Malice in the Mitten

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we step into one of the most unsettling paranormal mysteries whispered across Michigan: Shadow People. From haunted roads near Ypsilanti to abandoned hospitals, frozen farmhouses, Upper Peninsula mining ruins, cemeteries, and lonely back roads, witnesses describe the same impossible thing — black, human-shaped figures standing in the dark, watching.
Are they ghosts? Sleep paralysis? Demons? Interdimensional beings? Or are Shadow People the shape our minds give to fear itself?This haunting Michigan folklore episode explores the Hat Man, the Watchers, shadow figures in the woods, and the terrifying feeling that something is standing just out of sight… waiting for you to notice it.
#ShadowPeople#MichiganFolklore#FBombFriday#TheHatMan#ParanormalMichigan
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, featuring Todd Preston
Written and researched by Todd Prest
Original music created exclusively for F-bomb by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sound Effect from Uppbeat:  horror-scream-in-abandoned-place(Long).mp3
Sources: 
Pure Michigan – Haunted Places in Michigan
Michigan Haunted Houses – Real Haunted Places Across Michigan
Shadowlands Haunted Places Index – Michigan
GhostQuest – Haunted Places Michigan
Haunts.com – Michigan Haunted Places
Wikipedia – Shadow Person Phenomenon
Reddit – Soop Cemetery Shadow Figure Reports
Reddit – Michigan Urban Legends Discussion
Reddit – Hat Man Experiences
Reddit – Childhood Hat Man Encounter Originally From Michigan
Reddit – Michigan Shadow Visitors Encounter
USC Folklore Archive – Sleep Paralysis & The Hat Man

In 1991, seventeen-year-old Christa Lynne Ruth Ferree, a Harper Creek High School junior from Battle Creek, Michigan, left home to visit someone she knew. She never came back.
Days later, Christa’s body was found hundreds of miles away near Clinton, Oklahoma. She had been strangled. Three teenagers — Thomas Eugene Krause II, John Seeley Loepke Jr., and Brad Trevor Warner — were convicted in her murder and originally sentenced to life without parole. Decades later, because they had been juveniles at the time of the crime, all three were resentenced to 40 to 60 years, reopening painful questions about punishment, rehabilitation, second chances, and the life Christa never got to live. 
This episode of Malice in the Mitten tells Christa’s story with care: who she was, how she is remembered, the betrayal that led to her death, the long road from Battle Creek to Oklahoma, and the legal aftermath that brought her case back into court nearly three decades later.
Listener note: Thank you to Jessica Elliott for suggesting Christa’s story and helping bring her name back into the light.
#MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #ChristaFerree #BattleCreekMichigan #TrueCrimePodcast
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan
Researched and written by Tracy Preston
Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources include WWMT News Channel 3 reporting on the 2019 resentencing’s, WBCK coverage of the Battle Creek murder case, MDOC OTIS records, the Harper Creek Educational Foundation Christa Ferree Scholarship Fund, Find a Grave memorial records, The Oklahoman April 1991 article excerpt, and Battle Creek Enquirer obituary/article clippings reviewed during research. Some archival newspaper records are subscription-limited; unsupported secondary retellings were treated as leads only and were not included as verified fact unless supported by additional sourcing.

Have you ever had a moment so weird it felt like reality glitched? This week on Round Robin, we’re talking déjà vu, impossible coincidences, missing objects, gut feelings, and the stories we still can’t explain.
#RoundRobinPodcast #GlitchInTheMatrix #DejaVu #WeirdButTrue#PodcastLife
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan and my husband Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston

Tonight, on F-Bomb Friday, we travel to Marquette, Michigan, for the haunting legend of the Lilac Lady — a ghostly figure said to linger near the sixth floor of the historic Landmark Inn.
Her story is one of love, loss, Lake Superior, and the scent of lilacs drifting through an old hotel where guests have reported strange phone calls, footsteps, cold spots, and sightings of a woman who may still be waiting for someone who never came home.
This is not a monster story. It is a ghost story built from grief, memory, and the kind of folklore that refuses to die.
#FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #LilacLady #MarquetteMichigan #HauntedMichigan
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston
Story Researched and Written by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
“12 Incredibly Haunted Places in the Upper Peninsula.” Pure Michigan, Michigan Economic Development Corporation, n.d., michigan.org. Accessed 21 May 2026.
Best Haunted Hotels. “Landmark Inn Paranormal History.” Best Haunted Hotels, n.d., besthauntedhotels.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.
“Central Upper Peninsula Hauntings.” Northern Michigan History, n.d., northernmichiganhistory.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.
“Haunted Places in Marquette County.” Travel Marquette, n.d., travelmarquette.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.
“Haunted Stories from the Upper Peninsula.” UP Travel, n.d., uptravel.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.
James, Sheryl. Michigan Legends: Folktales and Lore from the Great Lakes State. University of Michigan Press, press.umich.edu.
“Lilac Scented Memories.” Mackinac State Historic Parks, n.d., mackinacparks.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.
“The Ghost of the Lilac Room: Marquette, Michigan.” 99.1 WFMK, n.d., 99wfmk.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.
“The Lilac Lady.” Malice in the Mitten, n.d.
“Michigan Urban Legends.” My Michigan Beach & Travel, n.d., mymichiganbeach.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.
“Michigan’s Ghostly Tales Not for the Faint of Heart.” My City Magazine, n.d., mycitymag.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.
“Urban Legends, Haunted Hotspots, and Ghost Sightings in Michigan.” The Gander, n.d., gandernewsroom.com. Accessed 21 May 2026.

In 1976, young pregnant mother Kathryn “Kathy” Darling was murdered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, while her 15-month-old child was nearby. Three years later, another pregnant woman, Diane Holloway, was murdered in the same city. For decades, the cases remained unresolved — until the Kent Metro Cold Case Team connected one name across both files: Russell Vane.
In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, Tracy Preston and Christine Mulligan examine the cold-case investigation, the role of DNA evidence, the limits of old investigative tools, and the delayed justice that finally came after more than thirty years. Suggested by listener Becky Vander Meulen, this episode remembers Kathryn Darling and Diane Holloway not as case files, but as women whose lives, families, and futures mattered.
In 1976, young pregnant mother Kathryn “Kathy” Darling was murdered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, while her 15-month-old child was nearby. Three years later, another pregnant woman, Diane Holloway, was murdered in the same city. For decades, the cases remained unresolved — until the Kent Metro Cold Case Team connected one name across both files: Russell Vane.
In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, Tracy Preston and Christine Mulligan examine the cold-case investigation, the role of DNA evidence, the limits of old investigative tools, and the delayed justice that finally came after more than thirty years. Suggested by listener Becky Vander Meulen, this episode remembers Kathryn Darling and Diane Holloway not as case files, but as women whose lives, families, and futures mattered.
#MichiganTrueCrime #MaliceInTheMitten #ColdCase #GrandRapids #TrueCrimePodcast
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan
Researched and written by Tracy Preston
Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
Wolter, Sally. “Notes from the Field: A Multijurisdictional Team Moved Cold Cases to the Front Burner.” National Institute of Justice, 3 Dec. 2019.
Price, Cynthia. “Cold Case Successes Result from Collaborative Effort.” Grand Rapids Legal News, 29 Apr. 2011.
Public records and reporting vary on the spelling of Kathryn Darling’s name, with some sources using Catherine Darling and others using Kathryn/Kathy Darling. For this episode, we use Kathryn “Kathy” Darling while acknowledging the source variation. This episode relies primarily on the National Institute of Justice account by Detective Sally Wolter and reporting from Grand Rapids Legal News.

Today on Round Robin, we honor Memorial Day through stories of remembrance, Arlington National Cemetery, Decoration Day, Mary Ann Williams, and the quiet power of remembering those who never came home
#MemorialDay #RoundRobinPodcast #ArlingtonNationalCemetery #DecorationDay #PodcastEpisode
Hosted & Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan, Nina Mulligan and Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, Tracy Preston takes listeners beneath the crystal-clear surface of one of Michigan’s most beautiful lakes — and into the campfire legend of the Torch Lake Monster.
Known as the “Caribbean of the North,” Torch Lake is famous for its turquoise water, deep drop-offs, summer cottages, and postcard-perfect beauty. But for generations, campers, counselors, locals, and lake families have whispered about something strange beneath the surface. A creature said to be long, dark, serpentine, and watching from the black water with one blue eye… and one brown.
This Michigan folklore episode explores the legend’s summer camp roots, the old camp song said to have carried the story forward, eerie boating encounters, deep-water fear, possible natural explanations, and why some legends survive long after anyone can prove where they began.
Beautiful by day. Black by night. And maybe not as empty as it looks.
#MichiganFolklore #TorchLakeMonster #FBombFriday #MichiganCryptids #LakeMonsters
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston
Story researched and written by Todd Preston
Original music created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources used for this episode include Michigan.org, 99.1 WFMK, All Things Wausau, The Gander, Mix 95.7, CBS Detroit, Folk Bestiary, and the Torch Lake Township Master Plan.

