Sinister Sunrise

It's episode 157 and the Sinister Sisters are ending season three with a doozy. Come gather round the campfire! In today’s group episode, Morgan dives into the origin of the skinwalkers and shares firsthand accounts from people who may have crossed paths with these evil witches. Then, Sarah and Erin cover the history of skinwalker ranch and tell unsettling tales of unexplained phenomena that has been happening on the ranch for nearly a century. When the bugs go silent, that’s when you know. 

It's episode 156 and if you’re not satisfied with your man, the Sinister Sisters have the perfect solution. Get him an organ transplant! In today’s episode, Morgan brings an appiteaser about a recent strange phenomenon spreading on the TikTok sphere where people are randomly finding teeth in their homes. For the main course, Morgan dives into incidents where transplant patients’ personalities resemble the donor they received their organs from. Recipients reportedly feel younger, become immune to past allergies, have aversions to food they once loved, and even present with fears they didn’t have before their transplant. Something has changed.

It's episode 155 and the Sinister Sisters think communal living is sounding better every day. It’s kind of like a sleepover. Just tell us what to bring! In today’s episode, Sarah travels to 1950s New York for her story on the Sullivan Institute - the cult-like group that convinced individuals to abandon the nuclear family dynamic and adopt an alternative lifestyle where therapy sessions were mandatory, sleepovers were encouraged, and rules were to be followed without exception. Take a cult, turn it on its head, and it’s still a cult. 

It's episode 154 and the Sinister Sisters like to tidy their homes occleasionally. That isn’t a word? Well add it to the dictionary! In today’s episode, Erin travels to Aruba for the puzzling case of Natalee Holloway. The 18-year-old senior mysteriously goes missing on her school trip after leaving a bar with three local men. What the investigation lacks in evidence it makes up for in a shady suspect. 

It's episode 153 and the Sinister Sisters vow to stay on land. We can’t handle maggots or enemas. In today’s group episode, Sarah covers the harrowing story of Terry Jo Duperrault who was stranded at sea after the yacht she and her family were on mysteriously sank. Then, Morgan travels to the Amazon for her story on Juliane Koepcke - a teenager who miraculously survived not only a plane crash but multiple days in the rainforest alone. Erin ends with the shocking tale of the Robertson family who against all odds survived at sea for over a month after their ship was capsized by killer whales. Resilient is an understatement. 

It's episode 152 and the Sinister Sisters can’t believe they missed the opportunity to quote Tech N9ne last week. Did everyone have their rum? In today’s episode, Morgan covers the Mishipeshu - an Ojibwe water creature that legend says leads trespassers to a watery grave. The half-serpent, half-feline monster possesses immense power and protects copper at all costs, but is the creature really all that bad? What’s in the pipes?

It's episode 151 and the Sinister Sisters wonder if the alien race has their own version of HR? If you couldn’t already tell, this is going to be a wild ride. In today’s episode, resident alien enthusiast Sarah covers the recent UAP hearings and unveils everything the government may be hiding from the public. Three testifiers recount their personal UAP sightings and claim the government has access to not only downed unidentified crafts, but also may be in possession of nonhuman biologics. Just like an onion, there are layers. 

It’s episode 150 and the Sinister Sisters are throwing out hot takes left and right. Up is down, down is up, and Morgan is the Godfather! In today’s episode, Erin continues her story on the Bloody Benders and details every possible theory of the family’s whereabouts and fates after fleeing their cabin. Were the Benders framed? Were they murdered in cold blood? Did they join the circus? The options are endless. 

It’s episode 149 and the Sinister Sisters are nothing if not civil. Is that Sarah’s second favorite C word? In today’s episode, Erin covers part one of her story on the Bloody Benders. Travelers on the Osage-Mission Trail in 1870s Kansas begin to disappear at an alarming rate and the Bender family comes under scrutiny when their home and makeshift inn is found abandoned and bloody. When in doubt, drink something that’s crisp. 

