Episode 721: MiniMORBID x 2: Cryptids of the Midwest | Forensic Files

Hey weirdos, I'm Ash. And I'm Alina. >> And this is Morbid in the morning. Mini mini mini mini mini morbid mini
morbid mini morbid mini morbid Times two. >> [laughter] >> A kind of double mini morbid in the
morning. >> [laughter] >> Oh yeah, [ __ ] We are bringing back You guys love this song so much. I
created a masterpiece [laughter] back in 2018 2017 whenever I did it. Which is hilarious cuz it started with the joke.
>> have gone like triple platinum. Yeah, I Where's my Where's my Grammy? Um but yeah, so we're bringing back the
morbid mini morbid theme song. We're going to start We kind of do this for spooky episodes already like we each
tell a spooky tale. >> Yeah. Today we're going to talk about some cryptids. But we were also thinking
in the future Sometimes there are like shorter cases that we don't end up covering because
>> interesting topics that are not super long but very fascinating. >> That's the thing and like not always
enough for a full episode but we figure if we combine forces like we do for spooky episodes we could do it for other
topics too. >> Yeah. >> And we can bring back the mini morbid theme song because you guys love it so
much. And [ __ ] old morbid is back in the house. >> Oh yeah. So Here's your mini morbid.
Except [laughter] it's kind of a full morbid so it's awesome. >> Yeah. It's a full It's a full morbid
made out of two mini morbids which is all the more morbid. I said to Mikey we should add a little clip and I don't
know if it should be like times two at the end or like times two. >> [laughter] >> I like that times two.
>> Times two. Cuz it's like it really hits after that. I think we should add that in. So I get
I mean we did to this episode so A. You'll find out right now. Yeah. Or you already found out which one we chose.
>> You [ __ ] [laughter] around and you found You pressed play and you found out.
>> All right, do you want to go first or do you want me to? >> Oh yay, cool. I like when you go first.
>> I'll go first. I'm talking about the Beast of Bray Road. Ooh, that sounds spooky. Yeah, he's scary everybody. He's
real scary. >> Okay. Um hold on cuz I Oh, it's Wisconsin. Okay. >> [laughter and gasps]
>> I forgot where this was. >> Hold on cuz it's Wisconsin. Okay. [laughter] Is that Wait. I'm sorry. Is that the
Midwest? >> Yeah, Wiscon- Wisconsin is Midwest. >> Is Illinois also the Midwest? Yeah.
Yeah. Right? Woah. I think somebody said yes. Um mine is from Illinois so this is
creatures of the Midwest. >> god, look at that. >> that theme. >> Let me double check if Wisconsin
>> What if everyone is screaming at us right now, [ __ ] that's not the Midwest.
I [laughter] was like Wisconsin Wisconsin. >> of geography in first thing in the
morning. Yes, Wisconsin is. I knew that. >> like Illinois definitely is. >> is. [snorts]
No, it definitely is. Cuz Drew's dad is from Chicago and that's Midwest. See, I got to stop second-guessing my own
[ __ ] knowledge. >> I knew about Illinois. I second-guess myself too. >> Yeah. >> All right, spooky [ __ ] brought to you
from the Midwest. >> yeah. Midwestern spooky [ __ ] [ __ ] All right, so >> [laughter]
>> Uh so one afternoon in early 1992 which It's the '90s. >> '90s. I wasn't even alive yet.
In 1992 I was seven. Wait, that's crazy. You're such a [ __ ] for experiencing more of the '90s than
me. >> Oh, the '90s. >> No, I know. The '90s. >> I'm nostalgic for it. There's got to be a different word for
that when you're nostalgic for a time that you didn't experience. >> Yeah. Oh yeah. I think it's just
jealous. >> a word. >> Is there? For that because I think >> Let's just pause this episode eight
times to look things up. [laughter] People are nostalgic for times that they never lived in like
Like Like I feel like I'm nostalgic for certain times that periods that I never existed in.
>> Like the Jack the Ripper time period. >> Yeah, or like the roaring '20s. Oh yeah. Wouldn't have
Wouldn't have been great for us either of those times. >> for like the aesthetic and the vibe of
it. What is it called when you're nostalgic for a time you didn't experience? Anemoia.
Everyone's like, can you just get to the [ __ ] case? Anemoia. Anemoia. I like that.
>> Anemoia. It's pretty. So you experience anemoia I do. Yeah. For like the I mean
I was I like experienced some of them but I mean I wasn't cognizant. >> I was going to say that it's cuz it's
like me with the '80s. >> Yeah. Nine Even like '99 I don't think I really remember.
>> remember like flashes. >> remember flashes of '80s things when I was like five, you know, like like four
or five I can remember like certain music videos >> Yeah. >> which like I feel like I can like
remember like little blips from like mom and papa's house. I also have a very distinct memory I can literally see it
in my head and I like remember the moment. We were shopping with you and I don't know who else but I fell out of my
stroller like face first. >> Woah. Yeah. Do you remember that? >> I don't even remember that. I don't
know, you were there though. Damn. >> You were there. And you were there. Holy [ __ ] I fell out of my stroller. I fell
[laughter] out of my stroller. >> Explains a lot. I don't even remember that. >> Face first.
Oh damn. >> Mhm. Yeah, I think it's I think you can remember births cuz I'm like I can
remember little pieces of >> Your oldest remembers so much of her early childhood and obviously she's
still little so it's not as far away but it's interesting. She remember I think it's also significant events. Yeah.
>> Cuz when she was four she was in the hospital. Mhm. But she even remembers things before that too.
>> Yeah. But she really remembers that time. >> I mean that makes a lot of sense. I mean
that's traumatic. >> we love Boston Children's Hospital because they were amazing. They saved
her. >> All her memories are pretty good for that. >> Yeah. Uh but yeah. All right, I don't
know how to transition back to scary monsters but spooky scary skeletons and monsters from the Midwest.
>> Uh so one afternoon in early 1992 a time where we feel anemoia. Anemoia. I think
I just looked it up. Um it was in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. A bus driver named Pat Lester was just chatting with one of
her passengers Doris Gipson. >> Doris. Doris. >> Remember when I used to call myself
Auntie Doris? >> Yeah. I love that name. You know, they were talking about strange things that
she'd seen while she was out driving cuz she's a bus driver. She's probably in Wisconsin. She's probably seen a lot of
[ __ ] Um including an incident her daughter Lori had had a few years earlier on Bray
Road. According to Lester her daughter had been out on the isolated road at night
when she passed what looked like a large dog or a wolf that appeared to have cute
quote human characteristics. >> No, thank you. Which sends me into orbit already.
>> I'm Like what do you mean a large dog or wolf? With human characteristics. >> the human characteristics?
>> Cuz I'm picturing a full human face on like a furry dog and that's freaking me
out and or like human hands >> No, I was just going to say >> human feet >> I >> [laughter]
>> I just pictured like a wolf with human arms doing my taxes cuz that's a very human characteristic.
I just pictured this galumphing wolf with human feet like big oversized human feet.
>> Like giant feet. >> Yeah. Uh rural Wisco- Wisconsin does have its share of wildlife. They have wolves,
they have coyotes so >> Lori didn't think too much of it and kept driving. She was like, maybe I just
like it's dark, you know, like maybe I just saw something weird. >> I just want to say it's [ __ ] that we
don't have wolves around here. I think wolves are so cool. They are. They're so majestic.
>> they are. They're so [ __ ] And they're so pretty. And every once in a while I'll tell them that our dogs are related
to wolves and they're like they are. Like they're like these >> They're a lot more domesticated
[laughter] but as Blanche >> this big. >> As Blanche runs up the stairs farting on
every step I'm like she descended from wolves. >> [laughter] >> Dolores Dolores has started farting and
it is ungodly. [laughter] It is. Dog >> And it makes crazy noises. I'm like, [ __ ]
>> Yeah. She just Blanche every time she runs up the stairs she just farts her way all the way up.
>> How embarrassing. >> [laughter] >> She's not She feels not a drop of shame. Good for her.
But every time I'm like she descended by from wolves. >> I want to come back as Blanche
[laughter] in my next life. The dog. >> are like, I don't think she did. Somebody else did. So to Pat Lester the
story seemed like one of those, you know, local urban legends or maybe just a misidentification of a pretty normal
animal. >> She's like, I don't know, you were tired. >> Yeah, so she was like, I don't know, she
didn't think anything shocking of it. But when she caught a glimpse of Doris Gipson's face
she was suddenly like, you know what? I think something happened here because Doris was genuinely terrified while she
was talking about it. >> Now according to Doris she had encountered a similarly strange
animal to Lori. Yeah. To the dog. >> So Yeah, so she and she encountered it on Bray Road the I think the year
before. It was Halloween night. Halloween night. 1991. Oh god, the aesthetic must have been
going crazy. >> one thing I do remember very well in the '90s is '90s Halloween parties at
school. Remember that a lot. I remember pictures of '90s Halloween parties. Oh, so good.
