Darkly Speaking

Darkly Speaking
  • 5.0 (11)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Welcome to the Dark Side! Darkly Speaking is where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange & unexplained converge. Host, Alex Kern takes you beyond headlines and horror tropes into the darkest corners of our reality—where every story is real to someone. From unsolved disappearances and infamous murders to whispered legends and the paranormal, each episode unpacks the unsettling with immersive storytelling, psychological insight, and a fearless curiosity. These stories aren’t just about what happened… but why we can’t look away. Some questions don’t come with answers. That’s where Darkly Speaking begins. New episodes every Monday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts!

  1. JAN 27

    25. MURDERED: Amber Hagerman — The Cold Case Behind the AMBER Alert

    In January 1996, nine-year-old Amber Hagerman was abducted in broad daylight while riding her bike near her grandparents' home in Arlington, Texas. A witness saw a man force her into a pickup truck. The vehicle was distinctive. The description was clear. What didn’t exist was a way to alert the public—fast enough, wide enough, or urgently enough to make a difference. Amber was held for two days before her body was discovered, and her murder remains unsolved. In the aftermath, her family and community were left grappling with a devastating question: what if the information had reached the public in time? That question exposed deep failures in how the country handled child abductions—and became the catalyst for change, revealing the need for a coordinated, immediate response when a child is taken. Amber’s name became the foundation of the AMBER Alert system—a nationwide tool designed to mobilize communities in real time. But before the alert, there was Amber. And this is her story... TW: This episode includes discussion of crimes against children and potentially distressing circumstances. Listener discretion is advised. ---  According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, as of December 2025, 1,292 children have been safely recovered as a direct result of AMBER Alerts and the public response they trigger. But not every alert ends with a resolution. While many cases are resolved within hours, some children featured in AMBER Alerts are still missing, and their families continue searching for answers. To learn about active alerts and view the full list of children who remain missing after an AMBER Alert, visit: https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/amber Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube ⁠Spotify Apple Podcasts ⁠ ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ ⁠Instagram ⁠ ⁠TikTok ⁠ ⁠Website ⁠(Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

    33 min

  2. JAN 20

    24. THE UNKNOWN: The Bennington Triangle Pt. 2 — Dark Mountain

    We’re back in the wilderness of Vermont’s Bennington Triangle — a stretch of land tied to murders, disappearances, and stories that refuse to stay buried. In this chilling Part Two, we step into the other side of the story. The darker side of the Appalachian Mountains. Tonight, we dig into what surrounds the vanishings. Over the years, this region has been linked to murders, strange lights in the sky, UFO sightings, and encounters with something large moving through the woods — what became known as the Bennington Monster. Stories of time slipping. Of people losing their bearings. Of reality feeling unreliable once you cross a certain point. This episode also returns to the disappearances from Part One, breaking them down piece by piece. The terrain. The timelines. The details that never quite line up. Trying to understand how people could vanish the way they did — and why every explanation seems to fall apart. We end with the story of Robert Singley, an experienced hiker who became lost during his descent near Glastenbury Mountain when heavy fog rolled in. After a night spent disoriented in the woods — marked by unsettling bone discoveries and a growing sense that he wasn’t alone — he emerged miles from where he should have been. How does someone descend one mountain and wake up on top of another, miles away? Disappearances aren’t the only thing haunting these woods. The Bennington Triangle leaves room for it all...  And the harder you try to understand this place, the less sense it makes. Have ghost stories of your own? E-mail them to me at darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube ⁠Spotify Apple Podcasts ⁠ ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ ⁠Instagram ⁠ ⁠TikTok ⁠ ⁠Website ⁠(Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

