MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories

One afternoon in January of 1998, a prosecutor for the state of Georgia sat in the very back row of seats in a courtroom where a divorce trial was unfolding. The prosecutor was not involved in the divorce case – he handled murder trials. But he had come here today, because he had gotten a very surprising phone call about an unsolved case he had worked on a year and a half earlier. The caller had told him that the testimony in this divorce – could solve that murder. Now, in the courtroom, the prosecutor felt his heart rate pick up, as the witness he had been waiting for took the stand. And as soon as the witness started talking – the prosecutor knew: he had solved the murder.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 4 stories about adventures… that go wrong. The audio from all four 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:

• #4 -- "Bungee" -- A couple decides to go bungee jumping, but someone panics and the result is caught on video... (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfnbgIkT_jk)
• #3 -- "Geocaching" -- 4 young people explore an underground tunnel (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtDAo7jS8Z4)
• #2 -- "127 Hours" -- Man is forced to make a horrifying decision (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kODsF75lAJY)
• #1 -- "Head Count" -- A group of boys go for a hike. They’re having a great time, until one of them takes a picture... (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SaSQ4ou05dc)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

On the morning of May 17th, 2014, a detective wrote furiously as she sat next to the hospital bed of a mortally-injured 77-year-old woman. The woman had been in a coma for the last ten days, and the detective had been desperately working to figure out who had tried to kill her. Now that the woman had woken up, the detective was finally getting the chance she’d been waiting for – to ask her victim directly. But the woman was afraid. She told the detective she had a lot to say, but she couldn’t say it here, at the hospital – because she was still in danger.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 3 stories where things are not what they seem. 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 -- "Deer Crossing" -- A man's drive home from a night out turns into a nightmare (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgeDUqyCgqE)
• #2 -- "Ancient Beast" -- A security guard searches for a dangerous criminal at the Canadian border (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l74_VQPdxjU)
• #1 -- "Stay Forgetful" -- A man wakes up on the side of the road with no idea of who he is or how he got there (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcWArGuE1Os)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Late on a June evening in 2000, a detective with the Easton PA Police Department sat in his car on a darkened neighborhood street, surveilling a house nearby and waiting patiently. After what seemed like an eternity, someone emerged from the house, carrying a couple of bulky trash bags in their hands. The detective tensed up– but he didn’t move. It wasn’t the person that he was waiting for. The detective kept watching as the person placed their trash bags on the curb for pickup in the morning, and then walked back inside the house. And that was when the detective flung open his car door. As quickly as he could, he darted across the street and grabbed the bags. He then ran back to his car and stuffed the bags in his trunk. As he drove away – he knew he was about to solve his murder case.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

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 -- "Mercy Road" -- A sinister secret hides in a nightly news report (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKeWsdjvnGc)
• #2 -- "The Woman in a Wrinkled Dress" -- A security guard searches for a dangerous criminal at the Canadian border (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miq7GLDrgVg&t=1s)
• #1 -- "Striking a Discord" -- The line between fantasy and reality is blurred for a group of online gamers (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RcWArGuE1Os)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

One evening in the summer of 1998, homicide detective Danny Payne sat in a dark room in a Tennessee suburb police station. He was focused on a TV screen where some surveillance footage played. The recording was bad quality, all blurry and pixelated. But it was still clear what the camera was pointed at – which was a nighttime scene of a McDonald's. On the screen, the shape of a person moved toward the restaurant door and disappeared inside. The video was too low quality to make out any identifying details... but the person wasn’t what Payne was watching. He was focused, instead, on a car parked at the far end of the McDonald's lot. Payne had watched this video probably 30 times, but he’d never noticed the car before. Now that he saw it, though, he realized that nothing in this case, was what he had thought it was.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 3 chilling horror stories that serve as a stark reminder – we’re not always at the top of the food chain. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel and has been remastered for today's episode.

Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:

• #3 -- "The Hand That Feeds" -- A man has a deadly secret in his apartment (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_jD-95RhWo)
• #2 -- "Modern Day Dinosaurs" -- Man sneaks into a predator’s territory (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8swB7qMU7gk)
• #1 -- "Cat and Mouse" -- A hunter encounters something terrifying in the Russian wilderness (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZA7BqNO-YU)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

This story is a fan favorite from MrBallen's Medical Mysteries.

During the COVID pandemic, a boy starts experiencing sudden, inexplicable bursts of pain. At first, his symptoms seem psychological – but then doctors say he may need brain surgery to fix the problem. That’s when the boy’s mother turns to a cutting edge technology to help her figure out what’s wrong with her son.

