Podcast Summary

Podcast: Scary Stories and Rain
Episode: Ep. 336 – The Phone Is Dead
Host/Narrator: Being Scared
Date: March 13, 2026
Theme:
Unsettling true accounts told against a soothing rain backdrop—perfect for those seeking both chills and a calm listening experience. This episode delves into real-life unsolved deaths, sinister mysteries, and close encounters with strangers and the unknown.

Main Stories and Key Discusssion Points

1. The Mysterious Death of Natalie Drissel

[00:29 – 13:40]

• Setting: Horne Creek Conference Center, Westcliffe, Colorado, Thanksgiving 2003.
• Incident:
  • Natalie Drissel, 20, is found dead, naked and frozen outside a guest cabin (00:29).
  • She had been staying at the camp to visit her boyfriend, returned to her own cabin after midnight (01:30).
• Investigation & Autopsy Details:
  • Only Natalie's prints in the snow; footprints erratic, indicating a dazed run (03:10).
  • No signs of struggle, assault, drugs, or trauma; cause of death could not be immediately determined (04:28).
  • Coroner suggests "excited delirium," a controversial and poorly defined phenomenon (08:20).
  • Elevated glucose and possible altitude adjustment from Florida named as contributing factors, but uncertainties remain.
• Speculation:
  • Theories include malnutrition, eating disorder, sudden psychotic break, or cardiac arrest (11:19).
  • No history of mental or physical health issues.
  • Possibility of some terrifying encounter—human or animal—remains open.
• Reflection:
  • Case highlights the limits of forensic science and the terror of unexplained death.
• Notable Quote:
  • “It's just really, really weird. But we're still hoping to find out something more conclusive.” – Sheriff Fred Jobe (04:41)
  • “With the information at hand raising many more questions than answers…we’ll never know exactly what happened to Natalie Drissel.” – Narrator (11:39)

2. The Embalmed Head Mystery in Beaver County, PA

[13:41 – 23:41]

• Discovery:
  • December 2014, a teenage boy finds a severed, embalmed human head in the woods (13:41).
• Forensic Findings:
  • Head belonged to a 50–80 year old woman; expertly removed, eyes replaced with rubber balls (15:27).
  • Incision and use of mortician’s eye caps point to an individual with anatomical expertise (16:29).
  • Isotope analysis indicates the woman traveled regionally before death, but not local to where she was found (17:48).
  • Embalming chemicals hinder identification (18:43).
• Theories:
  • No apparent homicide—death likely from cardiac arrest (19:49).
  • Linked to the black market cadaver trade (20:50).
  • Dental and forensic evidence offer some clues; filling dated post-2004, but no matches yet.
• Notable Quotes:
  • “Whoever had severed the head had done so with the skill of an expert pathologist.” – Michel Vitali, Forensic Artist (15:41)
  • “Could it have been someone with a great deal of anatomical knowledge? Yes. Could it have been someone who is just peculiar or bizarre? The answer...is also yes. We just don’t know.” – Beaver County Coroner Terry Tatilovich Rossi (19:13)
  • “But perhaps the real question is, do we really want to know the whole story—or sleep easier remaining in blissful ignorance?” – Narrator (22:08)

3. The Motorcycle Camper

[23:44 – 31:18]

• Story:
  • A mother and daughter (plus a friend) camp at a remote lakeside (23:44).
  • Late at night, a dirt bike circles their tents repeatedly, seemingly watching them.
  • The mother confronts the biker twice; after a tense and silent stand-off, the biker leaves (25:48).
  • No violence occurs, but strong sense of threat and vulnerability lingers.
  • Mother vows to camp more cautiously in future.
• Quote:
  • “He was facing directly towards our tent, saying nothing, just still and staring. I realize I have no weapons, no way to protect the girls. And he’s between us and the car. I wait.” – Narrator, retelling the camper’s thoughts (27:02)
• Memorable Moment:
  • The drawn-out, silent standoff—both parties frozen, assessing one another.