    1h 2m

  3. JAN 13

    23. THE UNKNOWN: The Bennington Triangle Pt. 1 — The Vanishing Ground

    There's a haunting place in the Appalachian mountains associated with unexplained vanishings, violent deaths, and phenomena that refuse easy explanation. A region tied to stories of people disappearing without a trace, of murders that left more questions than answers, and of events that seem to bend time, space, and logic itself. Over the years, this landscape has become associated with accounts of time slips, interdimensional portals, strange lights moving across the sky, UFO sightings, and encounters with something large and humanoid moving through the forest. Some describe it as a place where reality feels unstable. Others see it as a convergence point — a stretch of land where stories accumulate because ordinary explanations fail to hold. There is simply too much history, too many cases, and too many layers to unpack in a single episode. So this story unfolds in two parts. In Part One, we begin where it all starts. With the land itself. We’ll look at the history of the region, the Indigenous knowledge that shaped how this place was understood long before it was named, and the series of unexplained disappearances that eventually drew national attention and gave the area its identity. In Part Two, we cross into the other side of the story. The phenomena that gathered around this landscape over time. The theories, sightings, and explanations people reach for when conventional answers fall short — when something about this place feels fundamentally off. So lace up your hiking boots and grab your parka. We’re heading into the vast wilderness of southwestern Vermont. Into the dense, cold forests of the Bennington Triangle. Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube ⁠Spotify Apple Podcasts ⁠ ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ ⁠Instagram ⁠ ⁠TikTok ⁠ ⁠Website ⁠(Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

    44 min

  4. 12/24/2025

    22. The Signalman: A Christmas Ghost Story

    You know the line — There’ll be parties for hosting Marshmallows for toasting And caroling out in the snow There’ll be scary ghost stories And tales of the glories Of Christmases long, long ago. This is one of those stories... The Signalman is a gothic short story by Charles Dickens that centers on an isolated railway worker who becomes convinced he is being warned of coming disasters by a ghostly figure that appears before fatal accidents. Each warning arrives too late to prevent tragedy, and the danger no longer feels distant. First published in 1866, the story is told through the perspective of a narrator who forms a cautious friendship with the troubled signalman, approaching his claims with rational doubt before gradually confronting the possibility that something supernatural may be at work. Shaped in part by real railway disasters of the era, The Signal-Man explores isolation, inevitability, and the fragile boundary between reason and the unknown. Enjoy this rendition of Dickens’ classic Christmas ghost story, and happy holidays! Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern Spooky Winter Book Recs: The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney The Family Game by Catherine Steadman Near The Bone by Christina Henry Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams Secret Santa by Andrew Shaffer Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube ⁠Spotify Apple Podcasts ⁠ ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ ⁠Instagram ⁠ ⁠TikTok ⁠ ⁠Website ⁠(Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

    39 min

  5. 12/16/2025

    21. THE TERRIFYING TALES OF: Dark Christmas — Old World Origins & Winter Folklore

    Christmas has another history...  Before Santa, the season was shaped by pagan winter traditions and folklore filled with punishment and fear.  From belly-slitting witches said to roam during the winter solstice to a demonic beast who dragged sinners to hell, the season was once ruled by things far less holy.  So get cozy and settle in because because we're going back.. To the Darker version of Christmas past.  Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern Spooky Winter Book Recs: The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney The Family Game by Catherine Steadman Near The Bone by Christina Henry Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams Secret Santa by Andrew Shaffer Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube ⁠Spotify Apple Podcasts ⁠ ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ ⁠Instagram ⁠ ⁠TikTok ⁠ ⁠Website ⁠(Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

    52 min

  6. 12/09/2025

    20. MURDERED: Jonelle Matthews — The Cold Case Behind the Girl on the Milk Carton

    Five days before Christmas in 1984, 12-year-old Jonelle Matthews returned to her home in Greely Colorado after a school concert and vanished without a trace. No forced entry. No struggle. Just footprints in the snow behind the Matthews home.  Her disappearance quickly gained national attention, becoming one of the first cases featured in the milk carton campaign. And for nearly four decades, the investigation remained frozen, shaped by shifting stories and stalled leads. That is, until nearly 35 years later, when Jonelle’s remains were discovered more than 20 miles from her home. And all signs pointed to a man whose involvement only grew stranger as he continued placing himself in the center of the investigation long before anyone suspected him. TW: This episode includes discussion of crimes against children and sexual violence, and potentially distressing circumstances. Listener discretion is advised. Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube ⁠Spotify Apple Podcasts ⁠ ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ ⁠Instagram ⁠ ⁠TikTok ⁠ ⁠Website ⁠(Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

