Bramble and Bone Podcast

Bramble & Bone

Step into the dark with me. Let’s see what we find when the fire dies down... Hosted by KT, Bramble and Bone is an intimate, shadow-drenched journey into true crime, forgotten dark history, and eerie global folklore. While our roots lie deep in the misty hills, we wander wherever the mysteries are cold and the stories are haunting. Each episode is a quiet ritual. Pour a warm cup of tea, light a single candle, and pull your chair closer to the hearth. Subscribe now, and I'll see you in the next chapter, dear listener.

Episodes

  1. Aug 24

    Case File 006: The Greenbrier Ghost — A Killer Named From Beyond the Grave

    Show Notes: Livesay's Mill, West Virginia. 1897. A young bride is found dead at the bottom of the stairs. Her husband won't let anyone near her neck. The doctor writes it off in an afternoon. She's buried within a day, dressed by her own husband's hands — a stiff high collar cinched tight around her throat, a veil wound up under her chin like she's hiding from something even in the coffin. Case closed. Except her mother won't let it stay that way — because four nights running, she says her daughter came back. Walked right up to the bed. Sat with her in the dark. And told her exactly what happened. This week, we're covering the only case in American legal history where a ghost's testimony is credited with helping convict a killer. It's a story about a mountain community that almost let a murderer walk free because nobody wanted to look too closely at a grieving man — and about the one person who refused to stop looking, even when everyone around her had already closed the book. Sources & Further Reading:West Virginia Archives and History; The Monroe Watchman and The Greenbrier Independent (1897); The Man Who Wanted Seven Wives by Katie Letcher Lyle; The Greenbrier Ghost and Other Strange Stories by Dennis J. Dietz; e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia; Greenbrier County Circuit Court trial testimony, 1897; West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History archives; The Haunting of Zona Heaster Shue by Nancy Richmond and Misty Murray-Walkup; Greenbrier Historical Society archives; West Virginia state historical marker records, erected by the WV Department of Culture and History, 1991. If you enjoy Bramble and Bone, please rate, review, and follow — it helps more than you know. 🕯️🦴 Follow along:📷 Instagram: @brambleandbonepodcast🎥 Visual dossiers on YouTube every Thursday🌿 New episodes every Monday #BrambleAndBone #TrueCrimePodcast #GreenbrierGhost #AppalachianFolklore #ColdCase

  2. Aug 21

    File 004: The Sodder Children — A Visual Dossier | Part One

    "Your house is going up in smoke... and your children are going to be destroyed!" Christmas Eve, 1945. Fayette County, West Virginia. A fire tears through the Sodder family home, and five children — Maurice, Martha, Louis, Jennie, and Betty — never make it out. But the house doesn't just burn. It vanishes — no bones, no teeth, no trace of five lives, in a fire far too weak to erase them. This visual dossier traces George Sodder's journey from a thirteen-year-old immigrant to a self-made Appalachian businessman, the threats that shadowed his family before Christmas Eve, the twenty minutes that changed everything, and the impossible aftermath that would haunt a mother for the rest of her life. Part Two — the cover-up, the billboard, and the search that never ended — drops next Thursday. This is Bramble and Bone. Sources & Further Reading: Smithsonian Magazine — "What Happened to the Sodder Children, the Siblings Who Went Up in Smoke in a West Virginia House Fire?" — smithsonianmag.com/history/what-happened-sodder-children-siblings-who-went-up-in-smoke-west-virginia-house-fire-172429802Wikipedia — "Sodder children disappearance" — en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodder_children_disappearanceLegends of America — "Missing Sodder Children in West Virginia" — legendsofamerica.com/missing-sodder-childrenHowStuffWorks — "A Christmas Eve Mystery: What Happened to the Sodder Children?" — people.howstuffworks.com/sodder-children.htmABC News — "The mystery of the vanished Sodder children has never been solved" — abc.net.au/news/2023-12-25/the-mystery-of-the-vanished-sodder-children/103245390Mental Floss — "The Enduring Mystery of the Sodder Children's Christmas Disappearance" — mentalfloss.com/article/522074/enduring-mystery-sodder-childrens-christmas-disappearanceListverse — "10 Facts About The Sodder Children Mystery That Don't Add Up" — listverse.com/2021/01/25/10-facts-about-the-sodder-children-mystery-that-dont-add-upABC News / Vintage News — coverage of FBI correspondence, coroner's jury, and investigation timeline

