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Edit: The mustaches have nothing to do with the story at all. I just really liked them.
There are other creepy mysteries you won't find on this list as they might not be as popular, like the Gurdon Light (not to be confused with legendary Canadian singer-songwriter Gordan Lightfoot!). At least that's what the co-host of The Box of Oddities, Jethro Gilligan Toth, points to when we ask which lesser-known mysteries he thinks deserve more attention.
"This eerie floating light shows up on railroad tracks in Gurdon, Arkansas, around late October," Jethro begins. "It's happened since the 1930s, and no one knows what causes it. Theories range from swamp gas to supernatural ghost vibes, which is science-adjacent, right? Either way, it's weird, glowing, and super spooky—what's not to love?"
For his co-host Kat, it's The Connecticut River Valley criminal. "This unidentified serial [criminal] is suspected of [taking out] at least seven young women in the Connecticut River Valley area of New England between 1978 and 1988. What's even more fascinating is the survivor who lived to tell the tale."
Luckily, Kat and Jethro will cover this in an upcoming The Box of Oddities episode, so stay tuned for all the chills!
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What gives? Was all the hype fake. Was that real? I need to know!
Since the hosts of The Box of Oddities podcast cover true crime often, we were curious what they thought about social media keeping interest alive in cold cases. Kat sees mostly positives: internet sleuths can help move otherwise forgotten cases along and bring closure to families. "It's like the Wild West, but with hashtags," she says.
"Social media has absolutely changed the game when it comes to unsolved crimes. It spreads information fast, gets more people talking, and sometimes even helps crack cases. Online communities have uncovered new leads, spotted overlooked details, and pushed for cold cases to be reopened. People love a puzzle! Fresh eyes on a case can make all the difference and give victims' families a louder voice in the search for justice."
Jethro, on the other hand, considers the downsides of people online playing detectives. "I worry about the other side of the coin—like when people handle potential evidence like it's their personal science project," he says. "That can lead to some serious problems. Let's not turn every Redditor into Matty Matlock, okay?"
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Since the pair have covered hundreds of interesting cases on their podcast, they both have the one they'd like to be solved someday. Kat says that for her, it's Roanoke. "An entire colony vanishing without a trace in 1590? That's next-level ghosting. I need to know what happened—aliens, relocation, a failed group camping trip?" The suspense of that one is frustrating.
For Jethro, it's the Sacsayhuamán citadel in Peru. "Those massive stone blocks weigh 100 tons each, and they're carved so precisely that you can't even slip a piece of paper between them. No mortar, no cranes, just...how? Ancient engineering or alien handypersons? I need answers, and I need them now."
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Why are people so fascinated by true crime stories? In a 2022 survey, most respondents said they watch them out of curiosity. Others also find the genre entertaining or like it because of its mystery aspect. Only 7% of all the respondents claimed they watch it in preparation for a potential crime situation.
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Yet when we talk about why women like true crime shows, podcasts, and documentaries so much, the numbers are a bit different. In fact, women are 2.5 times more likely to consume true crime content to prepare for unsafe situations. In some cases, it probably works, as one in three respondents who have been victims of a crime said watching the content helped them react better to the situation.
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Disappeared THREE TIMES during a trip that should have only taken hours and was missing for months. People talked to the crew when it reappeared before it vanished again. And when it was found for the last time, the crew was dead, one practically mummified. He kept a journal that didn't make much sense either. Amazing to read.
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Some psychologists say that we're so fascinated with true crime because it gives us an adrenaline rush when we know we're safe. "Whether it's good or bad, we need something that creates an element of excitement," lecturer of psychology Dean Fido told Better Help. "When we mix this desire with insight and solving a puzzle, it can give us a short, sharp shock of adrenaline, but in a relatively safe environment."
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While authorities at the time concluded that the death was likely self-inflicted, the unusual circumstances of the case sparked continued speculation and investigation over the years. Even after more than fifty years, it remains one of Norway's most perplexing unsolved cases.
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Others say that true crime as a genre presents an ethical dilemma. In some cases, true crime stories violate the privacy of the victims of their families. Such was the case with the 2022 TV series Monster – Jeffrey Dahmer, where the families didn't even know the production was taking place. One victim's mother even told The Guardian: "I don’t see how they can use our names and put stuff out like that out there."
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