Episode Transcript
[00:00:21] Speaker A: If you dig the twisted, admire the outlandish, and are enamored by the unusual, you're in the right place. True crime, the supernatural, the unexplained. Now you're speaking our language. If you agree, join us as we dive into the darker side. You know, because it's more fun over here. Welcome to Total Conundrum.
Warning. Some listeners may find the following content disturbing. Listener discretion is advised.
[00:00:59] Speaker B: Imagine walking into a lively honky tonk bar. Music playing, neon lights flickering, people dancing and laughing over rounds of whiskey. It's the kind of place you'd expect to find good times, country music, and maybe a few bad Karoki performances.
[00:01:18] Speaker A: But what if I told you, beneath that neon glow and country twang, something else is lurking? Something dark.
[00:01:27] Speaker B: Because this isn't just any honky tonk bar. Conundrum Crew. This is Bobby Mackey's music world.
[00:01:34] Speaker A: A place where ghost stories don't just exist. They shove, scratch, and even possess the unlucky souls who get too close.
[00:01:44] Speaker B: Yeah, because obviously a nightclub built on top of an abandoned slaughterhouse wasn't creepy enough. Nope. Let's throw in satanic rituals, a ghost with a missing head, and an alleged portal to hell just to make sure no one sleeps ever again.
[00:02:01] Speaker A: God knows I won't.
[00:02:03] Speaker B: Right.
[00:02:04] Speaker A: And if that wasn't enough, there's even an exorcism on record from a guy who worked here and got a little too attached to whatever haunts this place.
[00:02:15] Speaker B: So, Jeremy, just so we're clear, there's an actual documented case of someone being possessed inside this bar?
[00:02:24] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, you betcha. You know, and guess what? The activity never stopped.
[00:02:29] Speaker B: Cool.
Fantastic. This is officially the worst dive bar in America.
[00:02:36] Speaker A: But you know what? That means we have to talk about it. Because if we can't sleep after this research, neither can you. Conundrum crew.
[00:02:44] Speaker B: That's right. So grab a drink, turn the lights down, and maybe keep some holy water nearby. Because tonight we're diving into one of the most haunted locations in the country. The eerie, unsettling, and downright dangerous Bobby Mackey's music world.
[00:03:03] Speaker A: Before we dive into this honky tonk horror, remember to hit that like and subscribe button. Leave us a review on Apple and Spotify. And don't forget to ring that notification bell on YouTube so you're always in the loop with our latest episodes. Your support keeps us going. If you have any story ideas or recommendations, contact us@totalconundrum.com or you can find us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter.
[00:03:29] Speaker B: And because we love keeping you both horrified and entertained. We've got some trailers from our podcast pals at Dairyland Frights and Hauntscast. Make sure to show them some love and give them a listen. Without further ado, let's get into the haunting of Bobby Mackey's.
[00:03:46] Speaker A: We'll be back after these messages.
Hello, my spooky friends. This is your host, John from Dairyland Frights, the paranormal podcast that covers everything spooky, creepy, and mysterious in the Midwest.
Ah, this is actually John.
I hope my spooky voice scared you. And in this podcast, we're gonna have creepy guests and spooky tales and mysterious sightings of cryptids, UFOs, ghosts, and everything paranormal. So tune in if you dare to be scared.
[00:04:31] Speaker B: And back to the show.
[00:04:33] Speaker A: So how does a place like this end up crawling with spirits, urban legends, and demonic activity? Well, you have to look at where it all started.
[00:04:42] Speaker B: And surprise, surprise, it starts with blood.
[00:04:46] Speaker A: Oh, yeah, because before it was a nightclub, before the hauntings, before anyone even thought about dancing here, Bobby Mackey's music world was something else entirely.
[00:04:58] Speaker B: A slaughterhouse.
[00:05:00] Speaker A: A literal blood soaked slaughterhouse with an underground well. Or get this, they used to drain all the remains.
[00:05:09] Speaker B: So you're telling me that people are out here line dancing on top of a pit of century old animal blood?
[00:05:17] Speaker A: Yep. And some say it never stopped soaking into the land.
[00:05:22] Speaker B: Okay, but let's back up. How long was this murder factory up and running?
[00:05:28] Speaker A: Great question. The slaughterhouse was built in the 1850s and operated for decades.
[00:05:34] Speaker B: And let me guess, it wasn't exactly the most humane place.
[00:05:39] Speaker A: Not even close. Picture this. Animals being herded in by the hundreds. Workers covered in blood, ankle deep in remains. And the constant sound of screaming animals. And the metallic stench of death.
[00:05:53] Speaker B: Ew. No.
