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 episodesFan 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.
Dancer in the Dark (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
In December 2005, a young woman walked down a sidewalk in New York City. There were Christmas decorations on all the buildings she passed – but as she walked by a newspaper stand, she saw something that was so shocking, she literally stopped in her tracks. Because right there, on the front page of multiple newspapers — was a picture of the one thing in her life, that she’d hoped she would never see again. Looking at it now, she knew she had to call the police right away. 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 - "You Can't Leave That Way"
Today's story is a fan favorite that was previously published as Episode 318.This story is about a woman who goes missing from a psychiatric hospital in 1900. Now at first, this story will seem like a pretty ordinary missing person case. That is, until you reach the very end. Lets just say, this story has one heck of a plot twist. 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 Unexplained Vol. II
Today’s podcast will feature 3 stories of missing people that we just can’t explain. 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 Yellow Smoke" -- A bizarre series of events leaves a family without any answers (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eklLi4LdTWk)#2 -- "The Bennington Triangle" -- Hunters goes missing in haunted forest (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-Kvc3wbSfw)#1 -- "Incommunicado" -- A man staying an extremely remote cabin stops communicating with his friend (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.
Panic Attacks (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
Today, I’m going to tell you two stories about people who communicated with the right intentions, but didn’t fully think through the risks of what could happen when their message was heard. These stories remind us that sometimes, our zeal can lead us down a path we can’t turn back from. 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 Preacher's Fiancée (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE)
One morning in May 1993, a man living outside Chicago, Illinois, stepped out onto his front porch – and froze. There was a shoebox sitting there, with a note that said “To Sandra” – but no one named ‘Sandra’ lived at his house. The man’s heart started to race. There was a bomber on the loose, and the whole city was on edge – so he called 911. The box on his porch would turn out to be nothing, but until the bomber was found, nobody knew what the next box would contain. 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.
Storytime with MrBallen | Rosie Grant
Joining me is the amazing Rosie Grant! Rosie is the creator behind Ghostly Archive on Instagram & TikTok, where she researches and re-creates recipes found on gravestones. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.