So this was Halloween night 1991 and Doris who was a senior in high school at the time was driving home on Bray Road
when she felt like she hit something on the street. >> She said it was kind of smoggy out and
my front tire got lifted off the ground. So she was afraid that she hit an animal. She was like, [ __ ] So she drove
about 50 yards and then pulled over and she came to a spot that was kind of like
out of the way. So she checks the front of her car. She sees if anything happened, you know, to
be stuck under the car. She didn't see anything, but she walked around to the back of the car, again saw nothing. And
she was about to get back into the car cuz she didn't see anything around, either.
But then she looks down the road a little ways and she saw the thing. Later she talked about it and she said,
"Here comes this thing. Here comes this thing." >> Uh-uh. And it's just running up at me.
>> Oh, [ __ ] You get in your car and you drive out of there, girl. So, she couldn't She was kind of a distance
away, so she couldn't tell what kind of animal it was. She said it was large and
hairy like a German Shepherd. >> Oh, [ __ ] >> But much larger and it didn't move like
a dog. She said it moved more like a man crouched down on all fours. >> Ew. Not a man. [laughter]
And that's why I can't stop picturing human feet glumping down the street. >> Yeah. But I also just see him in a
flannel. Yeah. Right. Oh, wow. Okay. He's got a tattered flannel in my mind. >> So, he's like the straight-up werewolf
character. >> yeah. Um But big. >> But she said, "I could hear its feet on the asphalt."
>> Ew. >> As it's running at her. Now, she's terrified, obviously, and she turns and runs back to her car. She gets
inside, closes the door just as this thing reaches her and dragged what sounded like claws
along the outside of her vehicle. No. Yeah. She told local journalist Linda Godfrey, "I just put my foot on the gas
pedal and started going." She said she didn't get a good look at the thing because she was so terrified and it was
dark, but she believed it had been chasing after her on two legs. Ew. No. No. No.
>> No. >> Because she said as she like when she looked back, she could see its huge
chest heaving as it ran. >> What the [ __ ] Yeah. I would It's like terrifying. >> No, that's so scary. I would never
recover from this. >> No. I'd be This would be the hot topic in therapy >> every time I went for the rest of my
life. I'd like to talk about the monster I saw. >> Again, I would love to talk about that
humanoid monster that chased me down the street. >> you ever go to sleep again? >> I That's the thing.
>> Knowing that that's like lurking in your in your whereabouts. >> You know it's lurking around and you
know it's seen you. I'd be like, "I don't know how intelligent this thing is. Maybe it knows where I live and it's
going to break into my house and a real monster is going to [ __ ] wake me up in the middle of the night."
>> And if there's more than one of them, it perhaps has a family. Yeah. It It has a
whole crew. Not a squad. It has a whole It has a crew like Jacob in Twilight and
when they see you, they're going to say, "Where the hell you've been, Loca?" Bella, where the hell you've been, Loca?
I just watched that again. I'm going to say for the record that he's really hot in that movie.
>> Oh, you All of a sudden you're taking >> [laughter] >> I was like, "Team Edward as a gal." And
now as a woman, I'm team Jacob. As a woman? Is that natural? >> [laughter] >> Is that natural? Although, you know
what? I'm actually team zero None of them because Jacob comes on way too strong. He kisses Bella with no I know
he does. no consent. Yeah. So, not team Jacob. >> Not team Jacob. >> But he is really hot.
>> I was team Edward. I guess. >> team Edward. >> a pale man. >> I do. I love a pale man. I love a
vampire. >> But he just also like We can't get into this. >> Yeah. Let's have a Can we do the bonus
episode about Twilight in November? Would you guys kill us? >> Guys, would you let us do that?
>> Please let us do I want [laughter] so badly to unpack the movie Twilight from an adult perspective.
>> love to unpack the movie Twilight from an adult perspective because I feel Please.
>> so many feelings about it. >> Please. Comment on this post and tell us if you are down for us to do that as the
bonus episode for November because that would be really fun. And just know >> bonus episode, not a regular episode, a
bonus episode. >> And just know that if you say that you don't want that, you're breaking our
hearts. >> our hearts. Okay. All right. So, that's your task. God, I so hope you guys say yes. All right. So,
when Doris gets home a little bit later, she's She's been through it. And like we
were saying, now she's got to go home. She looked at the side of the car and there were huge claw marks on the back
side of the car near the trunk. >> Oh, so not only did she have a [ __ ] terrifying experience, now she has to go
get work done on her car, which is also a terrifying experience. >> sucks. Now, according to Linda Godfrey,
the journalist, she saw the claw the marks first hand. And she said it appeared as though something with huge
claws had dragged both sets along the rear of the car. >> This [ __ ] keyed her car.
>> Yeah. With its claws. Linda Godfrey had been referred to Doris by a friend who occasionally did some
freelance writing for the local Elkhorn newspaper. Linda had been looking for an
interesting local story to publish in the paper, and when she heard Doris's story about the encounter on Bray Road,
she was like, "Whoa, this is exactly what I want." >> Yeah. Um And her instincts were right.
Doris was just one of several locals who'd seen something strange out on Bray Road, and their stories would eventually
put the little town of Elkhorn on the map when it came to supernatural encounters.
Now, after interviewing Doris, Godfrey figured the young woman, you know, couldn't have been the only person in
town who had seen this [ __ ] crazy, strange humanoid wolf thing. So, she went over to town hall and tracked down
the animal welfare officer, John Frederickson. It turned out that Frederickson, who had
been working in the town since the mid-1980s, so he's >> He's been around. >> I picture this in my head when I was
reading this story cuz I feel this like this like hard-hitting journalist, Linda
Godfrey, >> Of course. >> hears this crazy story from Doris and and then is just like, "I'm going to go
down to the local animal rescue officer." This is in the '90s, so I'm just picturing it all '90s coded with
like a '90s lens. And then she finds John Frederickson who's like, "Well, I've been this town's
animal rescue officer since the 1980s." And you're just like, "Yeah, you have." >> Yeah.
>> You have stories. >> He is authority. You have stories. You have tales. Tell me them.
>> What does he look like in your mind? Oh, I see him. He's older. Yeah. Mustache.
>> young. I see Yeah. He's got a mustache. He's chewing on a on a toothpick. Okay.
He's just always chewing on a toothpick. >> All right. Um He's got a hat. Yeah, definitely. I'm trying to picture what
kind of hat, though. I feel like it could be similar to like a newsboy cap or like a skully cap.
>> All right. >> Yep. I love a skully cap. Yeah. I think he's He's one of those like He's got a
vibe. >> He's You kind of just described Dave, by the way. Did I did? >> You did. So, that's who I pictured.
>> Dave also has a skully cap and a toothpick up most times. >> It's true. I did [laughter] just picture
Dave. Does Dave just doesn't have a mustache, right? >> Yeah, I just pictured an older Dave.
>> All right. I mean, I see it. >> Older Dave is that grizzled animal rescue officer who's going to tell you
his story. >> Let's go. [laughter] Except Dave would be like, "You're That's not real."
That's so unreal. Get the [ __ ] out [laughter] of here. >> Leave me alone." We love you, Dave.
>> [laughter] >> I love that I pictured Dave. So, the good thing is, and this would be
a Dave thing to do, he had been keeping a file on what he informally referred to
as the Elkhorn werewolf. Oh. >> Dave would keep the file and he would have all the receipts. Among other
things, the file contained copies of reports of a large unidentified animal that people were spotting in the area of
Bray Road over the years. Local paranormal investigator Jay Bachochin summarized the all these reports
basically as containing a description of a quote biped, a walking humanoid dog with the muzzle, the ears, about 7 to 8
feet tall, hands hairy. I don't want to say like a human, but humanoid hands with claws, deep-set fangs, enormous
eyes, just ferocious-looking. No, thank you. Like, what the [ __ ] I don't like I don't like that it can walk
on two feet. Humanoid hands with claws? No. >> So, he does have like human-y hands,
just with long nails. Ew. Which is so much worse. Well, I don't like how his eyes are so big, either. And he's got
big I I don't like that at all. I hate it all. I don't like it. And he walks at He's like bi- He's a biped.
That's fun to say. Biped. Bipedal, I think it is Yeah, I think you're right. Well, the reports
themselves were pretty [ __ ] interesting. For Linda's purposes, more interesting were that some people had
actually signed their names to the reports. >> Oh, [ __ ] >> just anonymous. That's kind of crazy.
>> a report from Laura Andrizzi, a local bar manager in Elkhorn. According to Lori, she was driving home on Bray Road
one night in December 1991 after closing the bar, and she spotted something strange in the ditch beside the road.
>> That's always when you see the craziest [ __ ] On your way home from a [ __ ]
restaurant or a bar that you work at. >> When you see something strange in the ditch next to Bray Road.
>> Keep driving. >> Keep driving. It's not for you. Now, Lori slowed down as she neared whatever it was by the
side of the road. It's back was to her, but she could tell that it was kneeling in the ditch, and she could see that it
had pointy ears like a large dog. >> So, you keep driving, girl. You get out of there. This would not
have been unusual in and of itself, I guess. Like just seeing like a dog in a ditch, you know, like hanging out like a
on Oh, so you know what road? That I would stop for a dog in a ditch. But Lori said she was immediately put off by
the fact that it was literally kneeling. Like she was like Immediately I'm like,
"Oh, dog." And then I saw it kneeling. >> Kneeling, yeah. Like So, Godfrey later
recalled, she said it was kneeling in a way she didn't think a canine could kneel. Like a human. Yeah.
