S1 Ep50: The Prisoner of Charleston (Dead Letter Office)
In tonight’s dead letter… Veronica takes a ghost tour of an old jail in Charleston, South Carolina and has an intense encounter with a spirit there. She's able to describe this man in detail and later discovers the spirit is that of William Marcus, who was hanged at the jail for the murder of his wife. The experience was terrifying and shaped Veronica's path in understanding and protecting hers...
36m Oct 14, 2025
36m
The Mysterious Moving Coffins of Barbados
In the cemetery of Christ Church Parish Church in Barbados stands a half-buried stone crypt infamous for its early 19th-century mystery. Between 1807 and 1812, several heavy, lead-lined coffins were placed inside, but each time the vault was reopened, the caskets were found disturbed — despite the massive stone door being sealed tight with no sign of entry. Governor Lord Combermere investigated...
1hr 40m Oct 12, 2025
1hr 40m
S1 Ep49: The Return of Evil Yoda
In tonight’s dead letter, listener Trevor recounts a bizarre encounter while looking out the window one night. He saw a strange, bald, meditating figure with long pointed ears in his friend’s backyard. The figure then opened its eyes, grinned at him with pointed teeth, and hopped away into the woods. Trevor’s evening began with taking the psychedelic drug mescaline, but he has some experience w...
25m Oct 07, 2025
25m
S1 Ep48: Die Fratzen
In tonight’s dead letter… a listener shares their chilling encounters with "Die Fratzen," demonic faces that surfaced after a period of indulgence and self-disgust. These weren't just fleeting nightmares; they manifested as waking visions and doppelgangers, leading to a quest for spiritual help. The writer grapples with the possibility of mental health issues versus a genuine spiritual battle a...
28m Sep 30, 2025
28m
The Screaming Skulls
Across England, legends tell of “screaming skulls,” which are human remains said to bring disaster if moved from their resting place. In Dorset, a skull defies removal with deadly consequences; in Derbyshire, “Dickie” halted a railway project; in Yorkshire, Anne’s head demanded to stay within her beloved home; and in Manchester, one cast into a moat unleashed a storm. Whether relics of Celtic h...
1hr 33m Sep 27, 2025
1hr 33m
S1 Ep47: The Lock Looker
In tonight’s Dead Letter, you’ll hear a bizarre tale from rural Ohio, one of our favorite strange states, involving a creature known only as the "Lock Looker." This cryptid, with its orangutan-like build, glowing orange eyes, and famous movie scream, lurks near a dam and has been sighted by both the storyteller and their father. It may have been around a while. Join Scott and Forrest as they br...
39m Sep 23, 2025
39m
Important Update
News from Scott and Forrest
1m Sep 20, 2025
1m
S1 Ep46: The Cowboy in the Canteen
In tonight’s dead letter… a VFW canteen worker in Michigan has a close encounter with a mysterious cowboy, complete with vintage attire and dollar coins. The stranger asks her to champion his cause of getting “shell shock” recognized for a Purple Heart. After the encounter, the letter he provides vanishes and the general he mentions turns out to be from the Civil War. Links: Jim Harold’s Road...
42m Sep 16, 2025
42m
S1 Ep45: Uninvited Intruders
In tonight’s dead letter, a listener recounts a childhood filled with unexplained phenomena in their 1940s Michigan home. From persistent footsteps and unsettling noises like dragging chains and hammering to a menacing presence in their bedroom, the haunting escalated over the years, driving them to seek refuge upstairs. But even then, the activity followed, with something heavy repeatedly stom...
33m Sep 09, 2025
33m
Mystery Solved! AMA 2025
Alright Astonishing Legends listeners, buckle up! In this special AMA episode, Scott and Forrest are answering your burning questions! We're diving headfirst into everything from the implications of sentient Tesla bots inheriting fortunes (and causing chaos) to the latest updates on the search for Amelia Earhart's lost plane. We’re also exploring listener questions and thoughts on future stori...
2hr 27m Sep 07, 2025
2hr 27m
S1 Ep44: The Beginning that Never Ended
In tonight’s dead letter… Listener, Isla recalls a childhood park trip in Australia where she and a friend went exploring after her mom’s car broke down in the bush. They wandered too far from the car and observed a void-like, spear-bearing figure on the bank. The bush fell silent and the wind carried songs in an ancient language as they fled back to the car without looking back. Years later Is...