Listen Now: Wondery.fm/MBMM

For 100s more stories like this one, check out 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.

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. And today’s podcast features 3 stories that demonstrate that. 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 -- "Family Dinner" -- In 2013, a man was preparing dinner for his family, when he realized he was missing a key ingredient for the meal (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUoex49Yzng)
• #2 -- "Table for Two" -- A woman spots something very odd about her neighbor’s dinner party (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWOMY0JQdFs)
• #1 -- "Lucky Day" -- A man stumbles into two highly unlikely scenarios when he goes surfing in Africa, and it may sound made up, but it's not (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLT32AR5c68)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

One day in mid-December 2003, Detective Mark Kelly walked into a small kitchen at a home in Fort Worth, Texas. The house belonged to a potential suspect in a homicide case, and while his partner was interviewing that suspect in the other room, Kelly was poking around. He wanted to hurry, because the kitchen he was in was disgusting. There was a layer of dirt on the floor, the dishwasher was open, with dirty plates and silverware still inside, dishes were stacked up in the sink, and used pots and rotting food covered the counters. Kelly could hear his partner talking in the other room as he grabbed the nearest drawer and pulled. Instantly, he regretted it. Because when he opened that drawer, about a dozen cockroaches crawled out of it. Kelly gasped and took an instinctive step back, watching the bugs skitter away. He was searching for a weapon, and it wasn’t here. But something about the filth felt like a clue. Kelly just didn’t know what it meant yet.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature two medical mysteries that sound like they are straight out of a horror movie. The audio from both of these 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:

• #2 -- "Gasp" -- A very scary thunderstorm foreshadows a mysterious, unexplained disaster with horrific consequences (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09A7pjC3zhY)
• #1 -- "All in Their Heads" -- A mysterious disease almost wipes out an entire tribe, but where this disease comes from will make you squirm (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk_JTdngG9k)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Just after 7 p.m. on June 16th, 2010, an employee at the Palmdale, California Sheriff’s Department tapped his fingers on his desk and sighed. The department was usually pretty busy, but it had been slow that night, so the shift was dragging. As the employee aimlessly moved around some paperwork, he heard something that made him look up at the front doors of the department. The sound came from outside, and it was muffled, but it sounded like someone yelling. Seconds later, a young woman charged through the front doors. She was frantically screaming for help… and she was covered in blood.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature two claustrophobia inducing stories about cave explorers. The audio from both of these 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:

• #2 -- "Into the Dark" -- A man faces a nightmare in a bat cave (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-OLxaEnFJc)
• #1 -- "Last Wish" -- An explorer tries to find a new undiscovered chamber in a cave (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjyZeVb8ct4)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

On a crisp fall morning in 2007, a small airplane took flight over the forested town of Graham, Washington. The pilot was a detective with the Pierce county sheriff’s department, and he was flying a somewhat unusual mission. He wasn’t looking for a lost person, or chasing a fleeing suspect. Instead, he was circling the sky above the scene of a double-murder case that had him – and his whole department – stumped. The detective had run out of ideas on the ground. So he’d decided to take flight. He always thought better in the air – and he figured he would literally get a new perspective on his evidence this way. He circled over the house where the homicides took place. And that’s when he noticed something – from the sky, it became obvious in a way that he never considered from the ground. With a rush of adrenaline, he turned his plane back toward the airfield. He had a hunch – and if he was right, he’d just cracked the case.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 3 stories of journeys that promised adventure, but led somewhere far more sinister. 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 -- "Headlights" -- Father & son get lost in the woods during a hunting trip (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZCCCxnSMxs)
• #2 -- "Into Infinity" -- Mountaineering student in Alaska walks where he shouldn't (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32Nwh9sq7DI)
• #1 -- "The Signal" -- A man's trip into the arctic wilderness takes a turn for the worse (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQJUDgQtRNI)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today's episode is something completely new! But don't worry, it's in addition to the regular episodes!

For the first time ever, I am interviewing a guest. Joining me is superstar comedian, Tom Segura. Tom and I discuss storytelling, share some stories, and I tell Tom a brand new strange, dark & mysterious story I've never told before. It's one that defies logic and belief. You won't want to miss this story, or this discussion!