>> So, you see a dog in a ditch and your immediate thought is like, "Oh, a dog. I
should stop and make sure it's okay." And then you look and it's kneeling like a human.
>> So, you hit the gas. >> [ __ ] that. So, when she pulled ahead of it, Lori looked into the rearview mirror
and was stunned by what she saw. The animal, she was at least sure that it was an animal at this point, was
crouched down and appeared to be eating something. >> No. She said, "Its elbows were up and
its claws were facing out, so I knew it had claws. I remember the long claws." >> What? From what she could see, it looked
as though it was eating some sort of roadkill. Ew. And when it finally noticed the car slowly pulling up beside
it, it turned its head towards Lori. And the lights from the car reflected in its eyes, but it didn't run away like
most animals would. It just stared at her. And she said, "It struck her as very unusual that like an animal would run
away." >> Yeah, it'd be stunned. And like or be stunned. It literally looked at her and
then continued eating. Dislike. Later in her interview with Linda Godfrey, Lori described the beast as {quote} dark
brownish gray in color, somewhere around 5 ft 7 in in height, and around 150 lb.
>> What a menace. And most unnerving at all, she said it looked almost human in shape except for the head which looked
very much like that of a large dog or a wolf. She said, "To this day I believe it was
satanic. It was just my feeling. I don't really believe in werewolves per se, but
I believe something could be well, conjured up." That was not of God. My favorite thing about that
>> that satanic? >> is I don't believe in werewolves, but I do believe that's satanic.
>> Yeah, like it's just like, "Girl, you believe that's satanic?" >> but you do believe in a demon in the
ground. Let's not write off men that can turn into wolves on a full moon and and say that this is satanic.
>> That's the thing. How do you make that distinction? >> satanic, we got we got to open up the
door to werewolves as well. >> bunch of other [ __ ] >> Possibly being real. Like let's not
write them off so fast, okay? >> I was really rooting for you, girl. I was, [laughter] too.
>> [gasps] >> A few days later, Lori went to the library and started combing some books
on Wisconsin wildlife cuz this was bothering her. I mean, yeah. It would bother me, too. She was hoping to find
something that resembled what she'd seen on the side of the road so she could just like put it aside.
She came up empty. And she So she visited John Fredrickson's office and reported the sighting. Hoping she'd be
able to explain something that he could just look at her and be like, "Oh, that's this."
>> Right. And Fredrickson said later, "Not too long into the conversation, some books that were on the shelf just came
flying down." There wasn't really any cause for the books to go flying down, so that was the
end of that conversation. What? What? I'm like, "So, is the is the essence of the werewolf in the room
[laughter] with us just [ __ ] with you now? Like The essence of the werewolf >> Is he everywhere?
>> He's everywhere. He's everything. >> [laughter] >> He He's a He's infinite. everywhere to me. He is. Honestly, he's
everywhere to me. >> [laughter] >> So the deeper that Linda Godfrey dug into Fredrickson's werewolf file, she
continued to discover reports of this unusual and really scary creature out on Bray Road. All giving more or less the
same description. Not long after she published her first article about it, Linda received a call from a woman in
Palmyra, a tiny village of about 1,500 residents, 15 kind of 15 or so miles from Elkhorn.
The woman was calling to report something her son, 17-year-old Tom Brickta, had experienced in the summer
of 1992, not long after Lori's encounter on Bray Road. >> to go to there. According to Tom, he and
a friend, Chris Maxwell, were on their way home from a wedding reception one night in August and they passed through
Elkhorn. There was an incredibly like super dense layer of fog that night. So Tom was
driving slowly when they felt a thud like they'd hit something that they didn't see in the road.
>> It's giving I know what you did last Saturday. >> It is. So Brickta's mother said, "He
thought he hit a mailbox, so he backed up." That's when he realized it was no mailbox.
So Tom opened the driver's side window and immediately noticed {quote} a real skunky smelling odor.
Oh. >> stuck his head out the window expecting to see a a dead or injured skunk on the
road, but instead he saw something he still can't really explain. His mother told Linda Godfrey, he
described it to me as big and hairy and that it was walking and {quote} reaching
out in his direction. What? Now I'm just picturing him like with arms outstretched.
>> to me. >> With arms wide open. >> [laughter] >> That's what I picture now. And now I'm
like, "Maybe maybe he's not satanic. Maybe he's Creed." >> [laughter] >> Spot the difference.
>> I mean Spot the difference. >> [laughter] >> entirely possible. That he's Creed.
The entire band. Right here. That's why he's so big. >> That's why he's so big. He's so many
people. >> He's a whole band. He has arms wide open. >> [laughter] >> That's what he was doing.
>> I'm screaming. So according to Tom's mother I just screamed that he's Creed. >> [laughter]
>> So according to Tom's mother the family had a cabin in the woods. According to
Tom's mother, he was not Creed. He was [laughter] not Creed. >> [music] >> Uh the family had a cabin in the woods
and spent a lot of time hunting and camping. So Tom definitely would have recognized any of the usual wildlife
like bears, wolves, coyotes, anything like that. >> Yeah. In his videotaped interview or Creed
>> [laughter] >> he wouldn't recognize them. So he never know. >> In his videotaped
interview with a reporter, Tom described it. He said, "I saw a faint shadow of actually how big it was. It was large.
Its lower chest or belly was at the top of my car." Oh, [ __ ] >> It was whitish gray with black streaks
in it and it was hairy. I didn't get any facial details, but the lower part of the body I can describe to a T. It had
large legs. The feet were a little fuzzy. I can't describe them as well as I can the arm that was reaching for my
car. With arms wide open. The fingers were either pointed or had quite the nails on them. The arm I
like that. >> quite the nails. >> Quite the nails on them. >> I really need somebody to describe my
nails as quite the nails. >> have quite the nails on them. Halle, give me quite the nails.
>> that he wasn't like That's a good way to describe it that he's like It They weren't claws. They just had quite the
nails on them. The arm was long and kind of odd-shaped. Hmm. Now, this The sight of this thing
in the road obviously terrified Tom and he stomped on the gas trying to get as far away as possible. Yeah. A few miles
down the road near Highway 106, the boys spotted a state trooper and pulled over
to report what they had just seen. So they reported it right away. Uh when he got home that night, Tom got out and
inspected his car and he noticed that the animal had scratched a small piece of the pinstriping from the exterior.
>> Rude. >> After going inside and telling his mom what happened, they called the sheriff's
office to report the incident a second time. Now later, she was working on another
article, Linda Godfrey confirmed the report with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department who verified that
Tom did report that sighting that night. She also found other reports of an unusual animal sighting that same night
>> Oh, [ __ ] >> including one report that came in about a half hour after Tom's report.
>> Wow. Yeah, which is strange. This This feels legit. >> Yeah, like the sheriff's deputy told
Linda Godfrey someone called in and said they saw a large object in the ditch at
106 and north and thought it looked like a bear. Oh. A squad was dispatched and saw nothing. The two incidents were 7 mi
apart. Wow. Now, like Doris Gipson and Lori and Drizzy, Tom couldn't help but notice how human-like this thing looked.
That's what really stood out to him. It stood on two legs. It walked towards him
like a person. Its head and upper shoulder um shoulders were level with the corn stalks growing in the field
beside the road, which >> description is the scariest thing I've ever heard in my life. Do not ever be
level with a corn stalk in my presence. >> do it. Keep that away from me. >> Also, just if you're next to a corn
stalk Get out of the way. >> you're dangerous. >> You're nefarious. Look, I As soon as
corn stalks come into play Yeah. I'm terrified. It's very he who walks with the He walks behind the rows, you know?
[snorts] Like that's I don't need it. >> Being level with a corn stalk is that's
satanic. >> Being in the vicinity of a corn stalk >> [laughter] >> is satanic. is pretty Creed-like, maybe.
>> Yeah, so. So Which is also synonymous with Chill out over there. >> satanic. >> [laughter]
>> So Um so Tom said, "It hadn't noticed us." Then it looked at the car and looked at
me and gave Are you ready? >> Two thumbs up. Are you ready? Just kidding. You Honestly, not far off. It
gave this little snicker like it was challenging us. Oh, so he's like a frat bro.
>> And it says, "We were scared. It was huge." What? So he literally was >> He snickered?
>> just standing next to the corn. Level with the corn and then >> [laughter] >> Like that? He looked over and did Let's
see Let's hear yours. >> that little like I see I picture him as being a little more dingus-y. Like he's
like, Oh, [laughter] wow. Wow. I picture him more hehehe. Oh, I don't like that one. That's almost
scarier. It kind of is cuz you don't want a dingus No. chasing you, you know? A dingus monster. Honey, I've had a
dingus [laughter] chasing me a couple of times. A dingus monster, in fact. >> Honey, I've had a dingus chasing me.
