MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
Ballen Studios
MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark and Mysterious Stories is a true crime and mystery podcast that presents strange, dark and mysterious content delivered in story format. The program is hosted by John Allen a.k.a. MrBallen. Subscribe to SiriusXM Podcasts+ to listen to new episodes 7-days early and ad-free. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
Rank History (30 days)
Recent Episodes
20 episodesA Pyrrhic Victory (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Both of today's stories are about people who actually achieved their big career ambitions... but at an extremely high cost. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Take Out (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
On June 20th, 2004 a restaurant manager stood at the host stand of a seafood spot in Orange County, California. It was the dinner rush, and he was on take-out duty. So when a customer came in to ask about their to-go order, the manager hurried off to grab it. He found the order, and carried it back out. And as he rang the customer up, he could tell they were in a hurry. They kept looking over their shoulder and tapping their fingers on the counter. So the manager tried to finish up the sale quickly, and ran their credit card. And after everything was done, the customer basically ran out – which was a little strange, but the manager quickly got distracted again with another order coming in, and shoved the signed card receipt into the register like he always did. He had no idea that he’d have to find it again in just a few days… and hand it over to the police. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Fan Favorite - "Big Bang"
Today's story is a fan favorite that was previously published as Episode 281. On a fall evening in 1996, a young detective sped through the streets of Tucson, Arizona towards an upscale country club. All he knew was that someone had reported an explosion in the area, but he didn’t know what had caused it. Minutes later, the detective pulled into the country club parking lot and as he got out of his car, it almost felt like he had stepped into a war zone. Car alarms were blaring, shattered glass covered the ground, and nearby he saw a car with its roof completely ripped off. The young detective quickly got to work searching the scene – having no idea that he would spend the next 13 years of his life trying to close this case – which would span across the United States and all the way to Europe. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Do Not Disturb
Today’s story has a very surprising ending, and I do sort of tip off what actually happens early-ish on in the story, but I’d be very surprised if people actually pick up on it and put it together before I reveal what actually happened. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos: #1 -- "Do Not Disturb" -- Two sisters take a vacation to Thailand, but the strange events that happen next would turn this into a nightmare (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2Wf0qKZ5fg) You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
In Too Deep (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Today's stories are about how sometimes doing what you think is the right thing... can actually be the most dangerous choice you can make. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Turquoise Necklace (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
On an evening in March 1974, an investigator in Salt Lake City, Utah sat across an interrogation table from a man who claimed he had psychic powers. The deputy had been skeptical… but now this self-described psychic was giving him a bunch of incredibly specific visions about the case. It was enough to make the deputy wonder… was this man really a psychic, or was he actually the killer? You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Fan Favorite - "Murder by the Slice"
Today's story is a fan favorite that was previously published as Episode 269. On a spring night in 2009, a middle aged married couple was closing up the local pizza place they ran in a small Virginia mountain town. The husband walked to the back of the restaurant and grabbed a large bucket of ice. He carried the bucket out the back door, and dumped the ice into the grass. He stood up and felt the cool breeze on his face – it was a nice change from the hot pizza ovens he’d been working around all night. But then, he heard screaming coming from inside the restaurant. Without thinking, he dropped the bucket, and rushed back inside. But when he discovered what was happening, all he could do was turn around and run for his life. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallen If you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
No Way Out Vol. IX
Today’s podcast features 3 stories that involve people who were trapped – with “no way out.” The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast.Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:#3 -- "A Friendly Wave" -- A girl on her newspaper route notices a man waving in a very peculiar position (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7BBtU-IJCE)#2 -- "Lookout" -- A submarine runs into some issues (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtEfMtdnjo0)#1 -- "Wrong Button" -- A man makes a horrifying discovery in an apartment building (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KLTog6DltQ) You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Best Laid Plans (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Today’s stories are about people who try to control fate… and end up causing historic levels of destruction. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Rumor Mill (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
On the morning of December 10, 1995, a detective walked into a house on a quiet street in the suburbs of Tucson, Arizona. An officer led him down the hallway to the bedroom – and when he looked inside, he froze. He'd seen a lot of crime scenes before, but this was one of the worst. There was blood all over the walls, the floors, and the mattress. It looked like this should be the scene of a murder. But there was one problem: there was no body. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Fan Favorite - "The Artist"
