Tag: haunting
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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. -
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.