Welcome to What The Heck's Creature Feature! These episodes release on Saturdays and look at folklore and cryptids from around the world! The same academic style is applied to these episodes, but they look at history and eyewitness reports before describing the creature of the week! A lot of the time, theories are a bit more scarce than the main episodes, but the content is still just as interesting.

This week we're looking at Hippocamp. Creatures from Greek Mythology, they were said to pull the chariot of Poseidon. They appeared in Argonautica as a symbol of adventure and received a makeover during the Renaissance. They even had special powers just in case they got into trouble. What is a Hippocamp? Did they hurt people? What's the plural? Listen in to find out!

Links to other ways to listen are found here: https://linktr.ee/whattheheckpod

References:-

Athena, Alilia. “Hippocampus Mythology – Paleothea.” Paleothea – Greek Mythology, 21 Apr. 2024, https://paleothea.com/mythical-creatures/hippocampus-mythology/.

Garstang, John. “Hybrid Creatures in Late Period Egypt: The Hippocampus | Garstang Museum of Archaeology.” Garstang Museum of Archaeology, 11 Apr. 2024, https://garstangmuseum.wordpress.com/2024/04/11/hybrid-creatures-in-late-period-egypt-the-hippocampus/.

“HIPPOCAMPS (Hippokampoi) - Fish-Tailed Horses of Greek Mythology.” THEOI GREEK MYTHOLOGY - Exploring Mythology in Classical Literature & Art, https://www.theoi.com/Ther/Hippokampoi.html. Accessed 13 May 2025.

You can email Glen at whattheheckpod3@gmail.com with any of your spooky stories, unexplained events, mysteries that you want him to look at, or anything you'd like him to correct or address.

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoy the podcast and think you know others who will like it, share it with them!

All the sounds from this episode were mixed by Glen, using Soundtrap. Enjoy them!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to What The Heck season 4! This podcast explores unexplained phenomena using stories gathered from various sources, then applies an academic research method to find theories and solutions for each one. So far, we've been unsuccessful in finding any concrete answers, but a few of the stories we've covered have been solved. Today, we're looking at the Rochester Alphabet Murders. In the early 1970s, 3 young girls were abducted and murdered, presumably by the same person. The modus operandi (MO) was almost identical for all three. Each girl had double initials- the same first and last initial. The case went cold quite quickly but, in 2009, another case was blown right open from California, involving the murders of women with double initials. Who were the girls? What happened to them? Who were the suspects? Listen in to find out!

Links for other ways to listen are found here: https://linktr.ee/whattheheckpod

References for the episode:

“‘Alphabet Killer’ Joseph Naso Sentenced to Death - BBC News.” BBC News, BBC News, 23 Nov. 2013, https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-25064222.

Jidoun, Grace. “The Alphabet Murders: All About The Victims and Suspects.” Oxygen, Oxygen, 18 Oct. 2023, https://www.oxygen.com/crime-news/alphabet-murders-victims-dna-suspects-rochester-new-york.

Johnston, Jonl. “Strangulation, Sadism, and Closing in on the Alphabet Killer | Psychology Today United Kingdom.” Psychology Today, 19 Nov. 2023, https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/the-human-equation/202311/strangulation-sadism-and-closing-in-on-the-alphabet-killer.

You can email Glen at whattheheckpod3@gmail.com with any of your spooky stories, unexplained events, mysteries that you want him to look at, or anything you'd like him to correct or address. Thanks for listening, and if you enjoy the podcast and think you know others who will like it, share it with them!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to What The Heck's Creature Feature! These episodes release on Saturdays and look at folklore and cryptids from around the world! The same academic style is applied to these episodes, but they look at history and eyewitness reports before describing the creature of the week! A lot of the time, theories are a bit more scarce than the main episodes, but the content is still just as interesting.

This week we're looking at the Lake Tota Monster. In the Colombian Andes Mountains, Lake Tota can be found. The indigenous Muisca peoples have had a long history with the lake, and the monster that was trapped within it. However, when the Spanish conquistadors came to colonise the area, they brought Catholicism and changed the folklore of the creature. How did the lake first form? What do the Muisca say about the Lake Tota Monster compared to the colonisers? What is it? Listen in to find out!

Links to other ways to listen are found here: https://linktr.ee/whattheheckpod

References:-

Beaumont, Wade. “The Legendary Lake Tota Monster– Hangar1publishing.” Hangar1publishing, Hangar1publishing, 3 Apr. 2024, https://hangar1publishing.com/blogs/cryptids/lake-tota-monster?srsltid=AfmBOoorPDSMR3OK0P_KLUeHuVaRhaxcKtgF6Jo6zkUVJ33gnli6iB2O.