[00:05:55] Speaker A: And the worst part. The blood well. This underground pit is where all the animal blood was dumped. Like a drain pipe straight to hell.
[00:06:04] Speaker B: Okay, pause. You're telling me that there's a literal pit of blood underneath this building?
[00:06:10] Speaker A: Yep. And some paranormal experts believe that so much death in one place left an imprint.
[00:06:17] Speaker B: So basically, the land itself is cursed.
[00:06:20] Speaker A: Pretty much.
[00:06:22] Speaker B: So what happened when they finally shut this nightmare down?
[00:06:25] Speaker A: By the early 1900s, the slaughterhouse closed, the building sat abandoned, but locals started telling stories.
[00:06:33] Speaker B: Oh, great. And let me guess, the haunting started almost immediately.
[00:06:38] Speaker A: Exactly. People reported shadowy figures moving in the windows when the building was completely empty. Strange growls and screeching noises coming from the basement. And feeling of being watched even in broad daylight.
[00:06:53] Speaker B: Okay, but like, why would you even go near this place if you didn't have to.
[00:06:58] Speaker A: Good question. But that brings us to the next phase of Bobby Mackey's disturbing history.
[00:07:03] Speaker B: Oh, no. What now?
[00:07:06] Speaker A: Well, it turns out that some people didn't just visit the abandoned slaughterhouse.
[00:07:11] Speaker B: Oh, God.
[00:07:12] Speaker A: They used it for something much darker. We'll get into this more later, but first, let's talk about the ghost with the missing head.
[00:07:21] Speaker B: It's the late 1890s, and we're about to step into a true crime horror story that ends in betrayal, brutality, and one of Kentucky's most infamous hauntings.
[00:07:32] Speaker A: This is the story of Pearl Bryan, a young woman who had her whole life ahead of her. Until she met the wrong man.
[00:07:39] Speaker B: And let me guess, this guy wasn't exactly boyfriend of the year.
[00:07:43] Speaker A: Not even close. Pearl was a wealthy, well educated woman from a respected family in Greencastle, Indiana. She was young, beautiful, and deeply in love with a charming yet incredibly shady guy named Scott Jackson.
[00:07:59] Speaker B: Oh, no. This already sounds like the worst kind of red flag relationship.
[00:08:04] Speaker A: Oh, it was. Scott Jackson was a dental student in Cincinnati. But plot twist, he was also heavily involved in a secret underground network of criminals.
[00:08:16] Speaker B: Because, of course, he was.
[00:08:18] Speaker A: Pearl gets pregnant, and Jackson, he's not about to let an unplanned baby ruin his life. Instead of stepping up, he comes up with a much darker plan.
[00:08:29] Speaker B: Come on. I hate where this is going.
[00:08:32] Speaker A: Jackson and his accomplice Alonzo Walling, trick Pearl into coming to Cincinnati. They convince her they'll help her out, that they have a solution.
[00:08:41] Speaker B: And by solution, you mean murder?
[00:08:44] Speaker A: Exactly. They lure her across the Ohio river into Wilder, Kentucky.
[00:08:50] Speaker B: And let me guess. She never made it back home.
[00:08:54] Speaker A: No, she didn't. Her lifeless body was found in a field, but something was missing her head.
[00:09:01] Speaker B: Oh, my God. Are you kidding?
[00:09:04] Speaker A: Nope. When authorities found Pearl's decapitated body, it was a scene straight out of a nightmare.
[00:09:10] Speaker B: So what happened to her head?
[00:09:12] Speaker A: No one knows. It was never recovered.
[00:09:15] Speaker B: Okay, pause. So they straight up found a headless body and had zero idea where the head went?
[00:09:22] Speaker A: Exactly. And here's where it gets even darker. Some believe Jackson and Walling use Pearl's severed head in a satanic ritual.
[00:09:31] Speaker B: Of course they did, because why just be a murderer when you can also be a full blown occultist?
[00:09:37] Speaker A: Witnesses at the time claimed that her head was thrown down the slaughterhouse. Well, yes, the same. Well beneath Bobby Mackey's music world.
[00:09:46] Speaker B: So did these absolute monsters actually get caught?
[00:09:50] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Jackson and Walling were quickly arrested, and after a very public trial, they were sentenced to death.
[00:09:57] Speaker B: Good.
[00:09:58] Speaker A: But before Alonzo Walling Was hanged, he did one last thing.
[00:10:02] Speaker B: Oh, wait, let me guess. He cursed the land.
[00:10:07] Speaker A: Exactly. Right before the trapdoor beneath his feet swung open, Walling swore that he could come back and haunt this place forever.
[00:10:16] Speaker B: So now we've got a headless woman, a blood well, and a guy who cursed the land right before he died.