  3. Aug 17

    Case File 005- Nine Skiers Vanish Into the Storm

    In February 1959, a search party trekked into Russia's Ural Mountains looking for nine missing hikers. What they found was one of the strangest unsolved mysteries in modern history — a tent slashed open from the inside, footprints leading into the dark showing no sign of panic, and injuries the medical examiner could only compare to a high-speed car crash. No external wounds. No clear explanation. And radioactive clothing that only deepened the mystery. This week, we dig into the Dyatlov Pass Incident — the forensic evidence, the decades of Soviet secrecy, and the theories that have tried (and failed) to fully explain what happened on that mountain. 🔑 New episodes every Monday. Visual dossiers every Thursday.📩 Got a case or local legend you want covered? DM us — we're always digging. Hosted, researched, and produced by KT. Sources: Scientific / Academic Puzrin, A. & Gaume, J. (2021). "Mechanisms of slab avalanche release and impact in the Dyatlov Pass incident in 1959." Communications Earth & Environment, Nature Research.Follow-up correction/expedition findings, Communications Earth & Environment (March 2022) — field footage supporting the avalanche theory.Journalism National Geographic — "Has science solved one of history's greatest adventure mysteries?"Smithsonian Magazine — "Have Scientists Finally Unraveled the 60-Year Mystery Surrounding Nine Russian Hikers' Deaths?" (Jan 29, 2021)Additional reporting on video evidence supporting the slab avalanche theory, including field observations of slope angles exceeding 28-30 degrees at the site.Primary / Case Archive dyatlovpass.com — dedicated case archive with translated original investigation documents and ongoing case reporting, including recent petitions from victims' relatives to reopen the investigation.Documentary An Unknown Compelling Force (2021) — interviews with Russian investigators, a former Moscow Times journalist, friends of the hikers, and U.S. experts including a former FBI agent.Note: The avalanche theory is the leading modern scientific explanation, but it remains contested — victims' family members and groups like the Dyatlov Foundation are not fully convinced and continue pushing for further investigation.

  4. Aug 14

    Case File 004- Vanished in the Flames: The Sodder Family Mystery

    Episode 4: The Sodder Family Mystery On Christmas Eve, 1945, fire tore through the Sodder family home in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Two adults and four children escaped — but five Sodder children were never found. No remains. No bones. Just ash, and a family that spent the rest of their lives insisting their kids didn't die in that fire. In this episode, we walk through the case that's haunted a small Appalachian town for nearly 80 years: The Sodder family and the night of the fireThe phone lines that went dead and the ladder that disappearedA stranger's threat made months earlierInconsistencies in the official investigation and fire department responseThe billboard the family kept up for decades, and the photo that reignited the mysteryWhere the case stands today — theories, skeptics, and what still doesn't add upSources: Smithsonian Magazine — "What Happened to the Sodder Children?": smithsonianmag.com/history/what-happened-sodder-children-siblings-who-went-up-in-smoke-west-virginia-house-fire-172429802All That's Interesting — "The Chilling Story Of The Sodder Children Who Went Up In Smoke": allthatsinteresting.com/sodder-childrenDefrosting Cold Cases — "Case of the Month: The Sodder Children": defrostingcoldcases.com/case-month-sodder-childrenHushed Up History — "Up in Smoke: The Tragedy of the Sodder Children": husheduphistory.com/post/176093625553/up-in-smoke-the-tragedy-of-the-sodder-childrenUnfreezing Cold Cases (Penn State) — "Entry 10: The Sodder Children": sites.psu.edu/resorensenpassion/2019/12/01/entry-10-the-sodder-childrenCredits:Hosted, researched, and produced by KT Follow along:Instagram / TikTok / YouTube: @bramblebonepodNew episodes every Monday, dossier videos every Thursday

