Bizarre Unsolved Mysteries

[DMBstandUP1984]

Originally Posted by TheLastPig

Ghost nation is like the absolute bottom barrel for me, they dont even try to show proof of stuff lol. The way that show is shot/cut is so hard to watch. I like josh gates but he doesnt really do ghost hunting.

Nah Gates moved away from that stuff. When I saw him live in 2018 he said he wasn’t interested in the paranormal anymore but wouldn’t mind producing it which he does now with Expedition Unknown. Jessica Chobot is one of the host on expedition unknown who I’ve been listening to for years on Bizarre States

I just think Gates has always been the most entertaining over all his shows.

Ghost nation I just like because I like Jason and Steve.


Mystery at blind frog ranch was pretty good.

[donvito72]

Originally Posted by Noles20

Night Stalker was good. I'm watching The Staircase now.

I watched that too - it was also quite good - leaves you with plenty of questions.

[DMBstandUP1984]

Is there a hillside strangler doc?

[Cscottrun]

Originally Posted by Cscottrun

Watching Night Stalker now. Pretty good so far. The Ripper on Netflix is also good. Same kind of documentary style.

Ripper is a bit more drawn out I feel. Doesn't mean it's worse though, just an observation.

Another one I enjoyed was Manhunt: Unabomber. Kinda different because its a miniseries and not a documentary; but same concept.

[TheLastPig]

Originally Posted by DMBstandUP1984

Nah Gates moved away from that stuff. When I saw him live in 2018 he said he wasn’t interested in the paranormal anymore but wouldn’t mind producing it which he does now with Expedition Unknown. Jessica Chobot is one of the host on expedition unknown who I’ve been listening to for years on Bizarre States

I just think Gates has always been the most entertaining over all his shows.

Ghost nation I just like because I like Jason and Steve.


Mystery at blind frog ranch was pretty good.

Is Blind Fog Ranch on Discovery+?


Im a huge nerd for Curse of Oak Island and Secret of Skinwalker Ranch.

[TablesTurnAgain]

Originally Posted by Noles20

Night Stalker was good. I'm watching The Staircase now.

I thought the Staircase was so unsettlingly weird, like he felt off, that early on I thought he was guilty. More I saw, I realized that’s just his personality and all the evidence involved made it really clear that he’s been very unfortunate.

Helped to understand the filmmaker was regularly filming this guy for years, explains how they caught so many original moments. Otherwise it felt like a lot of set up stuff.

[DMBstandUP1984]

Originally Posted by TheLastPig

Is Blind Fog Ranch on Discovery+?


Im a huge nerd for Curse of Oak Island and Secret of Skinwalker Ranch.

Yes but It’s on demand also! I watched the last episode of it on discovery on demand today.

[DMBstandUP1984]

UFO witness with the fbi guy from “fact or faked” is decent

[donvito72]

Originally Posted by TablesTurnAgain

I thought the Staircase was so unsettlingly weird, like he felt off, that early on I thought he was guilty. More I saw, I realized that’s just his personality and all the evidence involved made it really clear that he’s been very unfortunate.

Helped to understand the filmmaker was regularly filming this guy for years, explains how they caught so many original moments. Otherwise it felt like a lot of set up stuff.

Yep - I had a very similar experience watching this.

[Noles20]

Originally Posted by donvito72

I watched that too - it was also quite good - leaves you with plenty of questions.

Originally Posted by TablesTurnAgain

I thought the Staircase was so unsettlingly weird, like he felt off, that early on I thought he was guilty. More I saw, I realized that’s just his personality and all the evidence involved made it really clear that he’s been very unfortunate.

Helped to understand the filmmaker was regularly filming this guy for years, explains how they caught so many original moments. Otherwise it felt like a lot of set up stuff.

Finished The Staircase last night. He definitely got screwed by the justice system and the conduct of the DA's office, the ME and SBI was flat out criminal. That being said, there is still a part of me that looks at the crime scene and thinks that it does not look like an accident at all. But then again, what was the weapon? Why not skull fracture or brain injuries? But on the other hand, 7 lacerations and 30 some bruises and wounds from a fall or serious of falls? He definitely should have been found NG but there is a possibility that he did it IMO.

[Cscottrun]

Anyone see the update on the Kristin Smart case?

https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/14/us/kr...ney/index.html

Interestingly, over a year ago, Smart's mother was told "told to be ready for a development that might bring closure to her 23-year nightmare."

https://www.recordnet.com/news/20200...tm_name=iossmf

Imagine having to wait over a year with nothing after being told that. Jeeze.

