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Dark Poutine / Curiouscast

True crime, legends, folklore, dark history and other creepy topics from the perspective of real live Canadians.

Dark Poutine - True Crime and Dark History

Episode 397: In April 1895, two young women, both twenty-one, from San Francisco’s Emmanuel Baptist Church vanished days apart. Blanche Lamont, a dedicated teacher-in-training, and Minnie Williams, a hardworking domestic with dreams of her own classroom, both entered the same church and never left. Their bodies were later discovered inside the building, setting off one of the most sensational murder trials in California history.

This episode explores the lives of Blanche and Minnie, the discovery of their deaths, the investigation that followed, and the arrest and trial of Canadian-born medical student William Henry Theodore Durrant, accused of killing them.

Sources:Clara at the Door with a Revolver — Carolyn Whitzman (UBC Press, 2023)Toronto Public Library – Digitized Toronto newspapersNewspapers.com – Historical Toronto press coverageCity of Toronto ArchivesArchives of Ontario – Mercer Reformatory & judicial recordsRace on Trial: Black Defendants in Ontario’s Criminal Courts, 1858–1958 — Barrington WalkerAfua Cooper – Black Canadian history resources1897 film of convicted killer Durrant shapes prison policy -Theodore DurrantSympathy for the Devil: The Emmanuel Baptist Murders of Old San FranciscoBy Virginia A. McConnellTheo Durrant — The Origin of Monsters — Crime Library on truTV.comTrue Detective Mysteries, February 1929: Internet ArchiveThe tale of the 'Demon of the Belfry,' San Francisco's forgotten Jack the Ripper

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Demon of the Belfry: The Murders of Blanch Lamont and Minnie Williams

Episode 396: In this episode, we learn about an enigmatic narcissistic psychopath who led the Californian cult called The Children of Thunder. Glenn Taylor Helzer, and the other leadership was comprised of his brother Justin Helzer and their follower Dawn Godman. Raised in a strict Mormon home, Taylor’s life spiralled after years of mental health trouble. By 2000, the trio had formed a cult under Taylor’s delusional leadership. That summer, they murdered Ivan and Annette Stineman, Selina Bishop (daughter of guitarist Elvin Bishop), Jennifer Villarin, and James Gamble. The crime spree and investigation shocked authorities and families, exposing how Taylor twisted faith and loyalty into violence.

Episode Sources:

Shackles, Ski Masks and a Power Saw — Murderous Glenn Helzer and Justin Helzer called their cult The Children of Thunder — Crime LibraryHow Not To Get Away With Murder: Glenn Helzer And The Children Of ThunderGlen Helzer | WikipediaBody Parts Identified / Disparate Tragedies' Common Ground Is Death, SuspectsGrisly clues unfolding in Delta caseBlues Guitarist's Daughter KilledMurder, Madness and Mayhem by MIke Browne20240418175434277_Cert Pet GlenTaylorHelzerPeople v. HelzerPeople v. Helzer, 317 Cal. Rptr. 3d 246 | Cal., Judgment, Law, casemine.comJustin Helzer hangs himself in prison
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Road Trip: Deadly Prophecy — The Children of Thunder

Episode 395: On a cold December day in 1983, McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, was shaken by a deeply unsettling crime. Dr. Edith Wightman, a respected scholar, was discovered dead in her office: bound with tape, handcuffed, and suffocated with a cloth. The investigation took an even stranger turn when police arrested Michael Allen Crowley, a chemist from Welland, who had been seen on campus in disguise, dressed in women’s clothing and a wig. With no personal connection to the victim, and the bizarre methods used, the murder left students and faculty reeling, and raised questions still unanswered to this day.

