Dark City: Revealing History Hiding in the Shadows

Dark City Productions

Dark City uncovers the real, gritty, and often hidden stories behind the places you think you know. From true crime and dark history to paranormal encounters and urban legends, every episode is a tour of the secrets, scandals, and mysteries hiding in the shadows. Season 2: Phoenix is now streaming, with occasional detours to places with stories too good to wait.  Hit follow or subscribe and you will never miss an episode!  Follow for episode photos and more at: 📷 Instagram: instagram.com/darkcity.podcast       🪡 Threads: threads.com/@darkcity.podcast  👤 Facebook: facebook.com/darkcitypod 🦋 Bluesky: darkcitypodcast.bsky.social🎥 TikTok: tiktok.com/@darkcitypod  🌎 Website: www.darkcitypodcast.com Feedback or listener tales you would like to share?  Drop me a note at info@darkcitypodcast.com!  I would love to hear from you. Genres: Travel, History, True Crime, Paranormal, Culture

  1. FEB 4

    48. EXTREMISM: Where the Open Road Meets Evil on the Roof of the World

    Two high-achieving twenty-somethings quit their dream jobs, strapped everything they owned to two bikes, and pedaled into the kind of freedom most of us only fantasize about during a bad Monday meeting. Lauren Geoghegan and Jay Austen weren’t reckless thrill seekers. They were planners, idealists, the type who believed the world was mostly kind. So when their round-the-world cycling trip carried them into the mountains of Tajikistan and straight into the path of an ISIS attack, their story became more than a headline. It became a brutal collision between world views. I highly recommend William Elliott Hazelgrove’s book Evil on the Roof of the World: A Cycling Trip that Ended in Terror if you want to go even deeper into this story. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Evil-Roof-World-Cycling-Terror/dp/B0F78H5VST  Follow for episode photos and more at: 📷 Instagram: instagram.com/darkcitypod  🌎 Website: www.darkcitypodcast.com ✉️ Email:  info@darkcitypodcast.com  📚 Sources: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-45026752 https://www.npr.org/2018/07/31/634373403/d-c-couple-killed-in-tajikistan-attack-were-biking-around-the-world-together https://www.nytimes.com/2019/06/21/the-weekly/isis-bike-attack-tajikistan.html https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/biking/tajikistan-bike-murders-jay-austin-lauren-geoghegan/ https://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/exploration-survival/american-cyclists-killed-isis-tajikistan/?scope=anon https://www.simplycycling.org/ 🎵 All music in this episode is sourced from Pixabay, with tracks including: Mountain Wind by Siarhei Korbut Peace of Mind – Calm Ambient Music by Clavier-Music Bossa Nova Instrumental 01 by alanajordan Ambient Background by playstarz_music Seaside in Sorrow – Sad and Touching Soft Piano by HarumachiMusic Desert Winds Meditation by NaturesEye Midnight Whispers Creepy Dark Horror Background by TrenoX8 Piano Cinematic by The_Mountain Inspirational Documentary Cinematic Piano by NotAIGenerated Have ideas or suggestion? We would love to hear from you! Send us a text via this link. 👏 Special thanks to our talented partners: Paolo Sbrighi for Musical Composition (instagram.com/paulosbrighi/) Mario Cintra for Logo Design (instagram.com/alacarala/)