[DMBstandUP1984]

Defense Department confirms leaked video of unidentified aerial phenomena is real



https://whdh.com/news/defense-depart...omena-is-real/

[ricky towel]

In late 1958, a group of Soviet hikers set off on an ambitious 16-day cross-country ski trip in the Urals. They were supposed to end up at the tiny village of Vizhai around February 12th. They never arrived.

https://twitter.com/newyorker/status...228431362?s=21

[Foreverford05]

Originally Posted by ricky towel

In late 1958, a group of Soviet hikers set off on an ambitious 16-day cross-country ski trip in the Urals. They were supposed to end up at the tiny village of Vizhai around February 12th. They never arrived.

https://twitter.com/newyorker/status...228431362?s=21

There's actually some pretty good theories out there on this one. Mr Ballen on YouTube does a great timing of events and some possible explanations

[Cscottrun]

Wow, I'm just seeing the comments above about The Staircase. I thought he was 100% guilty (but not enough evidence to prove it). Just goes to show how crazy the whole thing was.

To be clear, my feelings/opinion was that he was guilty. I also though, however, that the prosecution did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he did it though.

[donvito72]

Originally Posted by Cscottrun

Wow, I'm just seeing the comments above about The Staircase. I thought he was 100% guilty (but not enough evidence to prove it). Just goes to show how crazy the whole thing was.

To be clear, my feelings/opinion was that he was guilty. I also though, however, that the prosecution did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he did it though.

Man - it's bizarre - I wouldn't have convicted him - but there's still room in my head to acknowledge he might be guilty. I lean toward not guilty though after watching that documentary.

[Rodey]

The Staircase was good. I also leaned towards not guilty after watching the doc.

As crazy as it sounds, I feel like the owl theory makes sense.

[donvito72]

Originally Posted by Rodey

As crazy as it sounds, I feel like the owl theory makes sense.

Likewise.

[TheLastStop123]

Originally Posted by ricky towel

In late 1958, a group of Soviet hikers set off on an ambitious 16-day cross-country ski trip in the Urals. They were supposed to end up at the tiny village of Vizhai around February 12th. They never arrived.

https://twitter.com/newyorker/status...228431362?s=21

Originally Posted by Foreverford05

There's actually some pretty good theories out there on this one. Mr Ballen on YouTube does a great timing of events and some possible explanations

Occam's razor - sometimes the simplest explanation is the correct one.

[Gene Parmesan]

Originally Posted by ricky towel

In late 1958, a group of Soviet hikers set off on an ambitious 16-day cross-country ski trip in the Urals. They were supposed to end up at the tiny village of Vizhai around February 12th. They never arrived.

https://twitter.com/newyorker/status...228431362?s=21

Just read a great book about this called Dead Mountain. It's conclusion was that the symmetric dome of the mountain was subject to many strange wind events. The mountain would spawn tornado-like wind events screaming down the sides of the mountain. They had set up their tent in between and the freight train-like sounds from these mini tornados terrified them in the pitch black night. They also created infrasound, a low frequency sound that can literally drive you crazy, which drove them crazy enough to panic and leave the tent unprepared for the elements.

[Gene Parmesan]

Originally Posted by Foreverford05

There's actually some pretty good theories out there on this one. Mr Ballen on YouTube does a great timing of events and some possible explanations

This guy has a lot of info wrong. They weren't wearing each others clothes. One person was wearing part of anothers ripped clothes, theory being the one hiker died from exposure and another hiker ripped their clothes off the frozen body to help another in the group who was still alive, but freezing.

[jwehaeDMB]

Originally Posted by ricky towel

In late 1958, a group of Soviet hikers set off on an ambitious 16-day cross-country ski trip in the Urals. They were supposed to end up at the tiny village of Vizhai around February 12th. They never arrived.

https://twitter.com/newyorker/status...228431362?s=21

What was the tweet? Appears to have been deleted

[TheLastStop123]

Originally Posted by jwehaeDMB

What was the tweet? Appears to have been deleted

was a link to The New Yorker article on the story, which includes the likely explanation as well:

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2...social_twitter

[Timebomb07]

Originally Posted by Gene Parmesan

Just read a great book about this called Dead Mountain. It's conclusion was that the symmetric dome of the mountain was subject to many strange wind events. The mountain would spawn tornado-like wind events screaming down the sides of the mountain. They had set up their tent in between and the freight train-like sounds from these mini tornados terrified them in the pitch black night. They also created infrasound, a low frequency sound that can literally drive you crazy, which drove them crazy enough to panic and leave the tent unprepared for the elements.