39m Sep 02, 2025
39m
S1 Ep43: Tracked
In tonight’s dead letter… Listener, Scott recounts a series of unexplained howls heard in the woods near his Alabama home. Night after night, he and his family would sit on the porch and listen, noticing patterns in the sounds. This progresses later to him being stalked by something he could not see. Alabama Bigfoot Website (via Wayback Machine) Most audio links not working: https://web.archiv...
34m Aug 26, 2025
34m
S1: Dead Letter Office Special Announcement
This week’s Dead Letter Office is cancelled, but the show will return next week. Thank you for your patience and understanding!
14s Aug 19, 2025
14s
S1 Ep42: A Gathering of Shadows
In tonight’s dead letter, listener Jerri-Kay recounts a story from her childhood when her mother witnessed multiple shadow figures entering their bedroom in broad daylight. Later that night, while seemingly half-asleep, when her mom enters her room she yells that she's not her mother and points to lights that only she can see in the room, leaving the family shaken and searching for answers. Wer...
36m Aug 12, 2025
36m
The Hatem Files 2
This week, Scott and Forrest welcome back Richard Hatem of Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf to Astonishing Legends! Join us as we delve into Richard's unique insights on paranormal literature, including odd details in famous experiences like Whitley Strieber's book, Communion and others. We'll explore Rich’s favorite episodes and get a sneak peek into his upcoming season. Plus, we'll hear a...
1hr 33m Aug 09, 2025
1hr 33m
S1 Ep41: The Fisherman's Ghost and the Homunculus
In tonight’s dead letter, we hear from our listener Sam, who shares two spooky stories. The first involves two hauntings at an aquarium in the UK. An old lady ghost with a penchant for floral perfume, and as one might expect…a fisherman. While the second features a mysterious, hunched-over shadow figure lurking in a South Carolina home. Sometimes these shorter letters are the most freaky. As we...
34m Aug 05, 2025
34m
S1 Ep40: Skinwalkers in Iraq
In tonight’s dead letter listener Henry, a marine, recounts his experiences on guard duty in Iraq, where his platoon was stationed at an abandoned hotel near the Jordanian border. During a late-night watch, he and another marine hear footsteps in the stairwell, but a search of the building yields nothing but an unsettling encounter with glowing eyes in the boiler room. The mystery deepens when ...
31m Jul 29, 2025
31m
S1 Ep39: The Hat Man Takes a Seat
In tonight’s dead letter… Josh shares a chilling encounter with a being we’ve discussed on the show numerous times. The Hat Man. For Josh he appears as a shadowy figure sitting in his bedroom in the middle of the night. What would you do in this situation? It’s easy to answer that until you’re confronted with it yourself. Josh gave into paranormal apathy, something we’ve identified at Astonishi...
36m Jul 22, 2025
36m
S1 Ep38: A Gray Walks in LA
In tonight’s dead letter, listener Renee shares a strange encounter in Los Angeles. Late one night, while walking her dog, she saw what appeared to be a gray alien. After a moment of shock, she looked again and saw a middle-aged African-American woman. Renee was left wondering if she had seen a psychic mask slip or if it was just a trick of the light. Send your story to deadletteroffice@astoni...
33m Jul 15, 2025
33m
The Green Monster of Flatwoods
On September 12th, 1952, in Flatwoods, West Virginia, five boys witnessed a fiery object slowly descend from the sky and land nearby, seemingly under intelligent control. What followed became one of the strangest UFO encounters in American history. Joined by a 32-year-old mother and a National Guard member, the group were allegedly pursued by a towering, mist-shrouded, humanoid figure that emit...
2hr 8m Jul 13, 2025
2hr 8m
S1 Ep37: Jacob City Miners
In tonight’s dead letter, Cody shares a chilling experience from a trip to Jacob City, a ghost town in Utah. While camping with friends and their dogs, they captured eerie EVPs, including one that called out Cody’s name. As the night grew darker, the dogs became unusually frightened, and a sudden, strong wind forced them to pack up and leave before their campfire got out of control. This is his...