It’s episode 148 and the Sinister Sisters love all things NOLA. Tarot card readings. Speakeasies. You name it! Now back to our regularly scheduled programming. In today’s group episode, Sarah covers the case of Patrick McNeill whose death led retired detective Kevin Gannon and his colleagues to theorize that the young man hadn’t accidentally drowned, but instead had been murdered by a band of serial killers terrorizing the Midwest. Then, Erin dives into the case of Lucas Homan who, almost ten years later, accidentally drowned in the Mississippi River after leaving a bar but who Gannon believes met with foul play. Morgan ends the episode covering the mysterious death of Dakota James - the most recent victim of this theory and the facts of his case will leave you scratching your head. The dogs are upset about these deaths too.

Morgan’s sources: (Smiley face killers: The Hunt for Justice) 

It’s episode 147 and the Sinister Sisters would pick living with spirits over cockroaches any day. Wait - we weren’t talking about alcoholic spirits? In today’s flip the script episode, Morgan dives into the chronic sleep disorder narcolepsy, its symptoms, and how difficult it is to diagnose. Morgan then interprets Sarah’s dream full of various cuisines, pushy tour guides, and fingertips. No one will get cataplexy from our jokes. 

Morgan’s sources:

It’s episode 146 and the Sinister Sisters wonder what could be scarier than river pirates. Trying to survive the Oregon Trail? An open Jumanji board? How about two bloodthirsty frontier serial killers? In today’s flip the script episode, Sarah covers the tale of the Harpe Brothers - the first recorded American serial killers who left a trail of bodies and devastation in their wake throughout the 18th century. The Tomahawk Special is not that special. 

It’s episode 145 and the Sinister Sisters have a thing with teeth. Does anyone else have dreams where all of their teeth fall out? In today’s flip the script episode, Erin is bringing the spooks for her tale of James Dean’s cursed race car - Little Bastard. When James Dean tragically loses his life in an accident, the totaled race car is sold off only for strange things to occur to those who come in contact with it. Leathery hands don’t belong on this leather steering. 

It’s episode 144 and the Sinister Sisters wouldn’t stand a chance in a police interrogation. You’ll find out how quickly we fold. In today’s group episode, Sarah dives into false confessions, the tactics used during an interrogation and the psychology behind setting up an interrogation room. Morgan covers the baffling case of Nicole van den Hurk and her step brother who confessed to her murder sixteen years later. Erin ends with the story of Michael Crowe who police believe is the prime suspect in his younger sister’s murder and is subjected to several days of harsh questioning. Watch with your ears. 

It’s episode 143 and the Sinister Sisters are going on a bumpy journey. Actually, it’s our own personal journey to hell. Bear with us! In today's flip the script episode, Morgan tackles true crime as she covers the story of the horrid Jared Fogel. After becoming the face of Subway and quickly rising to fame, Jared starts indulging in dark fantasies that journalist and radio-personality Rochelle Herman plans on stopping at all costs. If you are committing a crime, please put it in text. 

It’s episode 142 and the Sinister Sisters suggest playing this audio backwards. There may just be a hidden message! In today’s episode, Sarah continues to flip the script by covering a Morgan-themed topic - the disappearance of Travis Walton. Six loggers in Snowflake, Arizona go to the cops to report their coworker missing, only for him to show up days later in a town 30 miles away. Police are sure the disappearance is an elaborate prank until Travis reveals he lost his memories after he was abducted by aliens. Team morale is not great. 

It’s episode 141 and the Sinister Sisters are thinking about teaching a community college course. Please turn to page one in the sinister syllabus! In today’s episode, Erin flips the script and covers a Sarah-themed topic - The Tuskegee Syphilis Study. In 1932, hundreds of black men diagnosed with syphilis volunteered for a study only to find out decades later that the researchers hadn’t been treating them even though a cure was readily available. We’re already pissed. 

It’s episode 140 and the Sinister Sisters were needing an excuse to say “oi.” The only thing more sinister than our topic is our accents! In today’s group episode, Babs (aka Sarah) dives into the history of Whittingham Hospital and how its patient capacity greatly expanded over a short amount of time. Erin covers the inquiry into the numerous fraud, negligence, and abuse allegations against hospital staff. Morgan ends the episode with accounts of strange phenomena discovered during a paranormal investigation and tales of residual hauntings. You can’t spell barn without bar. 