Read this last year. Pretty good read and this theory is absolutely terrifying.

[Climb2safety]

Originally Posted by Cscottrun

Wow, I'm just seeing the comments above about The Staircase. I thought he was 100% guilty (but not enough evidence to prove it). Just goes to show how crazy the whole thing was.

To be clear, my feelings/opinion was that he was guilty. I also though, however, that the prosecution did not prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he did it though.

How could he have beaten her so badly at the bottom of the stairs and have there be a lack of cast off spatter to match the severity of the attack was what I always got hung up on.

[Cscottrun]

Originally Posted by Climb2safety

How could he have beaten her so badly at the bottom of the stairs and have there be a lack of cast off spatter to match the severity of the attack was what I always got hung up on.

I watched the doc several months ago so I can't really comment on this. Just passing along my feelings from when I watched.

[BTBaboon]

Watched The Staircase.

I can’t believe the jury found him guilty. The prosecution’s case was terrible, they hitched their case to a vanished murder weapon, ignored basic physics, lack of brain injury or skill fracture, and were making character assassinations on his sexuality as motive for murder.

I don’t know about the owl theory, and I think it’s very possible that it was truly just a fall. The whole thing seemed like a revenge theory because of his writings in the paper about the corruption in town.

[Cscottrun]

Thought this was...interesting?

https://youtu.be/HBRAY3N3FXw

[Climb2safety]

Originally Posted by BTBaboon

Watched The Staircase.

I can’t believe the jury found him guilty. The prosecution’s case was terrible, they hitched their case to a vanished murder weapon, ignored basic physics, lack of brain injury or skill fracture, and were making character assassinations on his sexuality as motive for murder.

I don’t know about the owl theory, and I think it’s very possible that it was truly just a fall. The whole thing seemed like a revenge theory because of his writings in the paper about the corruption in town.

There is a good thread on Reddit about how they did just that.

Original author: /u/Popkins
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michae...leen.27s_death
On Sunday, December 9, 2001, Kathleen was found dead at the bottom of a staircase in her Durham mansion. Michael had called 9-1-1, stating that she had fallen down the stairs

There have been numerous threads about this case. Many of those have been by and large created by and populated by people who merely watched the documentary The Staircase.

The Staircase documentary mini-series was directed by the same man who directed Murder on a Sunday Morning. One of my favorite courtroom documentaries. Check it out if you haven't.

Where the latter differs from the former is that in the latter there was genuine injustice taking place.

I wanted to create this thread because I was, like many, misled by the documentary miniseries. This thread is mostly for people who have already watched the documentary miniseries and might not make a whole lot of sense to people unfamiliar with the case.

I contend that this is one of the most misleading documentaries that have ever been made.

Here are facts that the director willfully edited out of the documentary:
Kathleen Peterson worked for a dot com bubble-affected company that was figuratively burning down ($398b to $5b in 2 yrs). Almost all workers had been laid off and she confided in a friend that she worried she would soon follow.

There was a $1.4 million life insurance policy on Kathleen. She was also the owner of the home, the car and had $350k in pension funds and her 401(K)
It was said that their (her, actually) net worth was around $2M

Michael's sons were all heavily in debt. His sons were not even close to being able to afford to pay the interest on their loans - much less reduce the principal
Either Michael was completely unwilling to discuss this issue with Kathleen or Kathleen had already said no to the idea of helping his sons

Michael suggested to his sons' mother Patty, whose net worth presumably wasn't 10% of Kathleen's, that she should take out a $30 000 home equity loan to help the boys out

Michael had no income and had not had any income to speak of for a long time
There was a bloody shoeprint on the backside of Kathleen's leg matched to the sneakers owned by Michael which were found next to the body

There was a drop of blood on the inseam of Michael's shorts

There was blood on the inside of the front door and a drop of blood was found on the porch

There were only trace amounts of blood in Kathleen's lungs suggesting she might not have coughed up 10 000 drops of blood

Her arms and hands had contusions (bruises) and cartilage in the front of her neck was fractured

Despite the colossal injuries to her head and neck area and contusions all over her arms she had zero injury to her knees and legs

Analysis of her brain revealed the presence of red neurons that suggest she had been alive for 45-120 minutes after her blood loss began - a neuropathologist testified that in his experience 120 minutes was the minimum she was alive for after her initial blood loss

The two paramedics who responded to the call arrived ten minutes after his initial call and both noted that the blood was very dry when they arrived

In the week leading up to the death he deleted a ton of files from his computer and after that installed a program designed to make deleting files easier

Let's not even get into the unfaithfulness and the fact that he man is a serial liar.