[00:10:23] Speaker A: Yep. And today, people still see Pearl Bryant's spirit wandering the halls of Bobby Mackey's music world.
[00:10:31] Speaker B: What kind of ghostly activity are we talking about?
[00:10:34] Speaker A: Full body apparitions of a woman in 1890s clothing appearing headless or with a blurred out face, disembodied, crying near the old well. And? And guests and employees hearing a woman's voice whispering, help me.
[00:10:49] Speaker B: Oh, hell no. If I hear help me whispered in my ear, I'm running out of that bar so fast, I might break the sound barrier.
[00:10:58] Speaker A: Same. But here's the thing. Pearl isn't the only ghost hanging around.
[00:11:03] Speaker B: Of course not. Because this place wasn't cursed enough already.
[00:11:08] Speaker A: Exactly. Because coming up next, we will be talking about satanic rituals, possessions, and the alleged porthole to hell lurking beneath Bobby Mackies.
[00:11:20] Speaker B: Nope. Nope, nope, nope. I need a break. Somebody bring me holy water and a shot of whiskey, stat.
[00:11:29] Speaker A: Oh, you're going to need both, because trust me, it only gets worse from here.
[00:11:34] Speaker B: Okay, so Pearl Brian was brutally murdered, and her severed head was never found. But what makes this even creepier? People still see her.
[00:11:45] Speaker A: Yep. Over a century later, Pearl's spirit is still making herself known inside Bobby Mackey's music world. And not just in the basement. She's all over the place.
[00:11:56] Speaker B: All right, give me the worst encounters. I need to know how bad this haunting really is.
[00:12:02] Speaker A: One of the most common sightings. A woman in a long white dress appearing near the club's entrance, always at night.
[00:12:11] Speaker B: Classic ghost move. So what do other people say when they see her?
[00:12:16] Speaker A: Remember, you asked for it.
[00:12:18] Speaker B: Ugh. I did.
[00:12:20] Speaker A: Patrons have reported seeing a woman walking slowly along the road outside of Bobby Mackey's, her dress flowing, but her head completely missing. When people try to approach or call out to her, she disappears.
[00:12:34] Speaker B: She gone. That's it. I'm never driving past this place at night.
[00:12:38] Speaker A: Well, Tracy, you're in luck, because they're tearing the building down. Bobby Mackey's music world is currently at a temporary location, but Bobby is planning to rebuild the honky tonk on the same land as the demolition.
[00:12:52] Speaker B: Yeah, so rebuild it on the cursed land. Makes total sense.
[00:12:56] Speaker A: Now, if you really want to get scared, let's talk about the basement.
[00:13:01] Speaker B: Oh, great. Because nothing bad ever happens in a haunted basement.
[00:13:06] Speaker A: A former bartender reported going down in the basement alone to grab more kegs of beer.
[00:13:11] Speaker B: Okay, pause. Why do all ghost stories start with someone going into a creepy basement alone?
[00:13:18] Speaker A: Exactly. But here's what happened. As he was walking towards the kegs, he felt an intense cold chill. He suddenly heard soft sobbing. Thinking another employee was down there, he called out. No answer. Then he saw something move in the corner.
[00:13:35] Speaker B: No. Run. Don't look back.
[00:13:38] Speaker A: He turned to leave, but something grabbed his ankle.
[00:13:41] Speaker B: Nope. Absolutely not.
[00:13:44] Speaker A: He bolted upstairs, but later checked security footage. There was no one else in the basement.
[00:13:50] Speaker B: Of course not. It's never caught on camera.
[00:13:53] Speaker A: Next, we have accounts of a mirror ghost.
[00:13:57] Speaker B: Come on.
[00:13:58] Speaker A: Oh, yes. Several women who have used the club's bathroom mirrors have seen something.
[00:14:05] Speaker B: Why is it always the mirrors they describe?
[00:14:08] Speaker A: Looking in the mirror and seeing another woman standing behind them. The figure is dressed in 1890s clothing. The worst part. Her face is completely missing.
[00:14:18] Speaker B: Ugh. It's Pearl. I'm never looking in a mirror again.
[00:14:22] Speaker A: Better than Bloody Mary, I guess, huh? I guess some have felt hands on their shoulders when no one else is there.
[00:14:31] Speaker B: I will throw fists at a ghost if it lays its hands on me, I swear.
[00:14:38] Speaker A: Employees closing up late at night have reported hearing a woman's voice.
[00:14:43] Speaker B: Okay, but is she saying something creepy?
[00:14:46] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. One security guard was doing his final walk through before locking up when he heard a voice say, where's my head?
[00:14:56] Speaker B: Absolutely not.
[00:14:57] Speaker A: He turned around, thinking somebody had broken in, but saw no one.
