments that leave people questioning what really happened. The podcast focuses on stories that feel close to real life, whether they involve unexplained events, dangerous situations, or fear that grows from something ordinary. Not every story offers a clear answer, and that uncertainty is often what makes the memory linger long after the moment has passed.

Information

  • Creator
    Creator at Obomedia
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    128
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 OBOMEDIA Creators
  • Show Website
    True Nightmare Stories

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