Boogeyman: The Hook-Handed Stranger

Boogeyman: The Hook-Handed Stranger

Author: Pretty Wicked | Southern Gothic Media May 27, 2026 Duration: 37:15
What if the boogeyman you grew up hearing about wasn't just a story? On Staten Island, there was a figure parents whispered about to keep their kids close to home. Bedtime warnings, campfire dares, everyone thought it was just make-believe. But then children started to vanish. And suddenly, it wasn't just scary anymore. It was real. SHOW NOTES 🖤 FOLLOW PRETTY WICKED New episodes every Wednesday. Subscribe so you never miss one. Instagram: @prettywickedthepodcast If you loved this episode, leaving a review means the world and helps other listeners find the show. Pretty Wicked is hosted by Megan Alda. 🖤 SOURCES & FURTHER READING Here is everything used to research this episode. Quick corrections: Ethel Atwell disappeared October 1978, Rand legally changed his name in 1972, and Tiahease Jackson was sent to the supermarket by another motel resident while her mother was napping, not on an errand from home. Sources in the show notes 🔗 WEB SOURCES The Charley Project - Holly Ann Hughes The Charley Project - Alice Pereira The Doe Network - 136DFNY Holly Ann Hughes The Doe Network - 134DFNY Alice Pereira NCMEC - Have you seen this child? Alice Pereira UPI Archives - Jennifer mourned as loveable child who comforted all All That's Interesting - The Haunting Story of Andre Rand, the Real-Life Cropsey Killer Who Stalked Staten Island in the 1980s The Line-Up - Cropsey: The Terrifying Urban Legend Brought to Life Historic Mysteries - Cropsey: New York's Terrifying Urban Legend Disability Justice - The Closing of Willowbrook NYU Undercover Reporting - Willowbrook: The Last Disgrace - Geraldo Rivera, WABC-TV The New York Review of Books - The Horrors of Hepatitis Research Our Black Girls - Tiahease Jackson, 11: May Have Fallen Victim to Serial Killer in 1983 Whereabouts Still Unknown - Ethel Atwell Find a Grave - Holly Ann Hughes Memorial 🎬 DOCUMENTARY & FURTHER LISTENING Cropsey (2009), directed by Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio Willowbrook: The Last Great Disgrace (1972), Geraldo Rivera for WABC-TV Killer Psyche Daily episode on Staten Island's "Cropsey" Killer Production notes: Specific quotes from Andre Rand have been attributed broadly to prison staff and fellow inmates rather than named individuals where the named source could not be independently verified. Some details about the missing victims, particularly the adult cases, are circumstantial and Rand was never charged in connection with them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There’s a particular chill that comes from a story told well, a history half-remembered, or a crime that defies easy explanation. Macabrium is built in that space, a podcast where the past isn’t just prologue-it’s an active, whispering presence. Guided by the compelling narration of actors Megan Alda and Derek Stephen Brown, this series from Southern Gothic Media delves into the shadows where true crime, unsolved mysteries, and regional folklore intertwine. Each episode is a deep dive, whether it’s examining a cold case that still haunts a community, unraveling a local legend passed down for generations, or exploring a historical oddity that challenges the official record. The tone here is immersive and thoughtful, less about sensationalism and more about the lingering resonance of these narratives. You’ll find the production favors atmosphere and careful research, allowing the weight of the stories to settle. It’s for anyone who feels that pull toward the unexplained and the eerily beautiful, who understands that the most captivating tales are often those tinged with melancholy and mystery. Listening to this podcast feels like uncovering secrets; some will genuinely surprise you, while others might linger in your thoughts, prompting a second look at the history you thought you knew. New installments arrive every Tuesday to continue the exploration.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 17

Pretty Wicked
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