    41 min

  7. 12/02/2025

    19. THE TERRIFYING TALES OF: Silent Night Horror — Chilling Encounters in the Dead of Winter

    Have a terrifying story or strange encounter? I'd love to hear it! Please send your spooky scary stories to Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com ⸻ Winter has a way of hiding things — until they step out of the dark right in front of you. In this episode, we’re walking through five chilling encounters that took place in the dead of winter. Footprints in the snow from an unwanted guest, strangers emerging out of the darkness on a frozen mountain pass, a pale ghost boy’s staring from hospital room 9, an unsettling midnight offering deep along the Appalachian Trail, and a creature on the highway that defies anything you’d expect to see on the road. These aren’t just odd moments or tricks of the light — they’re the kind of winter encounters that leave you questioning what you saw… and who, or what, might’ve been watching you back. Bundle up. Because these stories are anything but a silent night. Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern Spooky Winter Book Recs: The Overnight Guest by Heather Gudenkauf Rock Paper Scissors by Alice Feeney The Family Game by Catherine Steadman Near The Bone by Christina Henry Hairpin Bridge by Taylor Adams Secret Santa by Andrew Shaffer Dead of Winter by Darcy Coates ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube ⁠Spotify Apple Podcasts ⁠ ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ ⁠Instagram ⁠ ⁠TikTok ⁠ ⁠Website ⁠(Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

    42 min

  8. 11/25/2025

    18. MISSING: The Chilling Disappearance of Ryan Shtuka

    In February 2018, 20-year-old Ryan Shtuka left a house party in Sun Peaks and began the short walk toward home. A route that should have taken just a few minutes. Ryan never made it home. Instead, his final movements remain frozen in time. Search crews pushed through deep snow and subzero temperatures. Volunteers returned week after week. Helicopters and ground teams covered every direction the terrain allowed. No footprints. No belongings. No confirmed trace. The trail turned cold almost immediately. Seven years later, the case sits at a standstill — suspended between what is known and what has never surfaced. Does someone know something… or does nobody know anything at all? Hosted by 🎙️: Alex Kern ⸻ 🖤 ABOUT DARKLY SPEAKING 🖤 Welcome to Darkly Speaking — where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange and unexplained converge. Every Monday, host Alex Kern unpacks stories that challenge our understanding of what’s real — from unsolved disappearances and psychological unravellings to encounters with the unexplained. Think: true crime, the paranormal, and everything in between. If you’re drawn to the strange, the hidden, or the stories that won’t sit quietly — you’re in the right place. Expect immersive storytelling, a dose of dark curiosity, and the occasional rabbit hole you didn’t plan to fall into. Because in the darkest corners of our reality… truth gets weird. ⸻ 🎧 LISTEN ON: Available wherever you get your podcasts! YouTube ⁠Spotify Apple Podcasts ⁠ ⸻ 📲 CONNECT WITH US: ⁠YouTube ⁠ ⁠Instagram ⁠ ⁠TikTok ⁠ ⁠Website ⁠(Sources, Show Notes & More!) Email us your stories! → Darklyspeakingpodcast@gmail.com ⸻ ⚠️ DISCLAIMER This podcast explores real cases and sensitive subject matter. Listener discretion is advised. All research is grounded in publicly available sources and cited to the best of our ability. Opinions are those of the host unless otherwise stated. Copyright Disclaimer: Some audio/visual materials used may be protected under copyright law and are included under “fair use” for commentary, criticism, and educational purposes.

    34 min
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5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Welcome to the Dark Side! Darkly Speaking is where true crime, the paranormal and the crazy strange & unexplained converge. Host, Alex Kern takes you beyond headlines and horror tropes into the darkest corners of our reality—where every story is real to someone. From unsolved disappearances and infamous murders to whispered legends and the paranormal, each episode unpacks the unsettling with immersive storytelling, psychological insight, and a fearless curiosity. These stories aren’t just about what happened… but why we can’t look away. Some questions don’t come with answers. That’s where Darkly Speaking begins. New episodes every Monday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and wherever you get your podcasts!

Information

  • Creator
    Darkly Speaking
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    26
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Darkly Speaking

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