It’s episode 139 and the Sinister Sisters are making sinister decisions. We swear we are trying to get our lives together. In today’s episode, Morgan covers Pennsylvania’s state cryptid - the Squonk! Its unpleasant appearance aside, the creature is difficult to track down due to its ability to dissolve in a pool of tears when it comes face to face with an enemy. Sounds like they need a squonk therapist. 

It’s episode 138 and the Sinister Sisters always keep an open mind. Can we get behind magic mushrooms and mushroom cults though? In today’s episode, leading asspert Sarah turns back the clock two million years and dives into the Stoned Ape theory. Did our Homo erectus cousins learn how to develop tools, establish language, and create art after discovering psychedelic mushrooms? Evolution - it’s not that simple!

It’s episode 137 and the Sinister Sisters are content staying on land. Who knows what’s in the ocean! In today’s episode, Erin covers the mysterious disappearance of the Liebling and its crew after embarking on a routine fishing trip. Was the shrimp boat taken out by drug dealers? Was the disappearance organized by the captain? Or did the ship meet a tragic end that the group never saw coming?  

It’s episode 136 and the Sinister Sisters are setting the mood. Grab your crystals, light your candles, turn down the lights and join us as we try to separate our astral body from our physical body! In today’s group episode, Sarah dives into the history of astral projection and the many steps it actually takes to reach the astral plane, Morgan details her journey with astral projection and some wild personal experiences she’s had, and Erin enters the Skeptic Zone as she questions whether the practice is real or if it can be explained away as vivid dreams or symptoms of an underlying disease. We get a spirit guide and can become a rainbow being? Sign us up. 

It’s episode 135 and zero days since the Sinister Sisters’ last podcast recording. Well, not when this episode comes out. We really need a “0 days since last accident” sign for times like these. In today's episode, Morgan gets swept up in her Tik Tok algorithm as she covers the practice of spirit photography, the man who “accidentally” created it, and those whose goal was to debunk the ghostly images at a time when spiritualism in America was at its peak. The photos aren’t the only thing getting exposed. 

It’s episode 133 and the Sinister Sisters are thinking about starting a coffee membership. Is that an IV line with coffee in it? In today’s episode, Erin covers the terrifying story of Teka Adams who was abducted and held hostage for days while her attacker attempted to take her unborn child by any means necessary. We’ve never been colder and hotter at the same time. 

It’s episode 132 and the Sinister Sisters’ Monday night recordings are making them spicy. Devil’s advocates? This one’s for you. In today’s group episode, the sisters tackle another unsolved mystery that may have given them a run for their money. Erin recounts the timeline of 18-year-old Tiffany Valiante’s movements before her body was struck by a train nearly 2 ½ miles from her home, Sarah dives into the New Jersey Transit Police Department's investigation and blunders, and Morgan covers everything Netflix left out from Tiffany’s past to a possible lost murder weapon. Do we have a handle on this? 

If you have any information regarding the mysterious death of Tiffany Valiante, you can contact the law offices of Paul D’Amato at 1-609-926-3300 or you can submit a tip at Unsolved.com. 

It’s episode 130 and the Sinister Sisters wonder how the id, ego, and superego would act if they were sorority girls. Here’s to sister superego! In today’s episode, Sarah covers the beginning life and questionable science of Sigmund Freud. Freud went from looking at shit under microscopes to psychoanalyzing people and exposing their unconscious selves. And who can forget his controversial theories, Oedipus complex and Electra complex? Freud is that serious. He is always that serious.

It’s episode 129 and the Sinister Sisters would like you to join us for our new segment - Can it Snacks? Do the snacks you like when you’re drunk taste as good as when you’re sober? It’s time for us to voice our opinions! In today’s episode, Erin finishes her two-part story on the neverending case of the Radium Girls. Just when it seems like some justice has been served, dial-painters from Ottawa, Illinois begin experiencing similar, debilitating symptoms like their New Jersey counterparts. When a group of women put two and two together and figure their job is keeping the source of their ailments from them, the women will stop at nothing to see the Radium Dial Company’s demise. But wait, there’s more! It’s like pulling nose skin.