Roberts, James. “Monster of Lake Tota: Colombia’s Mythic Serpent of the Andes– Hangar1publishing.” Hangar1publishing, Hangar1publishing, 28 Mar. 2024, https://hangar1publishing.com/blogs/cryptids/monster-of-lake-tota?srsltid=AfmBOooTgoR8lA5w-0_8bXJbNKMPBhVuzR7i2KouuRkg9vDzbQg-FSQk.

You can email Glen at whattheheckpod3@gmail.com with any of your spooky stories, unexplained events, mysteries that you want him to look at, or anything you'd like him to correct or address.

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoy the podcast and think you know others who will like it, share it with them!

All the sounds from this episode were mixed by Glen, using Soundtrap. Enjoy them!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to What The Heck season 4! This podcast explores unexplained phenomena using stories gathered from various sources, then applies an academic research method to find theories and solutions for each one. So far, we've been unsuccessful in finding any concrete answers, but a few of the stories we've covered have been solved. Today, we're looking at the disappearance of Zelim Bakaev. Zelim grew up in Chechnya and, through his love of music, became a popstar. He moved to Russia in 2012 and lived there, applying to be on a reality show in 2017. However, he returned home in August 2017 to attend his sister's wedding and was arrested. His mother asked the police to look for him, but they failed to do so, and the last time Zelim was seen was in September 2017 in a pair of YouTube videos. Who is Zelim Bakaev? What was going on in Chechnya in 2017? What happened to Zelim? Listen in to find out!

Links for other ways to listen are found here: https://linktr.ee/whattheheckpod

References for the episode:

Beard, Matt. “Chechen Pop Singer Zelim Bakaev Is Still Missing after Six Months – Here’s How You Can Demand Answers.” GAY TIMES, 12 Feb. 2018, https://www.gaytimes.com/life/chechen-pop-singer-still-missing-after-six-months/.

Contributors to Wikimedia projects. “Zelim Bakaev - Wikipedia.” Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., 23 Oct. 2017, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zelim_Bakaev.

Khazov-Cassia, Sergei, and Carl Schreck. “Kadyrov Hints At Antigay Honor Killing Of Chechen Singer.” RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty, RFE/RL, 18 Jan. 2018, https://www.rferl.org/a/kadyrov-bakayev-antigay-honor-killing-singer-chechnya/28983059.html.

Lobanov, Vladislav. “Singer Still Missing After Chechnya’s Anti-Gay Purge | Human Rights Watch.” Human Rights Watch, 7 Nov. 2017, https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/11/07/singer-still-missing-after-chechnyas-anti-gay-purge.

McKee, Jake. “Chechnya Leader Accused of Ordering Murder of Missing Gay Man.” PinkNews | Latest Lesbian, Gay, Bi and Trans News | LGBTQ+ News, 27 July 2023, https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/07/27/zelimkhan-bakaev-ramzan-kadyrov-chechnya/.

You can email Glen at whattheheckpod3@gmail.com with any of your spooky stories, unexplained events, mysteries that you want him to look at, or anything you'd like him to correct or address. Thanks for listening, and if you enjoy the podcast and think you know others who will like it, share it with them!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to What The Heck's Creature Feature! These episodes release on Saturdays and look at folklore and cryptids from around the world! The same academic style is applied to these episodes, but they look at history and eyewitness reports before describing the creature of the week! A lot of the time, theories are a bit more scarce than the main episodes, but the content is still just as interesting.

This week we're looking at Wolpertingers. Found in the forests off Bavaria, these German creatures are the stuff of legend. Caused by the union of different species, they all look different. They appear as taxidermies in the area, and there's an exhibit in a German museum. What are the legends? How do you find or catch one? What are they like? Listen in to find out!

Links to other ways to listen are found here: https://linktr.ee/whattheheckpod

References:-

Carter, Abi. “German Folklore: The Wolpertinger.” IamExpat, 12 May 2020, https://www.iamexpat.de/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/german-folklore-wolpertinger.

Mouriquand, David. “Countdown to Halloween: The Mythical Creatures of Europe - Wolpertinger.” Euro News, 30 Oct. 2022, https://www.euronews.com/culture/2022/10/30/countdown-to-halloween-the-mythical-creatures-of-europe-wolpertinger.

You can email Glen at whattheheckpod3@gmail.com with any of your spooky stories, unexplained events, mysteries that you want him to look at, or anything you'd like him to correct or address.

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoy the podcast and think you know others who will like it, share it with them!