Today's story is a fan favorite that was previously published as Episode 251.On the afternoon of September 10, 2009, an art student walked inside her off-campus apartment in Dallas, Texas, and immediately began making herself a late lunch. Her roommate didn't come out of her bedroom to greet her, but to be honest, this wasn't totally unusual. The two of them, despite being roommates, were not actually very close at all. After eating their food, the student studied for a while, then watched some TV, and then went to bed. All the while, still never hearing a sound coming out of her roommate's bedroom. But again, this was normal. That is, until the next day, when the student received a call from their school telling her to go back to her apartment to check on her roommate. Because, apparently, the roommate's mother was very concerned about them. The student was annoyed, but went back to the apartment. And when they walked into their roommate's bedroom, they would see something that would haunt them for years. And it would instantly explain why their roommate would not come out of their room. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Frozen Hell
Today’s podcast will feature 3 stories about people who headed into the extreme cold, and never returned. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast.Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:#3 -- "Over the Horizon" -- A morbid discovery was made on an oceanic voyage in the 1800s (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V61B4JTczJM)#2 -- "Rite of Passage" -- A family decides to do a famous ritual all on their own (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7Nf7E6y8UA)#1 -- "Under the Tarp" -- They discovered pure NIGHTMARE FUEL in the wilderness… (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GQTLCAwZpI) You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Devil is in the Details (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Today, I’m going to tell you two stories about people who wanted to do something impressive – and came up with a really ambitious plan. But they overlooked one crucial detail that became the difference between life... and death. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Cops and Robbers (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Just after midnight on May 12, 2006, a man woke up in his quiet London suburb to the sound of pounding on his front door. He answered it and found his neighbor standing outside, looking shocked. The neighbor said something had happened to the man’s sister. The man immediately ran down the street, towards his sister’s house. He was afraid of what he’d find, because he was always warning her to be more careful, but she never listened. And when he arrived, he found a trail of blood running down his sister's driveway. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Monsters Among Us Vol. V
Today’s podcast will feature 3 stories that will make you wonder how many monsters you may have encountered in your life. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast.Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:#3 -- "The Home Gym" -- A family gets ready for a normal Friday, but little did they know their worlds were about to come tumbling down (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQMMgU2c69U)#2 -- "120 Times" -- This could have happened to anyone (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFV6R9GgPy4)#1 -- "To Save His Soul" -- What begins as a bible study in a motel, turns into one of the most disturbing cases ever (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQMMgU2c69U) You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Inspired By (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Today's story is about a fiction writer who used her own life as inspiration – until her life took a tragic twist that no one would believe if she wrote it in a book. It’s a reminder that some stories... are better left untold. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Green Monster (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
In the early morning hours of March 27, 2003, a four-year-old boy was lying in bed in rural Ohio, when he suddenly heard his door open. He assumed it was just his great-grandparents checking in on him, and he pretended to be asleep. He heard the floorboards creaking as someone stepped into his room, and approached his bed. The boy peeked his eyes open just a tiny bit... and he saw a huge, green monster standing over his bed – pointing a shotgun at him. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The Death Song | Campfire Stories with MrBallen
In today’s episode, we are doing something a little different. For the first time ever, I’m taking the "Strange, Dark, and Mysterious" stories outside to a literal campfire to bring you a tale that is as unsettling as it is historic.Hundreds of years ago in what is now Richland County, Wisconsin, a search party from the Ho-Chunk Nation followed the tracks of three missing hunters deep into a remote ravine. What they found was a dark cave and a haunting sound echoing from the depths—a sound that signaled they were no longer alone.Be sure to WATCH this episode on my YouTube channel! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Devotion
Today’s podcast will feature 3 stories about acts so strange and unsettling, they blur the line between devotion and madness. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel, which is just called "MrBallen," and has been remastered for today's podcast.Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:#3 -- "Exit Interviews" -- One of the most infamous cult cases in history... (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw9UOmib5hE)#2 -- "A Family Ritual" -- A family performs a sickening ritual (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V61B4JTczJM)#1 -- "The Helping Hand" -- After a hand washes up on a shore in Florida, a mysterious case begins to unravel (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6eHMOFfHKDw) You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
Desperate Measures (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Today, I’m going to tell you two stories about people who unknowingly risked everything to travel to their dream locations – and didn’t realize they were in danger until it was too late. Their stories remind us that careful planning is not always enough to keep us safe when we travel far from home. You can WATCH all new & exclusive MrBallen podcast episodes on my YouTube channel, just called "MrBallen" - https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballen Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.