[00:15:02] Speaker B: Nope. Nope. It's time to quit.
[00:15:05] Speaker A: He sprinted for the door, and right before he locked up, he heard the voice again. But this time, it was right behind him again.
[00:15:14] Speaker B: That sounds like Pearl Brian. Why is she still there after all this time?
[00:15:19] Speaker A: Paranormal experts have a few theories. Possibly unfinished business. Because her head was never found, her spirit is still trapped in the place where it was taken. Another is residual energy. The brutal nature of her murder may have imprinted her trauma into the building itself. Lastly, a summoning gone wrong. Some believe the rituals performed may have bound her spirit to this location.
[00:15:45] Speaker B: Or hear me out. She's pissed.
[00:15:48] Speaker A: Also a valid theory. Whether she's a vengeful spirit, a lost soul, or a tragic imprint on history. One thing is clear. Pearl Brian isn't leaving anytime soon.
[00:15:59] Speaker B: And if I ever see a headless woman on the side of the road, just know I'm putting the pedal to the metal and I'm gone.
[00:16:07] Speaker A: Like a bowl with gas.
[00:16:09] Speaker B: Exactly. All right, Conundrum crew, we've covered Slaughterhouses decapitated ghosts, and cursed land. But now we get to the part of the story that is so disturbing, it goes beyond hauntings.
[00:16:24] Speaker A: This is the part where people believe Bobby Mackey isn't just haunted, but cursed by something truly evil.
[00:16:31] Speaker B: And we're not talking about your run of the mill ghosts, are we?
[00:16:36] Speaker A: Nope. Some believe Bobby Mackie's music world sits on a literal gateway to hell.
[00:16:41] Speaker B: So I can't believe I'm saying this, but let's go back to the blood well.
[00:16:47] Speaker A: You asked for it. Originally, the well was used to drain the blood and the remains from the old slaughterhouse. But after the slaughterhouse shut down, it didn't just sit there unused.
[00:16:59] Speaker B: Oh, no. What did they do?
[00:17:02] Speaker A: There are accounts of people breaking into the abandoned building and using the well for satanic rituals.
[00:17:08] Speaker B: Okay, but like, why would anybody willingly mess with something that already had a history of death and suffering?
[00:17:16] Speaker A: That's the million dollar question. Some believe the location was already cursed, which made it the perfect spot for occult practices.
[00:17:24] Speaker B: Oh, great. So they just piled on the bad vibes.
[00:17:28] Speaker A: Yep. Reports suggest by the early 1900s, small groups began using the slaughterhouse's abandoned basement for rituals.
[00:17:37] Speaker B: And I assume they weren't praying for world peace.
[00:17:40] Speaker A: Not exactly. According to paranormal researchers, symbols were found carved into the walls, some linked to demonic summoning.
[00:17:49] Speaker B: Oh, hell no.
[00:17:51] Speaker A: Visitors to the basement today report a sense of overwhelming dread, sudden nausea and dizziness, unseen hands grabbing them, and a constant feeling that they are being watched.
[00:18:02] Speaker B: Okay, but how bad are we talking? Like, I feel uneasy bad, or I might be possessed in 10 minutes bad.
[00:18:11] Speaker A: Oh, definitely 10 minutes. Oh. Oh, definitely 10 minutes.
Let's put it this way. Some people refuse to enter the basement at all. Paranormal investigators have left in the middle of their own sessions because they felt something dark taking over the space.
[00:18:27] Speaker B: All right, so let's talk about this. Hello. Portal theory. What makes people think this well is actually a gateway to something evil?
[00:18:35] Speaker A: Well, Tracy, there are three main theories. The blood energy theory. Because the well absorbed so much suffering and death, it became a natural conduit for dark energy.
The ritual activation theory. The. The occult ceremonies held there may have opened something they weren't prepared for. The entity theory. Some believe that something non human already exists there, and the rituals only made it stronger.
[00:19:03] Speaker B: So you're telling me there's a chance someone was like, hey, let's summon something spooky for fun and accidentally invited a demon to stay forever?
[00:19:14] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:19:16] Speaker B: Okay, tell me about people who have actually gone into the basement. What's the worst thing that Happened?
[00:19:23] Speaker A: A well known paranormal investigator went into the basement to test the portal to hell theory.
[00:19:29] Speaker B: Oh, that sounds like a horrible idea.
[00:19:32] Speaker A: It gets worse. He stood near the well and started taunting whatever was there. He called out things like, if you're real, show me. Seconds later, his entire body was lifted and thrown across the basement.
[00:19:45] Speaker B: Thrown? What the hell?
[00:19:48] Speaker A: Yep. His crew rushed to help, but he was completely out of it. Dazed, mumbling, and he had scratch marks across his back.