39m Jul 08, 2025
39m
S1 Ep36: Chips, Salsa and UFOs
In tonight’s dead letter, Jordan recalls a strange encounter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she spotted nearly a dozen silver crafts hovering over the Sandia Mountains. These objects appeared to be linked and moved in unison, with one larger craft seemingly in charge. A large black helicopter sped off in the direction of the crafts after they disappeared, leaving Jordan with a sense of wonde...
41m Jul 01, 2025
41m
Junk Drawer 26 - Main Feed Edition!
This week, we revisit a favorite Patreon Junk Drawer episode featuring Max Kelso's unsettling experiences at a Boy Scout camp in the heart of Ohio. We explore Max's first encounter as a young scout when he saw a shadowy figure watching him through the window of his cabin late one night. Years later, during a game at the same camp, Max experiences something even stranger. The Junk Drawer is a mo...
1hr 52m Jun 28, 2025
1hr 52m
S1 Ep35: Black Eyed Driver
In tonight’s dead letter, Scott and Forrest share Arthur’s story. He recounts a frightening encounter in the Bronx in 1998 when while stopped at a red light he saw something, or someone that didn’t seem right. The person in the car next to him had pale skin, completely black eyes, and an impossible smile. But that’s really just the beginning of this bizarre tale. Books by David Weatherly on Am...
32m Jun 24, 2025
32m
S1 Ep34: The Black Cloud Hanging Over Me
In tonight’s dead letter, Scott and Forrest read a dead letter from a woman with ties to the Otoe-Missouria tribe in Oklahoma. She recounts a terrifying experience driving on Highway 60 at night when a dark fog hit the truck she was in, causing a flat tire. The story delves into local legends, the importance of oral traditions, and the listener’s theory that the area is haunted due to indigenou...
30m Jun 17, 2025
30m
The Stratford Poltergeist
In 1850, the quiet town of Stratford, Connecticut was shaken by a bizarre and terrifying haunting that gripped the world’s attention. Reverend Eliakim Phelps and his family were tormented by objects falling from nowhere, cryptic messages, and strange effigies crafted from household items. As the phenomena escalated—turning violent and targeting the children—skeptics, spiritualists, and investig...
1hr 32m Jun 14, 2025
1hr 32m
S1 Ep33: Scare Bear
In tonight’s Dead Letter, Kaleb recounts a few paranormal experiences, starting with a childhood memory of a stuffed bear that seemed to turn its head on its own, but for some bizarre reason didn't frighten him. Years later, he experienced a potent wave of fear in a dark basement, reminding Scott of his experience at the Sallie House. Forrest and Scott then delve into the nature of fear, the ex...
29m Jun 10, 2025
29m
S1 Ep32: Great Balls of Fire
In tonight’s dead letter, Forrest and Scott read a submission from Misael, who recalls a bizarre childhood encounter involving a blue ball of fire that appeared while he and his sister were playing basketball. The strange sphere, which seemed to be made of stone and engulfed in flames, hovered near them before shooting off toward a neighbor's light post and disintegrating. The Encyclopedia of ...
30m Jun 03, 2025
30m
S1 Ep31: The Tipping Point
In tonight’s dead letter, listener Barry talks about the strange phenomenon of table tipping.
37m May 27, 2025
37m
The Pascagoula Abduction with Philip Mantle Part 2
We are once again joined by investigator Philip Mantle to dive back into the Pascagoula Abduction with Part 2 of our series, peeling back layers of a story that stretches far beyond one night in 1973. While skeptics cite a silent bridgetender, fresh eyewitness accounts —from shipyard workers to families at home — suggest something far stranger was unfolding. In this episode, we uncover a decad...
1hr 57m May 24, 2025
1hr 57m
S1 Ep30: The Glowing Visitor
In tonight’s dead letter, a scientist recounts an eerie experience from his teenage years on Long Island. A self-proclaimed skeptic, he describes waking up one night to see a glowing, humanoid figure in his sister's room. The story takes an even stranger turn when he mentions a family get-together where his sister and father recall their own unsettling experiences from that time, possibly tying...
