Monsters Among Us – S20 Ep15: Terror South of the Border: Tales from Mexico

Host: Derek Hayes
Date: December 2, 2025
Episode Theme:
This episode collects a chilling set of firsthand paranormal accounts originating from Mexico. Across themes of ghosts, eerie cryptids, urban legends, UFOs, and unexplained phenomena, listeners share the stories their families and friends have carried for generations. Host Derek Hayes weaves listener calls together with context and folklore, giving a special focus to infamous Mexican legends like La Llorona, the Lechuza, Chupacabra, and mysterious lights in isolated landscapes.

1. Episode Overview

Derek welcomes listeners back after the holiday, promising a curated selection of calls that all center on eerie happenings south of the US border. With a blend of nostalgia and deep respect for Mexico’s layered folklore, he sets the stage for a spooky journey through firsthand encounters—emphasizing Mexico’s rich tradition of supernatural storytelling.

2. Key Stories & Discussion Points

I. Summoning the Rain & Encountering a Witch (Patty, Ohio)

[03:55 – 08:53]

• The Story: Patty recalls visiting family in Durango, Mexico during a drought. She and her sister nostalgically perform a rain-summoning chant from “The Secret Garden,” playfully tweaking it to ask for rain.
• Shared Nightmare: Both sisters nap afterward and each dreams of an old witch trying to harm the sister—remarkably, both have nearly identical, simultaneous nightmares. They awake deeply shaken.
• Aftermath: Days later, heavy rain begins, lasting for the rest of their visit.
• Reflection: Patty wonders if their joint belief lent power to the chant, or if they perhaps attracted something unintended.
• Quote:
  “We both saw the same thing. It was really trippy…” – Patty (07:42)
• Derek’s Take: Considers the possibility of belief itself being a powerful force or speculates that they encountered something darker.

II. The Disembodied Voice – A Ghost in Chihuahua (Luis, New Mexico)

[09:44 – 12:05]

• The Story: On vacation in Nonuva, Chihuahua, Luis hears his name called clearly while unloading a car. No one present admits to calling him.
• Local Lore: A neighbor tells him a “lady” is often seen in that area at night—believed to be a ghost.
• Haunted Activity: Residents report sightings of the apparition, strange noises, and poltergeist phenomena.
• Quote:
  “I had a ghost call my name. And that was kind of freaky.” – Luis (11:27)
• Derek’s Take: Reinforces that Mexico is rife with ghost stories, and this one is especially classic.

III. Mysterious Lights in the Hills – Family UFOs (Joelle, via Dad’s story)

[15:56 – 22:32]

• The Story: Joelle recounts their dad’s childhood memories in Chihuahua village, where locals often watch mysterious, yellow “flare” lights in the hills at night. The village treats them as a matter of fact.
• Investigation: Joelle’s father and uncles try to track down the source; the lights always stay just out of reach, seemingly “playing” with them. Despite their efforts, the lights remain unexplained.
• Memorable Moment:
  “Everywhere that they went, the flash was in the other direction. It’s like the flash was playing with them.” – Joelle (17:54)
• Scare: A tension-breaking moment when Joelle’s father, in the darkness, hears heavy breathing—only to discover it’s a sleeping horse.
• Derek’s Take: Compares the event to the Marfa Lights of Texas; admires Joelle’s family’s hands-on curiosity.

IV. Strange Lights in Anza-Borrego – A Borrego Triangle Sighting (Karen, Baja Peninsula)

[24:31 – 26:30]

• The Story: In 2008, while camping in the Anza Borrego area, Karen witnesses a brilliant light overhead split into multiple smaller lights that “zip and zap” around at high speed, then regroup.
• Context: This was before commonplace drones. Karen later finds online reports and videos of similar phenomena.
• Quote:
  “It turned into, like, 20 little lights, started zipping and zapping every which way…” – Karen (25:28)
• Derek’s Take: Places this sighting within the infamous Borrego Triangle, an area known for high strangeness.

V. La Llorona – Legend Encounters from Illinois & Parts Unknown (Omar & Phil)

Omar’s Bedroom Visit (Chicago)

[30:10 – 32:17]

• The Story: Omar has a vivid dream in Mexico of a woman in white asking, “Do you know where my daughter is?” He awakes to see a translucent woman in a white gown standing beside his bed. When the light turns on, she vanishes.
• Quote:
  “I woke up, this lady's standing there. She's see-through, she's wearing a white nightgown. … I clearly saw her standing there.” – Omar (31:20)
• Derek’s Take: Questions whether La Llorona appears in bedrooms or if this is a ghostly variant.

Phil’s River Encounter (Parts Unknown)

[33:23 – 38:22]

• The Story: As a child, Phil and his siblings see a glowing white fog drift toward the nearby river, then a weeping woman in white appears near their window, crying softly before retreating to the river.
• Family Legend: An aunt explains the story of La Llorona, with localized variations in detail.
• Quote:
  “I see this lady standing in front of the house, just looking.” – Phil (35:35)

VI. Other Mexican Folklore & Cryptids (Host Commentary)

[38:22 – 40:53]

• Derek gives a whirlwind tour of legendary Mexican cryptids:
  • Chupacabra: Goat-sucker, generally described as a hairless canine.
  • El Chaneque/Alux: Small, mischievous sprite-like beings, similar to the Duende.
  • Cizimite/Alcizomite: Regional “Bigfoot” analogs.
  • Lechuza: The owl witch—a woman transformed into a giant owl, feared for her shriek and associations with vengeance.