Honey, the lambs. Honey, [laughter] the lambs. Honey, the dinguses. Honey, the lambs. I brought a couple
home. You met them. Oh, yeah, it's true. Dinguses forever. Uh >> [laughter] >> Not forever. But yeah, he said uh he
said, "Hehehe." And then he he was like challenging them. No. >> But he was scared, he didn't like it. So
like a duel? Uh maybe. Maybe. To a sing-off. Oh. He said, You guys know Creed? >> Yeah.
>> [laughter] >> You guys like that band? Cuz I am that band. I'll win this [laughter] circle.
Now, after publishing the two-page spread about what what she was by then calling the Beast of Bray Road, which is
a great name, It is. in the fall of 1992, Linda Godfrey had become a kind of like, you know, representative of this
creature at this point. >> I mean, yeah, she's done the work. She's doing a lot of PR for him.
>> [laughter] >> She's his agent now. She is. Yeah, she signed him to a talent agency. No, for a
period of several weeks, she received countless new reports about the beast, some
relatively recent from like, you know, the previous few years, while others were much older. When she started out in
her investigation, she assumed the beast sightings were a new phenomenon because
a lot of times these things will come up and you're like, yeah, it's totally been
in the last few years people just made this up. >> Right. But as the stories poured in, she
started to wonder whether Wisconsin had been home to some strange species that had somehow managed to avoid detection
until now. I mean, I could see why she would think that. >> of it. The article brought more accounts and
countless sightseers and cryptid hunters to the area in search of this Beast of Bray Road.
>> Which that's not good. But by far the most interesting among them was the editor of a paper from a nearby town
who'd grown up in the area. And after reading Linda's article, remembered a story his father had told him when he
was young. According to Linda, the man's father had worked as a night watchman for St.
Coletta School for Exceptional Children. Okay. Um this was in nearby Jefferson. Uh on the school grounds, there were
several, quote, ancient burial grounds What? >> Yeah. They were trying to preserve and
the watchman had taken to include them in their rounds. So they were trying to keep them like
at bay. No one >> [laughter] >> They were trying to preserve them. So they were trying to keep them from like
vandals, anything happening to them, like >> They're keeping the vandals at bay. They
were keeping the vandals at bay, keeping the ancient burial grounds safe. And at
bay. >> Apparently. And at bay, apparently. Um so the night watchman are using their
rounds to like go in there, make sure no one's [ __ ] around. >> Yeah. One night in 1936, the editor's
father, Mark Shackelman, was doing his rounds when he came to the burial grounds and saw a large animal
frantically digging into the mound, like it was trying to unearth something. >> No, thank you. Unsure of what he was
looking at and not wanting to endanger himself, he quickly and quietly backed away. Uh the next night, Mark was again
on his rounds when he came upon the beast a second time at the same spot. And this time, though, he shined the
beam of his flashlight at the animal, and to his horror, instead of running away, the creature rose onto its hind
legs and stood up tall. And he estimated it to be more than 6 ft tall. Level with the cornstalk.
>> the corn. The corn. >> the corn. Level with the corn. >> honey, the corn. Um [laughter]
so years later, How am I going to follow this? Uh years later, when he recounted the story to
his son Mark Mark Shackelman described the animal as being covered with dark or black hair and having a terrible odor
like long dead meat. >> A stank ass? >> ass. And remember, Tom, when he hit something in the road, he smelled like a
skunk like odor odor? So like a bad smell, like a an odor, you know. I like the smell of skunks.
>> That's so weird to me. I won't even get into that because I don't understand it.
>> It's a thing. >> No. Other people like it. >> I'm sure it is. We're going to have a
whole No, don't use the comment [laughter] Wait a second. No, the comments are for Twilight.
>> us if we can do Twilight for November's [laughter] bonus episode. Do not support Ash's. I
know I'm going to hear a million PEOPLE LIKE >> ASH. ASH, I'm on your side. I know
everyone's on Ash's side here. It's okay. I [laughter] don't like the smell of skunks.
But you have to tell us in the comment section about the Twilight bonus episode. Do not.
>> Guys, that was Elena saying it. Here's me. It's Ash. I'm not reading It's Ash.
>> [laughter] >> I'm not reading from a script. She didn't write this for me. The comments
are indeed for Twilight. >> Yeah, we need to hear >> that I have supporters out there who
also like the smell of skunks, so don't even feel the need to reassure You can PM me. Yeah, there you go. PM
you? Oh, private message. I think I aged myself there. Thank you [laughter] for pointing it out.
I I think that's like what old people on Facebook say. I said, you can evening you? I don't understand.
>> [laughter] >> I I probably aged myself >> evening me. I don't know what that means, but don't talk to me in the
evening. >> Um but yeah. >> Anyway, Twilight, Twilight, Twilight. >> Stanky. So this thing stinks is what we
we know now. Um more surprising than its size was what side Nope, size. Um more surprising
than how big it was was that the what the beast did next. Standing before him, it looked him right in the eyes
Confident. >> and made a sound the watchman later described as, quote, sounding like a
proto-human language. What? It was though the creature was speaking to him, but it wasn't speaking
like English like we know it today. What? >> From where he stood, the only word Mark
could make out was what sounded like Gadara. What does that mean? That's not a word. So we will So there
is something to that. Gadara? >> Yes. >> Maybe he really wants some Godiva. Godiva. No, it they think it's something
else. So as they stood facing each other, Mark began to pray, assuming that this thing was going to attack him.
Frankly, I might do the same. >> Honestly, he was like, I think I'm going to die right now.
>> ever a time to pray, it's when a werewolf yells Godiva. And you're [laughter] literally
Now, for what when Creed in the form of a beast in front of you yells Godiva, pray. By the cornstalks. By the
cornstalks. He's on an ancient burial ground at this Yeah, he's on an ancient burial
[laughter] ground more [ __ ] up. So fortunately, after uttering those strange words at him, it just turned and
walked off into the woods. Oh, I would feel cursed in that moment. >> another thing. So remember how Tom said
this thing like kind of snickered at him, like made like made a fool of him? Shackelman said, and this was way before
this that account, he said, it looked like it sneered at me. I never saw that thing again or anything
like it. >> What's the difference between a sneer and a snicker? So a snicker is like a
And a sneer is kind of like a like >> ass face. >> Like just gives you like a hmm, like I'm
like I'm challenging you. Like yeah, like that little like uh. Like he did that like a uh? I To me, a sneer has
that like uh feel about it. But not necessarily the emotion. >> do that like, come at me, bro. But it's
like that If someone's sneering at me, I think they they're like They want to fight. You want some.
Yeah. They're like, come get some. >> Yeah. Don't start none, won't be none. >> [laughter]
>> Wow. Yeah. What the [ __ ] >> Or like if we're bringing it into today's world, [ __ ] ain't [ __ ] And
they ain't saying nothing. That's what this guy was saying to him. >> What if he said, [ __ ] ain't [ __ ]
What if they just did that trend? And And then he just turned around and walked into the woods and never And he
kept saying, [clears throat] uh-huh, no, no. What the [ __ ] is going to tell me
nothing? He does >> He does. So whatever the beast had said, if it had said anything at all, it made no sense
to Mark Shackelman, obviously. He was like, I don't know what he was saying to me, but
>> be the most horrifying part. >> only years later after he told the story to his son that it was pointed out to
him that the word that the beast spoke sounded very similar to Gadara, the town in the Bible where Jesus casts out a
legion of demons from a possessed man. So I do think this is Creed. >> [laughter]
>> I think it is. >> I think it's Creed, so >> that's The only song I know of them is
the Arms Wide Open song, but >> Yeah, I mean, Creed, let us know Creed, if you're Creed, are you also a wolf?
>> [snorts] >> Uh so the stories of the Beast of Bray Road that Linda had collected not only
established a timeline dating back further than anyone had expected, um but it also created a pretty unique
legendary cryptid that brought a lot of legend trippers and paranormal enthusiasts from all over the country to
this area. Um much to the displeasure of some local residents. Yeah. Uh but one thing
Linda's collection of stories couldn't do was provide any indication as to where the animal had come from in the
first place. >> Maybe it's just of the land. Honey, the land. >> Honey, the land. So to some, like Linda,
it had probably always been there. >> That's what I'm saying. >> on the land, uh hiding among, you know,
the Wisconsin forests. It's dense. >> Um but others predicted it was something evil in nature. Throughout the 1980s,
there were rumors of satanic cults active in in the area, and many, like Lorien Dreesy, who we talked about
earlier, couldn't help but think one of those cults may have brought the Beast of Bray Road into being.
>> Like conjured it? >> Like conjured this demon. If you have the ability to do that, you need to you
need to get to work on some other things as well. >> And also, I'm sorry. If you believe that
that can happen, you cannot discount werewolves being a thing. I just can't. >> I will stand on business with that.
>> 10 toes down. John Fredrickson, who, you know, was the town animal rescue officer
for some time, is willing to entertain such such theories. So he'll entertain any
theories, really, when it comes to this. >> Okay. He said, I wouldn't discount some
type of occult activity. Yeah. >> Which I mean, he did he was the one who said like the the books came off the
shelves when they were talking about it. Um but he said, if by chance somebody invoked some kind of occult entities,
like maybe that's a thing. So, he believes that like maybe the occult is involved here. Maybe.