[00:19:57] Speaker B: What the. Well, I guess it showed him.
[00:20:01] Speaker A: Another investigator went down into the basement with a spirit box, which let spirits communicate through white noise.
[00:20:09] Speaker B: And let me guess, they got something.
[00:20:11] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. The box started repeating the words stay and mine.
[00:20:16] Speaker B: Oh, hell no.
[00:20:18] Speaker A: Then the investigator suddenly went silent.
[00:20:21] Speaker B: Wait, what do you mean went silent?
[00:20:24] Speaker A: She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. It was like her voice had been stolen.
[00:20:29] Speaker B: Nope, that's demon level horror.
[00:20:31] Speaker A: She was physically fine, but it took several minutes before she could speak again.
[00:20:36] Speaker B: I. All right, if this portal to hell is real, can we just close it?
[00:20:41] Speaker A: That's been attempted multiple times. And every time someone tries to cleanse the basement or seal off the well, the activity gets worse.
[00:20:50] Speaker B: Of course it does.
[00:20:51] Speaker A: Paranormal teams have brought in priests, shaman and demonologists. None of them have successfully ended the activity. So, Tracy, can I book us a ghost hunt inside of Bobby Mackey's basement? Would you go?
[00:21:04] Speaker B: Yeah, that's a hard no.
[00:21:06] Speaker A: Not even if we just peek inside?
[00:21:09] Speaker B: Jeremy, if you take me anywhere near a hell portal, I will personally throw you into it and run for my life. I love you.
[00:21:19] Speaker A: Fair enough. We should talk about possessions, though.
[00:21:22] Speaker B: All right, Jeremy, I can handle ghosts. I can handle creepy voices and phantom figures, maybe. But possessions? That's where I draw the line.
[00:21:33] Speaker A: Oh, you're not gonna like this part then.
[00:21:36] Speaker B: Yeah, I can already tell. This is the part of the story that will keep me awake at night.
[00:21:41] Speaker A: Well, buckle up, because this really happened. Carl Lawson, a former caretaker, wasn't just haunted by whatever was lurking inside of Bobby Mackey's. He was taken over by it.
[00:21:53] Speaker B: Fantastic. Just fan freaking tastic.
[00:21:57] Speaker A: So let's set the scene in the early 1980s. Bobby Mackey's music world had officially opened as a country music club.
[00:22:06] Speaker B: And despite literally everything that we've talked about so far, people actually showed up to drink and dance.
[00:22:13] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. And working at the bar was Carl Lawson, a quiet, hard working guy who lived on the property as the club's caretaker.
[00:22:23] Speaker B: Okay, why did he live there? Was he just insane or desperate for free rent?
[00:22:29] Speaker A: Honestly, maybe both. He was devoted to his job and at first, he didn't seem too concerned about the stories of the hauntings.
[00:22:37] Speaker B: Oh, Carl. Sweet, innocent Carl.
[00:22:41] Speaker A: At first, Carl would joke about the weird things happening in the building.
[00:22:45] Speaker B: Oh, no. The taunting never ends well.
[00:22:49] Speaker A: Exactly. Employees noticed he was spending more time alone in the basement near. You guessed it. The blood. Well.
[00:22:57] Speaker B: No, Carl, no. What are you thinking?
[00:23:00] Speaker A: We'll be back after these messages.
[00:23:09] Speaker C: Everybody loves a good ghost story. From the renowned haunting of the Amityville Horror House to the lesser known curse of the Bassano vase, legends of the ghostly and macabre have been fascinating and frightening us for centuries. But have you ever wondered if there's any truth behind the lore?
Over the last eight years that I've spent as a paranormal researcher, I have constantly asked one important question. Is this a hoax? Or could it truly be a haunt?
I'm Courtney Hayes, host of the podcast Haunts, where every week I dissect another ghostly legend in an effort to find the truth that lies within.
Listen to Haunts for free on your favorite podcasting app and help me to unveil the unknown.
[00:24:05] Speaker B: And back to the show.
[00:24:07] Speaker A: And then he started changing people close to Carl. Notice his voice changed. Something deep and guttural, sometimes whispering to himself. His eyes looked different, like he was somewhere else. He also became aggressive, lashing out at co workers before snapping back to normal.
[00:24:26] Speaker B: So full Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde mode.
[00:24:29] Speaker A: Exactly. One night, Carl was alone in the club when something physically attacked him.
[00:24:36] Speaker B: Wait, attacked him how?
[00:24:38] Speaker A: He was thrown against a wall. Unseen hands grabbed him by his throat, and then he started laughing.
[00:24:45] Speaker B: Laughing? Oh, hell no.