It’s episode 128 and the Sinister Sisters are taking their last lap before they turn thirty. If we can survive Four Loko we can survive anything…right? In today’s episode, Erin covers part one of the infuriating story of the radium girls. Dial-painting was a lucrative business during World War I and women were recruited by the United States Radium Corporation in New Jersey to paint dials with a radium substance that gave the watches a luminous glow. These women would leave the factories and head out into town with their hair, dresses, and even teeth glowing as brightly as the dials they had painted. The shining girls seemed to have it all, but when dial-painters began presenting with perplexing symptoms, they suspect that their job may be to blame. We are past Novocaine.

t’s episode 127 and the Sinister Sisters welcome you to the Sinister Sinadome! It’s season three. Who’s surprised? In today's episode, Erin covers the case of the Boy in the Box whose identity has remained a mystery for over six decades, a listener whose uncle visits her in her dreams for over a year reaches out to Sarah to interpret her dream, and Morgan goes down under as she covers Australia’s own Bigfoot - the Yowie! Six months later and we’re still professionals.

Anyone with information regarding Joseph Zarelli’s murder is asked to contact the Philadelphia Police Department at 215-686-TIPS(8477).

It’s episode 126 and the Sinister Sisters are ending season two with a Halloweeny episode! It’s really a grab bag of things. In today’s episode, Sarah covers the disappearance of David Stone who was best man in a wedding he never showed up to and whose body was later found with no signs of foul play. Then, Morgan tells the story of Marvin Brandland who was murdered by a robber posed as a trick-or-treater who has never been caught to this day. Erin ends the episode with the mysterious disappearance of Hyun Jong ‘Cindy’ Song who was last seen entering her apartment wearing her Halloween costume and hasn’t been seen since. You know what’s the scariest Halloween tale of all? Turning thirty.

It’s episode 125 and the Sinister Sisters are bringing it back to the OG recording days. It’s time to flip it and reverse it! In today’s group episode, Sarah covers the mysterious disappearance of Bum Farto who’s name has been plastered on t-shirts and whose story was made into a musical. Then, Morgan dives into Lima syndrome (not to be confused with Stockholm syndrome) and how it was coined after a hostage crisis that lasted over a hundred days. Erin ends the episode with the spooky and baffling history of the Stone Lion Inn and its residents that may still haunt its halls. Jumping from bed to bed is a sport.

It’s episode 124 and the Sinister Sisters are not good at reading, writing, or computing. We’re basically a live Mad Libs! In today’s episode, Erin covers the horrific murder of 17-year-old Kelly Anne Bates whose 48-year-old boyfriend and abuser James Patterson Smith gruesomely tortured her up to a month before killing her. Here’s a chief salute not to you, sir.

It’s episode 123 and the Sinister Sisters are putting out the right vibes. That may be because of all of the wine they have consumed during this recording though. In today’s episode, Morgan covers the notorious case of Lizzie Borden who was accused of having murdered her father and stepmother with an axe. You may think you know how the story goes, but the actual facts don’t seem to add up. Get ready to take this mess of a case with a grain of salt!

It’s episode 122 and the Sinister Sisters couldn’t have been nurses in the 19th century. Working 10-14 hour days, seven days a week? No, thank you. In today’s episode, Sarah covers one of America’s most sociopathic female serial killers - Jane Toppan. The cards were stacked against her since childhood and after being rejected by her auntie Jane turns to nursing where she finds comfort conducting heinous experiments on her patients and those she despises. We would hate to meet this lady on our worst day.

It’s episode 121 and the Sinister Sisters have an important question to pose. Which came first: the ghosts or the cult? It’s all about perspective. In today’s group episode, Sarah covers the history of the Bridgewater Triangle - a 200 square mile area in Massachusetts where otherworldly sightings are the norm. Ghosts of victims killed in King Philip’s War and patients who died at the Taunton State Hospital may haunt the land. The area isn’t just filled with spirits though. Morgan dives into some of the supernatural creatures that people have spotted or interacted with such as Thunderbirds, spook lights, talking Pukwudgies, phantom fires, and Bigfoot’s cousin. There’s even a plethora of legendary rocks! If that wasn’t enough to make you visit the place, Erin covers the Fall River cult murders that were believed to have been committed by a Satanic cult leader. Moms don’t lie.