>> was brought into being. Or maybe there's just ancient [ __ ] in the world that we
can't explain. >> think there's just ancient [ __ ] that we that have realized that we all kind of
suck and that it should stay away from us. Probably. >> And they do. Yeah. And then every once
in a while they don't cuz they're like cuz I think he truly has the the mentality of [ __ ] ain't [ __ ] And
they ain't saying nothing. Well, and he also like he's not really >> [ __ ] can't tell me nothing. Like
that's why that's why he's like I'm not worried about you anyway. >> he's not really seeking anybody out.
They're stumbling across him. >> Exactly. He's like I'm just trying to eat roadkill.
>> He's just out late night, you know. >> He is. He's just out late night eating
roadkill. It's just like that sometimes, you know. He's just having his version of a faux faux faux. It's also nice that
he's eating roadkill and he's not Nobody saw him actively killing anything. I I have this one story thing about him like
this this one set of research about him and nowhere in it do I see him tearing apart animals that are alive. So, he's a
pacifist. >> Is he trying to maybe kill humans? I Yeah. I think he's just trying to [ __ ] with them, really.
>> to be like get the [ __ ] back in your car. Maybe he's trying to teach us all
some survival skills and he's like listen, none of you have a survival instinct. You're all getting out of your
car looking at me, a strange ass [ __ ] who's who's on par with the corn. >> Who's bamfing through the night.
>> land. And it's like you're all getting out of your bamfing through the night.
And it's like I'm trying to chase your ass back in your car so you know never to get out of your car again.
>> what's up. >> That if you are driving late night, do not get out of your car.
>> And maybe that's why he actually talked to the one guy who was the night watchman.
>> Yeah, cuz he was like I know you don't have a car so Godiva, okay? >> And I think he also was like last night
you did the right thing and you just ignored me while I was I was on the mound. >> you're shining light upon me.
>> on me that doesn't feel very instinctish. So, I'm going to teach you. >> Go on. Get.
>> I'm going to teach you Godiva. And then he just >> And sneer. >> And then he walked back into the woods
saying [ __ ] ain't [ __ ] >> [laughter] >> And they ain't saying nothing. So, that I think that is the beast of
Bray Road is just out here trying to teach us all some survival instincts. >> I'm kind of obsessed with him. Yeah, I
think he's pretty great. >> I think he's real. I think there's >> I kind of love his attitude.
>> I do, too. I think there's the sneer, the snicker. I also feel like there's not just one of him. I feel like like
he's got a squad. >> I think there's There was a couple different color descriptions.
>> Yeah, there was some darker ones, some lighter ones. So, I think Yeah. >> I think we have a whole crew here and I
think they all have [ __ ] attitudes. Also, maybe it is a Twilight thing and they're just like people in the day and
then they shapeshift like Oz even from >> Oh, yeah. >> from Buffy, you know? And then they have
sick ass tattoos like Jacob and his squad. Hell, yeah. >> Let's hope that they don't imprint on
children. Don't do that. That's why we need to talk about Twilight, okay? Cuz we will talk about the future ones if
you let us if you let us. >> If you let us, this could be a beautiful gift. >> be a beautiful thing, but we we want to
make you guys happy with these bonus episodes. So, I really It's in your hands. Give us the opportunity to
provide you Twilight happiness because I can provide. We can provide, okay? >> We can provide. No, honestly, if you
guys don't let us do Twilight, I might cry. So. Sorry, I took a bite of a donut.
>> [laughter] >> This [ __ ] just has a chip on her cheek full of a Boston cream.
I really do. >> That's so Boston of you. >> I'm back. Sorry. I took a bite right as
we hit record and I was like whoa. Donut break. Donut break. Um, yeah, we got to
do Twilight. >> We got to. Please. >> It's going to be great. >> Please. [screaming]
>> You want more of this more of this commentary? Let's go. >> Let's go. Open it up. All right, honey.
Well, it's my turn and we're still in the Midwest. Have no fear. We haven't traveled out of there. Good. We're going
to be talking about the Enfield monster. >> Ooh. Not to be confused with the Enfield
Poltergeist. >> I was confusing them. So, thank you for telling me. >> I'm glad that I could be of assistance
in the Enfield place. So, on the evening of April 25th, 1973, 50-year-old Henry McDaniel and his wife
Lil, they were just coming home from like a school function, some [ __ ] for the kids.
>> Henry and Lil. They got home a little past 9:00 and they found their two kids
in a state of absolute panic. >> That's not where you want to find your kids. >> No, they were freaking out. And
according to them, they obviously stayed home alone after their parents went out.
Not long before their parents got back, they started hearing loud scratching noises at the
Yeah, I don't want any of this when I come home. And when whatever was out the door wasn't able to get through, they
said it moved on to the windows and that they also heard claws scraping across the metal of the air conditioner outside
or like the condenser. It's time to burn the house down. Get rid of the entire Well, no. Where else are you going to
seek refuge? I mean, I don't know. This doesn't feel like a refuge though. I know, but don't be don't be burning down
your house when the cryptids are outside. >> never really a good solution to anything, burning down your house, but
here we are. You heard it here first. Don't burn down your house. >> [laughter] >> So, neither of the kids managed to
really get a good look at the animal. The best they could say was that it was just like a weird creature. So,
obviously the parents were like okay, we won't leave you home again. >> The amount of times my kids have been
like did you see that weird creature in the woods? And I'm just like it's probably a deer. You know what's
actually wild that literally happened this morning? I believe it. >> One of your kids, first of all, saw like
something crazy in the forest and then told me that there was a pelican on my head this morning.
>> Yeah, she did. Fun fact, no no pelican on my >> head. Yeah, can confirm there was not a
pelican on her head. Um, she looked in the tree though and she was like I saw something big and brown and furry in the
tree. That's why it's moving so much. And I was like that's a squirrel. It's just a squirrel, babe. Yeah. Yeah, it's
brown squirrel. So, I'm sure these parents were like that's just a squirrel, babe. And that's the thing.
And Enfield is like it's a rural place, but it's not so remote that they would have to contend with aggressive or
confrontational wildlife. So, they were like okay, I don't know about that. >> like it's probably fine. But then not
long after the kids like went through the whole story, the entire family started to hear the sounds again. So,
the parents were like [ __ ] should have believed you. God damn. Henry later told
a reporter this thing was trying to get into the house. >> Oh, I hate that. So, now concerned that
whatever it was, you know, might succeed this time cuz obviously it's it's trying
and trying again. Henry ran to his bedroom and he grabbed a flashlight and a .22 caliber pistol that he kept on his
bedside table. By the time he came back, the beast moved from the front of the house, moved
on. So, he slowly opened the door, aimed the flashlight out there. And after a quick sweep of the yard, the
flashlight's beam landed on the thing that had been clawing at the door. And now it was standing between two flower
bushes at the edge of the yard. Later, Henry said it had three legs on it, a short body, two little short arms, and
two pink eyes as big as flashlights. That sounds horrifying and hilarious all at the same time.
>> adorable. >> legs and two little stubby arms like a T-Rex. >> arms. Literally T-Rex arms.
And it's just standing between two flower bushes. >> it sounds like? It sounds like a child's
drawing. Uh, it comes to life. Cuz it also has pink eyes. >> Yeah. It sounds like a kid's drawing.
>> [laughter] >> Mikey just asked me if I farted in its eye and the answer is no because this
was 50 years ago, Mikey. Did you fart in its eye? Oh. [laughter] Fired. Boom. Roasted. Boom. Fired. I'm just
kidding. Don't kill me. You guys all love Mikey. >> [laughter] >> I get it, Elena.
Okay. So, from where Henry was standing, the shape of the body he said, like similar
to yours, almost looked human. He said it was around >> I thought you were saying similar to my
body. Similar to your body ody ody. >> Almost looked human. [laughter] I was like
wow, your shots are just springing out in this podcast studio. >> [laughter] >> I thought you were like similar to
yours, it looked almost human. I was LIKE WHOA. WOW. I REALIZED [laughter] I HAD SOME KIDS, BUT
>> [laughter] >> BUT DAMN. >> [laughter] >> I WOULD NEVER SAY THAT TO YOU. [laughter]
What have I ever said something that diabolical to you? That's why I was like whoa.
>> [laughter] >> Damn. Similar to your cryptid. My dear. Similar to >> [laughter]
>> the beast of Bray Road. Yes, the beast. Let's Not to the beast OF THIS PODCAST.
>> [laughter] [gasps] >> ARGUABLY, I'M THE BEAST OF THE PODCAST. >> [laughter] >> ACTUALLY, ARGUABLY, you are.
I can't breathe. I can't breathe. I'll take it. >> [laughter] >> I'll own it. No, similar to your
cryptid. It looked human. It was a little shorter than yours. [laughter] Your cryptid for you.
Actually, it was around your height. It was about 5 and 1/2 ft tall. this cryptid. [laughter]
Well, it was a grayish color. I mean, I've been there. Well, after you get birth, actually. After you had
[laughter] those kids, you were pretty gray. So, I'm checking off all the boxes.