  5. Aug 13

    Chapter 003 [Regional Folklore]: The Beast of Bladenboro Visual Dossier

    About This Chapter:Welcome to our very first Regional Folklore episode. In the dark, damp cypress swamps of Bladen County, North Carolina, the winter of 1953 brought something terrifying out of the shadows. What began as mutilated, bloodless livestock and crushed hound skulls quickly spiraled into nationwide panic, drawing over 1,000 armed hunters into Big Swamp. Was it an escaped exotic predator, a relict cougar, or a case of mass hysteria fueled by sensational headlines? In this visual dossier, we open the files and dissect the police records, forensic evidence, and lingering lore of the Vampire Cat of Bladenboro. In This Episode: 0:00 – Introduction & File 003: The Moon 1:05 – Winter 1953: The First Attacks in Big Swamp 3:55 – New Year’s Eve: The Carnage at the Boss Kennels 7:42 – The Stalking of Mrs. Kinlaw & The Caterwaul 14:04 – National Panic & The 1,000-Man Hunt 18:13 – A Political Stunt? Mayor Fussell & The Flagpole Bobcat 20:04 – Forensic Dissection: Deconstructing the "Vampire Cat" 22:15 – The Three Theories: Exotic Jaguar, Relict Cougar, or Mass Hysteria? 24:34 – Final Thoughts & Sign-off Sources Cited in This Dossier: Wilmington Morning Star (Jan 1954 Archives) The Charlotte News (Jan 1954 Archives) The Robesonian (Dec 1954 Archives) Gallehugh, James F., Jr. "The Vampire Beast of Bladenboro." The North Carolina Folklore Journal, 1976. State Archives of North Carolina & NCDNCR Explore More from Bramble and Bone: Website: Check out our official site on Podsqueeze for more info, sources, and updates. Schedule: Tune in for new chapters every Thursday! Lock your doors, check your treelines, and keep your lamps burning bright.KT Historical Newspaper Archives (1954) Newspapers from across North Carolina heavily covered the ensuing panic and the 1,000-man hunt. These are excellent primary sources for the timeline of events: Wilmington Morning Star: Reporter John Hall was on the ground during the hunt. Key articles include: "Vampire Tendencies Found In Bladenboro’s ‘Monsters’" (January 5, 1954) "Guns, Dogs Circle Blood Lusty Beast" (January 7, 1954) "Monster Strikes Again, Slays Dog" (January 8, 1954) The Charlotte News: "The Beast Of Bladenboro - They All Know 'It'll Come Back'" by S. Grady, J. Scheer, and R. Green (January 7, 1954). The Robesonian: Covered the aftermath and local theories late in the year, including "‘Beast Of Bladenboro’ Scare Ends In Death Of Large Dog" (December 16, 1954). For a deeper dive into the cultural impact and mythos of the event, this is the most prominent academic-style review: Gallehugh, James F., Jr. "The Vampire Beast of Bladenboro." The North Carolina Folklore Journal, vol. 24, no. 2, August 1976, pp. 53–58. (This journal is published by the North Carolina Folklore Society and details how the panic transitioned into local legend). These resources aggregate the witness accounts, police involvement, and political maneuvers: North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources (NCDNCR): Catalogs the timeline of the "Vampire Cat," detailing the drained livestock, the 7:30 a.m. encounter by Mrs. C.E. Kinlaw, and the involvement of Police Chief Roy Fores. North Carolina Ghosts / State Archives: Compiles the chronological narrative of the "monster flap," including the detail that Mayor Woodrow Fussell (who also owned the town theater) booked the horror film The Big Cat during the height of the panic, leaning into the theory that the flagpole bobcat was a political stunt to end the hysteria. Folklore Journals & ArticlesState & Regional Historical Records