WATCH the full video here: https://youtu.be/8SEDCUaL0hY

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In September of 2021, a young woman named Anna Moriah Willson – who everybody just called “Mo” – stood in front of a cheering crowd at the end of a long outdoor bike path in Idaho. Mo had just finished a grueling gravel race, which is a cycling race on difficult terrain. And it was clear to everyone in the crowd who was cheering that not only was Mo one of the best women cyclists in the country – she was quickly becoming the face of the sport.

Like all the competitors, Mo was a highly-trained athlete and in peak physical condition. But that brute athleticism was offset by a bright smile, her long auburn hair, and a true love for talking to anybody and everybody. It was this combination of her athletic skill, outgoing personality, and her natural comfort in front of cameras and on social media that made her the perfect ambassador for the growing sport of gravel racing. And there was one particular person at the race in Idaho who just couldn’t take his eyes off her. He was already one of the most famous male gravel racers in the world, and as he made his way through the crowd to meet her, Mo’s face lit up, and she could feel her heart racing a little. Before long, the two top riders were introducing themselves to each other and having some nice small talk… not realizing the horrible chain of events this encounter would spark.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Some people will lie, cheat, and steal to get ahead, but today’s podcast features two wild stories where those so-called “master plans” fall apart in the most unexpected ways. The audio from both of these 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:

• #2 -- "Sign Here" -- A routine trip to the bank has a sinister backstory (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNbRksDBLHw)
• #1 -- "A Carefully Laid Plan" -- An undercover cop witnesses something in a fast food restaurant that cracks his case wide open (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbGz9Ayf9Hs)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

On the afternoon of March 24, 2006, an employee at a moving truck rental company in Ohio opened his desk drawer and grabbed a wad of cash. It had been a slow day, so the employee was using his downtime to organize a few recent payments. The money he’d just grabbed was from an all-cash deal that had happened a few days ago. At the time, the employee had been super busy, so he’d just taken the cash from the customer, flipped through it quickly to make sure the amount seemed right, then shoved the money in the drawer to deal with later. Now, he was actually counting it properly – and he really hoped the customer hadn’t shorted him, or he’d have to track them down to collect. But as the employee counted the bills, he paused. Not because the amount wasn’t right – but because there was something on the money that caught his attention. For a second, he wasn’t sure what it was. So, he looked closer. And then, all at once, he understood what he was seeing. He stopped counting the money and started flipping through it as quickly as he could – and he kept seeing the same thing on almost all the bills. With his heart racing, the employee dropped the money, grabbed the phone, and called the police.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s story is one I told several years back on YouTube, but in 2024 during my live tour, I brought this one back out and gave it a complete overhaul and ended up telling it live, and the audience absolutely loved it.

Story name, preview & link to the original YouTube video:

• #1 -- "What's in the Basement?" -- A family starts hearing tapping in their walls, but their horrifying story only begins there (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=shared&v=dR3ThBE7Cj4)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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 June of 1980, a car jolted to a stop in a parking lot on the outskirts of a small Utah suburb. The car door opened, a man stepped out into the darkness, and he stumbled across the parking lot towards the large building where he worked. He’d been drinking, and he was feeling it. So he stood outside of the building for a minute, and tried to collect himself. He knew this might be the last moment of peace he – or anyone in his community – would have in a long time. Because he knew something that nobody else inside that building would even imagine. He knew that someone had just committed the first murder ever recorded in this safe, quiet Utah town.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

This story is a fan favorite from MrBallen's Medical Mysteries.

No Reservations:

A Spanish marathon runner develops a mysterious obsession with gourmet food. But what seems like an innocent new passion may be more dangerous than he thinks.

The Game:

After going through her normal morning routine, an otherwise healthy woman finds herself at death’s door. In a mad rush to save the woman’s life, her doctors try to understand why her body is suddenly shutting down with no explanation.

Listen Now: Wondery.fm/MBMM

For 100s more stories like this one, check out 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.

On a morning in early-1986 in Arizona, someone sat hunched over a desk, furiously writing a letter. And almost every line of this letter included a direct threat of violence this person was going to inflict on the recipient. They kept writing, embellishing every horrible thing that they wanted to do. Finally, they finished writing and read over the letter—it was explicit and terrifying, just as they’d hoped. They put the letter down, glanced at a cardboard box sitting on the floor, and smiled. Nobody would ever suspect that the contents of that plain box would soon help them carry out the bizarre murder plot they’d had running through their head for months.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 3 hiking horror stories that are still shrouded in mystery. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel and has been remastered for today's episode.

Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:

• #3 -- "The Overlook" -- He turned around and couldn't believe what he saw... (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhOpd5lJU4Y)
• #2 -- "One Sock" -- A Boy Scout walks down a populated trail, but doesn't come out the other side (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR5ZTc9ZwxU)
• #1 -- "I’m Looking For You" -- Authorities are faced with a bizarre mystery on a mountain in China (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI_rbrVhAG0)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

One September afternoon in 2003, a woman in Tucson, Arizona, heard a knock on her front door and answered it. She was surprised to see a Tucson police detective standing on her front steps, and even more surprised when the detective started asking a bunch of questions about her next door neighbor. The woman was a law-abiding citizen, and she didn’t know anything. The detective gave her his business card and asked her to call him if that changed, but as she closed the door, she was pretty sure she would never have any reason to talk to him again. That was until a few days later, when she looked out her front window and saw two sweaty men jump out of a van and walk up the steps into her neighbor’s house. She watched for a few minutes, with her heart racing, realizing that what she was watching might very well be the coverup of a murder. She let the curtain fall and ran to her purse, to dig out the detective’s business card.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

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 -- "The 15th Floor" -- Something truly disturbing is found in an apartment in China (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xaLEHXC6Is)
• #2 -- "Rabbit Hole" -- A hunter sees something on the ground and goes in for a closer look (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bvMIHUVkVE)
• #1 -- "My Brother’s Keeper" -- A very famous street has a very dark history (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bFd0mDwKc_I)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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 December 2007, a lab technician sat at a table covered in dozens of evidence bags. The technician wasn’t sure where to start, because the bags didn’t contain the kind of evidence the lab normally tested. They were full of tinsel – which is a shiny, ribbon-like strip of material that’s used to decorate during the holidays. The samples had been collected from various homes in Burlington, North Carolina, and now, they had to be tested against a different, specific piece of tinsel. This specific piece of tinsel was thin and silver. And it was very important, because it had been found at a crime scene.

When the technician looked at the evidence bags, they realized they could immediately eliminate some of the samples because there were obvious differences between them and crime scene tinsel – like the color or thickness. But beyond that, the technician didn’t know how to determine if two pieces of tinsel that looked the same were actually identical. They’d never analyzed tinsel before – and they didn’t even know if it was possible to confirm a match. But the technician took a breath and started sorting through the bags anyway. Because they knew if they could figure this out… they could help solve a murder.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 2 horror stories about manipulative people who twisted others’ faith into fear. The audio from both of these 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:

• #2 -- "The New Nanny" -- A busy family tries to bring in a new nanny for their daughter (Original YouTube link -- https://youtu.be/o7BBtU-IJCE?feature=shared)
• #1 -- "Take My Soul" -- A man found on the side of the road leads detectives down a dark rabbit hole (Original YouTube link -- https://youtu.be/1iZgnAIoYG0?feature=shared)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

On a chilly night in March 2012, a wiry, 56-year old man with a patchy beard trudged through a backyard in rural Iowa with his coat pulled tight, dragging something heavy behind him. He reached the fence and paused, scanning the darkness to confirm that he was alone. His gaze fell on the trailer home on the opposite side of the fence. The lights were on, and he could hear the young couple inside arguing. The sound made his jaw clench. He turned to the thing he’d been dragging – which was a days-old carcass that was starting to reek. Holding his breath and clenching a pack of zip-ties in his teeth, he lifted it against the fence post. He worked quickly, using the zip ties to string it up. And when the carcass was secure, he stepped back, shot a final look at the trailer, then turned to walk home.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 3 medical horror stories. 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 -- "All In Her Head" -- An infant is rushed to the ER, what they discover will leave you stunned (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtUhNYVTuLM)
• #2 -- "A Mouthful" -- A woman is walking down the street when her life suddenly changes forever (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtUhNYVTuLM)
• #1 -- "Only You Can Save Her" -- A puzzled surgeon tries one last crazy effort to save his patient's life (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qz4U3bh-eE)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

On the morning of January 13, 2010, two twin girls nicknamed Tas and Jas stood at the kitchen counter in their home in Conyers, Georgia, writing notes back and forth to each other in a little notebook, and giggling. The girls were late for school, and they were writing instead of talking because they didn’t want to wake their mom up and get yelled at for missing the bus. They finished their notes and closed the notebook, then started getting ready to leave. When they would return home that afternoon, they would find their quiet home in this gated community in Georgia soaked with blood, and an unspeakable horror waiting for them in the master bathroom.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s story is about a group of friends who travel to this supposedly haunted abandoned town up in the mountains in Spain, and when they get there, the town totally lives up to the hype.