It’s episode 120 and the Sinister Sisters are meditating today. There’s nothing sinister about meditating. But prunes? Now that’s a sinister dish. In today’s episode, Erin covers the story of Nannie Doss aka the Giggling Granny who found love through Lonely Hearts ads but her relationships were cut short when her husbands and family members mysteriously died from “food poisoning.” That wasn’t me that was Glorp.

It’s episode 119 and the Sinister Sisters are brunching it up and dreaming of flaky biscuits. Don’t worry, the chaos is still here! In today’s episode, Morgan returns to Yosemite National Park to cover a few cryptids that deserved a deeper dive of their own. First, Morgan covers stories of missing children disappearing and being discovered miles away from where they were last seen. The distance they would have had to travel isn’t humanly possible, but maybe a wild man or a pterodactyl had something to do with it? Morgan ends the episode with a cryptid that resembles a two-dimensional pair of white pants that has been captured on camera and the footage has yet to be debunked to this day. The pale green pants was Dr. Seuss’ version of the nightcrawler.

It’s episode 118 and the Sinister Sisters have some explaining to do. What had happened was…In today’s group episode, Sarah covers the case of Cary Stayner who made Yosemite his hunting grounds and who may have also believed he was Bigfoot. Then, Erin dives into the mysterious disappearance of Sandra Johnson Hughes who abandoned her campsite in the Sierra National Forest and who eyewitnesses reported as bruised, barefoot and acting strangely the day before she was reported missing. Morgan ends the episode with six legends of eerie spirits and cryptids that might roam around the national park and may be linked to some of the strange disappearances in the area. We read our dictionaries before this episode.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Sandra Johnsen Hughes please contact the Madera County Sheriff’s Office at (559) 675–7770.

It’s episode 117 and the only thing sinister about the Sinister Sisters is their luck. Cue the circus music! In today’s episode, Sarah covers the 12th leading cause of death in the United States - major depressive disorder - which doesn’t occur due to one life event. Specific symptoms have to be present for two weeks before it can be diagnosed. Sarah then dives into treatment options  but pulls the rug out from under us when she divulges a recent study's findings that depression may not actually be linked to a chemical imbalance. Now’s the time to down your Dr. Pepper.

It’s episode 116 and you know what the Sinister Sisters haven’t had in a while? Pretzels. You know what we haven’t done in a while? Flipped the script! In today’s group episode, Morgan covers the upsetting case of the kidnappings of Shawn Hornbeck and Ben Ownby which hits too close to home. Then, Sarah turns up the nerd jargon as she dives into UFO disclosure and the unofficial hearings that were held to discuss the evidence of extraterrestrials. Erin ends the episode with a shocking 1960s study of identical siblings intentionally separated at birth and the many unanswered questions regarding Dr. Peter Neubaur’s data and motives behind his research. If you want that tea, you gotta go for the tea.

It’s episode 115 and the Sinister Sisters know no one wants to peak in fourth grade. Everyone needs a glow up. In today’s episode, Morgan covers spirits who are making a list of all our good and bad deeds - guardian angels! Beliefs vary on whether guardian angels are spirits of a past loved one or circles of eyes, but they are known to help us in times of crisis. Morgan then shares goosebump-inducing guardian angel stories including a vine that halts a rolling car, a voice that saves a girl’s life, a rock climber that escapes death, and a mysterious passerby whose actions may have prevented a deadly crash. Does every good deed erase a bad one?

It’s episode 115 and the Sinister Sisters…wait a minute. It looks like there’s been a glitch in the matrix. It’s episode 114 and Erin is already apologetic as she covers the disturbing case of the Toolbox Killers. Two cold-blooded men make a pact where they agree to abduct, torture, and murder teenage girls in the Los Angeles area. As teenagers begin disappearing, police have little to no evidence to go on until the body of a girl is found and a man with a tip claiming he knows who the killers are comes forward. We would break all of their cookies.