  6. Aug 6

    EP 03: The Vampire Cat of 1954 | Regional Folklore & Monster Myths

    🎙️ Episode Summary In the dead of winter between 1953 and 1954, an unseen predator emerged from the dark waters of Big Swamp in Bladen County, North Carolina. What began as a series of gruesome, bloodless livestock and hound killings quickly spiraled into a media circus, bringing over a thousand armed hunters, fraternity brothers, and news reporters to a small timber town of 800 people. In this episode of Bramble and Bone, we pull File 003 to investigate the legend of the "Vampire Cat." From terrified eyewitness accounts on rural porches to the mayor’s infamous public relations stunt, we separate 1950s mass hysteria from apex predator reality—applying modern veterinary forensics to reveal what really happened in the shadows of the cypress bogs. 📋 In This Episode, We Cover: The Bloodless Carnage (Dec 1953): The discovery of prized hunting hounds with crushed skulls, fractured jawbones, and an eerie total absence of blood on the dirt. The Kinlaw Stalking (Jan 5, 1954): Mrs. C.E. Kinlaw’s terrifying dusk encounter with a sleek, 5-foot black cat—and the piercing "woman's scream" (caterwaul) that haunted the swamp edge. The 1,000-Man Armed Mob: How national media headlines created an overnight warzone in Bladenboro as searchlight-bearing hunters descended on the pine barrens. The Mayor’s Flagpole Stunt: Mayor Woodrow Fussell’s desperate attempt to end the panic by hanging a 30-pound bobcat on a flagpole and declaring the hunt over. Modern Veterinary Forensics: How hydraulic jaw pressure and internal hemorrhaging debunked the "vampire cat" myth while revealing an even deadlier predator profile. The Three Theories: Exotic escapees, relict cougars, or collective mass hysteria—what really vanished back into Big Swamp? 📁 The Visual Dossier Drop Want to examine the original 1954 newspaper clippings, footprint casts, tracking maps, and case evidence for yourself? The Episode 3 Visual Dossier drops next Thursday on Spotify Video and YouTube! 🔗 Connect & Follow Spotify: [Bramble and Bone Podcast] YouTube: [@BrambleAndBone] Apple Podcasts: [Bramble and Bone] Instagram / TikTok / Facebook: @BrambleAndBone 📚 Episode 03 Research Archive & Bibliography The following primary news archives, historical journals, and regional folklore documentations serve as the factual foundation for File 003: The Beast of Bladenboro. 📰 Primary Newspaper Archives (1954) The Wilmington Morning Star (Wilmington, NC): Hall, James. "Vampire Tendencies Found in Bladenboro’s 'Monsters.'" Jan 5, 1954, pp. 1, 3. Hall, James. "Bladen Beast Still Prowls." Jan 6, 1954. Hall, James. "Guns, Dogs Circle Blood-Lusty Beast." Jan 7, 1954, p. 1. Hall, James. "Monster Strikes Again, Slays Dog." Jan 8, 1954, p. 1. Hall, James. "Vampire Beast Wins Battle of Bladenboro." Jan 9, 1954, p. 1. "Beast Takes Stroll; Frightens Autoists." Jan 12, 1954, p. 1. "Bladen Man Traps Bobcat; Is It the Ferocious Beast?" Jan 14, 1954, p. 1. The Charlotte News (Charlotte, NC): Grady, S., Scheer, J., & Green, R. "The Beast of Bladenboro: They All Know 'It'll Come Back.'" Jan 7, 1954. The Robesonian (Lumberton, NC): "Beast of Bladenboro Type Killer Strikes in Robeson." Dec 15, 1954. "Beast of Bladenboro Scare Ends in Death of Large Dog." Dec 16, 1954, pp. 1, 7. 📖 Folklore & Retrospective Publications Gallehugh, J. F. (1976): "The Vampire Beast of Bladenboro." North Carolina Folklore Journal, Vol. 24, pp. 53–58. Corey, J. (June 1958): "Is The Beast Dead?" The Carolina Farmer. North Carolina Ghosts & Digital Heritage Archives: Oral history recollections of Bladen County residents (including Ev Butler’s local account of nighttime curfews and swamp hunts). NCpedia & State Library of North Carolina: Historical records regarding Woodrow “Bob” Fussell (Mayor of Bladenboro / Theater Owner) and Police Chief Roy Fores.

  7. Jul 30

    Case File 002: The Vanishing at Jumping-off Place (Sherry Hart & The Search for Richard Lynn Bare)

