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PODCAST

The Dark Oak

Just Us Gals Productions

Attention all shiver-seekers! The Dark Oak is a weekly thrill and chill inducing mystery podcast. Every Wednesday, Stefanie and Cynthia will present to you a true tale of the supernatural, the macabre, historical crimes, cryptids, the unexplained and the downright spooky. To help ease your fears, we also include The Branch of Hope Foundation, which connects you to the human side of our cases by giving back to non-profit organizations related to the first episode of the month. If you enjoy guilt

true crime

All Episodes

76:38

Episode 128: Wes Craven's "Nightmare" Inspiration -...

The Dark Oak ·

2025/10/30

Wes Craven's 1984 horror classic A Nightmare on Elm Street introduced Freddy Krueger, a dream-stalking slasher who kills teens in their sleep—kills that become real—and was inspired by a chilling true epidemic of Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome (SUNDS) among Southeast Asian refugees in the late 1970s–80s. A young Cambodian survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide (1975–79, ~2 million dead) resettled in the U.S., tormented by nightmares of being chased, resisted sleep for days, then died

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76:48

Episode 127: Where is Diane Augat?

The Dark Oak ·

2025/10/16

40-year-old Diane Augat left her sister's Hudson, Florida home the morning of April 10, 1998, and never returned. Just a few days later, Diane's mother received a disturbing voicemail with Diane screaming for help before the call disconnected. Diane's family became even more terrified when Diane's severed finger was found alongside a Florida highway. Strangely, more clues potentially related to Diane's case were uncovered over the next year and a half leaving many to wonder.... Is it possible

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60:12

Episode 126: The Disappearance of Patricia Spencer...

The Dark Oak ·

2025/10/10

On October 31, 1969, Patricia Spencer (16) and Pamela Hobley (15) vanished from Oscoda, Michigan. Both skipped school and were last seen walking along River Road, possibly heading to a homecoming game or Halloween party. Patricia was vibrant and family-oriented; Pamela was rebellious, recently engaged, and rumored to use drugs. Initially considered runaways, police later concluded they were likely abducted while hitchhiking and murdered. A motorist’s report of giving them a ride and a 1985 tip about

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69:27

Episode 125: Psychic Detectives - An Oaktober Fest...

The Dark Oak ·

2025/10/02

When faced with an unsolved case, sometimes authorities are willing to think outside of the box.... but consulting a psychic???? While some police agencies and investigators claim to have received valuable information from psychics in real cases, there is a general skepticism within law enforcement and the public due to a lack of concrete evidence and the potential for public ridicule. However, psychic detectives have been featured in numerous television shows and media, providing captivating

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82:27

Episode 124: The Disappearance of Tara Calico

The Dark Oak ·

2025/09/25

Tara Leigh Calico, a 19-year-old college student, vanished on September 20, 1988, during a 35-mile bike ride on New Mexico State Road 47. Known for her active and organized nature, she left with her mother’s pink Huffy bike and a Sony Walkman. When she didn’t return by noon, her mother, Patty Doel, found her Boston cassette tape on the roadside and alerted police, who responded swiftly. Scattered Walkman pieces suggested Tara marked her trail, but her bike was never found.Witnesses reported a

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57:22

RE-RELEASE The Mysterious Death of Tina Watson

The Dark Oak ·

2025/09/18

Imagine looking at your scuba diving vacation photos and seeing the figure of a woman laying lifeless on the bottom of the ocean floor....When Gabe and Tina Watson go on their scuba diving honeymoon, Tina drowns and only Gabe comes home. Was it a tragic accident or did Gabe drown his wife? Sources: O’Loughlin, T. (2017, July 15). Husband admits killing wife in scuba death on Great Barrier Reef. The

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80:00

Episode 123: Where is Ben Tyner?

The Dark Oak ·

2025/09/10

When a riderless working horse was found frightened and alone on the side of a logging road, the ranching community in Merritt, British Columbia immediately knew that something was very wrong. It was quickly determined that the horse belonged to 32-year-old cowboy, Ben Tyner. A huge search and rescue team immediately went into action but the only clue as to what may have happened was a broken reign. Ben was likeable and had no known connection to the criminal world, yet the Royal Canadian Mounted

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106:21

Episode 122: The Galapagos Affair

The Dark Oak ·

2025/09/03

The Galapagos Affair is a gripping tale of idealism, conflict, and mystery set on the remote Floreana Island in the Galapagos during the early 1930s. In 1929, Dr. Friedrich Ritter and Dore Strauch, both disillusioned with modern life, left their spouses in Germany to pursue a solitary, Nietzsche-inspired existence on Floreana, building a home called Friedo and living as vegetarians. Their dream soured as Dore’s multiple sclerosis worsened and Friedrich’s harsh demeanor strained their relationship

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01:05:41

Episode 121: The Death of Jaleayah Davis

The Dark Oak ·

2025/08/27

After a night out with friends, 20-year-old Jaleayah Davis is found dead in the middle of a busy highway. A bizarre crime scene, suspicious friendships, a missing key ring and violent injuries that don't add up....was her death the result of a horrific accident or something more sinister? Sources: Jaleayah Davis - Case Documents and Details - Gavin Fish. (2024, February 24). Gavin Fish. https://gavinfish.com/cases/jaleayah-davis/ Mile Higher. (2020, March 5). Murder or tragic accident?: The

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01:02:13

Episode 120: The Death of Dr Gilbert Bogle and...