All the sounds from this episode were mixed by Glen, using Soundtrap. Enjoy them!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to What The Heck season 4! This podcast explores unexplained phenomena using stories gathered from various sources, then applies an academic research method to find theories and solutions for each one. So far, we've been unsuccessful in finding any concrete answers, but a few of the stories we've covered have been solved. Today, we're looking at the murder of Ken Rex McElroy. After dropping out of the 8th Grade, Ken became a criminal, terrorising the town of Skidmore, Missouri. His list of crimes was long, but he served almost no jail time over the years, and forced a teenage girl to marry him to avoid consequences. In 1981 though, the town of Skidmore took matters into their own hands and Ken ended up dead. Attempts to find out who the culprit was failed. What did Ken McElroy do? Why did the town of Skidmore hate him so much? How did Ken die? Listen in to find out!

Links for other ways to listen are found here: https://linktr.ee/whattheheckpod

References for the episode:

Harvey, Austin. “Ken McElroy, The Town Bully Who Was Killed By His Victims.” All That’s Interesting, All That’s Interesting, 1 Oct. 2023, https://allthatsinteresting.com/ken-mcelroy.

Held, Kevin. “Bully’s Murder Remains a Secret in Missouri Town for 40 Years.” Fox 2 Now, Fox, 13 July 2021, https://fox2now.com/news/true-crime/missouri-town-keeps-bullys-murder-a-secret-for-40-years/.

“Town Mute for 30 Years About a Bully’s Killing.” New York Times, https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/16/us/16bully.html . Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.

You can email Glen at whattheheckpod3@gmail.com with any of your spooky stories, unexplained events, mysteries that you want him to look at, or anything you'd like him to correct or address. Thanks for listening, and if you enjoy the podcast and think you know others who will like it, share it with them!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to What The Heck's Creature Feature! These episodes release on Saturdays and look at folklore and cryptids from around the world! The same academic style is applied to these episodes, but they look at history and eyewitness reports before describing the creature of the week! A lot of the time, theories are a bit more scarce than the main episodes, but the content is still just as interesting.

This week we're looking at Wyverns. These symbols of heroism and power were once symbols of war, famine, and disease. They're cousins to the dragon in some folklore, but in others it's a little less clear what they are. Time has changed the idea of these creatures. What is a Wyvern exactly? What do dragons have to do with it? Why is it so confusing? Listen in to find out!

Links to other ways to listen are found here: https://linktr.ee/whattheheckpod

References:-

“Folklore Fact – Wyverns – Maegan A. Stebbins – Maverick-Werewolf’s Den.” Maegan A. Stebbins – Maverick-Werewolf’s Den – Werewolves, Folklore, Character-Driven Fiction, and More, https://maverickwerewolf.com/folklore-facts/folklore-fact-wyverns/. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.

“Wyvern - Legendary Creature with Dragon Power | Mythology.Net.” Mythology.Net, 22 Dec. 2016, https://mythology.net/mythical-creatures/wyvern/.

You can email Glen at whattheheckpod3@gmail.com with any of your spooky stories, unexplained events, mysteries that you want him to look at, or anything you'd like him to correct or address.

Thanks for listening, and if you enjoy the podcast and think you know others who will like it, share it with them!

All the sounds from this episode were mixed by Glen, using Soundtrap. Enjoy them!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to What The Heck season 4! This podcast explores unexplained phenomena using stories gathered from various sources, then applies an academic research method to find theories and solutions for each one. So far, we've been unsuccessful in finding any concrete answers, but a few of the stories we've covered have been solved. Today, we're looking at the Cagots. First appearing in French documents around 1000 CE, these people were discriminated against for almost 1000 years. The problem is that nobody knows why, or even how they were different from any other French person. There were multiple opportunities to stop the persecution, but each time almost caused an uprising in rural communities. They were even referenced in the early 20th Century. Who were the Cagots? What made them different to the French? What reasons were given for the discrimination? Listen in to find out!

Links for other ways to listen are found here: https://linktr.ee/whattheheckpod

References for the episode:

Elsewhere, Finding Home. “Hidden Histories of France: The Cagots.” Finding Home Elsewhere | Substack, Finding Home Elsewhere, 18 Dec. 2024, https://keithchristiansen.substack.com/p/hidden-histories-of-france-the-cagots.

Scheutz, Staffan. “La Piccioletta Barca | Beyond Thought - the Cagots of France - by Staffan Scheutz.” La Piccioletta Barca - Homepage, https://www.picciolettabarca.com/posts/beyond-thought-the-cagots-of-france. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.

Vanessa. “French History Mysteries #1: Les Cagots.” Life on La Lune, 29 Jan. 2025, https://lifeonlalune.com/2025/01/29/french-history-mysteries-1-les-cagots/.

You can email Glen at whattheheckpod3@gmail.com with any of your spooky stories, unexplained events, mysteries that you want him to look at, or anything you'd like him to correct or address. Thanks for listening, and if you enjoy the podcast and think you know others who will like it, share it with them!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.