Story name, preview & link to original YouTube video:

• #1 -- "La Mussara" -- An abandoned town in Spain has a dark secret (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RakLojMzLVE)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Join my sister and me as we dive into the art of storytelling in this never-before-seen Live Podcast Recording Presented by Audible!

WATCH the full event here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW5aWKXOPAs

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

This story is a fan favorite from MrBallen's Medical Mysteries.

In the late 1800s, a young man in rural New England comes down with a deadly illness known as “the White Death.” When his doctor can’t help, the man’s neighbors propose a bizarre treatment… that involves the supernatural.

Listen Now: Wondery.fm/MBMM

For 100s more stories like this one, check out 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 3 military horror stories. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel and has been remastered for today's episode.

Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:

• #3 -- "Ramree Island" -- What happened on this island would go down as one of the most terrifying world records ever recorded (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiOyKVcDODo)
• #2 -- "Set Zed" -- The 2020 discovery of 24 super habitable planets (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6Gh1QNVDU8)
• #1 -- "Lighter Than Air" -- Two pilots go on a routine patrol in their blimp, what happened next is a baffling mystery (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4bUv4We_BU)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

One day in the spring of 2006, a detective stood next to a refrigerator in her police station, holding a little container full of evidence. She knew that what she was about to do represented a breach of protocol – but that wasn’t going to stop her. Because she was working her first murder case ever, and she was afraid she wasn’t going to be able to catch the killer. She had decided she was going to run her case her way – no matter what. She was supposed to send the container in her hand to the state crime lab for analysis. But she wasn’t going to do that. Instead, she placed the container in the refrigerator, and then shut the door.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Sometimes the truth is stranger than fiction. And today’s podcast features 3 stories that demonstrate that. 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 -- "Rest Stop" -- You never know who you might run into (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIvIBKiQhVM)
• #2 -- "Luggage" -- A real life James Bond is found in an impossible place (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWWWMdm9ZY4)
• #1 -- "The Bear, the Plane, and the Duffel" -- The crazy true story of the rogue bear in Georgia (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrkrdozOMoQ)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

This is a special bonus episode of "You Can't"

Today, I’m going to tell two stories about how an idea that might seem brilliant in the moment… can quickly turn out to be the worst thing ever.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

On a cold winter night in 1999, a man drove down a dark street towards his house in a small Iowa town. Suddenly, he saw something glowing in his headlights, and he slammed on the brakes. He got out of his car. And there, in the lights, he saw a dog standing all by herself. And she was making this soft squeaking sound like she was scared. The man slowly approached, talking to the dog as he walked. He knew everyone who lived in his neighborhood, and he’d never seen this dog before. He knelt down and kept trying to calm the dog. She didn’t look hurt and she didn’t have any tags. Slowly, the man coaxed her to follow him into his house. And over the next few weeks, he would try to locate her owner. But the man had no idea that this dog hadn’t just wandered off… and that she was the key police desperately needed to solve a gruesome murder.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 3 stories about terrifying discoveries people made that would change their lives forever. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel and has been remastered for today's episode.

Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:

• #3 -- "Cutting it Close" -- A stark reminder to never get into a car with a stranger (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNbRksDBLHw)
• #2 -- "The Boxxx" -- A woman receives a mysterious box from her neighbor... Would you look inside? (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsKSqWj3HpQ)
• #1 -- "What’s That Smell?" -- Dad discovers a horrifying secret in his family's apartment (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gP5mWDCPQOw)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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 1984, in a small city in northeastern China, a security guard stood outside of a warehouse, working an overnight shift. The guard heard a noise coming from some bushes nearby, but he didn’t think much about it. This was a safe town, and usually the hardest part of his job was staying awake. But suddenly, two thieves in ski masks emerged from the bushes, and rushed the guard. They grabbed him, and slammed his head against the outside wall of the warehouse, and the guard fell to the ground in a daze. One of the thieves quickly gagged the guard, bound his hands and feet, and said he needed to keep his mouth shut if he wanted to stay alive. Terrified, and struggling to keep his eyes open, the guard watched as the two thieves opened the warehouse door and ran inside. This robbery would shake the local community, but it was nothing in comparison to the horrific crimes it would set off, and the gruesome discovery the police would soon make on the outskirts of town.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 2 horrifying stories that both take place on the open sea. The audio from both of these 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:

• #2 -- "The Perfect Bait" -- Fishing trip turns into a nightmare (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ocMkM1MM1A8)
• #1 -- "The Gray Blanket" -- A Japanese fisherman endures a two week long nightmare that would mark the first time in history that humans experienced a particular terrifying phenomenon (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0CgN8mvqzA)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