Sources:A Brief History Of McMaster UniversityHistory of McMasterWIGHTMAN, Edith Mary | RutgersDec 19, 1983, page 1 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.comDec 24, 1983, page 16 - The Hamilton Spectator at Newspapers.comEdith Wightman - Search - Newspapers.com™Michael Alan Crowley - Search - Newspapers.com™"72 Hours: True Crime" Murder on Campus (TV Episode 2005)Canadian News Briefs - UPI ArchivesEdith Wightman | Wikipedia1984_3Winterhttps://www.reddit.com/r/McMaster/comments/jl1ew5/trying_to_find_details_of_on_campus_death/Review: [Untitled] on JSTORWightman: Gallia Belgica (Book Review)Detectives say Robert Garrow now 'best suspect' in 1973 Komorowski murder | CBC NewsAdele Komorowski Homicide
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Bound by Silence: The Murder of Dr. Edith Wightman

Episode 394: On an August night in 1991, the quiet fields near Carp, Ontario, were interrupted by strange lights arcing across the sky—a sight so odd it left locals searching for answers. Soon, anonymous packages began to arrive, sent to UFO researchers all over Canada and the United States, packed with photos, documents, and a tape showing what appeared to be a UFO blazing above the marsh. The sender called himself “Guardian” and claimed this was not the first time such events occurred near Carp. Suddenly, what started as small-town talk exploded into one of Canada’s most perplexing UFO stories, a bizarre mystery that remains debated to this day.

Sources:

The Carp-Guardian Case - The Most Controversial UFO Case in Canadian HistoryGuardian UFO TapeGuardian UFO | Unsolved Mysteries Wiki - FandomThe Mysterious Canadian UFO Sighting - Unsolved Mysteries“Guardian”: The 30th Anniversary Of A Bizarre UFO Incident near Carp, OntarioA mysterious VHS tape, a military bunker, and UFO sightings near Ottawa | UFO TownWe investigated an alleged UFO sighting near Ottawa | CBC DocumentariesSearching for Guardian: Filmmaker re-examines mystery of Carp UFO sightingLiving in Carp Ottawa CanadaVillage of CarpI was a teenage UFO investigator who explored an infamous alien sighting near Ottawa | CBC Documentariesabduction – lindaseccaspinaU.S. Lawmaker: Underwater UFO Bases Hide AliensAliens may have underwater bases on Earth: Burchett | NewsNation PrimeHouse committee holds UFO hearing | full videoWhy Do UFO Sightings Keep Happening Near Nuclear Sites?The Diefenbunker and the Legends of Carp
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Guardian UFO: The Carp, Ontario Mystery

Episode 393: On a cold February day in 2022, tragedy struck the small communities of Creston and Kimberley, British Columbia. Julia Howe, a familiar face to her neighbours, was found lifeless in the bathroom of her partner's home. Just hours later and nearly a hundred kilometres away, David Creamer, a father and trusted friend, was discovered dead in his own house. Both initially believed accidental or natural, no one suspected that these two deaths would soon be linked.

The true story was finally revealed, albeit in a peculiar manner. The connection between the deaths was finally revealed when Mitchell Earl McIntyre, a man known to both victims, confessed to hospital staff that he was responsible for both deaths. The problem was that, at first, no one believed him. It was the killer’s insistence and admissions of guilt that finally cracked the case.

Sources:

2024 BCSC 774 (CanLII) | R. v McIntyre | CanLII2024 BCSC 2026 (CanLII) | R. v McIntyre | CanLIIObituary information for Julia Ann HoweOnline Tribute for David Creamer'You need to detain me' | Kamloops NewsB.C. man who confessed to 2 killings not arrested until a month laterMcInytre murder trial underway | My East Kootenay NowBC man allegedly confessed to two killings originally ruled as accidentsB.C. man charged with woman’s death reportedly also admitted killing someone elseBC homicide suspect confessed to 2 killings weeks before arrest, court documents showSecond-degree murder trial moved | Kamloops NewsAccidental Deaths That Were Really Homicides | Tyee
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Really, I Did It: The Murders of Julia Howe & David Creamer

Episode 392: On the morning of June 28, 2022, as staff and customers began their day at the Bank of Montreal in Saanich, British Columbia, twin brothers Matthew and Isaac Auchterlonie entered the branch clad in body armour and carrying semi-automatic rifles. Within moments, they herded twenty-two people into the bank’s vault and set the stage for one of the most violent confrontations in recent Canadian history. More than a hundred shots were fired in the chaos that followed, leaving six police officers injured and both brothers dead, with the community left reeling and seeking answers.