25m May 20, 2025
25m
The Pascagoula Abduction with Philip Mantle Part 1
In October 1973, as the Vietnam War waned and Watergate filled headlines, two friends in Pascagoula, Mississippi—Charles Hickson and Calvin Parker—had an encounter that would shake them for life and baffle the world. While fishing after work, they claimed to be abducted by strange beings from a hovering craft, describing elephant-skinned entities with claw-like hands, and examined aboard the ve...
1hr 47m May 18, 2025
1hr 47m
S1 Ep29: The Dog Walker
In tonight’s dead letter, Scott and Forrest read a listener submission from Karena in Semaphore, Australia, who recounts a puzzling experience during her morning walk. On a bright, hot summer's day, she encountered a man walking 3 dogs. That itself is certainly not unusual, but he was dressed in clothes from another time and he vanished into thin air. Semaphore | South Australia (https://south...
32m May 13, 2025
32m
The Rhine Institute: Extraordinary Evidence
This week, we’re heading into the world of parapsychology with a visit to the legendary Rhine Research Center in North Carolina—an institution that’s been quietly pushing the boundaries of the human mind for nearly a century. Founded in the 1930s by J.B. and Louisa Rhine at Duke University, the center has long been a hub for rigorous scientific inquiry into phenomena like telepathy, clairvoyanc...
1hr 50m May 11, 2025
1hr 50m
S1 Ep28: The Wood Sprite
In tonight’s dead letter, we dive deep into the woods of Michigan's Upper Peninsula with Alicia, an experienced outdoorswoman who encounters a mysterious forest dweller during her hunting trip. As she waits silently, a small, dark form captures her attention—what could it possibly be? Is it a creature of folklore peeking into our world, or just an intricate game of light and shadow? Michigan's...
31m May 06, 2025
31m
S1 Ep27: The Scented Ghost
In tonight’s dead letter, we dive into "The Scented Ghost," a story from Buffalo, New York, shared by our listener Cheryl. In her old apartment, she and her boyfriend often noticed a strong, unusual floral scent, which could selectively present itself to either one of them. Things got eerie when Cheryl encountered a mysterious figure one night, leaving her spooked. Years later, a chance encount...
27m Apr 29, 2025
27m
The Max Headroom Pirate TV Incident Part 2
In Part 2 of our series on the Max Headroom Broadcast Signal Interruption, we dig deeper into the analog chaos that unfolded in 1987 Chicago — a surreal, rebellious hijacking that mocked media itself. We explore the investigation, the lingering mystery, and what it says about how we interact with technology, culture, and entertainment today. Who was behind that mask? Who wielded that fly-swatte...
2hr 15m Apr 27, 2025
2hr 15m
S1 Ep26: There's No Place like Gnome
In tonight’s dead letter, listener Leah experiences repeated visits from what appear to be gnome-like beings. The visits began after she began practicing Wicca, and thankfully, these mysterious creatures appear to be non-threatening…but persistent. Are they simply hallucinations connected to sleep paralysis, or are they part of the fabric of reality that is hidden from us most of the time? Ema...
25m Apr 22, 2025
25m
S1 Ep25: Knockin' on Devil's Den Door
In tonight's dead letter, we explore the eerie experiences of Allie, a PhD candidate from the University of Arkansas, who revisits the hauntingly notorious Devil's Den in the Ozark National Forest. As shared with hosts Scott and Forrest, Allie's research expeditions become unsettling when she feels an unseen presence and hears unexplained banging noises near isolated trails and bridges. Her tal...
26m Apr 15, 2025
26m
The Max Headroom Pirate TV Incident Part 1
Before streaming and scrolling there was broadcast television—shared signals sent through the air for anyone with an antenna to catch. But when something’s that open, it’s also open to hijacking. In part one of our two-part series, we dig into one of the most bizarre and legendary cases of broadcast piracy: the Max Headroom Incident. On November 22, 1987, two Chicago stations were interrupted b...