The Dark Oak ·

2025/08/20

In 1963 Chatswood, Sydney, Dr. Gilbert Bogle and Mrs. Margaret Chandler, both married to others, were found dead near the Lane Cove River after a New Year's Eve party. Their partially nude bodies suggested a romantic encounter, but no cause of death was found, with poisoning suspected due to purple blood. Despite extensive testing, no toxin was identified. Police ruled out suspects, including Chandler’s husband, and theories of Cold War secrets. A 2006 documentary suggests hydrogen sulfide from the

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01:09:42

Episode 119: What Happened to Mateusz Kawecki?

The Dark Oak ·

2025/08/13

When 30 year old Mateusz Kawecki left his home in Germany to witness the birth of his first child, he checked in with his father and advised him he had been delayed due to bad traffic. Unfortunately, days went by and Mateusz never arrived and was never heard from again. Five months after he disappeared a mysterious discovery in the barn of his family home would leave even more questions unanswered. What happened to Mateusz Kawecki? Did he leave on his own accord or was he taken against his will

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01:10:21

Episode 118: Christina Whittaker (Part 2 of 2)

The Dark Oak ·

2025/08/06

In 2009, 21-year-old Christina Whittaker, a new mother from Hannibal, Missouri, disappeared after a night out with friends on November 13. She was last seen after being escorted out of Rookie’s Sports Bar around 11:45 p.m. for disruptive behavior, having been previously banned from the establishment. Witnesses reported her being heavily intoxicated, and after failing to secure a ride home from two other nearby bars, River City Billiards and Sportsman’s Bar, she was last seen leaving the latter,

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01:12:24

Episode 117: Christina Whittaker (Part 1 of 2)

The Dark Oak ·

2025/07/30

In 2009, 21-year-old Christina Whittaker, a new mother from Hannibal, Missouri, disappeared after a night out with friends on November 13. She was last seen after being escorted out of Rookie’s Sports Bar around 11:45 p.m. for disruptive behavior, having been previously banned from the establishment. Witnesses reported her being heavily intoxicated, and after failing to secure a ride home from two other nearby bars, River City Billiards and Sportsman’s Bar, she was last seen leaving the latter,

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01:26:53

Episode 116: Where is Phoenix Coldon?

The Dark Oak ·

2025/07/23

Phoenix Coldon, a 23-year-old African American woman, disappeared on December 18, 2011, after driving away from her parents’ home in Spanish Lake, Missouri. Her 1998 black Chevy Blazer was found abandoned two weeks later in East St. Louis, Illinois, but she was never located. Phoenix, an only child, was homeschooled, talented in fencing and piano, and attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She moved back home in 2011 after living independently, a likely challenging transition. Investigations

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01:11:25

Episode 115: The Mandela Effect

The Dark Oak ·

2025/07/16

The Mandela Effect, named by paranormal researcher Fiona Broome in 2010, refers to collective false memories where groups misremember events or details, like Nelson Mandela dying in the 1980s (he died in 2013). Psychological studies, such as Loftus and Palmer’s 1974 experiments, demonstrate how language can distort memories, while Broome suggests alternate realities or timeline shifts as causes, though these lack scientific support. Examples include misremembering the Berenstain Bears as

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01:16:15

Episode 114: The Challenger Tragedy

The Dark Oak ·

2025/07/09

In an effort to reinvigorate interest in the Space program, NASA launched the "Teacher in Space" program, in 1984. The beautiful, brilliant and charismatic high school social studies teacher, Christa McAuliffe, was selected out of 11,000 applicants and the country fell in love with the teacher and the space program once again.Tragically, a well-documented problem with the O-rings on the shuttle's solid rocket booster was compromised during the low temperature launch and one of NASA's biggest

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01:29:51

Episode 113: Cindy Jones - The Unknown Event

The Dark Oak ·

2025/07/02

After separating from her husband of 15 years, Cindy James, a nurse in Vancouver, Canada, was brutally stalked and harassed. Despite nearly seven years of reported incidents of harassment, threatening calls, physical and sexual assaults, and other forms of abuse, police concluded that her claims were likely fabricated, possibly to gain attention or due to mental health issues. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) spent an estimated $1-1.5 million investigating Cindy's claims, making it one of

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01:18:35

Rerun: The Unsolved Murder of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley

The Dark Oak ·

2025/06/25

Who killed Athalia Ponsell Lindsley? The logical suspect was a man who had previously threatened her life. A man, that, conveniently, borrowed a machete from the county and never returned it. A man that had been called out by name by the only eyewitness to the murder. A man who lived in the house with a blood trail leading from the crime scene to its front door. Was this simply circumstantial evidence? You tell us.Sources: Randall, E. (2016). Murder in St. Augustine: The mysterious death of Athalia

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01:44:53

Episode 112: Brandon Swanson

The Dark Oak ·

2025/06/18

On May 14, 2008, 19-year-old Brandon Swanson vanished near Canby, Minnesota, after his car got stuck in a ditch on a rural field road. Earlier that night, he had been celebrating the end of his college semester, consuming alcohol at two parties but not appearing heavily intoxicated. Intending to drive home to Marshall, a familiar 30-mile route, Brandon inexplicably took backroads and ended up far from where he thought he was, mistakenly believing he was near Lynd. At 1:54 AM, he called his parents

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01:00:57

Episode 111: The Boca Raton Mall Murders

The Dark Oak ·

2025/06/11

The Town Center at Boca Raton should conjure up images of luxury designers and expensive restaurants but unfortunately for those local to the high-end mall, it is a string of abductions and brutal murders that remains in the forefront of many minds. When women and their children began getting abducted from the mall in 2007, locals to Boca Raton and around the country began asking, is anyone safe? Chapters: 00:00 Welcome to the Dark Oak 7:54 The Boca Raton Mall Murders 56:33 The Ovarian Cancer

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134 results

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