I don't think I'll ever recover from you thinking that I said [laughter] you were
almost human. I think we did might need to pause so I can breathe. [laughter] Hold on.
It's just the way it was after you were like Mikey, you're 100. Then you were like similar to you,
it looked [laughter] almost human. I was like No. She's just like pop pop >> [laughter]
>> And you know what, DEBBY? HEY, DEB. OH MY GOD. OH, NO. TAKE COVER. >> [laughter]
>> Crawl run. All right. All right. All right. All right. All right. >> [laughter]
>> Get it together. So, from where Henry was standing, the shape of the body almost looked human, similar to your
cryptid. Thank [laughter] you for that. It was around 5 and 1/2 ft tall, except it was a grayish color.
>> Okay. From the doorway, he aimed the pistol and he fired in the direction of the beast at least four times. He was
not [ __ ] around. >> like, "Die." He was like, [laughter] "Die." When he said, "When I fired that first shot, I
know I hit it." The creature gave out a hiss, much like a wildcat's. Then, after
it cried out, it just turned around and got the [ __ ] out of there. And he said
it covered 50 ft in just three or four bounds before disappearing into the woods completely. Holy [ __ ] It's
literally like Edward Cullen when he runs really fast. >> Yeah. Hold on tight, spider monkey.
>> at me. Pointing back to Twilight to get it on your mind again. Uh There's so many things I want to
[laughter] say even about that just that one >> will. scene alone and you better let us.
>> Yeah. You got it. >> [music] [music] >> So, he was shocked by whatever the [ __ ]
he just saw in the backyard. So, he ran inside and he said, "911, I'd like to report a cryptid."
>> [laughter] >> And two state troopers arrived a short time later cuz they didn't have a lot to
do, I guess. >> Yeah, they were like, "Let's see what this is about." So, they arrived
obviously way too late to see what this was. But, with Henry's help, they were able to find the tracks that the animal
had left behind or the cryptid. And they were nothing like anybody had really seen before. The tracks in the dirt
looked somewhat similar to what a dog might leave behind or an animal with like a similar foot pad, but it had six
toe pads on each foot instead of five. It's a six-toed, three-legged, stumpy-armed
[ __ ] >> gray thing >> [laughter] >> or [ __ ] >> or [ __ ] if you're nasty. So, the three
men searched the perimeter around the house and a short distance into the woods, too, but they didn't really find
anything aside from the prints. Back at the house, they listened as Henry described what this was. And at first,
they were I was [laughter] like, "What?" They said, "Maybe it's just a large dog that
you never have seen before." A large, six-toed dog. >> Maybe it's a large, six-toed uh dog with
three legs that's 5 and 1/2 ft tall. >> And has tiny arms as well. Makes sense. >> They were like, "I don't know. Maybe."
>> Honestly valid. Why not? Just throw that out there. >> Yeah. Just in case. It might stick to
the wall. >> Yeah. Henry was like, "No. Nope. Not a dog." >> Pretty sure it wasn't. But, after
listening again to the description, Trooper James Masters said that while it seemed highly unlikely one could be
roaming the woods of western Illinois, he said, "It kind of sounds like you're describing a kangaroo."
Uh Has he seen a kangaroo before? Okay. So, obviously >> seen one? Here's the thing. Kangaroos
don't have three legs. >> I was I was going like as we know. What does he think a
kangaroo is? >> [laughter] >> Well, I kind of I sort of see what he's getting at. So, they don't have three
legs, but in the dark, a tail could have given the appearance >> Yeah. of, you know, an animal standing
on three legs, especially cuz they also use their tails for balance, so it might
have looked like he was standing like that. But, it could have accounted for some of
the other features, too, especially cuz it he was like in the dark. Yeah. Cuz they have those little arms. Yeah.
They're grayish. Some of them. >> That's the thing. He was like, "It sounds crazy. I don't think there would
be a kangaroo in Illinois." >> Like I don't I've never seen a rogue kangaroo. I haven't either, much to my
chagrin. >> Yeah. I mean, I would love to, but >> I would really love to see a rogue
kangaroo. >> Do kangaroos have six toes? That I don't know. Let's find out. Do they have toes at [laughter] all?
At first, it said 18 and I said, "What?" Five toes on each front paw and four toes on each hind foot, so
>> Oh. Nay. So, no. They have less. Damn. All right. Well, there goes that. So, there's that. Well, he said in the dark,
it could appear to have a human shape. Gray is a color for kangaroos. And he said it could have easily explained the
growling hiss that it let out after it had been shot and how the animal managed to cover so much distance in a short
time. But, like you just said, they don't have six toes on each foot. >> Yeah. That's your That would have been
my first question. Yeah. Well, Masters suggested it could have been a kangaroo, but Henry flatly rejected that
explanation. He said he once had a pet kangaroo while serving in the army in Australia, so he would recognize one if
he saw it. I'm literally obsessed with the fact that he was able to shut that down with
that. He said, "Bitch, I had a kangaroo once." He said, "Not a kangaroo." >> You You think you know about kangaroos?
>> "I'm going to one-up you here. I had one." This is my kangaroo. >> This is not And it honestly, that would
make me be like Did you release your kangaroo? Like Wait a second. I don't really know what happened to his
kangaroo. >> to a kangaroo? Yeah. Yeah. Well, aside from taking down the information, there
really wasn't a lot but they could do, the troopers at that point. So, they conducted their brief search and then
they left the house assuming that that was probably the last they'd hear about it. They were like, "This guy's kind of
crazy." He's kind of crazy. He's kind of crazy. In a town like Enfield, the population's
less than a thousand residents, so there's not a lot that goes on there, especially back then, without somebody
else in town knowing about it and then everybody else in town knowing about it. So, not long after the state troopers
had showed up at the McDaniel's house, almost 50 to 75 onlookers had lingered in and around the family's yard while
they conducted this search, just trying to figure out what was going on. Yeah. And as a result, of course, over the
next few days, everybody in town, including a lot of reporters, had heard about the unusual encounter and they
just wanted to hear directly from Henry himself. >> I would want to hear. No. Henry was
like, "Hell yeah. I'll tell you everything." And over the few days after the encounter, he gave a ton of
interviews where he described the animal and he just, you know, kept giving increasingly dramatic retellings of the
story. Which if honestly, if I saw what he saw in his backyard, I'd do the same thing.
And when asked how he was able to recall the events so clearly and describe the beats like all the details, he said, "I
have a photostatic memory." Obviously. >> Yeah. Uh he also told reporters that he was
sure he wasn't mistaken in what he saw because the next day, some school children told him that they had seen a
similar-looking animal while they were playing on the school's baseball field. >> Oh.
>> So, now we got more eyewitnesses. He said he was sure it wasn't, quote, "a prankster." And he said because no man
can run that fast and leap such distances. I don't know. Ask Edward Cullen. I don't know.
>> Just saying. >> Hold on tight, spider monkey. Now, when it came to exactly what the
thing was, he he didn't really know exactly, but he said he did have a theory. He said, "If they do find it,
they will find more than one and they won't be from this planet. I can tell you that."
I like where he went there. He said >> that he went full stop. >> He said, "Martian." He said, "10 toes
down. This is an alien." >> It's an alien. They should study it. >> Okay. I'm into it.
>> So, when the articles were published in the papers about the sighting, Henry's
phone started ringing off the hook. He said he got around 250 phone calls, mostly from people telling him that he
thought they thought he was describing a kangaroo. So, everybody was really 10 toes down on that. Everyone's so willing
to accept the fact that a kangaroo is just rogue in the Midwest right now. >> Yeah. They really are.
>> Like everyone was just like, "Yeah." Because honestly >> Probably a kangaroo. Like if somebody
was like, "I saw something strange last night." Like we're in Massachusetts. "I saw something strange last night in my
backyard and it looked like this." The furthest thing from my mind would be that's probably
>> a kangaroo. And if somebody was like, "I think it was a kangaroo." I'd be like,
"I can tell you 100 reasons why it wasn't." >> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> I can tell you 150 reasons why that's a
cryptid and not a kangaroo. >> Pretty sure our our climate is not super similar to Australia. No, definitely
not. >> really think they're hanging out here. >> That's the thing. I don't even know if
they really could survive for a long time here. >> around. I don't see them either. I've
yet to see one. Well, according to Henry, one call that he got was from a government representative who told him
it was the fifth sighting of such a phenomenon and the first uh being was in 1967 near Denver when UFOs were were
reported seen in the west. I like that a government representative was like, "Hello, Henry." Hello, Henry.
>> I just like to call you and tell you that you are one of five people who have
seen it. Like Okay. All right, Henry. He's like, "Here. You know what? I'm going to validate you because
everybody's calling you and saying this is not a kangaroo >> what they have to say?
>> What does a government representative loves to do more than to validate civilians?
>> Yeah. It happens all the time. Yeah. It happens every single day. >> it so much.
>> Me, too. In the streets. >> They're always validation. >> on the horn and being like, "I would
love to validate you today." >> Getting on the horn. I love [laughter] it. So, Henry maintained He was like, "Yeah.