1hr 56m Apr 13, 2025
1hr 56m
S1 Ep24: The Shadow Man Who Wasn't There
In tonight's dead letter, we hear from Jada who encountered a shadowy figure with red eyes on two separate occasions in different locations. The first sighting occurred during a summer church camp, but the second happened years later and was witnessed by her boyfriend, who doesn’t believe in this kind of stuff. Are hauntings tied to people rather than places? Or tied to anything at all? The mor...
15m Apr 08, 2025
15m
S1 Ep23: Unwanted Houseguests
In tonight’s dead letter, a listener shares her stories of a childhood filled with unexplained phenomena in her family home just outside Toronto. From a mischievous spectral boy seen by the whole family to disembodied voices and a chilling sense of dread, their experiences were chalked up to "ghosts" as a family joke. But the story takes a strange turn when the spirit of "Robert Barber" appears...
32m Apr 01, 2025
32m
What Lies Beneath the Pyramids of Egypt
This week, we dive into a viral story that is captivating social media and stirring global debate — a supposed discovery beneath the sands of Giza that some are calling the find of the century. Descriptions of a vast, multi-level complex with geometric passageways, deep shafts, and mysterious chambers have sparked theories ranging from ancient power plants to the legendary Halls of Amenti. Coul...
1hr 53m Mar 31, 2025
1hr 53m
S1 Ep22: Bunny in a Tuxedo
In tonight’s dead letter, we delve into a truly bizarre family tale spanning generations. Taylor shares her mother's childhood encounter with a giant, tuxedo-clad bunny rabbit residing in her friend's shower—a story echoed by her own childhood sighting of a similar figure.  Could this be a family secret, a shared hallucination, or something far more uncanny? Púca (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki...
31m Mar 25, 2025
31m
A Scared to Death Timesuck with Dan Cummins
This week, we welcome master storyteller, podcaster, and comedian Dan Cummins, creator of the hit shows Timesuck and Scared to Death. Known for his deep dives into historical mysteries and the supernatural, Dan brings scholarly research paired with sharp wit. We’ve long admired the quality and depth of his work, which often parallels our own. Our conversation spans his paranormal encounters, th...
1hr 29m Mar 23, 2025
1hr 29m
S1 Ep21: A Call From Beyond
In tonight’s Dead Letter, we explore a mysterious phone call received by long-time listener Michelle in the 1980s.  The caller identified himself as "Uncle Bill," a relative she had never known, leaving a lasting impression on her and her family.  Her parents' stunned reaction to the call adds to the unsettling mystery. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_Call_(The_Twilight_Zone) https://www.s...
32m Mar 18, 2025
32m
S1 Ep20: The Haunted Firehouse
Due to an error last week, this Dead Letter Office didn't make it to the main feed so here it is now! There's a NEW one tomorrow too! In tonight’s dead letter, we explore the chilling tales of paranormal activity at a haunted firehouse, as recounted by volunteer firefighter Ken Sanner Jr.  Ken details a series of unsettling events, from flickering lights and moving objects to disembodied voice...
23m Mar 17, 2025
23m
Battle of Los Angeles
On the night of February 25, 1942, less than three months after Pearl Harbor, Los Angeles was gripped by fear as air raid sirens wailed and a total blackout stretched to the Mexican border. Powerful arc lamps lit up the sky, and anti-aircraft guns fired wildly as reports of enemy aircraft flooded in — some claiming planes crashed down across the city, though no wreckage was found. Even military...
2hr 8m Mar 09, 2025
2hr 8m
S1 Ep19: Not of this Earth
In tonight’s dead letter, we explore a listener’s astonishing story connecting to the infamous USS Nimitz Tic-Tac UFO incident.  Mike recounts childhood encounters with doppelgangers and later, his ex-wife's dream of grays influencing her pregnancy. Their son even refers to a "space dad," adding another layer to this already unbelievable tale. We were shocked to get a dead letter directly conne...
40m Mar 04, 2025
40m
S1 Ep18: The Co-Worker's Gift
In tonight’s dead letter, we delve into a truly astonishing story from listener Gus about his daughter Tara. Tara's coworker, on her last shift before college, revealed he could see spirits and described three surrounding Tara – her deceased grandparents and grandmother, accurately detailing their names, causes of death, and even the months they passed. Then he made a startling observation abou...
25m Feb 25, 2025
25m