4. The Deputy, the Suicide Scene, and the Cat

[31:19 – 33:42]

• Story:
  • A rookie deputy guards a suicide scene alone, late at night.
  • Disturbed by noises coming from the house, he grows increasingly anxious (32:10).
  • A sudden movement at a window startles him—turns out to be a pet cat, not a sinister presence (33:23).
• Tone: Classic jump scare followed by sheepish relief.
• Quote:
  • “The deputy did admit to me...he did definitely jump and scream as most anyone would.” – Narrator (33:31)

5. The Haunted Gold Mine

[33:43 – 39:11]

• Story:
  • In California’s old mining country, storyteller and friends explore an abandoned mine said to have a gold vein.
  • While collecting rocks, strange noises (rocks falling, rattling similar to a baby rattle) are heard deeper in the mine (36:20).
  • Repeated visits end with participants fleeing, creeped out by inexplicable sounds.
• Quote:
  • “That was when I literally just said, you only have to be faster than your slowest friend. Then I just took off running...” – Narrator (37:54)
• Memorable Moment:
  • Eerie rattling noise—described as not matching wildlife, intensifies the sense of dread (38:45).

6. The Roller Skate Attempted Abduction

[39:12 – 51:40]

• Backstory:
  • Host describes a family history of vigilance stemming from abuse in earlier generations (40:00).
• Story Details:
  • In the early 90s Florida, as a child the storyteller skates outside under watch of her Nana (41:30).
  • After Nana steps inside momentarily, a suspicious van with a tall, gaunt man inside stops.
  • The man tries to lure the child to see “excess Christmas presents” in his van, but the child resists and skates home, Nana appears wielding a cast-iron pan and chases the man off (46:40).
  • Police later confirm the suspect had attempted multiple kidnappings in the area.
• Quotes:
  • “She was just about the best Nana that anyone could ever wish for. And she was tough as an old boot too.” – Narrator (40:13)
  • “From what my mom told me…this guy takes one look at Nana, fills his britches, and just bugs the heck out of there as she chases his van up the street.” – Narrator (47:05)
• Reflection:
  • Chilling reminder of childhood vulnerability and importance of protective adults.
  • “Knowing I could well have been dead before my tenth birthday…it’s something that makes my skin crawl even to this day.” – Narrator (51:31)

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “It’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen.” – Officer Lee Roybal, Colorado Bureau of Investigation (04:50)
• “We have to admit the situation is truly and terrifyingly bizarre.” – Narrator (11:35)
• “She was dismembered professionally.” – Michel Vitali (15:48)
• “I realized that an aggressive approach is probably the wrong move.” – Camper story, Narrator (27:36)
• “Both of us staring. Must have been 20 minutes I stood there. And then, just like that, he took off…” – Camper story (27:50)
• “So for a quiet moment, man and feline eyed each other before both turning away, feeling stupid, I guess.” – Deputy & the cat (33:32)
• “You only have to be faster than your slowest friend.” – Haunted gold mine story (37:54)
• “Knowing I could well have been dead before my tenth birthday…it’s something that makes my skin crawl even to this day.” – Roller skate story (51:31)

Episode Highlights

• Each account is told in calm, detailed narration, allowing the eeriness of each true story to sink in amidst the rain backdrop.
• The unexplained, the almost supernatural, and the everyday threat of human malice all intersect—leaving listeners unnerved.
• Real-world mysteries are left largely unresolved, reflecting the darkness and ambiguity inherent in many true horror tales.

Useful for New Listeners:

• This episode is an anthology of true, chilling encounters—sad, unresolved deaths, predatory strangers, unexplainable events, and brushes with the genuinely unknown.
• The tone is soothing but the content sticks with you, prompting the unease that marks the best scary stories.
• No definitive answers—just haunting questions and that cold, rainy ambiance.

For specific stories, start at these timestamps:

• Natalie Drissel Case: [00:29]
• Embalmed Head: [13:41]
• Motorcycle Camper: [23:44]
• Deputy & Cat: [31:19]
• Haunted Mine: [33:43]
• Attempted Abduction: [39:12]

This summary captures the essential content, maintains the spirit of the narration, and highlights the most memorable and hair-raising moments.