[00:24:47] Speaker A: When employees found him, he was talking in a voice that wasn't his own.
[00:24:52] Speaker B: All right, I'm officially quitting this story.
[00:24:54] Speaker A: Finally, Carl himself admitted he wasn't in control anymore. He told friends that something was inside of him and it didn't want to leave.
[00:25:04] Speaker B: And I assume they didn't just pat him on the back and tell him to sleep it off.
[00:25:08] Speaker A: Nope. They called an exorcist.
[00:25:10] Speaker B: Oh, no. They went all in.
[00:25:12] Speaker A: A local minister was called to perform an exorcism inside of Bobby Mackey's Music World.
[00:25:18] Speaker B: Wait, they did it in the building?
[00:25:21] Speaker A: Oh, you betcha. You know, right in the bar.
[00:25:24] Speaker B: Oh. Because doing it anywhere else would have made sense.
[00:25:28] Speaker A: The entire exorcism was recorded. As soon as the priest began, Carl started thrashing.
[00:25:34] Speaker B: Oh, fantastic. Full exorcist mode.
[00:25:38] Speaker A: His body contorted. His voice shifted between deep growls and high pitched screaming.
[00:25:44] Speaker B: I hate this.
[00:25:45] Speaker A: He spoke in languages he didn't know. And at one Point. He crawled on all fours like an animal.
[00:25:51] Speaker B: Come on. No.
[00:25:53] Speaker A: The priest continued the ritual, demanding that the entity leave Carl's body.
[00:25:58] Speaker B: And let me guess. It did not want to go.
[00:26:02] Speaker A: Not without a fight. Carl's entire body lifted off the ground, and suddenly he collapsed.
[00:26:08] Speaker B: And then what happened?
[00:26:10] Speaker A: He woke up confused, claiming he couldn't remember what happened.
[00:26:14] Speaker B: That's probably for the best.
[00:26:16] Speaker A: After the ritual, Carl said he felt lighter, like whatever was inside him had finally left.
[00:26:22] Speaker B: So did the haunting stop?
[00:26:24] Speaker A: Oh, hell no. If anything, they got worse.
[00:26:27] Speaker B: Of course they did. So what happened to Carl after all of this?
[00:26:31] Speaker A: Well, Tracy, he left Bobby Mackey's, but his life was never the same.
[00:26:35] Speaker B: What do you mean?
[00:26:36] Speaker A: He was never fully okay again. He had nightmares for years, Constantly felt like he was being watched. And eventually.
[00:26:44] Speaker B: Oh, no. Eventually what?
[00:26:47] Speaker A: He died in 2012.
[00:26:49] Speaker B: Wait. Do people think whatever possessed him finally came back for him?
[00:26:54] Speaker A: That's the theory.
[00:26:55] Speaker B: Really? Okay, so let's get real. If someone else spends too much time in Bobby Mackey's basement, could this happen again?
[00:27:04] Speaker A: Absolutely. Paranormal experts believe Carl was just the first.
[00:27:09] Speaker B: And whatever is down there, it's still waiting. All right, Jeremy, I already hate this, but I have to ask. Has anyone else had a similar experience to Carl Lawson?
[00:27:20] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. And it turns out Carl might not be the only one who's been affected by whatever lurks in the basement.
[00:27:27] Speaker B: Of course not. Because if a documented possession wasn't enough, let's just throw in even more nightmare fuel.
[00:27:34] Speaker A: Over the years, multiple paranormal investigators, psychics, and even skeptics have gone down into the basement. Some left completely fine, but others, they.
[00:27:44] Speaker B: Weren'T so lucky, were they?
[00:27:46] Speaker A: Nope. A well known ghost hunter visited Bobby Mackey's with a team in 2010. They wanted to test the claims that the basement still contained dark energy.
[00:27:56] Speaker B: And let me guess. They weren't prepared.
[00:27:59] Speaker A: Not even close. One of them. Let's call him Mike, went into the basement alone.
[00:28:05] Speaker B: Alone? Has this man never watched a horror movie?
[00:28:09] Speaker A: Apparently not. But as soon as he got near the blood well, his entire demeanor changed.
[00:28:15] Speaker B: Oh, no. What happened?
[00:28:17] Speaker A: His teammates described his face going pale, his breathing getting heavy. Then suddenly, he stopped responding.
[00:28:25] Speaker B: Hell no. That's when you leave him behind.
[00:28:28] Speaker A: It gets worse. Mike suddenly started speaking, but it wasn't his normal voice.
[00:28:33] Speaker B: Stop. You're pulling my leg.
[00:28:35] Speaker A: He began saying things like, I know who you are, and he's still here.
[00:28:40] Speaker B: Excuse me, who is still here?
