Cryptids: Trunko

One of four known photographs of the Trunko carcass, taken by A. C. Jones

On December 27, 1924, an article titled "Fish like Polar Bear" was published in the London's Daily Mail. On October 25, 1924, an animal was spotted in Margate, South Africa. first seen batteling two killer whales for 3 hours. it reportedly lifted itself  out of the feet 20 ft and used its tail to fight. The creature would lose the fight and washed up on Margate Beach. Where it laid tere for 10 days. 

The creature was given the name Trunko . It appeared to have long white fur, and had an elephant trunk and a lobster like tail. The trunk was said to be attatched directly to the torso and no head was noticable. It was measured to be 14 m (47ft)  in length and 3m (10ft), and the trunk was 1.5 m (5ft) and the diameter was 36cm (14in). It was devoid of  blood.

Though it's unknown what the creature was it's now believed that it may have been a washed up whale carcass. Because the locals or those who've seen it were ignorant of how animal carcass's can decompose. It's possible that it was a globster which made it look as if it has hair.

SOURCES:

Wikipedia

Obscuran Legends

Cryptid Wiki

Disappearance of Raymond G. Carey Jr.

On October 25, 1963, 16-year-old Raymond Carey Jr. left home at 7:15 p.m. he was supposed to go watch a movie, but instead, he went to the bowling alley. Afterward, he would go to a PI Kappa Sigma sorority dance at the Lithuania Dance Hall in Hartford, Connecticut. 

Raymond told another boy at the dance that he had a ride home. A witness later saw him leaving the hall with three other teenage boys. This was the last time anyone had seen him and reported him missing the next day. He had no history of running away.

He was a junior at Bloomfield Highschool. He participated in the church basketball and softball teams, He used to play trumpet, but it used to irritate the scar on his lip.

Raymond is a white male and was 16-years-old at the time. He's 5'6" and 130 lbs. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He has a scar on his lip. He was wearing a pair of grey suede shoes, a dark green sweater, a dark green sports shirt, and a pair of black pants.

SOURCES:

NamUs

Charley Project

International Missing Persons

Hartford Courant October 29, 1963

Hartford Courant December 21, 1963

Murder of Jerry "Troub" Riley

On October 24, 1993, the skeletal remains of 45-year-old Jerry Riley were found in a remote wooded area off of Kettle Rock Rd. in Epsom, New Hampshire.  He had been killed from a gunshot wound to the head around 2 to 3 months earlier. He was killed elsewhere and his body was dumped there. His pockets were turned inside out likely to take anything out that would identify him.

Jerry was working at a Chinese Restaurant in Bedford and was a likable and polite young man. His former boss stated that he was initially a good worker, but after a few months and towards June his work habits worsened. He would come in late or call in. It was suspected by his boss that he may have a drinking problem as he was partying a lot. He was suspended twice from his job for this and he would quit and tell his former boss he got a new job in Concord. He was last seen in July by his former boss. 

SOURCES:

New Hampshire Department of Justice

Concord Monitor October 28, 1993

Concord Monitor October 29, 1993

Daily Press November 1, 1993

GHOSTS: Stiffy Green

John Heinhl died in 1921 and was placed in the Heihl Mausoleum at the Highland Lawn Cemetery in Terre Haute, Indiana. His dog Stiffy would be placed in the mausoleum to keep him company. Now it's rumored that Stiffy haunts the cemetery protecting his owner.

It's stated that Stiffy Green sat crying next to Johns casket during his funeral, and anyone who tried to comfort the do met with barking and biting. It was stated that Stiffy refused to leave tombs door after John was placed there. Sometimes even seen sitting there during hurricanes. 

Stiffy Green died as well and it was rumored he was stuffed and placed with his beloved owner. His eyes were green glass that glowed fiercely as a warning to trespassers. But the Stiffy Green was a cement dog that used to set on the Heinhl porch. It's not stated whether or not if Stiffy was actually real and possesses the statue or if the statue came to life from grief of the death of their beloved owner.

One night a late night vandal shot into the mausoleum shattering one of Stiffy's eyes. The Heinhl family would then remove Stiffy and donate it to the Vigo County Historical Society. He now lives in a replica Mausoleum in the Historical Museum of Wabash Valley. 

SOURCES:

ObscUrban Legends

Roadside America

Tribune Star October 4, 2015

Murder of Tammy Lynn Thorpe

Around 9 p.m. on October 21, 1988, 20-year-old Tammy Thorpe left her home in Ada, Virginia, and attended a dance at the Marshall Ruritan Club. At the dance, a man reportedly threatened Tammy as she did not want to dance with him. At a separate incident at the dance, a man with a gun was arrested in the parking lot.  

When he was arrested the police dented Tammy's car as they forced him against her gold 1986 Pontiac Grand An. Tammy was particular about her car and was concerned about the dent. She would call the sheriff's office to talk about it with the arresting officer. 

The dance would end at 1 a.m. the next morning. Her parents would then see her at 2 a.m. at the Marshall 7-Eleven while coming home that night. Her mother told her to go home as it was late. Instead of going home, it's believed that she drove to the old Chevron gas station in Warrenton to wash her car and see how bad the dent was. She was last seen getting gas there at 2:45 a.m. 

A little before 7 a.m. Lisa, Tammy's sister, noticed Tammy's car parked at the former Warrenton Bowling Alley next to the Chevron. Her sister who left her own car there the night before coincidently had gone there. This was when she found the car unlocked with the keys still in the ignition and purse inside. This was very concerning it wasn't known what had happened till the next day. 

