MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories

Several years ago, prank videos were huge on YouTube. Basically, a Prank YouTube channel would go out in public, and they would do something to some unsuspecting person and they’d film it. And that video would get tons of views on YouTube. Well, during this prank heyday, there was one YouTube channel that pulled off a prank that really stood out amongst the thousands of others that were getting pumped out around this time. And the reason this particular prank stood out was because 1) it was masterfully planned, 2) it was brilliantly executed, and 3) most memorably, it had massive intended and unintended consequences – international scandal-level consequences. And amazingly, this story has yet to be converted into a major motion picture, so I would imagine that most of you have actually never heard of it.Story name, preview & link to original YouTube video:#1 -- "The Ingenues" -- A masterfully planned and brilliantly executed prank video would have massive consequences on an International scale (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roHIIpevnTE)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In January of 2012, a police truck parked on a trail in Griffith Park in Los Angeles, California. A member of the K-9 Unit opened the door, and a police dog named Indiana Bones jumped out. Indy quickly caught a scent and led his handler to a mound of dirt just off the path. Indy pawed at the dirt and revealed the top of a plastic bag. The dog’s handler reached into the dirt with her gloved hands, pulled out the bag, looked inside, and saw two dismembered human feet and a hand. Indy’s discovery would launch an investigation that would lead two L.A. detectives into the most insane case they’d ever worked – a case that would involve everything from Mexican drug cartels to a Canadian cannibal.For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

One of my former teammates from back when I was a Navy Seal had one of the most insane stories you will ever hear. He gave me permission to tell his story, so today I will share it with you all. Story names, previews & links to original YouTube video:#1 -- "The City of Death" -- A Navy SEAL buys a 1 way ticket to Iraq (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=79uDkod_FIk)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Behind the closed doors of government offices and military compounds, are hidden stories and buried secrets from the darkest corners of history. Each week, Luke Lamana, a Marine Corp Reconnaissance Veteran, pulls back the curtain on what once was classified information exposing the secrets and lies behind the world’s most powerful institutions. From the hitmakers at Wondery and Ballen Studios, we bring you REDACTED: Declassified Mysteries with Luke Lamana. The stories are real, and the secrets are shocking.Listen Now: http://wondery.fm/REDACTEDSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a fall night in 1998, a woman walked into her kitchen after being out all day and tossed her keys onto the counter. She saw the light on her answering machine blinking, so she checked the message. At first, it just sounded like static noise, or maybe someone was breathing heavy. And she figured it was either a prank call or someone had just accidentally dialed her number. But then she heard screaming and crying and then it just went silent, and the message ended. For a moment, the woman just stood there, shocked. She tried calling the number back who had left the message, but it went straight to voicemail. Out of fear that this message she had been left potentially just captured the sound of someone being badly hurt, the woman called 911.For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 -- "The Way" -- You'll never hear this song the same again (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RsKSqWj3HpQ)#2 -- "High Stakes" -- Sometimes what might seem like a “harmless” dare, can have disastrous consequences (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUoex49Yzng)#1 -- "Baltic Fleet" -- There's failing, and then there's the Baltic Fleet... (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jDbJbCuKl4)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a cold December night in 2013, a 59-year-old widow stood on stage at a square dance club in Arkansas, watching some of her closest friends dance together. The woman had owned and run the square dance club for years, and the people out on the floor were just like family to her. But as she listened to the music and called out different square dance steps, she didn’t notice that one of the dancers had their eyes fixed right on her. And the woman did not know that this dancer had become obsessed with her. In fact, the dancer had started losing sleep just thinking about the woman. And now the dancer had decided it was time to act, because they believed they would never find peace until the object of their obsession was dead.For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s story is a good old fashioned spooky story. It’s about a missing person in Taiwan, and it takes a totally bizarre turn, and I will say most of you will probably get the most thrill out of the “apartment scene.” You’ll know that scene when you get to it, and that’s towards the end of this podcast. So, make sure you stick around if you enjoy being spooked.Story names, previews & links to original YouTube video:#1 -- "An Unforgettable Fare" -- This story takes a wild turn, just wait for the apartment scene (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXuLJJtJp1g)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a summer morning in 2001, a woman in Alabama woke up in a cold sweat – like she’d just had a nightmare. But the woman knew what she saw while she was sleeping was not a bad dream – it was real. So she grabbed her phone and made a frantic call. Later that morning, police arrived at an old wooden house on the outskirts of a small rural town. They stepped inside, and they were absolutely shocked, because the woman really had led them to a horrifying crime scene.For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s podcast will feature 2 stories about ghost towns. 