    26 min
  2. JAN 13

    47. HIDDEN HISTORY: The True Events That Inspired Stranger Things

    Montauk, NY | The premise for Stranger Things didn’t come from nowhere. We’re headed to Montauk, New York, where a real Cold War base, abandoned bunkers, and stubborn paper trails collide with a conspiracy theory that helped inspire Netflix’s biggest monster story. You’ll hear from Montauk native and author Brian Minnick, who explored Camp Hero as a kid, got chased by “security” years after the base supposedly closed, and found enough oddities to make one question what was actually sealed up and what kept running. I highly recommend Brian Minnick’s book Montauk is Strange. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Montauk-Strange-Archives-Exploring-Project-ebook/dp/B0CYMCYPZ1  You can follow Brian and see exclusive videos of his underground explorations at https://www.instagram.com/montauk_is_strange/.  Follow for episode photos and more at: 📷 Instagram: instagram.com/darkcitypod  ✉️ Email:  info@darkcitypodcast.com  🐇 Sources: https://facesoflongisland.newsday.com/montauk-lighthouse-keeper-tells-tall-tales-of-history-a-ghost-and-the-next-200-years/ https://montauklibrary.org/throwback-thursday-montauks-air-force-station/ https://nypost.com/article/camp-hero-montauk-project-conspiracy/ https://parks.ny.gov/visit/state-parks/camp-hero-state-park https://play.history.com/specials/the-dark-files-3/full-special.  https://strangerthings.fandom.com/wiki/Hawkins_National_Laboratory https://www.britannica.com/topic/MK-ULTRA https://www.businessinsider.com/camp-hero-montauk-air-force-base-inspired-stranger-things-photos-2023-8 https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP96-00789R002800180001-2.pdf https://www.history.com/articles/cia-esp-espionage-soviet-union-cold-war https://www.history.com/articles/what-was-operation-paperclip https://www.history.com/mkultra-operation-midnight-climax-cia-lsd-experiments https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/duffer-brothers-talk-stranger-things-916180/ https://www.masterclass.com/classes/the-duffer-brothers-teach-developing-an-original-tv-series https://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/the-dark-files-film-explores-montauk-s-mysterious-camp-hero-state-park-on-history-channel-v57264 https://www.npr.org/2014/02/15/275877755/the-secret-operation-to-bring-nazi-scientists-to-america https://www.npr.org/2019/09/09/758989641/the-cias-secret-quest-for-mind-control-torture-lsd-and-a-poisoner-in-chief https://www.phillyvoice.com/holmesburg-prison-inmate-experiments-apology-northeast-philadelphia-albert-kligma/ https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-montauk-monster/ https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/stranger-things-duffers-lawsuit-montauk-project https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2020/09/16/fact-check-nazi-scientists-brought-u-s-operation-paperclip/5690870002/ Newsday. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBu4YlJENOc  MONTAUK: You're Not Going to Like This. The InBetween. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5ODjWTL8q0&t=2s https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-mercury-1960-radar-tower/187508067 https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-morning-call-montauk-camp-hero-opens/187510174/ 🎵 Music from Pixabay: Ambient - Dark - V1 by SenorMusica81 Stranger Things by Music_Unlimited Cloudscape by Aonescape Secret Enfoui Cinematic Tension Soundscape by Lilliben Mystical Emotions - Atmospheric Cinematic by Dvir Silverstone Dark Story Inve Have ideas or suggestion? We would love to hear from you! Send us a text via this link. 👏 Special thanks to our talented partners: Paolo Sbrighi for Musical Composition (instagram.com/paulosbrighi/) Mario Cintra for Logo Design (instagram.com/alacarala/)

    30 min
  3. 12/25/2025

    46. GHOST TOWN Minisode | The Quixotic Rise and Fall of Santa Claus, AZ

    Santa Claus, AZ | In the 1930s, a holiday fantasy rose from the Arizona desert, promising Christmas every day of the year. This is the story of what happens when we try to make permanent what is seasonal by design. Follow for episode photos and more at: 📷 Instagram: instagram.com/darkcitypod 🪡 Threads: threads.net/@darkcitypod 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/darkcitypod ✉️ Email:  info@darkcitypodcast.com 🔎 Sources: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/santa-claus-arizona https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona-history/2024/12/18/santa-claus-az-history/76763717007/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-history/2022/12/07/where-christmas-was-celebrated-year-round-santa-claus-arizona/69706879007/ https://roadtrippers.com/magazine/once-festive-town-santa-claus-arizona/ https://www.arizonahighways.com/article/santa-claus-arizona https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-santa-claus-inn-own/187254288/ The Plain Dealer. (October 11, 1970). Santa claus arizona. Newspapers.com. Retrieved December 21, 2025, from https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-plain-dealer-santa-claus-arizona/187254432/ Arizona Daily Star. (December 25, 1976). Santa Claus for Sale. Newspapers.com. Retrieved December 21, 2025, from https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-star-santa-claus-for-sale/187254477/ Nevada State Journal. (December 25, 1976). Need a Gift - Santa Claus. Newspapers.com. Retrieved December 21, 2025, from https://www.newspapers.com/article/nevada-state-journal-need-a-gift-santa/187254503/ Pasadena Star-News. (April 13, 1931). Ninon Santa Claus. Newspapers.com. Retrieved December 22, 2025, from https://www.newspapers.com/article/pasadena-star-news-ninon-santa-claus/187300212/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nepE18QbGj8. Santa Claus | The Christmas-Themed Desert Ghost Town Obscurist Tourist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p67KJT_9l_E . Santa Claus, Arizona | Cronkite News https://www.nps.gov/articles/route-66-overview.htm 🎵 All music in this episode is sourced from Pixabay, with tracks including: Jingle Bells Back to Sleep by Laurent Buczek Quirky Children Music by Tunetank Christmas Holiday (Christmas Jazz) by Tunetank Dark Christmas (Short) by Siarhei Korbut God Rest, Ye Merry Meta by Alexander Nakarada Have ideas or suggestion? We would love to hear from you! Send us a text via this link. 👏 Special thanks to our talented partners: Paolo Sbrighi for Musical Composition (instagram.com/paulosbrighi/) Mario Cintra for Logo Design (instagram.com/alacarala/)