That government official is right. I didn't see a kangaroo and other people saw the [ __ ] too." I mean, I trust
Henry here. So, he maintained that what he saw wasn't a kangaroo and he cited plaster molds that had been sent to the
lab for evaluation of the tracks that they got. And they didn't look anything like a kangaroo print. Of course not.
It's not a kangaroo. Yeah. I actually we talked about it like quickly earlier, but they're unique and easily
recognizable because of the shape of the foot and the fact that they have large claws.
>> Yeah. According to Henry, an anthropologist who had seen the prints casually identified them as resembling
those of a bear. So, he's like, "That's like the furthest thing from a kangaroo."
>> No, cuz you look at a kangaroo's claws, they're like They're claws are long. And
like I think when they're running, they go up a little on them, but still those are long-ass claws and they're like very
spindly. Yeah. And remember, they said it looked like a dog print with another an extra toe. So, it's like, "What?"
Um so, who knows about the tracks? But, while the mystery of the species remained unsolved, what was clear to
most law enforcement and local fish and game agents was that Henry wasn't making
this entire thing up. Not only had the state troopers actually seen the tracks outside of the McDaniel house, but they
also followed them down the railroad tracks and into a cornfield a few miles away.
>> Oh, they're always up in the corn. Cryptids love corn. Cryptids plus corn equals love. Honey, it's the land.
>> Honey, it's the corn. >> [laughter] >> They're just always up in there. >> They are. This guy is not as tall as the
corn like your guy was. >> him. But he was But honestly, that probably made it easier cuz he could
traipse through the corn. Yeah. He was he who walks behind the rows. Walks in the rows.
>> Also, I looked at a kangaroo track. No. Have you ever Have you seen them? >> I haven't even seen a kangaroo track.
>> Oh, it looks like There's only two toes in a kangaroo track. Yeah, no, that doesn't look like a kangaroo track at
all. Not a kangaroo. >> to look up their [ __ ] before they start citing that an Australian creature
is in our midst. Probably. Yeah. Probably. But you know, the government agreed that
it's not the government. Government. So the mystery deepened a few days later when investigators pulled quote
something resembling hair off of one of the tree limbs in that field >> Gross. where they were looking around.
According to Henry McDaniel, they all agreed quote the material looked nothing like animal or human hair. Ew. Yeah. I
don't like it. >> Now, when he was asked whether there was any blood or other evidence found that
would indicate that Henry had hit the animal when he fired that night, he told reporters the anthropologist saw
drippings of a clear substance that they collected for samples, but he wasn't sure what it was. Damn. So something
came out of this cryptid or animal, and it was a clear liquid. >> Something. Yeah. He just He just went
oozing away. Yeah, but they didn't they didn't know what it was. Like they got samples.
>> Well, and it's like that's the thing cuz it got shot. Yeah. At least once. And it's like is that its blood? Maybe.
Does it bleed clear liquid? Kind of like a Buffy zombie or like a not zombie, like a demon. Yeah. Yeah. Or it's very
alien-esque. It is. You know? >> That's why Henry thought that. >> I'm on Henry's side. Unfortunately, by
the end of April, the story kind of petered out when most of the press and public moved on, but it was revived in
early May when Henry called reporters to say he had seen the beast a second time
on May 6th. Henry's always seeing this beast. I know it. One time, two times, he's seeing him. He's seeing him. He
said he got he was awoken in the night by his dogs barking around 3:00 a.m., the witching hour. And when he went
outside to see what had gotten them so agitated, he saw the same three-legged monster standing on the railroad tracks
about 75 ft away. He said, "I seen something moving down the railroad track, and there it stood. I didn't
shoot at it or anything. It wasn't in a hurry or nothing." And when asked whether he was unnerved
by seeing something paranormal for a second time, he said, "I wasn't scared. I'd like to have it as a pet and charge
admission. It's something that's there, and we got to accept it." I'm literally obsessed with Henry.
Henry's the best. >> I'm I like his vibe. Yeah. I like his whole thing here. He's like, "This thing is
there. Let's just accept it." >> He's also saying like I think we have a connection because he keeps coming back
to me. >> Yeah, and I'm not scared about it. I think maybe we're kindred spirits. So,
you know, I see him, he sees me, and I could have him. >> He said, "With arms wide open, I accept
this creature." >> Full [ __ ] circle. He And he would have named him Creed. He would have. So,
there you have it. We go. [laughter] Well, the second sighting obviously brought a new round of reporters to
Enfield, including WWKI reporter Rick Rainbow. Rick Rainbow. >> It's also It's always so fun to say like
newspaper names like that or like radio names like WWKI. Cuz [laughter] you have to say it like
that. >> Yeah. Uh so Rick Rainbow was accompanied by Edward Phillips, a pet store owner
and a big game hunter. Rainbow interviewed Henry, and Phillips went out to the area where the animal
had last been seen, and he started making plaster casts out of the tracks in the dirt dirt again. Smat. Later in
his reporting, Rainbow described the tracks as about 4 in in diameter and having five distinct toe pads, possibly
a sixth. >> Not a kangaroo. No, definitely not. According to Rainbow, there were at
least three other people in the area who had quote seen something that shall we say is strange, including McDaniel's
next door neighbor, 10-year-old Greg Garrett, who said he saw the animal about half an hour before Henry had the
first time. He said he was in the backyard when the thing confronted him and quote stepped on his feet and tore
his tennis shoes to shreds. That's the most 10-year-old thing to say in the world.
>> He said, "That's what happened to my tennis shoes." >> Stepped on my goddamn shoes, and that's
the reason they're all [ __ ] up, Ma. Yeah. That's the reason. It's the cryptid.
>> you feel stupid now, huh? >> [laughter] >> Ma, it was a cryptid, not kangaroo.
That's why I need new shoes, Ma. >> That was exactly what [laughter] I thought when I read this, too. A [ __ ]
kangaroo cryptid stepped on my It confronted me. I need new shoes. It stepped to me.
It What was it? It sneered at me. It didn't sneer. It sneered. >> at me, bro." It did all the things.
Yeah. And now I need new shoes, Ma. I believe it. So, that's I know that's the thing. It's
like I believe Henry saw this thing. I really wish another adult had. I also wish that. Not [laughter] and not
10-year-old Greg. But here's the thing. The second sighting of the monster didn't just
bring reporters. It also brought a small group of hunters from as far away as Indiana, all looking to capture whatever
this was and like capitalize on it. >> No, don't capture him. Let him roam. Well, let him roam. The police felt that
way, too. On the afternoon of May 8th, local police arrested five teenagers from Elwood, Indiana on charges of
violating hunt hunting regulations after they were discovered to be hunting without a license and had literally no
proper safety precautions. They were just like Wiley shooting off into the distance and like Yeah. Literally. Just
before they got arrested, they said that they they saw a quote gray hairy creature in some underbrush and that it
ran faster than a man. So let it be, man. It's better than us. >> Yeah, don't shoot it.
>> If it's better than us, it it deserves to be here. That's what I think. >> It ran faster than you. That's it.
Survival of the fittest, baby. It It fit. The whole thing about There's another Twilight thing where it's like
outrun you. What does he say? >> As if you [laughter] COULD OUTRUN ME. I LOVE IT.
OH, MAN. PLEASE. PLEASE, you guys. You got [laughter] to let us of you. You got to let us [snorts] Back to this. So,
they all took aim at the what the beast they called it, and they fired with rifles and shotguns, and two thought
they hit the animal, but it still managed to get away. So this man is like out here or this creature is out here
like Swiss cheese still getting away. He doesn't He's just leaking fluid. Everywhere. [laughter]
Ew. Ew. Ew. Ew, gross. The arrests [laughter] prompted White County, which is a crazy name for a
county, Sheriff [laughter] Jim Clark Like side note. Like side note, maybe come up with a different
name. That's rude. >> [laughter] >> But White County Deputy Sheriff Jim Clark made a public statement warning
everybody else that they were about to be arrested if they kept shooting this thing. He said, "Nothing I know of is in
season now, especially monsters. Anybody we know of out hunting monsters, especially with guns, will be put in
jail. We're We are afraid they will kill somebody." He said, "Y'all, monsters are
not in season right now." Baby, [laughter] that's literally what he said. He was like, "I'll let you know.
We'll come up with a new law here in White County." >> You think you got a monster hunting
license? I don't know why they're They're suddenly southern, but they [laughter] are.
>> Literally Illinois. If you're talking about monster season in Illinois. >> Wait, there's like a Chicago accent, but
it's really hard to do. >> It is. It's hard. I don't even try cuz I'll piss you all
off, and I don't want to do that. I have family from Chicago, okay? >> Yeah, we're not out here trying to piss
off Chicago. We love Chicago. >> Sometimes Drew has a weird Chicago accent. I love that for him.
>> Yeah. >> [laughter] >> But anyway, by mid-May, most people in and around Enfield were pretty tired of
the Enfield monster. >> How could you be? It's ridiculous in my opinion. [laughter] It's ridiculous.
They just wanted things to return to normal, which I've never wanted. I can't [laughter] relate. Can't relate. The
editor of the Carmi Times wrote, "The case of Enfield's alleged monster has, for all intents and purposes, reached a
climax and apparently is going downhill." I mean, let's take alleged out of there. It's a good monster.