[00:28:43] Speaker A: His teammates tried to shake him out of it, but he just stood there, staring at them.
[00:28:48] Speaker B: He stood there in a trance and not even his teammates could get him out of it.
[00:28:52] Speaker A: Finally, they grabbed him and dragged him out of the basement. The second they got him upstairs, he snapped out of it. He had no memory of what just happened.
[00:29:02] Speaker B: Yeah, I have nothing left to say. This place is just pure evil.
[00:29:07] Speaker A: Another investigator, let's call her Sarah, went down into the basement in 2015 with a small group.
[00:29:14] Speaker B: And let me guess, something scratched her.
[00:29:17] Speaker A: Oh, you have no idea.
[00:29:19] Speaker B: Of course I do. It's always scratches.
[00:29:22] Speaker A: Sarah said she felt perfectly fine until she stepped near the well.
[00:29:26] Speaker B: Again with the well. Why do people keep going near it?
[00:29:31] Speaker A: Within seconds, she felt an unbearable burning sensation on her back.
[00:29:35] Speaker B: Okay, no, that's a one way ticket out.
[00:29:39] Speaker A: She ran upstairs and had her team lift up her shirt to check her back.
[00:29:43] Speaker B: And let me guess, Claw marks.
[00:29:45] Speaker A: Three deep scratches.
[00:29:47] Speaker B: Oh, cool. So a demon clawed her.
[00:29:50] Speaker A: That's what many believe. They say three scratches is a sign of a demonic attack mocking the holy trinity.
[00:29:57] Speaker B: I want off this ride now.
[00:30:00] Speaker A: Another investigation in 2018 caught one of the creepiest EVPs ever recorded at Bobby Mackey's.
[00:30:07] Speaker B: EVPs are already terrifying. What did they get?
[00:30:10] Speaker A: They asked the spirit, who are you?
[00:30:12] Speaker B: Why do people ask these things? If you hear an answer, you run.
[00:30:17] Speaker A: Oh, they got an answer.
[00:30:19] Speaker B: Really? What did it say?
[00:30:21] Speaker A: The voice on the recorder replied, carl is still mine.
[00:30:25] Speaker B: Holy. Did they get anything else?
[00:30:28] Speaker A: No, the team was so freaked out, they left immediately.
[00:30:32] Speaker B: Good. That's the only correct response.
[00:30:35] Speaker A: So, Tracy, after hearing these first hand accounts, do you think Carl's possession was a one time thing?
[00:30:42] Speaker B: Not likely. If whatever is down there could take Carl, it could take somebody else.
[00:30:48] Speaker A: And if it's still whispering his name, does that mean it never actually left him?
[00:30:53] Speaker B: I hate that question so much. Okay, Jeremy, we've covered ghosts, possessions, demonic attacks, and a literal portal to hell. But now I need to know what exactly is haunting this place?
[00:31:10] Speaker A: That's the million dollar question. Is Bobby Mackey's simply one of the most haunted buildings in America? Or is it something far worse?
[00:31:19] Speaker B: You mean like something intelligent, Something waiting?
[00:31:23] Speaker A: Exactly.
[00:31:24] Speaker B: I hate this already.
[00:31:26] Speaker A: One of the leading theories is that the land was doomed long before Bobby Mackey's existed.
[00:31:32] Speaker B: So are you saying the land is cursed?
[00:31:35] Speaker A: Yep. There were whispers that the land Bobby Mackey sits on was once a sacred Native American burial ground.
[00:31:42] Speaker B: Of course it was.
[00:31:44] Speaker A: And when the settlers moved in and built over it, they disrespected the dead. Which according to some legends, can open a gateway between worlds.
[00:31:54] Speaker B: So basically, they bulldozed over something they were never meant to Touch.
[00:31:59] Speaker A: Bingo. Yahtzee. And ever since, death has followed.
[00:32:03] Speaker B: Okay, let's talk about the hell portal theory again, because I need to know. Is it actually open?
[00:32:10] Speaker A: According to multiple paranormal investigators, psychics, and even exorcists, yes.
[00:32:16] Speaker B: Well, that's just great.
[00:32:18] Speaker A: The idea is that the blood well was already saturated with energy from decades of death. But when the ritual started happening, something was awakened.
[00:32:28] Speaker B: So what you're saying is people messed around with dark forces and found out.
[00:32:34] Speaker A: Exactly. And now the portal isn't just open, it's feeding time.
[00:32:43] Speaker B: Oh, hell no. Okay, this is the one that freaks me out the most. Is it possible that there's something down there that was never human?
[00:32:54] Speaker A: That's what many paranormal experts believe.