It’s episode 113 and the Sinister Sisters are watching a simulation but without all of the effects. This is casa de Sarah, not a 4k theater. In today’s episode, Sarah covers a disorder that affects only 1% of the population - schizophrenia. Symptoms vary slightly case by case but people suffering from this disorder typically have visual and/or auditory delusions that can be debilitating. Having schizophrenia doesn’t make you dangerous though. The cause is still unknown but treatment options are available to combat the overbearing symptoms. Preventative care? What’s that?

It’s episode 112 and the Sinister Sisters will be shortening their words from now on. With that being said, welcome to the groupsode! In today’s group episode, Sarah dives into the science behind somnambulism, the many factors that may contribute to the act, and the steps you can take to combat sleepwalking. Then, Erin attempts to answer the question “Can sleepwalking cause someone to commit murder?” as she covers the baffling case of Kenneth Parks. Morgan ends the episode recounting her own personal sleepwalking stories along with reading a handful of lighthearted stories where sleepwalkers engage in hilarious activities while asleep. It’s the Wild West out here.

It’s episode 111 and the Sinister Sisters and the ancient astronaut theorist guy have one thing in common: they like to throw out some crazy theories! In today’s episode, Morgan covers a cryptid whose origins and existence is heavily debated to this day - Bigfoot (or who we like to refer to as Big Toots). Is Bigfoot an alien? Is it an intelligent being evading humans? Is it a wendigo? Who’s to say there’s only one? While many people believe the hairy humanoid is a hoax, other evidence suggests the creature may actually be real. And we thought humans were scary enough.

It’s episode 110 and the Sinister Sisters are grabbing their Depends and changing their name to the Sanitary Sisters. We hope you brought your brooms and pads! In today’s episode, we switch the order so Erin can bring you part two of Richard Chase’s sinister life and the murders he committed after his release from Beverly Manor. Law enforcement is stumped by the disorganized killings until they realize the serial killer is drinking the blood of his victims and will likely strike again at any moment. This is a horror film in the making.

It’s episode 109 and the Sinister Sisters are kicking off Gemini season and Sarah’s birthday the only way they know how - with a doozy of a topic that can’t be told in just one sitting! In today’s episode, Sarah dives into the childhood and temperament of convicted serial killer Richard Chase a.k.a. The Vampire of Sacramento. His life is anything but ordinary and when factors of the Macdonal triad present itself along with repressed rage and side effects from self-medicating, Chase begins blurring the line between fantasy and reality. We’ll never call ourselves rabbits again.

It’s episode 108 and the Sinister Sisters think it would be a lot easier if serial killers had the same distinguishable feature. Show us your belly! In part two of the Texas Killing Fields group episode, Erin covers a trash human being who has been charged with murdering at least four women in Texas and Oklahoma - William Lewis Reece. Morgan then dives into the disappearance and murder of Laura Miller whose remains were found behind the home of the strange and quirky Robert Abel who would randomly leave his farm with his son for hours or days at a time. Morgan ends the episode with convincing evidence paranormal investigators gathered at the Killing Fields. If you don’t mind we’re just going to puke in this bucket.

It’s episode 107 and the Sinister Sisters are not fans of Twitter. Does no one else think Peyton Manning would be great at Sims? In part one of today’s group episode, Sarah dives into the history of the foreboding 25 acre stretch of land in League City, Texas known as the Killing Fields due to the substantial amount of human remains discovered in the area. Morgan then covers the disappearance and murders of Rhonda Johnson and Sharon Shaw which led to the (possibly coerced) confession and conviction of Michael Lloyd Self. Sarah then ends with her story on the stinking bag of poop himself Edward Harold Bell who in prison claimed to have killed the “eleven who went to Heaven.” If you want to bury something, just bury a plant.

It’s episode 106 and the Sinister Sisters’ Wordle game is strong. Not our Quordle game though. Now that shit is hard. In today’s episode, Erin travels to Colorado for the case of Adolph Coors III. The heir to the multimillion dollar Coors Brewing Company fortune goes missing on his way to work and his car is found abandoned on a bridge. The only clue detectives have is a ransom note with concise directions that must be followed that the kidnapper promises will ensure Coors’ release. We bet you can’t read the words International Harvester without singing them.