On October 23, 1988, her body would be found off of a gravel lane, adjacent to Route 17, approximately 1/4 mile north of the Warrenton town limit. She had died due to multiple gunshots to her face with a small caliber firearm. There was no evidence of a struggle and she was not robbed. It's believed that someone who knew her had killed the young woman. 

SOURCES:

Fauquier County Virginina

Fauquier County Virginina (pdf)

NBC News April 12, 2015

Fauquier Times October 24, 2019

Murder of Joseph "Joe" Stevenson

Around 12:30 a.m. on October 22, 1953 police recieved a call for a shooting at the Blue Goose Jook in Belle Glade, Florida. The Blue Goose Jook was a gambling location in Zellwood owned by Lee Grant, who was at the location. The body of Jospeh Stevenson who went by Joe Stevens was found dead with multiple gunshot wounds near The Blue Goose Jook.

SOURCES:

Orange County Sheriff's

Disappearance of Nikole Betterson

In September of 1977 2-year-old Nikole Betterson's family was involved in a car accident that killed her mother, Susan. Nikole and her father were not injured in the accident. Because of her mother's death, Nikole would receive Social Security benefits. 

Nikole would last see her mother's parents around Christmas of the same year. Her father was then dating another woman named Barbara. The last time the grandparents saw them Jarrett told them that they were going to move to Nevada or California from their home in Dearborn, Michigan. 

For the next 20 years, Susan's parents had no clue what had happened to their granddaughter. In 1977 they would hire a private investigator to find Nikole so that they could reconnect. It was found that Barbra and Jarrett had ended up marrying and living in Las Vegas. Jarrett had been collecting the Social Security meant for Nikole up until she was 18. The problem is that there was no evidence of Nikole being alive or in Jarrett's custody by the time he left Michigan. 

This information lead to police involvement and they would contact Jarrett. He would ask them for some time to meet with detectives and discuss Nikole's whereabouts. This however never happened as Jarrett would kill himself and Barbra leaving no information behind. 

Before their deaths, Barbra mailed a letter to Nikole's grandmother. She asked for forgiveness for "all the wounds we put in your hearts with our tragic youthful blunders." She included a money order of $900 to pay for their cremations. 

Though there is no evidence of foul play happening in the case, it is suspected. 

Nikole is a biracial white/black female and was 2-years-old at the time. She  

SOURCES:

NamUs

Doe Network

Charley Project

International Missing Persons

Cryptid: Pesanta

By Spring Fed Images

In Catalan folklore in Spain there is an enormous heavy hairy black dog called the Pesanta (sometimes referred to as a cat). The dog is large with steel paws which it hits anyone with who gets in the way, but makes it impossible to grab anything. It's sometimes believed that the Pesanta may be a witch or an animal creature with an undefined form.

The Pesanta lives in abandoned churches and ruins. The Pesanta will then creep into homes entering through tight spaces like keyholes, under the door, and even filtering across the walls.The creatures goal is to sleep on the chests of people giving them troubles breathing and nightmares. Sometimes the person will have sleep paralysis, but most times they wake up and the Pesanta will disappear quickly.  

Things people do to keep the Pesanta away is to spread some millet in the threshold of your bedroom, place a broom next to the bed or speak words that will force it to count all the stars in the sky.

SOURCES:
Wikipedia
Cryptid Wiki
Villians Wiki

Disappearance of Gerald William Carroll Sr.

On October 22, 2001, 44-year-old Gerald Carroll Sr. went to cash his check at the Penn Mart Shopping Center in New Castle, Delaware. He would then last be seen riding on his bicycle. His son stated that it could be possible that Gerald, who loved fishing, may have gone that day and possibly accidentally drowned. His green mountain bike was his sole means of transportation.

Gearld is a white male and was 44-years-old at the time. He's 5'8" and 145-165lbs. He has brown hair and blue eyes. He is missing his front teeth. He was wearing jeans at the time. His nicknmes are Fordy and Jarr

SOURCES:

NamUs

National Missing Person Directory

Charley Project

Tapatalk

Superstitions: Black Cat

Photo by Akin Cakiner

There are several superstitions on black cats. Though not all bad some see black cats of an omen for their black fur. In different cultures there are different beliefs in black cats. Cats have always had connections with humanity for a long time. 

In Ancient Egypt cats were seen as divine. In Greek Mythology Hecate the goddess, of the moon, witchcraft, magic, and sorcery had a cat that was a familiar. In Japan if a black cat crosses your path it will bring you good luck. In Germany if one walks right to left in front of you luck is in the future. In Scotland it if you find a black cat on your doorstep then moneys coming to you soon. Some European sailors would bring a black cat for luck onto their voyages. 

The most known and popular superstition for black cats though are that they bring bad luck. Like many other black animals like dogs it's believed that they are harbingers of death. Some believe that they are familiars or helpers of witches or the witches themselves. Some believe that they may even be the devil incarnate. This belief was even documented by the pope in 1233. 

SOURCES:

History

Blue Cross

The Spruce Pets

Disappearance of Agnieszka Gromelska

On October 21, 1991, 14-year-old Agnieszka Gromelska was last seen in Zuromin, Poland in 1991. There is little information in this case in at least English sources. 

Agnieszka is a white female and 14-years-old at the time. She is 173cm (5'6"). She has brown hair and blue eyes. She has a birthmark on her back.

SOURCES:

The Doe Network

The Itaka Foundation