Episode 187: The Gates of Hell

When their roommate asked if her dad could crash until he got back on his feet, seven students at Sarah Lawrence College obliged. Over the next decade, many of their lives would be turned upside down as they were lured into his web of exploitation, abuse, manipulation, and torture.  We're going on tour! Click here for the list of cities we'll be visiting and to purchase tickets! Please consider supporting the companies that support us! -Go to prose.com/CREEPY for your FREE in-depth hair consultation and 15% off your order -Allform is offering twenty percent off all orders for our listeners at Allform.com/CREEPY dot com slash creepy -Visit parade.com/CREEPY and use code CREEPY to get 20% off your order -Receive 50% off your first order at hiyahealth.com/CREEPY or enter code CREEPY at checkout

20 Huhti 20221h 9min

A creepy neighbor with a message from the skies, a series of unexplained events for one Alaskan native, a comforting message for a heartbroken granddaughter, why you ALWAYS lock your office door, a ghostly monk, and the most terrifying audio recording we've ever heard. Seriously, you've been warned. If you have a story you would like to submit for Freaky Friday, please do so here.

15 Huhti 202241min

Update: After we recorded this episode, Sherri agreed to plead guilty to lying to a federal agent and mail fraud. Once more is known, we will release an update on our Patreon Investigators listened to the stories Sherri spun, however, cutting-edge technology revealed what really happened to the missing supermom from Northern California. The tale she wove unraveled quickly, and she would soon, finally, face consequences. Check out updates on Sherri Papini on our Patreon: April 2022 Minisode: Sherri Papini - Update TCHL: Sherri Papini Sentencing and a Corrupt Dallas Doctor Sherri Papini is the subject of Lifetime's movie: Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini After Sherri Papini went for a run and didn’t come home in 2016, the heat was on to find the mother of two. The Northern California missing-person case quickly became a national story–true crime aficionados couldn’t talk about anything but the “supermom”, especially after she returned and her story about being abducted wasn’t adding up. Sherri was found 22 days after her disappearance on the side of the highway–her face bruised, hair haphazardly cut, and with a chain around her waist and wrists. She claimed to have been taken by two Hispanic women and that she was chained to a bed, forced to pee in a litter box, and branded after she tried to escape. But after months of being unable to find any evidence, the police discovered that Sherri had not been kidnapped at all; she spent the three weeks with her ex-boyfriend in his Costa Mesa, CA cabin. Stars Jaime King, Matt Hamilton, Lossen Chambers, Andy Thompson and Arpad Balogh (2023).

13 Huhti 20221h 32min

A ghost that feels the need to set the house alarm...but is it to keep someone in, or something out? A stabbing that wasn't meant to be seen. A familiar face, or so you think. A bank robbery gone wrong that no one knew about for decades, And how one teen's decision to skip school in Chowchilla in 1976 possibly saved his life. If you have a story you would like to submit for Freaky Friday, please do so here.

9 Huhti 202244min

A picture-perfect family was turned upside down when its “super mom” Sherri Papini went missing. For three long weeks, they feared the worst and raised nearly $50 grand for the search efforts. When she reappeared out of nowhere, alive and mostly well, she had a story for investigators that set the community on edge. What really happened after she went missing? Check out updates on Sherri Papini on our Patreon: April 2022 Minisode: Sherri Papini - Update TCHL: Sherri Papini Sentencing and a Corrupt Dallas Doctor Sherri Papini is the subject of Lifetime's movie: Hoax: The Kidnapping of Sherri Papini After Sherri Papini went for a run and didn’t come home in 2016, the heat was on to find the mother of two. The Northern California missing-person case quickly became a national story–true crime aficionados couldn’t talk about anything but the “supermom”, especially after she returned and her story about being abducted wasn’t adding up. Sherri was found 22 days after her disappearance on the side of the highway–her face bruised, hair haphazardly cut, and with a chain around her waist and wrists. She claimed to have been taken by two Hispanic women and that she was chained to a bed, forced to pee in a litter box, and branded after she tried to escape. But after months of being unable to find any evidence, the police discovered that Sherri had not been kidnapped at all; she spent the three weeks with her ex-boyfriend in his Costa Mesa, CA cabin. Stars Jaime King, Matt Hamilton, Lossen Chambers, Andy Thompson and Arpad Balogh (2023).

6 Huhti 20221h 12min

Confessions of a killer from beyond the grave, a UFO encounter on a dark country road, accidentally astral projecting, and more. If you have a story for Freaky Friday you would like to submit, please do so here.

1 Huhti 202228min

If you aren't subscribed to our Patreon, we wanted to give you a glimpse of what we've got going on. This mega-mix of clips brings you some of our favorite segments from the month of February. You'll hear: - Unpopular Opinions on Reese's candy shapes - Minisode on Selkies - True Crime Headlines on a stolen box of human heads - Answering a legal question about Kathleen Zellner from our live Q&A If you like what you hear and want full versions of all this and more, head to patreon.com/sinisterhood for full details on all the benefits and to subscribe today!

31 Maalis 202223min

Since we covered Kristin's case, a month and a half-long preliminary hearing was held to determine whether the case against Paul and Ruben could proceed. The court heard testimony from more than two dozen witnesses, including law enforcement officials, former friends and acquaintances of both Paul and Kristin, cadaver dog handlers, and soil experts. In September 2021, the judge in the case ruled that there is sufficient evidence to move the case forward to trial. Currently, the trial is set to occur on April 25, 2022. Years passed and the Smart family was no closer to finding answers to what happened to their daughter on May 25, 1996. Once civilians and private detectives stepped in, the family saw some progress. It wasn't until a new sheriff was elected that moves were made. What eventually brought the case close to an end was a breakout podcast that shed new light on the details and unearthed new clues, finally leading to some arrests in the case.

30 Maalis 20221h 27min