Let's not even get into the haunting text he had written on the topic of killing read by Kathleen's sister.

Hell, let's even ignore the fact that in his past there was a ludicrously similar death.

How could someone fall down such pathetic stairs, which aren't exactly constructed with razor sharp obsidian, get seven skull deep lacerations so high up on the skull and bruise their arms so much without getting any bruises on their knees or legs?

How could there be a shoeprint in blood on the back of her pants if he didn't beat her to death? How? This shoeprint matched the pattern on his sneakers. Image
How could there be an isolated drop of blood on the inseam of his shorts if he found her hours after she was already incapable of any sort of movement with most of the blood having already dried? How?

These last two issues alone would make me believe beyond a reasonable doubt that he was guilty of this crime.

He owned nothing. His sons were in debt. He had a massive life insurance policy on this already well off woman who was about to lose her job and didn't seem keen on helping out his sons. He stood to inherit all of this.

Something may have happened that night that further exacerbated the situation e.g. her finding the gay porn, the gay websites in his browsing history, the chats between him and the gay prostitute whose services he ordered, discovering that the companies on his credit card statements were gay porn websites or gay solicitation service companies, or her stating she would never help out his financially irresponsible, crime committing sons etc the possibilities are numerous.

I also can not reconcile the fact that there was no blood on the outside of the doors, but there was blood on the inside of the doors, with an owl attack.
Nor can I ignore the fact that his bloody shoeprint was on the back of her leg when she was found in this position (WARNING: Death). Nor the fact that an isolated drop of blood was found on the inseam of his shorts. Nor can I imagine a position in which she could conceivably be in where she would be coughing blood in the direction of the east wall blood drops (right side) another angle

It just screams "mistake" by a murderer who didn't realize it because he had turned her over and placed her body in that position in an attempt to make it look like a staircase accident he would not be able to notice the shoeprint he left. He would also be unable to easily spot a drop of blood in the inseam of his shorts that would otherwise look perfectly clean to a man wearing them.

It is my contention that Michael beat Kathleen to death with some weapon. He is a very strong man and hit her with a flurry of quick blows as she tried to defend herself with her eventually bruised arms. He did not swiftly swing a long weapon comically high up in the air in between blows which is why there is limited or no castoff. He was strong enough to simply "punch" her repeatedly with whatever weapon he was wielding. He beat her with his right hand which meant blood was projected predominantly to the left of Kathleen (where most of the blood in the previous images is) while some would go behind her, depending on the angle of each blow and her position at the time. After beating her, mercilessly, to a state he presumed was death he left to rid himself of the murder weapon, leaving blood on the inside of the door. He walked a long while and eventually dug a hole in the ground in the middle of nowhere and buried the murder weapon. All the meanwhile Kathleen regained consciousness but dazed and confused could not manage to do more than plant her feet in a pool of blood only to slip or fail to rise up in an attempt to get help or hide. Michael returned and finished the job or simply stood over her and waited for her to die. He cleaned his shoes, placed her body in its final resting position, prepared himself for the theater act on the phone and dialed 911.

Now that I've gone into some details of the prosecution's case that were not displayed in the documentary, do you still think Michael Peterson is innocent?
Did you think he was innocent before you read this thread?

Do you feel the documentary gave you a fair account of what happened in that courtroom?

[donvito72]

Originally Posted by BTBaboon

Watched The Staircase.

I can’t believe the jury found him guilty. The prosecution’s case was terrible, they hitched their case to a vanished murder weapon, ignored basic physics, lack of brain injury or skill fracture, and were making character assassinations on his sexuality as motive for murder.

I don’t know about the owl theory, and I think it’s very possible that it was truly just a fall. The whole thing seemed like a revenge theory because of his writings in the paper about the corruption in town.

Went into this thinking he was guilty as sin. Came out with the same conclusion you did - how the F did this even happen?

Also - 100% with you on the owl theory - not sure how i feel about it, but I don't outright dismiss it either.