Into The Dark, Episode 141: “The Vampire of Scotland”

Host: Payton Moreland
Date: October 15, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

In this Halloween-themed episode of Into The Dark, Payton Moreland delves into the chilling true crime story of Alan Menzies, dubbed “The Vampire of Scotland.” The episode explores how a young man's obsession with vampire mythology and pop culture—particularly the film Queen of the Damned—spiraled into delusion, murder, and tragedy in early 2000s Scotland. The narrative investigates key questions of psychological influence, obsession, mental illness, and what leads someone down a dark path from fandom to fatal crime.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Allure and Danger of Vampire Mythology (04:20–06:30)

• Payton opens with commentary on society’s fascination with vampires, citing their prevalence in books and movies, and their dual nature: “Some of us like scary stories about evil bloodsuckers, others like the more romantic takes. And who doesn’t love the idea...to live forever, never get old and become incredibly strong and powerful?”
• She cautions, “It is not healthy to be too fixated on anything, especially something that’s potentially not even real. And that may have been the case for a 23 year old man named Alan Menzies.” (06:14)

2. Alan Menzies’ Background and Obsession (06:31–13:44)

• Alan, an unemployed Scottish man, becomes obsessed with vampires—particularly after watching Queen of the Damned over 100 times within 10 months.
• "In a lot of ways, it seemed like Allen’s entire life, now that he couldn’t find work, was devoted to vampires and Aaliyah’s fictional character.” (09:35)
• His fixation seemed odd but not threatening to those around him, especially to his best friend, Thomas McKendrick.

3. The Disappearance of Thomas McKendrick (13:45–21:00)

• Thomas visits Alan on December 11, 2002, and vanishes. His mother, Sandra, recalls an odd encounter soon after: Alan asks her, “Can you tell me how to wash blood stains out of clothing?” (18:58)
• Initially unalarmed because of Alan’s odd behavior and apparent use of fake blood for his obsession, Sandra only realizes the gravity later.

4. Escalation to Murder Investigation (21:01–29:44)

• With Thomas missing for weeks, police begin to suspect foul play after finding Thomas’s clothes and, later, his body buried in the woods with evidence of brutal violence.
• Forensics confirm Thomas was bludgeoned and stabbed; his disappearance is now a murder investigation.

5. Alan’s Confession and ‘Vampire’ Delusions (29:45–37:33)

• When interrogated, Alan calmly confesses, attributing his actions to his belief in his transformation into a vampire after “the Queen” (from Queen of the Damned) appeared to him and demanded he kill someone to become immortal.
• Key quote:
  “He claims she would walk up to his bed and have long conversations with him…she said she wanted to turn Alan into a vampire like her. There’s just one catch: you can't transform into a vampire unless you kill someone and drink their blood.” (32:17)
• Alan describes in detail how Thomas insulted the Queen, inciting rage. He attacks Thomas with a hammer and knives, drinks his blood, attempts cannibalism, and buries the body:
  “He told the police that he believed he had consumed about two cups of it in total, and then he had to dispose of the body.” (36:25)

6. Psychological State and Prior Violence (37:34–44:15)

• Despite claims of hallucinations and alternate personalities, professionals find Alan to be aware of right versus wrong, citing his attempts to hide the crime.
• Notable Quote:
  “There wasn’t any emotion in his tone...he might as well have just been talking about the weather.” (38:23)
• Alan has a history of violence, including a stabbing incident at age 14, and a disturbing fixation with Hitler and violent crime, possibly influenced by other high-profile “vampire” murders publicized at the time.

7. Trial, Sentencing, and Aftermath (44:16–50:05)

• Alan’s insanity plea is rejected; psychiatrists testify he committed the crime knowingly.
• New claims during trial: Alan develops multiple personalities after watching Queen of the Damned, attributing the murder to “Vamp,” an alter-ego. This is refuted by mental health experts.
• Key quote from sentencing:
  “When the judge gave the sentence, he said it was because Allen was, ‘evil, violent, and highly dangerous’." (49:12)
• Alan is sentenced to life with parole possible after 18 years, but dies by suicide less than two years into his sentence.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On vampire obsession:
  “It is not healthy to be too fixated on anything, especially something that’s potentially not even real.”
  (Payton Moreland, 06:14)

• On delusional motivation:
  “She said she wanted to turn Alan into a vampire like her. There’s just one catch: you can’t transform into a vampire unless you kill someone and drink their blood.”
  (Payton paraphrasing Alan’s confession, 32:19)

• On Alan’s emotionless confession:
  “There wasn’t any emotion in his tone when he said this. He might as well have just been talking about the weather.”
  (Payton Moreland, 38:23)

• Alan’s own chilling words:
  “I’m gonna get 20 to 25 for this—for doing him with a hammer and my bowie knife. But I got his soul.”
  (Alan Menzies, as recounted by Payton, 38:36)

• Judge’s condemnation:
  “Allen was, ‘evil, violent, and highly dangerous’. He figured Allen was too much of a threat to let him get out without a lengthy sentence.”
  (Sentencing remarks, 49:12)

Important Timestamps

• Vampire mythos & pop culture commentary: 04:20–06:30
• Alan’s life and spiral into obsession: 06:31–13:44
• Thomas’s disappearance & odd grocery-store exchange: 13:45–21:00
• Escalation to murder investigation: 21:01–29:44
• Alan’s confession & delusions: 29:45–37:33
• Psychological assessment & prior violence: 37:34–44:15
• Trial, sentencing, and Alan’s suicide: 44:16–50:05

Tone & Language

Throughout, Payton Moreland’s narration is conversational yet deeply empathetic, balancing the macabre with insightful psychological reflection. She maintains both a sense of storytelling and respect for the tragedy at its core, occasionally interjecting personal reactions or clarifications for context.

Closing Reflection

Payton closes with a thematic warning:
“But as we dive into books, movies, TV shows, and other works of fiction, it is important to keep one thing in [mind]: Sometimes the things that go bump in the night are all too real.” (49:57)

Useful for Listeners:

This episode provides not just a detailed true crime account, but also a compelling exploration of how pop culture and untreated mental illness can create dangerous outcomes. Through timelines, psychological insight, and careful storytelling, Payton’s investigation illuminates the thin line between fantasy and reality—and the devastating consequences when that line is crossed.