A seven-year-old boy cowered in the closet of his family’s suburban home in Florida. He was buried beneath jackets and sports gear, listening to screams coming from down the hall. When they stopped, the silence that followed was far worse. Then heavy footsteps approached and a shadow passed beneath the door. The boy braced for it to burst open, thinking he was about to be found, but the shadow moved on. The boy held his breath until he heard the front door to his house open and shut. The boy wanted nothing more than to stay where he was, but his mother and brother were in danger. So he swallowed his fear, pushed through the coats, and stepped out. The house was silent and still, no broken furniture, no blood – at least until he reached the bedroom. There was a figure on the bed. The sight was too much to process, and he immediately looked away. His gaze fell on a phone lying on the blood-soaked sheet, its screen glowing, and then a voice rose from the speakers… Someone was on the line.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Every now and again, I’ll find a story that’s just really upsetting to me. Now, obviously a lot of the stories I cover are all quite distressing. But today’s story, which is about a missing hiker named Mike Turner – it just really upset me. It actually made it really hard to record this episode. So, consider this your warning that I personally believe this is a very upsetting story, but an important story that we would not be covering if there wasn’t some real weight behind it. And I think the moral of this story, ultimately, is you really need to treasure your family while they’re still around.

Story name, preview & link to original YouTube video:

• #1 -- "Closer to God" -- A man's hiking trip turns into a nightmare (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3doPbW2VS3Q)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

On a summer morning in 2007, a woman was working in the printing shop she owned in a suburban strip mall. Suddenly, she heard a loud banging noise coming from somewhere above her. She stopped the printer she was working on so she could hear better, and the sound kept coming – BANG, BANG, BANG. It was like metal drawers opening and slamming shut. She was about to go outside to see what was happening, but she stopped and just started laughing. Her friend who owned the business on the second floor right above her had a habit of rearranging his office, so the banging was probably file cabinets getting moved around. As a joke, she shouted up through the ceiling, “Keep it down, I’m working!” And then she restarted the printer. But about an hour and half later, she heard another loud noise. This time, it was the wail of sirens as police cars raced into the parking lot. The woman would soon find out that the noises she had heard earlier were not her upstairs neighbor rearranging furniture. Instead, it was the sound of one of the most violent crimes to hit this safe, quiet suburb in years.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 3 stories that reveal we may not be alone in this universe. The audio from all three stories has been pulled from our main YouTube channel and has been remastered for today's episode.

Story names, previews & links to original YouTube videos:

• #3 -- "The Wow Signal" -- Best evidence of alien communication ever obtained (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQF7QeyB0qM)
• #2 -- "Better Than Earth" -- The 2020 discovery of 24 super habitable planets (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQF7QeyB0qM)
• #1 -- "Don’t Sleep" -- This story is about one of the most famous potentially paranormal events of all time (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3L4slE5bDUM)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

This is a special bonus episode of "You Can't"

One night in 2020, a woman named Beth Van Oss paced back and forth in a small room in the house she shared with her boyfriend, Mike, in rural Colorado. She dialed Mike’s phone number again, and put her phone to her ear. But just like the last time she’d called – he didn’t answer. Now, Beth was afraid. He had left that morning, headed for the woods, promising her that when he came back – they would finally have everything they had ever dreamed of. And he had taken something with him. Something that he had become obsessed with. Something that Beth had begged him to forget about, and throw away. But he had refused. And now, he was gone. Beth dialed the phone again, but this time, she called the police.

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.

This story is a fan favorite from MrBallen's Medical Mysteries.

In September 2007, a meteor strike leaves a massive crater in the high Peruvian desert, drawing curiosity seekers from miles around. Shortly after, people from the nearby town of Carancas start becoming violently ill. Some residents fear a curse has befallen them, but the truth might be much more frightening.

Listen Now: Wondery.fm/MBMM

For 100s more stories like this one, check out 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.

Today’s podcast will feature 3 unbelievable true stories. 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 -- "Third Eye Witness" -- A woman makes a grim discovery in a remote canyon, what she found and how she was led there would change her life forever (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6m1ImVG1MQ)
• #2 -- "The Burning Question" -- A house fire leaves a mother devastated (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgeDUqyCgqE)
• #1 -- "Who Said That?" -- A car crash rescue has a truly unexplainable ending (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCdzzoB7jrQ)

For 100s more stories like these, check out our main 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.