[00:32:56] Speaker B: Okay. Nope. I'm done. I do not need to hear anymore.
[00:33:03] Speaker A: Well, that's too bad, because it gets worse. Some investigators say they've sensed a presence in the basement that is purely malevolent.
[00:33:13] Speaker B: Meaning?
[00:33:14] Speaker A: Meaning it's not just a spirit. It's something older, something darker.
[00:33:20] Speaker B: No. Stop it.
[00:33:22] Speaker A: Sorry, can't do it. It's been described as a tall, shadowy figure with glowing red eyes. A creature that growls but never speaks. It's something that watches. And waits.
[00:33:34] Speaker B: Okay, this thing just isn't haunting people. It's haunting them.
[00:33:40] Speaker A: Bingo. Paranormal experts have suggested a few possibilities of what this entity could be.
[00:33:47] Speaker B: I don't want to know. I'm plugging my ears. La la la la. I can't hear.
[00:33:52] Speaker A: You'll hear it when you listen to the episode later.
[00:33:59] Speaker B: Fine. So what do they think it is?
[00:34:02] Speaker A: Glad you asked. They believe it could be a demon summoned during the satanic rituals but never sent back. Or a shadow person, an interdimensional being that feeds on fear and suffering. Lastly, a guardian of the portal. A sentient entity that exists to protect the gateway between worlds.
[00:34:23] Speaker B: So either it's a demon, a nightmare, or a hell gatekeeper. Great choices, everyone.
[00:34:29] Speaker A: Pretty much.
[00:34:30] Speaker B: All right, what's the worst first hand account of this entity?
[00:34:34] Speaker A: Oh, I've got a good one.
[00:34:36] Speaker B: I'm sure you do.
[00:34:38] Speaker A: A ghost hunter named Tom visited Bobby Mackey's in 2019. He and his team went into the basement with infrared cameras, EMF detectors, and voice recorders.
[00:34:49] Speaker B: And let me guess. Things went horribly wrong.
[00:34:52] Speaker A: Of course they did, Tracy. This is one of our stories.
They set up their equipment, and suddenly the temperature in the room dropped by 20 degrees. Tom turned towards the back corner of the basement where the well is, and he saw something.
[00:35:08] Speaker B: What did he see?
[00:35:10] Speaker A: A tall black figure watching him.
[00:35:13] Speaker B: What?
[00:35:13] Speaker A: He tried to take a step forward, and suddenly his chest tightened. He said it felt like something was squeezing his lungs.
[00:35:22] Speaker B: Hell's to the now. Okay, time to go, Tom.
[00:35:26] Speaker A: He tried to call out to his team, but he couldn't move.
[00:35:29] Speaker B: Oh my God.
[00:35:32] Speaker A: And then it charged at him.
His team rushed to help him, but by the time they got to him, the figure was gone.
[00:35:41] Speaker B: Okay, did he quit ghost hunting after that? Because I would.
[00:35:45] Speaker A: Nope. But he refuses to ever go back to Bobby Mackey. So after everything we've talked about, would you ever step foot inside Bobby Mackie's?
[00:35:53] Speaker B: Jeremy, if you so much as drive me past this place, I will literally throw myself out of the car and start a new life elsewhere.
[00:36:03] Speaker A: Not even just for a daytime visit?
[00:36:05] Speaker B: Nope.
[00:36:06] Speaker A: All right, Conundrum Crew, what about you? Would you spend the night inside of Bobby Mackey's basement? Or do you think this place is too dangerous?
[00:36:15] Speaker B: Also, please leave a comment if you think Jeremy is absolutely insane for wanting to go here. Well, that's it for tonight's deep dive into one of the most haunted places in America, Bobby Mackey's Music World.
[00:36:29] Speaker A: If you've ever been to Bobby Mackey's or had a paranormal experience, we want to hear about it.
[00:36:34] Speaker B: Please tell me someone else finds this as terrifying as I do.
[00:36:38] Speaker A: Stay spooky, stay curious. And remember, maybe just pick a different bar.
[00:36:43] Speaker B: Exactly. But until next time, Conundrum Crew, keep on creeping on. We love you.
[00:36:50] Speaker A: Bye.
Thanks for hanging out with us here at Total Conundrum. Please make sure to check out our website and blog@totalconundrum.com for news, upcoming events, merch bloopers, and additional hysteria. You never know what will pop up, so be sure to follow along. If you want to show your support for Total Conundrum and gain access to all of our bonus content, please visit our Patreon page. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The links are available in our Show Notes. If you have any questions, comments, recommendations, or stories to share, please email us@contactotalconundrum.com episodes are available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. If you like the show, please rate, review, and subscribe on Apple Podcasts. We appreciate the love. Keep on creeping on.