>> Even the sheriff thinks so. >> Yeah. At the sheriff's office, deputies were writing out citations left and
right to would-be monster hunters for trespassing, violating local hunting laws, and other city officials were
frantically trying to answer questions from reporters who were like, "Hey, what's up here in White County?"
>> What's up with this monster? Sheriff Roy Paschard told reporters he had already
quote declared an end is going to be put to the monster kick before somebody gets
hurt and he loses his mind answering queries from news media. He was like, "I'm going to go crazy on
your butts." I don't want to talk to y'all anymore. >> He's like, "Go on, get. Go on, get." So,
whether local law enforcement and residents wanted to be done with the monster was kind of irrelevant. As long
as there was still some interest in the beast, it And it turned out there was. Of course. So, after speaking with Rick
Rainbow about his reporting, I think it's Loren Coleman, a graduate student at the University of
Illinois, he decided to come to Enfield and study the animal himself if he could. He had spent years collecting
data on similar sightings of unidentified animals all around, and he thought that the Enfield monster could
actually be a legitimate case of a previously unseen species. Yeah, cuz that's the other thing. It's like
It doesn't have to be a monster, everybody. I'm We don't know everything that's on this planet.
>> That's it. We discover new [ __ ] all the time. So like called science, look it
up. >> a new strange-looking animal. >> That's what Loren said. He had a degree in [ __ ]
>> Yeah. So unfortunately though, after just a few days of, you know, looking out for the beast, he gave up on his
search when he came away or when all he came away with was just a few nice pictures of the White County
countryside. Pretty. Yeah. Name it something else. He insisted he wasn't giving up, but he
told the reporter he wouldn't resume his search until there was more definite information. Hm. Which is like kind of a
bummer. Lame. So, the final word on the monster came in mid-May when a letter from a man in Ohio arrived at the office
of the Carmi Times addressed to the publisher. The letter writer, Alan Yorkshire, had
read all the stories about the Enfield monster, and like many, he believed the description matched that of a kangaroo,
and he was wrong. Guys, it's not a [ __ ] kangaroo. If this is a kangaroo, I'll eat my hat. I it's not. But,
[laughter] this is crazy. The difference between his suggestion and like the suggestion of countless
other people was that he actually owned a kangaroo. Okay, maybe you're an expert, but I don't know. It's not a
kangaroo. I'm going to eat my hat. According to him, his pet kangaroo Macy had gone missing a year earlier
and he believed that she was stolen by somebody who was relatively local. Macy did kind of fit the description of
the monster and was described as her by her owner as a well as well-trained and gentle. And in his letter, Alan
indicated that he would be traveling to Enfield soon and would offer a reward to
anybody who could lead him to Macy, but as far as anybody knows, he just never showed up in town.
Are we sure he had a kangaroo named Macy? I don't know. Is this very solid information? I mean, he wrote to the
people. Or did he just say like, "So, I had this kangaroo named Macy." I mean, I don't know. She turned up
missing. I have no idea, but I think he had a kangaroo named Macy. That's so specific. I know, almost too specific.
You never know. Unfortunately, he didn't come out. Yeah. Well, it turned out that
the letter from Ohio was the last piece of in you know, significant information on the
origins of the Enfield monster. A year later, a reporter from DeKalb traveled down to the town to see if anything had
come of the story, but most people were pretty eager to put it behind them. A waitress at Echo Cafe said, "I think
it's about all over now. I heard the sheriff told him he better not be seeing any more monsters or he'd be off to the
funny farm." She's talking about talking about Henry. Damn. Poor Henry. So, whether or not law enforcement actually
told Henry to keep his mouth shut is unknown. They might have. But, what is clear is that once they put the story
behind them, the sheriff's department fully intended to keep it there. In 1974, Sheriff Paul Shure said, "No,
there ain't no damn thing to it. I let all that stuff go on until he got people with guns out there." I mean, I can
understand that he doesn't want people with guns trying to hunt this thing. Yeah, that's kind of the sheriff's worst
nightmare. Totally get that. That's very dangerous. Yeah, that's the thing. Things got It
could have all been fun. Nobody needed to shoot this thing. You could have just been like, "Ooh, we have a fun local
monster." Like just let it be. Things just got too risky once everybody was shooting willy-nilly. We have plenty of
local monsters floating around the Bridgewater Triangle. Yeah. None of us are out here trying to kill them. No.
So, let them be. Let them live. They were probably here before any of us. They definitely were. So, I don't give a
[ __ ] Puckwudgies, all right. You out there? I think they're out there. Whenever I see Delores out at
night, I'm like, "Fuck Puckwudgies." I think about it frequently. Giant giant snakes. It's It is what it
is. Puckwudgies are my biggest worry. Yeah, Puckwudgies will [ __ ] you up. I don't I don't want to [ __ ] with them.
But, that's the thing. I don't want to [ __ ] with them and I'm They don't [ __ ]
with me. I'm not trying to kill you, don't try to kill me. It's It's what I always say.
Puckwudgies, live and let live. Exactly, Puckwudgies. I live, I let you live. Yep. Well, a few years later in 1978, a
team of sociologists weighed in on the Enfield monster and they called the story
a classic case of social contagion. Whatever, man. >> [clears throat] >> Based on their analysis, the number of
actual sightings were a lot smaller than most people thought they were and one of
the supposed sightings, you know, the one that Greg Garrett had seen, was a practical joke. Unfortunately. I
mean, I'm not shocked. I think he just [ __ ] up his tennis shoes. Yeah, he did. Absolutely. Yeah. In their final
report, the team concluded, "Of the several monster reports discussed in Enfield on the McDaniels' first-hand
reports and the May 6th report of the WWKI party were made by people who were made by people who in all likelihood
thought they saw something." But, Henry McDaniel maintained that he did indeed see an unidentifiable
creature in his yard that night and the state troopers did find evidence of a strange [ __ ] animal having been
there. So, something happened in Enfield that night even if we don't know for sure
what it is. And that is why the Enfield monster has remained a local Illinois legend ever since. Illinois, you have a
monster. You do. And it's not a kangaroo. No. It's not a kangaroo and it's okay. It's fine. It's
all right. Also, if White County is still named that, you really have to change it. It's crazy.
That goes crazy. It goes really crazy. I I believe Henry. I believe Henry. And I'm prepared to defend him. Yeah. I
think our cryptids should team up and just take over the Midwest. I think so. I think they have. I think so. You know?
Yeah. The Beast of Bray Road, I think could really do do some damage. I think he did. Seems like the the Enfield
creature was hopping along. He was just hanging out. I mean, did he want to get in a house? Maybe. But, maybe he was
cold. Exactly. It's the Midwest. It's like, "Are you afraid of the dark?" I'm cold. So, maybe that's what it is. Yeah,
and maybe he was knocking, but it just sounded like he was scratching cuz he's got acrylics. He's got acrylics, so it's
like Scheana Shay, she can't make a fist. How are you going to knock if you can't make a fist? You just got to tap
with your nails. And she taps on that phone. There you go. Scheana Shay. I am watching old Vanderpump Rules
episodes, so that's very relevant. All right. Well, I love these cryptids. That was cryptids. Let us know if we can
cover Twilight cuz we're going to >> [laughter] >> on the bonus episode. Please on the
bonus episode. The bonus episode. And not the actual episodes. Bonus. Bonus. We hope you keep listening. And
we hope you keep it weird, but not so weird that you No, actually do keep it so weird that you spot a
cryptid in the wild and then please tell us all about it. Yeah. >> [music] >> Let us do Twilight. I mean, we're doing
it. I've decided. Executive decision. Executive decision stamped. >> [music] [music]
[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] [music]

Weirdos! We're bring OG MORBID back! THIS week we're reviving something that many of you have been missing: the illusive MiniMORBID! But fear not! We're going to give you a DOUBLE DOSE of Mini as Ash & Alaina each talk about a different cryptid of the midwest! Get ready for an unhinged episode that had us laughing HYSTERICALLY! And don't forget the hit the comments to let us know what you think of our pitch for November's Bonus Episode!

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022) Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023) Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Brief Summary

Ash and Alina discuss the Beast of Bray Road and the Enfield Monster, sharing eyewitness accounts and humorous commentary on these cryptid legends.

Key points

The Beast of Bray Road. Alina introduces the spooky tale of the Beast of Bray Road, a cryptid from Wisconsin.
Doris's Terrifying Encounter. Doris recounts a chilling experience with a strange creature on Bray Road.
The Elkhorn Werewolf. Local animal welfare officer John Frederickson shares reports of a humanoid wolf sighting.
Lori's Terrifying Encounter. Lori spots a strange creature kneeling by the road, leading to a chilling realization.
Tom's Frightening Experience. Tom and a friend encounter a large, hairy creature reaching towards their car.
The Watchman's Unforgettable Meeting. A night watchman faces a creature that speaks in a strange language.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

Anemoia. It's pretty.

Ash discovering a word for nostalgia for times not lived

4:20WatchOct 29, 2025

Tension

45/ 100Some tension

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