Paranormal
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Interview with a Forest Witch
In this episode, I speak with Crystal Folz, who reached out to me as a practicing forest witch from the tri-state area. I had no idea what a forest witch was until we talked, but Crystal cleared things up fast. She has been practicing since the 1990s, and her approach is rooted in animism, Kentucky folklore, and good old-fashioned common sense.
We talk about what it actually means to be a witch today, from the folklore passed down through generations to why she skips the trendy, mass-produced crystals on social media in favor of foraging tools out in the woods. Crystal is also a co-chair of the Three Corners Pagan Circle, which serves people across Southern Indiana, Southern Illinois, and Western Kentucky.
Beyond her witchcraft practice, Crystal is the co-chair of Southern Indiana Paranormal Investigators and has done psychic consults on search and rescue missions. We cover some wild stories from her investigations, including a bizarre physical encounter at Community House Number Two in New Harmony, and why she takes a back-porch, down-to-earth approach to the supernatural rather than leaning into dramatic claims.
It was a fascinating conversation that looks at local history, modern paganism, and the ghosts in our own backyard. Give it a listen and let me know what you think. -
Interview with Joni Mayhan
In this episode, I speak with local author, medium, and paranormal investigator Joni Mayhan about the weird and ghostly side of Posey County, Indiana. Joni has written books like Haunted New Harmony and Haunted Posey County, and she has plenty of wild stories to share about investigating hauntings right here in our backyard.
We get into what makes New Harmony, Indiana, feel so different from surrounding towns. With its deep history tied to two early 1800s utopian societies, unique energy, and local ghost walks, it turns out to be a hotbed for activity. Joni breaks down how her own primary medium gift works, how she tunes into distinct tones when spirits are nearby, and why ghosts end up lingering in historical buildings, local spots, and even brand-new locations like the town Dollar General.
She also opens up about her approach to paranormal investigations. We talk about balancing healthy skepticism against genuine evidence, using gear like spirit boxes, and why animals always seem to pick up on things before we do.
Give the episode a listen and let me know your thoughts in the comments. -
Interview with Joe Weigant
In this episode, I speak with Joe Weigant, a retired Evansville police detective who turned his background in law enforcement into founding Evansville Paranormal Investigations and Consulting (EPIC).
Rather than just hunting for ghost footage or spooky EVPs, Joe’s main focus is actually helping trapped spirits cross over and bringing resolution to affected homeowners. He breaks down why spirits get stuck in the first place, ranging from sudden trauma and fear of judgment to basic attachments, and clears up the difference between human spirits and negative, non-human entities that feed off fear.
Throughout our discussion, Joe shares some wild field stories, including an intense encounter with two bizarre, dog-like entities and a haunting tied to Native American history. He also talks about his experience on Travel Channel’s Paranormal 911, comparing the reality of field work with how the paranormal gets hyped up on TV. -
The Odon Fire Poltergeist
For this episode, we head up to Daviess County, Indiana, to look into a case from 1940 that the Indiana State Fire Marshal called "the most baffling mystery he had ever seen" before officially closing it as unsolved. People in the area still call it the Odon Fire Poltergeist.
Before we even get to the day the fires started, you have to talk about the history of this piece of ground because it makes you wonder if the place was cursed long before 1940. Back in the mid-1800s, a man named Marshall Ketchum built a house there. In the 1880s, five members of his family died on the property from what was called burning fever, which was likely typhus. Later on, the home was sold to a spiritualist named Andrew Wickle. Tragic bad luck struck again when Wickle’s son was killed in a hunting accident. Devastated by grief, Wickle had his son buried right in the yard in a custom casket with a glass window so he could look down at his face, and he claimed he regularly talked to his deceased son's spirit.
By 1940, a man named William Hackler lived on the farm with his wife Minnie and their five kids. Everything was uneventful until Friday, June 21, 1940.
That morning, wallpaper in an upstairs room suddenly burst into flames. The fire department rushed out, assuming it was a bad chimney. But when they tore down the plaster, there was no chimney anywhere near that wall, no electrical wiring, and no stove fire burning. From 9:00 AM until 11:00 PM that night, 28 separate spontaneous fires broke out all over the house.
The fires were completely unexplainable. Papers inside a closed desk drawer caught fire. Curtains ignited right behind visiting neighbors, but the window shades underneath them were untouched. A calendar burned up on the wall without even scorching the wallpaper behind it. Paper between a bed spring and mattress burst into flames and destroyed the bed. The family was so terrified they slept out in the front yard that night.
The State Fire Marshal investigated thoroughly, but they never found a single trace of arson, chemical reaction, or electrical fault. The story went nationwide and was even featured in a Collier’s Magazine ad for Travelers Insurance in 1941.
I actually got the chance to talk with 90-year-old Daviess County historian, Don Cosby, for this episode. He shared that the Hackler family left the county not long after the fires, and no trace of the family remained in the area. With help from Don's son-in-law, I managed to get the exact location of the old farm and took a drive up there. The old house is long gone now, and the site is just open farmland today.
Was it a genuine poltergeist, a bizarre natural phenomenon, or something else entirely? Listen to the episode and judge for yourself! -
Disappearance, Murder, Paranormal, True Crime
Four Seasons
Thanks for checking out the very first episode of River City Mystery!
If you drive down the highway just outside Mount Vernon, Indiana, you might pass right by the Four Seasons Motel without thinking much of it. It is a quiet, family-run spot owned by Rodney Cox and his mom, Jean. They run it today, and they were running it back in the fall of 1994 when things took a really dark, strange turn.
It started with a mystery that still hasn't been solved. On September 2, 1994, a local woman named Terry Rideout finished up her shift at the Main Street Burger King in Evansville, ran the night deposit, and drove off in her boyfriend Jack’s red pickup. She was never seen again. When people went to check on her home, the only thing missing was her dog, River. To this day, Terry is still listed as a missing person in Indiana.
A week after Terry vanished, Jack Barnett checked into the Four Seasons Motel alone. He brought two things into the room with him: a VHS copy of the movie Falling Down and a gun. After watching the movie, he wrote a quick note to his daughter and ended his life. The room was locked from the inside with the security chain, and police ruled it a suicide right away.
That is tragic enough on its own, but what happened next is where the story gets bizarre.
About a month later, Rodney and Jean started getting constant complaints from guests staying in that same room. Night after night, different people who had no idea what had happened in that room kept coming to the front desk with the exact same story: the TV would turn itself on every night right at 10:00 PM. Rodney even swapped out the TV for a completely different one, but it kept happening.
Eventually, when standard maintenance couldn't fix it, Rodney and Jean realized they needed a different kind of help. They called up a local preacher to come out, pray over the space, and ask whatever was there to move on.
Was it a real ghost, or just a really weird set of coincidences? Give the episode a listen and judge for yourself.