Sources:

2022 Saanich shootoutVIIMCU RELEASES CONCLUDING REPORT ON JUNE 28TH SHOOTING – Saanich Police DepartmentIIOBC Report on the ShootoutSaanich bank shooting: Suspects identified, motive unclear | CityNews VancouverProminent Vancouver Island family collateral victims of Victoria bank robberyBrothers in botched B.C. bank robbery had become angry and radical, obsessed with guns and ‘government tyranny’Portal:Current events/2022 June 28Western Canada: Portrait emerges of brothers killed in Saanich bank robberyBrothers, motivated by 'anti-authority beliefs,' staged Saanich bank robbery in effort to kill police: RCMP | CBC NewsProminent Vancouver Island family collateral victims of Victoria bank robberyBrothers killed in Canada bank shootout aimed to kill as many police as possiblehttps://www.mycowichanvalleynow.com/71546/news/ways-to-help-when-social-media-friends-post-disturbing-images/Facing 'unbridled violence' from B.C. bank robbers, police justified in shooting to kill, report says | CBC NewsPolice to release findings on Saanich bank shootout where 2 Cowichan men diedOne of two suspects killed in bank robbery was rejected from Canadian Armed ForcesMotive for Saanich bank shooting by Duncan brothers may never be known: criminologistUPDATE: Saanich bank shootout suspects confirmed as 22-year-old twins from Duncanhttps://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/saanich-shootout-what-we-learned-1.6721683From the VictoriaBC community on Reddit: Twin brothers from Duncan revealed as suspects in Saanich bank robbery
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Mayhem in Saanich: The 2022 Bank Shootout

Episode 391: At dawn on December 26, 2004, a massive undersea earthquake off Sumatra’s west coast — one of the strongest ever recorded — triggered a devastating tsunami across the Indian Ocean. Waves up to 30 metres high struck Aceh Province within minutes, then swept across Thailand, Sri Lanka, India, the Maldives, and as far as East Africa. Entire communities vanished, and more than 227,000 people in fourteen countries were killed, making it the deadliest tsunami in recorded history.

At least fifteen Canadians lost their lives, and six more were reported missing, most while vacationing in Thailand and Sri Lanka. Survivors described the frantic searches for loved ones and the painful process of identifying and bringing home those who perished.

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami - Wikipedia2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami: Facts and FAQsIndian Ocean tsunami of 2004 | BritannicaSouth Asia: Earthquake and Tsunami - Dec 2004 | ReliefWebThe Night the Earth ShookTsunami - Indian Ocean Boxing Day Tsunami, 2004 | Australian Disaster Resilience Knowledge HubThe Indian Ocean Boxing Day Tsunami, 20 years onTwenty years on: the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami - British Geological SurveyNOAA Center for Tsunami Research - Tsunami Event - December 26, 2004 The Indian Ocean TsunamiRecovery Collection: 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake and TsunamiWhat are the biggest tsunamis ever? How July 29 earthquake, tsunami compares.How a 1,000‑year‑old tsunami in the Indian Ocean points to greater risk than originally thoughtTsunami Eyewitness & Survivors ProjectList of tsunamisZORIAH - A PHOTOJOURNALIST AND WAR PHOTOGRAPHER’S BLOG: Asian Tsunami Anniversary - Thailand Tsunami Then and Now Comparison SeriesSumatra-Andaman Islands Earthquake - IRIS Special ReportHumanitarian response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake - WikipediaList of natural disasters by death toll - WikipediaTsunami Generation from the 2004 M=9.1 Sumatra-Andaman EarthquakeLisa BorgThe Devastating 2004 Tsunami: Timeline11 Facts About the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami | DoSomething.orgCNN.com - Tsunami tragedy: Your e-mails - Jan 3, 2005John Knill and Jackie KnillCamera holds instant of tsunami impactTsunami photos show couple's final moments | CBC NewsDiscovery of tsunami camera brings closureCamera shows 'last words' of tsunami victimsSchool built in memory of B.C. tsunami victims | CBC News
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Canadian Connections: The 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami

Episode 390: When most Canadians think of occult-related witch trials, their minds drift south to Salem, Massachusetts, or across the ocean to medieval Europe. The popular narrative suggests that Canada, with its reputation for tolerance and peace, remained untouched by the supernatural hysteria that gripped other nations. This perception, deeply embedded in the Canadian consciousness, paints our country as somehow above the dark chapters of witch-hunting that stained other societies. Even Dark Poutine listeners, well-versed in the country’s hidden crimes and forgotten tragedies, might be surprised to learn the truth.

The reality is far different from this comfortable myth. Canada has a complex and largely forgotten history of witchcraft accusations, trials, and legal persecution spanning over 350 years—from the earliest days of New France to as recently as 2018. From demonic possessions in Quebec City to fraudulent psychics in modern Ontario, the Canadian witch trial story is one of fear, prejudice, and the persistent human tendency to blame the margins of society for inexplicable troubles.

Sources:CBC Radio: “Quebec Demon Possession & Witchcraft in 1660”JSTOR / McGill-Queen’s University Press: The Possession of Barbe HallayCanada’s History: “Sorcery in New France”Kenton de Jong Travel: The Possession of Barbe HallayDictionary of Canadian Biography: Daniel VuilAcademia.edu "Sixteen and Possessed" PDFCanada’s History: Book feature, The Possession of Barbe HallayThe Medium: On Demonic Infestations in 17th century QuébecMysteries of Canada: Poltergeists in Canada, Part IIIJean Campagna, The Sorcerer74 – JEAN CAMPAGNA, THE SORCERERProcès de Jean Campagna, prisonnier, 45 ansJean Campagna (abt.1640-aft.1685) | WikiTree FREE Family TreeQuebec 1685: Part 8- The Charge is SorceryThe Kimble Witch TrialView of Backward Seasons and Remarkable Cold: the Weather over Long Reach, New Brunswick, 1812-1821 | Acadiensis“Native Witchcraft Beliefs in Acadian, Maritime and Newfoundland Folklore” – EruditConcerns move Indigenous ceremony meant to contact 'spirit realm' outside Quebec community | CBC NewsFolklore of Nova ScotiaMi'kmaw Shamans and Acadian Sorcerers: A Study in Cultural Transmissions, Transferences and TransformationsWitchcraft Act 1735Bill C-365 (Historical)Woman Charged With Fake Witchcraft, Days Before Canada Scraps Old Law‘Psychic’ charged with being a fake fights case after Canada decriminalises witchcraft
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Halloween 2025: A Brief History of Witch Trials in Canada

Episode 389: On a rain-soaked evening on June 13th, 1833, two young law students faced each other across a muddy field near Perth, Ontario, pistols in hand. John Wilson, a 20-year-old from humble farming stock, gripped his weapon with trembling fingers as rain dripped from his dark hair. Sixty feet away, 22-year-old Robert Lyon, handsome, aristocratic, and the son of a British officer, stood with the practiced composure of a gentleman born to privilege. Between them lay more than just distance: a bitter rivalry over the affections of Elizabeth Hughes, an English governess whose reputation had sparked this deadly confrontation. What had begun as whispered gossip in a lawyer's office in Bytown would end with one man dead, another's life forever changed, and a woman left to marry her lover's killer. This was Ontario's last fatal duel, a collision between Old World codes of honour and New World ambitions that would echo through Perth's streets for generations.