VII. Burnt Skin Entity – A Family's Eerie Sighting (Noelia, San Diego)

[40:53 – 42:33]

• The Story: Recounting her mother’s youth in Degollado, Mexico, Noelia describes a strange “burnt skin” creature climbing a tree, making crackling, horrifying noises. Elders claim this is not an isolated sighting.
• Quote:
  “She said there was this thing climbing up the tree that was in the shape of… burnt skin... making a horrific sound, like crackling and crushing.” – Noelia (41:10)
• Derek’s Take: Reminds him of campfire stories about disfigured animals taking on monstrous qualities.

VIII. Bones Beneath the House – A Haunting & a Tragedy (Alma, Houston)

[46:19 – 50:52]

• The Story: Alma shares several generations of unsettling experiences in their family’s Mexican home: shadowy presences, children’s aversion to the property, and a murder occurring on the site.
• Discovery: Bones found during a renovation are quietly reburied; the family later plans for a proper investigation and burial, suspecting a connection with ongoing supernatural occurrences.
• Quote:
  “They found bones there. … When they dug them up, they just buried them back again.” – Alma (47:33)
• Derek’s Take: Details legal and ethical steps for handling such finds, urging proper burial and calling authorities.

IX. The Haunted Doll – Lightning and Moving Objects (JW, Alabama)

[54:00 – 56:22]

• The Story: As a child visiting Monterrey, JW bought a wooden marionette. That evening, the hotel experiences a blackout accompanied by a bright, inexplicable lightning-flash. When the lights return, the doll has moved to the center of the room.
• Quote:
  “When my dad… turned the bathroom light on, my doll… had moved to the center of the room. … One of the freakiest things that’s ever happened in my life.” – JW (54:48)
• Derek’s Take: Notes that haunted doll stories are a worldwide phenomenon, drawing a parallel to similar accounts (e.g., Robert, Annabelle).

X. Shadow Man and The Witch’s Owls – Village Terror (Joe, Texas)

[59:25 – 71:27]

• The Story: Joe describes summers in a remote Mexican village plagued by a shadow man who appears around outhouses, windows, and the cornfields. Peculiarly, a village witch pays children for owl legs (used in her rituals), leading to nighttime “hunting.”
• Climax: While pursuing owls, Joe and friends are bombarded by falling clods of earth and encounter a squatting, white-eyed shadow figure. They flee in terror as the entity chases them with a supernatural gait. Despite search parties and shots fired, it’s never caught.
• Aftermath: The shadow man continues to appear in the village for years, especially linked to owl-related superstitions and the local witch’s activities.
• Quote:
  “It looks like a human, but there’s no – no, it’s like a shadow. But we can definitely see the eyes.” – Joe (01:04:24)
• Derek’s Take: Suggests a possible connection to Lechuza folklore and questions the morality of sourcing ritual ingredients this way.

3. Quotes & Notable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------|-------| | 07:42 | Patty | “We both saw the same thing. It was really trippy…” | | 11:27 | Luis | “I had a ghost call my name. And that was kind of freaky.” | | 17:54 | Joelle | “Everywhere that they went, the flash was in the other direction…it’s like the flash was playing with them.” | | 25:28 | Karen | “It turned into, like, 20 little lights, started zipping and zapping every which way…” | | 31:20 | Omar | “I woke up, this lady's standing there. She's see-through, she's wearing a white nightgown. … I clearly saw her standing there.” | | 35:35 | Phil | “I see this lady standing in front of the house, just looking.” | | 41:10 | Noelia | “She said there was this thing climbing up the tree that was in the shape of… burnt skin... making a horrific sound, like crackling and crushing.” | | 47:33 | Alma | “They found bones there. … When they dug them up, they just buried them back again.” | | 54:48 | JW | “When my dad… turned the bathroom light on, my doll… had moved to the center of the room. … One of the freakiest things that’s ever happened in my life.” | | 01:04:24 | Joe | “It looks like a human, but there’s no – no, it’s like a shadow. But we can definitely see the eyes.” |

4. Timestamps of Important Segments

• [03:55] – Summoning Rain and Witchy Dreams – Patty
• [09:44] – Ghostly Voice in Chihuahua – Luis
• [15:56] – Mystery Lights in Hills – Joelle
• [24:31] – Borrego Triangle Lights – Karen
• [30:10] – Bedroom Llorona – Omar
• [33:23] – River Llorona – Phil
• [38:22] – Host Discussion: Mexican Legends
• [40:53] – Burnt Skin Creature – Noelia
• [46:19] – Bones and Haunting – Alma
• [54:00] – Haunted Doll Incident – JW
• [59:25] – Shadow Man & Village Witch – Joe

5. Tone & Atmosphere

Derek Hayes keeps the tone warm and welcoming, honoring both the spooky fun and genuine fear in these tales. He provides additional context about Mexican folklore, adds personal anecdotes, and sometimes injects gentle humor. Throughout, there’s a sense of nostalgia and respect for cultural traditions—balancing chills with compassion.

6. Final Thoughts

Derek wraps up by noting the depth of history and folklore in Mexico, emphasizing the importance of respecting these experiences. He highlights procedural advice regarding skeleton discoveries, reassures listeners about legal and cultural protocols, and thanks all contributors—inviting more stories for future episodes.

Closing Quote:
“You keep it spooky and have a good night.” – Derek Hayes (73:41)

For Listeners Who Haven’t Heard The Episode

This is a genuinely atmospheric journey into Mexico’s supernatural—brimming with firsthand accounts of ghosts, cryptids, shared nightmares, and legends that blur the line between folklore and lived experience. The episode showcases why Mexico is considered a hotspot for paranormal encounters and why its stories have captivated imaginations for generations.