Short Stuff: The Call is Coming... FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE
The hosts discuss the classic urban legend known as "the call is coming from inside the house," also called "the babysitter and the man upstairs," explaining its narrative structure, cultural impact, and why it resonated in the pre-cell phone era. They share related campfire-style horror stories and their own experiences with being scared and startling others. The episode then explores a likely real-life inspiration for the trope, the 1950 unsolved murder of 13-year-old babysitter Janet Christman in Missouri, and how this case and others influenced horror films like "When a Stranger Calls," "Black Christmas," and "Halloween."
Short Stuff: La Lechuza - The Witch Owl
Hosts Josh and Chuck explore the legend of La Lechuza, a terrifying owl-woman figure from folklore along the Texas-Mexico border and other Spanish-speaking regions. They describe her appearance, behaviors, and various versions of the story, including how she lures or punishes people and her supposed connection to witchcraft or demonic forces. The discussion also covers possible pre-Columbian roots, how Christian influence may have transformed an older deity into a demon, modern gender-focused interpretations, and appearances of La Lechuza in pop culture and local hoaxes.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Hinterkaifeck Axe Murders
Hosts Josh Clark and Charles W. "Chuck" Bryant recount the 1922 Hinterkaifeck axe murders in rural Bavaria, where six members of the Gruber household, including a new maid, were brutally killed on their isolated farm. They walk through the eerie lead-up of strange noises and footprints, the grisly discovery and forensic details, and the major suspects, especially neighbor Lorenz Schlittenbauer, while discussing why the case remains officially unsolved. The episode ends with lighter tangents about Steve Guttenberg and a listener mail story about a formative hunting experience.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Tylenol Murders, Part I
Josh and Chuck recount the 1982 Chicago-area Tylenol murders, in which seven people died after ingesting cyanide-laced extra-strength Tylenol capsules. They walk through the broader context of a tense year in America, the detailed timeline of each victim's death, how investigators discovered cyanide in the capsules, and the ensuing public panic and copycat tampering incidents. The episode closes with the formation of a multi-agency task force and the leading "mad poisoner" theory that the tampering occurred at or around retail stores rather than in the factory.
SYSK's Fall True Crime Playlist: The Unsolved Indiana Dunes Disappearances
Hosts Josh Clark and Charles "Chuck" Bryant examine the unsolved 1966 disappearance of three young women-Patricia Blau, Ann Miller, and Renee Brule-from Indiana Dunes State Park on Lake Michigan. They reconstruct the women's last known movements, the delayed but extensive search, and eyewitness reports involving mysterious boats. The hosts then explore multiple theories ranging from accidental drowning to links with an illegal abortion clinic and a violent Chicago crime figure, emphasizing how little hard evidence exists and how haunting the lack of resolution is for the families.