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 -- "Portlock" -- A ghost town with a very dark history (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2u2_q4tFp8)#1 -- "Ghost Town" -- A place so evil, it is illegal to go there (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLxVfVdr8-g)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a Monday afternoon in 1986, medical staff at a clinic in San Antonio, Texas were starting to get worried, because their most respected nurse had not shown up for work and nobody could get a hold of her. So later that morning, two of the nurse’s colleagues drove down to her apartment. But when they got there, they found two notes taped to the door. They were messages from the nurse’s family, who had been looking for her since the day before. By the time the nurse’s family filed a missing person’s report, investigators at the sheriff’s department were tied up investigating another mystery – the death of a teenage girl found murdered earlier that morning. And after getting the description of the missing nurse, investigators started to wonder if they had a serial killer on their hands who was hunting down blonde women... or if there was some other connection between the women that they just couldn’t see.For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The crime at the center of today’s story is considered one of the most disturbing and heinous of all time.Story name, preview & link to original YouTube video:#1 -- "Clinical Lycanthropy" -- One of the most heinous crimes ever committed in the USA (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRzgmZiZn6U)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a fall evening in 1996, a young detective sped through the streets of Tucson, Arizona towards an upscale country club. All he knew was that someone had reported an explosion in the area, but he didn’t know what had caused it. Minutes later, the detective pulled into the country club parking lot and as he got out of his car, it almost felt like he had stepped into a war zone. Car alarms were blaring, shattered glass covered the ground, and nearby he saw a car with its roof completely ripped off. The young detective quickly got to work searching the scene – having no idea that he would spend the next 13 years of his life trying to close this case – which would span across the United States and all the way to Europe.For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today’s podcast will feature 2 spooky stories about messages from beyond. 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 -- "Wrong Path Home" -- A news report about a missing woman has a frightening secret message (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCdzzoB7jrQ)#1 -- "Mother Knows Best" -- There are lots of paranormal stories floating around the internet, however very few are credible - today I'm going to tell you one that is (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGjdUNrXrRI)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a Monday afternoon in December 2001, a pair of police officers walked in the side door of a big old farmhouse in the woods in Loudoun County, Virginia. They had just received a frantic 9-1-1 call from a man who said he had found his neighbor horrifically injured on the kitchen floor. The police officers crept through the house, peering cautiously around corners in case the attacker was still in the house. But other than the sound of their footsteps creaking on the hardwood, the home was completely silent. When they made it to the kitchen, they stopped. There, lying on his stomach, was the body of an older man, covered in blood. One of the officers stepped forward and knelt down to check the man’s pulse, but it was obvious to both of them that he was dead. The officer was about to stand back up, when something strange on the back of the man’s neck caught his eye. Slowly, the officer reached out a hand, and pulled down the collar of the man’s shirt. When he saw what was there, he looked back at his partner with an expression of fear. Because what he had discovered would lead investigators to wonder if there were devil-worshiping occultists prowling their rural community. For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 -- "Honking Boy" -- A doctor rushes to help a boy who's having trouble breathing, what he finds is truly absurd (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRzdiHG3_eY)#2 -- "Magic Elixir" -- A 1900's drink had serious consequences (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8MpR4k3-edc)#1 -- "Shiny But Deadly" -- A healthy man suddenly becomes extremely sick, and doctors only clue being the man's very unusual side job (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xn7eaj36dUY)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In April 2009, in a crowded shopping center in broad daylight, a young woman was walking to her car, when suddenly a strange-looking man came out of some bushes and rushed toward her. The woman tried to get to her car and escape, but the man was too fast – he blocked her way and pulled out a gun. He put the gun to the woman’s head, and before she could even process what was happening, he fired. The woman fell to the ground and died. Then the man turned, calmly walked into the nearby woods, and disappeared. When police arrived, they found a baby in the backseat of the woman’s car – confused but unharmed. But they did not find a single piece of evidence at the scene, or any clue about the identity of the strange-looking man.For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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 -- "Stumble" -- 3 people take pictures near a cliff (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XCAXfw9MDxg)#2 -- "Psychopath" --  An evil person makes a horrifying decision (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRnPwaR_CW8)#1 -- "1st Date" -- Man has a terrifying experience on Tinder (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uk8NEkZoJWc)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This story is a fan favorite from MrBallen's Medical Mysteries.A boy in Minnesota is rushed to the emergency room with one of the worst food poisoning cases the doctors have ever seen. A short while later, a little girl shows up with the same illness. Soon, cases are popping up throughout the state, leaving some on the brink of death as doctors scramble to figure out why.Listen Now: Wondery.fm/MBMMFor 100s more stories like this one, check out my YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @MrBallenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In our lives, all of us have to make really difficult decisions from time to time. Sometimes we make the right call, and other times we don’t. Today’s story is about someone who did the latter, but really the story is about what this person did to try to fix their bad decision. Simply put, this story takes a totally unexpected turn, and unless you heard it before, there’s no way you’re going to see it comingStory name, preview & link to original YouTube video:#1 -- "Daydreamers" -- This story takes a totally unexpected turn, and unless you've heard it before, you won't see it coming (Original YouTube link -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIDTHwuLwSo)For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.