Episode #173: Pittsburgh Vampire Panic

On April 19, 2015, 16-year-old Jericho Scott was murdered in a drive-by shooting just outside his home on Exchange Street in New Haven, Connecticut. A friend nearby was also injured, and the case remains unsolved. Today, Jericho’s case stands as a sobering reminder of unresolved violence, lost potential, and the urgent need for community action. In this episode, we explore his life, the circumstances of his death, and the ongoing efforts to bring closure to a grieving family.

In 1995, 29-year-old Lisa Manderach and her toddler daughter, Devon, vanished after leaving their home in Limerick Township, Pennsylvania for a quick trip to a local children’s clothing store. What began as a routine errand quickly became a nightmare investigation.

This month’s special episode steps outside Pennsylvania to examine two striking disappearances involving suspected domestic violence: Suzanne Simpson from Texas and Nikki Saelee from California. Though not Keystone cases, both stories reflect troubling patterns seen in many unsolved cases across PA. Listener discretion is advised due to themes of abuse and suspected murder.

In September 1997, 26-year-old Sandra L. Morgan was found dead in her Pittsburgh apartment—stabbed multiple times in a brutal attack that stunned the community. Despite the violent nature of her death, the case quickly faded from headlines, leaving more questions than answers. In this episode, we look back at the unsolved murder of Sandra Morgan, the fragments of information that remain, and how stories like hers risk being forgotten with time.

In the rush of our daily routines, we rarely stop to consider how quickly life can change. Most of us are simply trying to keep pace with the relentless grind of the clock. So when Joshua Maddux left for a walk one day in May 2008—a normal, everyday habit—no one imagined it would be the last time he was seen. His quiet disappearance left behind no clues, no trail… just questions. And while it might seem rare, vanishings like Joshua’s happen more often than you'd think. According to NamUs, at any given time, as many as 100,000 people are reported missing in the U.S., with up to 600,000 reported each year. Most are eventually found—many alive. But in Joshua’s case, the outcome was far from hopeful. In August 2015, his remains were discovered, reopening wounds and dividing a community with theories, confusion, and even more unanswered questions.

In Downingtown, Chester County, Pennsylvania, the Valley Creek Road Twin Tunnels were long known for eerie local legends and ghost stories. But in 1995, the folklore turned frighteningly real when a body was discovered there. The chilling find linked the tunnels to an actual, gruesome crime—and more than 30 years later, the case remains unsolved.

When looking at the Twin Tunnels in Downingtown, PA a feeling of unease appears. Is it because you can’t peer inside the tunnel and see the other end? Or is it because you heard a strange sound and just aren’t quite sure if it was natural or not? Or did you turn too fast and see something out of the corner of your eye? The Twin Tunnels are infamous throughout SEPA. I guarantee you probably know someone who has a story. Whether it be a local, someone just passing through, or the avid paranormal enthusiasts so many stories are tied to the Twin Tunnels.  In this episode we are going to touch on the local lore and a cold case that is tied to these tunnels. Buckle up because we are covering outlandish ghost stories all the way to a brutal murder that left a woman unidentified for just over 30 years. 

In 1973, 9-year-old Lisa Ann French of Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, went out trick-or-treating on Halloween night but never returned home. Her neighbor, Gerald Turner, lured her into his house, where he assaulted and murdered her. He disposed of her body in a rural area, where it was found the next day. Turner was convicted and sentenced to prison, and the crime had a lasting impact on how communities approached Halloween safety.

We all love a good horror movie—the kind that gets your heart racing, makes you bury your face behind a blanket, and delivers that perfect jump scare. While many of these films are wild, over-the-top creations born from twisted imaginations, some are rooted in chilling reality. In this episode, we’re diving into one of those eerie tales: the story of Annabelle. And no, we’re not talking about the creepy porcelain doll from the popular horror franchise. The real Annabelle existed—but her appearance and story are far more unsettling than Hollywood would have you believe. Join us as we uncover the true origins of Annabelle and explore her eerie connection to the Keystone State.

In the coal region of Pennsylvania in 1893, a Hungarian miner stricken with consumption becomes convinced that the spirit of his former boss is squatting on his chest, draining his life. His fear leads him to a desperate, macabre act — exhuming the man’s corpse and cutting out its heart, hoping to free himself. This case reveals how vampire superstition persisted among immigrant communities in America. The story reminds listeners that folklore and fear once provided frameworks for life and death — until science (eventually) caught up.