    8 min
  4. 12/19/2025

    45. MURDER: Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter with Troy Hillman Pt 2

    Phoenix, AZ | The DNA match finally gave the canal murderer a name: Bryan Patrick Miller. But what followed raised more questions than answers. In Part 2, with retired Cold Case Sergeant Troy Hillman guiding the investigation, we trace how a man with a long history of violence managed to live an ordinary life while cultivating a public persona that mocked the very system hunting him. I highly recommend Troy Hillman’s book Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter if you want to go even deeper into this case. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Down-Zombie-Hunter-Small-Town/dp/1639369678/ To learn more about Troy Hillman’s work, check out his website at https://troyhillmancoldcase.com/ and follow him on social media at https://www.instagram.com/troyhillmancoldcase/ and  https://www.facebook.com/troy.hillman.2025/  Rate & Review: Thank you so much for listening to Dark City!  I would love to hear from you.  To rate and submit a review on the Apple Podcasts app, scroll down to the “Ratings and Review” section of the show page where you’ll see a “Tap to Rate” section under which you can select the number of stars for your rating.  Underneath written reviews from other listeners, you will find a link to "Write a Review”.  Tap that link and submit your comments on the screen that appears.   Spotify currently allows you to rate podcasts, but not write text reviews. To rate in the Spotify app, navigate to the top of the show page.  Under the podcast cover and title, tap the three dots on the far right next to the gear icon.  Tap the  “Rate Show” option on the menu that appears and tap the number of stars for your ratings. Listening on another platform and can’t find the option to rate and review the show?  Send me an email at info@darkcitypodcast.com and I am happy to send you instructions.  Follow for episode photos and more at: 📷 Instagram: instagram.com/darkcitypod  🪡 Threads: threads.net/@darkcitypod  👤 Facebook: facebook.com/darkcitypod ✉️ Email:  info@darkcitypodcast.com  🔎 Additional Sources True Crime Arizona. (2021–2023). Zombie Hunter series [Audio podcast episodes]. Arizona’s Family. Unmasking the Zombie Hunter | Full Episode + Post Mortem http://www.publishersweekly.com/9781639369676  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/zombie-hunter-bryan-patrick-miller-phoenix-canal-killer-undercover-sting-chilis-capture/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bryan-patrick-miller-zombie-hunter-phoenix-canal-murders-timeline/  https://www.cbsnews.com/news/zombie-hunter-bryan-patrick-miller-convicted-killer-death-row-48-hours/ 🎵 All music in this episode is sourced from Pixabay, with tracks including: Gloomy Background for Documentaries by Universfield Holding Breath (Tension Suspense) by AlexGrohl Solitude – Dark Ambient by Clavier Clavier Stalking My Next Victim – Cinematic True Crime & Detective Music by Joel Fazhari Night Detective by Aleksey Voronin Mysterious Cinematic Background by Marc Corominas Mysterious by Dmitrii Kolesnikov Dark Tension by Nikita Kondrashev Have ideas or suggestion? We would love to hear from you! Send us a text via this link. 👏 Special thanks to our talented partners: Paolo Sbrighi for Musical Composition (instagram.com/paulosbrighi/) Mario Cintra for Logo Design (instagram.com/alacarala/)