Sources:

A History of Perth | Perth RememberedPerth Military SettlementRobert Lyon 1812 - 1833 | Clark and Hogg Family HistoryWILSON, JOHN – Dictionary of Canadian BiographyWlison and Lyon Duel | Richmond HeritageDuel in Early Upper Canada by William Renwick RiddellARCHIVED - Criminal CodeDueling for Honour or (Il)legal Murder?: Two Case Studies | The Loyalist CollectionSword or Pistol: A Brief History of Duels | Believe it or Not | ÉducaloiEn Guard! A History of Canadian Duels - Academie Duello - Learn SwordplayDueling: the Violence of GentlemenLe matin du 22 mai 1838, le dernier duel du Canadapistol-provenance.pdfLast Fatal Duel Historical PlaqueHow a pair of men in St. John's survived the last duel fought on Canadian soil | CBC NewsUpdates to Canada’s criminal law will legalize duels and permit pretending to practise witchcraft
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Pistols at Perth: The Wilson-Lyon Duel

Episode 388: On the morning of August 5, 2013, Campbellton, New Brunswick, faced an unthinkable tragedy. Police and first responders were called to an apartment above Reptile Ocean, the town’s reptile and fish shop, where they found Connor and Noah Barthe, brothers aged six and four, dead after a sleepover with their friend Jayce Savoie. Sometime in the night, a 12-foot, 53-pound African rock python owned by shopkeeper Jean-Claude Savoie escaped its enclosure, slithered through a vent, and fatally attacked the sleeping boys. The official cause of death was “traumatic asphyxia by constriction,” a finding that shocked the small community and quickly attracted national and international attention. As investigators began their work, residents struggled to comprehend how a night of friendship ended in such horror. Savoie was charged with criminal negligence causing death, setting the stage for a legal and ethical debate that would raise tough questions and stir deep emotions far beyond Campbellton.

Episode Sources:Connor & Noah Barthe Obituary - Campbellton, NB2016 NBQB 205 (CanLII) | R. v. Savoie | CanLII2016 NBQB 135 (CanLII) | R. v. Jean-Claude Savoie | CanLIISnake kills two boys during sleepover, Canadian police sayBoys in python case lived life 'to a maximum' | CBC NewsMother of boys killed by python: 'I thought they would be safe'Mother of N.B. boys killed by python: ‘I thought they would be safe’Reptile Ocean | Facts, Fiction, & the MediaWhy Are People Afraid of Snakes? | Phobia, Evolution, & Facts | BritannicaPython deaths: 'This could have been prevented by a simple action' | CBC NewsPython made ‘growling noises’ after killing young brothers, trial of pet store owner hearsJuror dismissed in python deaths trial as Crown prepares to call final witness | Globalnews.ca‘Smell of food would really excite’ python, reptile expert tells N.B. trial | Globalnews.caJuror dismissed in python deaths trial as Crown prepares to call final witness | Globalnews.caJean-Claude Savoie | News, Videos & ArticlesCBC Player | Dramatic 911 calls over pythonEnfants tués par un python: Jean-Claude Savoie non coupable2013 New Brunswick python attackTragic photos emerge of brothers cleaning snake pen months before python killed them in their sleep
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The Campbellton Python Tragedy: Connor and Noah Barthe

Episode 219: In the first of two episodes released this week, Mike interviews Chris Rutkowski. Chris A. Rutkowski is a science writer who has devoted much time to investigating and studying reports of UFOs, writing about case investigations, and offering his insights into the broad UFO phenomenon publishing the annual Canadian UFO Report. Chris has authored numerous books on UFOs and two of his previous books, Abductions and Aliens and The Canadian UFO Report, were national bestsellers. He was recently referred to in a 2021 report to the Canadian Minister of Defense on UFOs in Canada as the person to which the government hands over reports of UFOs. He lives just outside Winnipeg.
Sources:
The Canadian UFO Survey
Twitter - Chris Rutkowski 
Facebook Page - Chris Rutkowski, Writer
Blog - Chris Rutkowski 
Report a UFO in Canada - The Canadian UFO Survey
Report a Canadian UFO Sighting — The Nighttime Podcast
The Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS)
UFO sightings: Canada’s defence minister briefed | CTV News
Thematic Guides - Unidentified Flying Objects - Library and Archives Canada
What does Canada do with reports of UFO sightings? — The Big Story

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UFOs Part 2a - UFOlogist Chris Rutkowski Interview

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