On July 7, 2011, Grand Rapids, Michigan, was shaken by one of the darkest days in the city’s history. Rodrick Shonte Dantzler killed seven people across two homes before the violence spilled into the streets, leading to a police pursuit, additional shootings, a hostage standoff on Rickman Avenue, and Dantzler’s death by suicide.
In this episode of Malice in the Mitten, Tracy Preston and Christine Mulligan examine the case with care, centering the victims: Jennifer Heeren, Kamrie Heeren-Dantzler, Thomas Heeren, Rebecca Heeren, Kimberlee Emkens, Amanda Emkens, and Marisa Emkens. This listener-submitted case, suggested by Tina Hughes, is not only a timeline of a mass shooting. It is also a deeper look at domestic violence, warning signs, firearm access, survival, and the long shadow left behind in a Michigan community.
Content warning: This episode discusses domestic violence, mass murder, the deaths of children, gun violence, hostage-taking, suicide, and community trauma.
#MaliceInTheMitten #MichiganTrueCrime #GrandRapidsMichigan #DomesticViolenceAwareness #TrueCrimePodcast
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan
Researched and written by Tracy Preston
Original music created exclusively for Malice in the Mitten by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
Michigan Public. “Victims Names Released in Grand Rapids Shooting.” Michigan Public, 8 July 2011.
Michigan Public. “Grand Rapids Police Search for Suspect in Multi-Homicides.” Michigan Public, 7 July 2011.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Michigan. “Grand Rapids Man Who Sold Gun Used in Mass Murder Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison.” U.S. Department of Justice, 3 Feb. 2014.
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Michigan. “Grand Rapids Man Pleads Guilty to Transferring Firearm to Convicted Felon.” U.S. Department of Justice, 3 July 2013.
Dowling, Jennifer. “Man Accused of Selling Rodrick Dantzler Gun Used in Shooting Spree Awaits Sentencing.” FOX 17 West Michigan, 3 July 2013.
Dowling, Jennifer. “Man Charged With Selling Gun to Rodrick Dantzler Makes Guilty Plea.” FOX 17 West Michigan, 27 June 2013.
Smith, Lindsey. “Grand Rapids Works on Healing One Week After Deadly Shootings.” Michigan Public, 14 July 2011.
CBS News. “Names of 7 Victims of Grand Rapids, Mich. Shooting Spree Released.” CBS News, 8 July 2011.
Deseret News. “Man Who Killed 7, Self in Spree Left Suicide Note.” Deseret News, 4 Oct. 2011.
“The 2011 Grand Rapids Shootings.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation. Use only as a timeline cross-check, not as a primary source.
Source note: This episode was researched using contemporary reporting from Michigan Public, CBS News, FOX 17 West Michigan, Deseret News, and official federal records from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan. The Wikipedia timeline was used only as a secondary cross-check against primary and contemporary reporting.

This week on Round Robin, we're exploring the Butterfly Effect, sharing stories of life-changing choices, strange coincidences, and the moments that shaped who we became. Plus, we honor NASA pioneer Katherine Johnson and discuss the ripple effects of living authentically during Pride Month.
#RoundRobinPodcast #ButterflyEffect #LifeChoices #KatherineJohnson #CoincidenceOrFate
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Christine Mulligan and Nina Mulligan
Original music created exclusively for Round Robin by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston

On this episode of F-Bomb Friday, we pull the camera back from a single Michigan legend and look at the bigger, stranger pattern hiding inside folklore itself. From the Michigan Dogman to European werewolves, Bigfoot to the Yeti, lake monsters to Nessie, shadow people to the Hat Man, Melon Heads, witches, Wendigo stories, little people, and winged creatures like the Thunderbird and Mothman — cultures across the world have described eerily similar monsters for centuries.
Are these stories simply proof that human fears are universal? Are they warnings passed down through generations? Or do these repeated legends point to something older… something humanity has been encountering in the dark for far longer than we realize?
#FBombFriday #MichiganFolklore #Cryptids #UrbanLegends #MaliceInTheMitten
Hosted and Produced by Tracy Preston, Featuring Todd Preston
Story Researched and Written by Todd Preston
Original score created exclusively for F-Bomb by Tracy Preston
Original artwork by Todd Preston
Sources:
https://www.britannica.com⁠
https://en.wikipedia.org⁠
https://www.legendsofamerica.com⁠
https://www.bfro.net⁠
https://www.mothmanmuseum.com⁠