It’s the oldest mystery in American history. 117 men, women, and children left England in search of a better life in the New World. Instead, they vanished, leaving behind only one word–Croatoan. This is the lost colony of Roanoke.

In a tough episode, we review the autopsies.

We leave the Satanic Panic behind and look to some of the more concrete facts in this case, including more about the crime scene, the finding of the bodies, and the evidence collected by the police.

We take a deep dive into the satanic panic that gripped the nation in the 80s and 90s. Where did it come from? Were there really satanic cults? And how did the satanic panic affect the investigation into the murders of Stevie, Michael, and Chris?

We finish up the timeline in the West Memphis case and prepare to move on to the next phase of our coverage–in depth analysis of the things that make this case so compelling.

What if there was a video game so addictive, so revolutionary, that it had the power to drive players mad? What if when you played it, someone was always watching? And what if some people who played the game disappeared, never to be seen again? This is the story of Polybius.

Resources:

Astonishing Legends Podcast

The Polybius Conspiracy Podcast

POLYBIUS – The Video Game That Doesn’t Exist (youtube.com)

The Polybius Conspiracy investigates an urban legend, and creates one. (slate.com)

Legend of the Mind Controlling Polybius Game – Historic Mysteries

The Urban Legend of the Government’s Mind-Controlling Arcade Game – Atlas Obscura

‘The Polybius Conspiracy’ Explores The Reality Behind One Of Gaming’s Darkest Urban Legends (uproxx.com)

https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-urban-legend-of-the-governments-mindcontrolling-arcade-game

The police begin the investigation into the murders. They run into some interesting characters in West Memphis, including Damien Echols. And they begin to develop a profile of the killer or killers.

Check out our new True Crime Substack the True Crime Times

Check out our other show The Prosecutors: Legal Briefs for discussion on cases, controversial topics, or conversations with content creators.

Everyone’s worst fears are realized as the police find the bodies of the missing eight-year-olds. The investigation begins, and Damien Echols is already on the radar.

We dive deep into the timeline for the day the boys were murdered.