    25 min
  5. 12/12/2025

    44. MURDER: Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter with Troy Hillman Pt 1

    Phoenix, AZ | Two brutal attacks along the city’s canal bike paths left residents terrified, investigators overwhelmed, and a serial predator hiding in plain sight. This episode unravels the cases of Angela Brosso and Melanie Bernas, two young women assaulted while out on routine bike rides, and the decades-long effort to uncover who was responsible. With retired Cold Case Sergeant Troy Hillman guiding us through the investigation and the pivotal DNA breakthrough, we follow how a tangle of scattered files slowly transformed into a case that could no longer be ignored. I highly recommend Troy Hillman’s book Chasing Down the Zombie Hunter if you want to go even deeper into this case. You can find it here: https://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Down-Zombie-Hunter-Small-Town/dp/1639369678/ To learn more about Troy Hillman’s work, check out his website at https://troyhillmancoldcase.com/ and follow him on social media at https://www.instagram.com/troyhillmancoldcase/ and  https://www.facebook.com/troy.hillman.2025/ Rate & Review: Thank you so much for listening to Dark City!  I would love to hear from you.  To rate and submit a review on the Apple Podcasts app, scroll down to the “Ratings and Review” section of the show page where you’ll see a “Tap to Rate” section under which you can select the number of stars for your rating.  Underneath written reviews from other listeners, you will find a link to "Write a Review”.  Tap that link and submit your comments on the screen that appears.  Spotify currently allows you to rate podcasts, but not write text reviews. To rate in the Spotify app, navigate to the top of the show page.  Under the podcast cover and title, tap the three dots on the far right next to the gear icon.  Tap the  “Rate Show” option on the menu that appears and tap the number of stars for your ratings. Listening on another platform and can’t find the option to rate and review the show?  Send me an email at info@darkcitypodcast.com and I am happy to send you instructions. Follow for episode photos and more at: 📷 Instagram: instagram.com/darkcitypod 🪡 Threads: threads.net/@darkcitypod 👤 Facebook: facebook.com/darkcitypod ✉️ Email:  info@darkcitypodcast.com 🔎 Additional Sources True Crime Arizona. (2021–2023). Zombie Hunter series [Audio podcast episodes]. Arizona’s Family. Unmasking the Zombie Hunter | Full Episode + Post Mortem http://www.publishersweekly.com/9781639369676 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/zombie-hunter-bryan-patrick-miller-phoenix-canal-killer-undercover-sting-chilis-capture/?ftag=YHF4eb9d17 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bryan-patrick-miller-zombie-hunter-phoenix-canal-murders-timeline/ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/zombie-hunter-bryan-patrick-miller-convicted-killer-death-row-48-hours/ 🎵 All music in this episode is sourced from Pixabay, with tracks including: Gloomy Background for Documentaries by Universfield Holding Breath (Tension Suspense) by AlexGrohl Solitude – Dark Ambient by Clavier Clavier Stalking My Next Victim – Cinematic True Crime & Detective Music by Joel Fazhari Night Detective by Aleksey Voroni Have ideas or suggestion? We would love to hear from you! Send us a text via this link. 👏 Special thanks to our talented partners: Paolo Sbrighi for Musical Composition (instagram.com/paulosbrighi/) Mario Cintra for Logo Design (instagram.com/alacarala/)

    25 min
  6. 11/26/2025

    43. HIDDEN HISTORY Minisode | The Gourd That Almost Named Phoenix

    Phoenix, Arizona | Phoenix is known for cactus and heat, not pumpkins. But in the 1860s, wild gourds grew in the valley, and an early settlement here actually went by Pumpkinville. This episode uncovers how an astonishing canal-building civilization, a chaotic frontiersman, and one dramatic Brit all collided to shape the unlikely pumpkin-soaked origins of America’s fifth-largest city. Follow us for episode photos and more at: 📷 Instagram: instagram.com/darkcitypod  🪡 Threads: threads.net/@darkcitypod  👤 Facebook: facebook.com/darkcitypod 🦋 Bluesky: darkcitypodcast.bsky.social 🎥 TikTok: tiktok.com/@darkcitypod  🌎 Website: www.darkcitypodcast.com ✉️ Email:  info@darkcitypodcast.com  🐇 Go ahead, down the rabbit hole you go… Here’s the complete list of sources for this episode: https://kwcdcountry.com/history-of-phoenix-name/ https://news.azpm.org/p/azpmnews/2024/4/18/219933-ancient-farmers-dug-canals-that-shaped-phoenixs-modern-water-system/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2019/09/15/trinidad-escalante-swilling-latina-mother-of-phoenix/2276908001/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/travel/local/history/2015/01/19/phoenix-once-named-pumpkinville/21873559/ https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/126148506/?match=1&terms=pumpkinville%20phoenix%20arizona https://www.phoenix.gov/administration/departments/sedav-vaaki/plan-your-visit.html https://www.phoenix.gov/history https://www.srpnet.com/about/history/canal-history https://www.visitphoenix.com/stories/post/11-unique-facts-you-didnt-know-about-phoenixs-history/ 🎵 Music Credit  Quirky Orchestra Waltz - Playful and Mischievousvby zec53 from Pixabay Have ideas or suggestion? We would love to hear from you! Send us a text via this link. 👏 Special thanks to our talented partners: Paolo Sbrighi for Musical Composition (instagram.com/paulosbrighi/) Mario Cintra for Logo Design (instagram.com/alacarala/)