    In the dead of winter in 1984, 24-year-old mother Sherry Elaine Hart stepped into a white 1977 Ford Mustang for a late-night drive along North Carolina’s Highway 16. She never returned home to her 5-year-old daughter. For eleven agonizing months, her disappearance remained a silent mystery across the High Country—until two hunters looked down into the 2,000-foot abyss of Jumping-off Place. What followed was a harrowing investigation, a chilling confession, and one of the most embarrassing security failures in North Carolina law enforcement history: a capital murder suspect who unlocked his cell door and vanished into thin air. Join host KT as Bramble and Bone opens the physical archive on the murder of Sherry Hart, the 40-year manhunt for escaped fugitive Richard Lynn Bare, and a family’s unyielding pursuit of justice. ⏱️ Episode Chapters & Timestamps ⁠00:00⁠ — Opening Dossier: The Sworn Statement ⁠01:42⁠ — Act I: Highway 16: A Late-Night Drive (January 15, 1984) ⁠06:35⁠ — Act II: The Ravine: The Hunters’ Discovery at Jumping-off Place ⁠10:18⁠ — Forensic Trail: The White 1977 Mustang & The Interrogation ⁠14:15⁠ — Act III: The Midnight Breach: The Escape from Wilkes County Jail ⁠18:45⁠ — Act IV: Profile of a Fugitive: The FBI Profile & Female Disguises ⁠23:10⁠ — Close Calls: The 1993 Delaware SWAT Raid ⁠26:35⁠ — Act V: High Country Whispers: 40 Years of Rumors ⁠29:50⁠ — The Legacy: April's Fight for Her Mother & The Official Tip Line 📋 Case Overview & Key Details Victim: Sherry Elaine Hart (Age 24) Date of Disappearance: Sunday, January 15, 1984 Location: Ashe County / Wilkes County line, North Carolina (Highway 16 / Blue Ridge Parkway) Date of Recovery: December 10, 1984 (Jumping-off Place Overlook) Wanted Fugitive: Richard Lynn Bare (Escaped Wilkes County Jail on July 17, 1985) Charges: 1st Degree Capital Murder (Active Federal Warrant for Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution) 🔍 FBI Fugitive Profile: Richard Lynn Bare If you have any information regarding Richard Lynn Bare, take note of his documented behavioral traits and physical markers: Tattoo: Dark Panther tattoo on his right forearm. Aversion: An intense, visceral physical hatred of tobacco smoke. Modus Operandi: Known history of utilizing female disguises (wigs, cosmetics, padded clothing) while traveling on public transit. Skills: Native outdoorsman with extreme survival skills in mountain/woodland environments. 📞 How to Submit a Tip This remains an active, open fugitive investigation. If you have any information regarding the whereabouts of Richard Lynn Bare or details concerning the 1984 murder of Sherry Hart, please contact law enforcement immediately: NC State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) Toll-Free Tip Line: ⁠1-866-43-WANTED⁠ (⁠1-866-439-2683⁠) Wilkes County Sheriff's Office: Local District Office / Dispatch 🌲 Connect with Bramble and Bone Subscribe / Follow: Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you access your case files. Support the Show: Leave a 5-star rating and review to help keep these cold cases in the public eye. *> Stay safe in the dark, keep your doors locked, and watch the treeline.

  8. Jul 23

    Case File 001: The Thaw of Watauga County

    The Teaser: In February 1972, a historic, unpredicted blizzard slammed into Watauga County, completely isolating the mountain town of Boone. But under the cover of that blinding whiteout, a dark and calculating force was moving up an unpaved mountain incline. When family members finally breached the storm to check on the Durham home, they found a perfectly quiet house, a missing Buick station wagon, and a meticulously destroyed interior that hid a terrifying reality. Pull your chair close to the hearth as we unravel a 50-year mountain mystery that permanently altered the High Country. Visual Companion: Want to see the physical investigator's log, hand-drawn maps of Watauga County, and the real evidence files from tonight's episode? View the full Bramble & Bone Journal Spread on YouTube at Bramble and Bone Podcast. Primary Sources & Further Reading: ​Literature Focus: Convoluted: The 1972 Durham Family Triple Homicide by Terry L. Harmon (2024).​NBC News: "Triple murder solved 50 years after North Carolina family found slain in bathtub" by Dennis Romero.​The Crewe-Burkeville Journal: "Update on Durham Family Murders" (Featured Archive).​Video Report Archive: Watauga County Cold Case Review & Investigation Details (Official Broadcast).​Watauga County Sheriff’s Office & NC State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) — Historical case records (1972–2022).​The Watauga Democrat — Archival local reporting on the Durham family history.​Atmospheric Scoring & Ambient Themes: Sourced via royalty-free stock audio libraries and AI-generated soundscapes.​Sound Design & SFX: High-fidelity stock wind, blizzard, and hearth elements.​TikTok: @BrambleAndBone​Instagram: @BrambleAndBone​YouTube: Subscribe to Bramble & Bone for the full visual, candle-lit experience.Music & Atmosphere Credits:Connect With the Woods:If these dark histories speak to you, please take a moment to leave a 5-star rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. It keeps the fire burning in this quiet corner.

    Case File 001: The Thaw of Watauga County
5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Step into the dark with me. Let’s see what we find when the fire dies down... Hosted by KT, Bramble and Bone is an intimate, shadow-drenched journey into true crime, forgotten dark history, and eerie global folklore. While our roots lie deep in the misty hills, we wander wherever the mysteries are cold and the stories are haunting. Each episode is a quiet ritual. Pour a warm cup of tea, light a single candle, and pull your chair closer to the hearth. Subscribe now, and I'll see you in the next chapter, dear listener.