    8 min
  7. 11/18/2025

    42. ORGANIZED CRIME: The Assassination of Investigative Reporter Don Bolles Part 2

    Phoenix, AZ | Long before a car bomb ended his life, Don Bolles was already circling danger. For years, he’d been chasing a story about mob money and a greyhound dog racing empire whose ties ran far darker than anyone realized. As he dug deeper, files vanished, witnesses flipped, and suspicious deaths emerged. These questions remain: Was Don Bolles murdered for a story he wrote, or for a story he was about to write? And who ordered the hit? Special thanks to Jarrod Riddle of Spirit of Arizona Tours https://spiritofarizonatours.com/ (highly recommend!) for sharing insight on Phoenix history and the legacy of Don Bolles. 📚 Sources (Continued from Part 1) https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/blogs/news/on-this-day-in-history-the-day-the-law-finally-caught-up-with-al-capone bolles/2019/12/03/wiretapping-story-haunted-reporter-don-bolles-until-his-death/4265879002/ Bartlett, N. (Director). (2022). Who Killed Don Bolles? [Film]. Bartlett Films; United States. https://dondevereux.com/2013/06/30/the-troubling-death-of-tom-sanford-was-don-bolles-editor-also-murdered/ https://dondevereux.com/2019/12/08/sanford-addendum-another-question-on-his-death/ https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/don-bolles/2019/12/17/don-bolles-and-evolution-tracks-mob-and-kemper-marley/2534434001/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix-history/2024/03/13/1970s-metro-phoenix-history/72882175007/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2016/06/02/don-bolles-murder-look-back-arizona-project/84446198/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2016/06/02/max-dunlap-supporters-maintain-innocence-after-2-convictions-don-bolles-murder/84446006/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2016/06/02/would-don-bolles-have-survived-car-bombing-today/84446404/ https://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/phoenix/2016/07/06/james-robison-accused-bombing-republic-reporter-don-bolles-1976-dead-90/86001272/ https://www.azfamily.com/2023/04/21/daughter-convicted-murderer-1976-don-bolles-car-bomb-claims-dad-was-framed/ https://www.kjzz.org/2016-09-14/content-364547-former-arizona-republic-editor-digs-arizonas-organized-crime-history https://www.kjzz.org/2019-11-05/content-1287966-arizona-republic-podcast-based-lost-tapes-murdered-journalist-don-bolles https://www.mobmuseum.org/notable_names/michael-malone/ (if this is the same as the one you gave; if not, keep your original link version) https://www.newspapers.com/image/121259203/ https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-arizona-republic-kemper-nomination-a/183313741/ https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/one-more-death-in-the-bolles-case-6430177/ https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/the-magnate-meets-his-maker-6412300/ https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/060216_bolles_cast/the-murder-don-bolles-players-guide/ https://www.tucsonsentinel.com/local/report/060222_greyhound_park_closing/6-years-after-live-racing-ends-tucson-greyhound-park-closing-after-off-track-betting-doesnt-pay/ 🎵 Music Credits (from Pixabay) True Crime Podcast Music ‘Hard Case’ by Tomasz Glaza Strange Things 120 bpm by Dorothe Wouters Mafioso by PHANTASTICBEATS Midnight by Jurij, SoundReality True Crime Mystery Loopable Emotional Soundscape Music by pianocafe_Kumi Dramatic Piano and Violin by Universfield Find a Weapon by Timothy Kulig Inspiring Cinematic Ambient M Have ideas or suggestion? We would love to hear from you! Send us a text via this link. 👏 Special thanks to our talented partners: Paolo Sbrighi for Musical Composition (instagram.com/paulosbrighi/) Mario Cintra for Logo Design (instagram.com/alacarala/)

    32 min
4.9
out of 5
46 Ratings

About

Dark City uncovers the real, gritty, and often hidden stories behind the places you think you know. From true crime and dark history to paranormal encounters and urban legends, every episode is a tour of the secrets, scandals, and mysteries hiding in the shadows. Season 2: Phoenix is now streaming, with occasional detours to places with stories too good to wait.  Hit follow or subscribe and you will never miss an episode!  Follow for episode photos and more at: 📷 Instagram: instagram.com/darkcity.podcast       🪡 Threads: threads.com/@darkcity.podcast  👤 Facebook: facebook.com/darkcitypod 🦋 Bluesky: darkcitypodcast.bsky.social🎥 TikTok: tiktok.com/@darkcitypod  🌎 Website: www.darkcitypodcast.com Feedback or listener tales you would like to share?  Drop me a note at info@darkcitypodcast.com!  I would love to hear from you. Genres: Travel, History, True Crime, Paranormal, Culture

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