An Accounting of Strange and Unusual Occurences

[Memphremagog]

Ok, this thread is going to be operating along the lines of an ID Channel investigation, with an Fictional approach into the events of various classic films of the genre(but done like an paranormal investigation documentary..) Please feel free to add to it, and above all have fun! 


Investigation #1 The Ancient Egypt Murders

In the years 1942-1944, the town of Mapleton, Massachusetts was the scene of a set of bizarre murders that had some connection to a mysterious Cult of Arkam, originating in Cairo, Egypt. Stephen Banning, his sister, Jane and his friend, Babe Jenson, Of New York City were all murdered in a short span of time, in what was seen as the time as vengeance killings. Apparently, 30 years(!) prior, Banning had led an archeological expedition that discovered the tomb of an Egyptian princess. Some kind of dispute occurred while the group ws there and several deaths were involved. This cult of Arkam sought revenge for what they deemed some kind of religious transgression, leading to the killings in Mapleton, years later.

Egyptian national Mehemet Bey, was later deemed to be responsible for the murders. Bey had recently taken up a post as caretaker in Mapleton's town cemetery and was believed to have been using it as a base of operations while planning the murders. The most macabre aspect of the murders was that Bey seemed to have an accomplice whom, at the time was not identified. This person was identified as the actual murderer and was outfitted in an outfit resembling an Egyptian mummy.

The first string of murders came to an end when Bey was shot by law enforcement, while attempting to murder John Banning, son of Stephen. The disguised killer was tracked to the Banning estate, having taken a local woman, Isobel Evans, hostage. A sheriff's posse and mob of locals burned down the estate while rescuing Evans and it seemed that the unidentified killer died in the house(although no body was found.)

Several years later, a new series of murders took place in the same area when yet another Egyptian national, Yousef Bey, showed up in the town and either the same killer returned or some other unidentified person took up a similar disguise. The first murder this time was a Professor Norman, a scholar from the local university. He had testified previously that he believed the prior murders had a supernatural aspect to them and that the murderer was an actual walking corpse. The next murder was of a local farmer, Ben Evans, who had apparently come across the killer on his property.  Youself Bey himself was killed by the same assailant for unknown reasons before the killer, who had taken a student, Amina Haroun, hostage, chose to to drown himself and the coed in a nearby swamp. Haroun was initially considered a suspect in the Norman murder after being found outside his home after the killing, but later was found to be innocent. Exactly what her connection to the suspect was, was never established.

As an aside to these murders, it is believed that the same person murdered a night watchman at the Scripps Museum in New York at the same time that the second Mapleton murders took place. NYC Police Inspectpr Walgreen later attested that Bey's fingerprints along with those of the killer were found at the museum murder and were a positive match for the Mapleton killings. Walgreen assisted Mapleton law enforcement in tracking down the killer later on.

Upon further investigation by law enforcement agencies at that time, the killer was given the nickname "Kharis" , due to references made by the Bannings and found in the writings of both Beys. These were officially deemed to be cult murders and the files have been sealed.  To this day, the are several aspects of this case that remain unsolved and although the case is considered closed, no suspect was ever officially identified and charged with the murders.

PHOTO ARCHIVES:

Mehemet Bey



Stephen Banning



Babe Jenson and John Banning(taken after Stephen Banning's death)



Law enforcement at the Banning estate shortly before its' destruction by fire



Photo of suspect believed to be murderer "KHARIS", taken by local press at the time



Photo of Yousef Bey(later found in his personal belongings)



Coed Amina Haroun seen here with boyfriend, Tom Hervey, shortly before her death



Inspector Walgreen and consultant, Doctor Ayad, of the Scripps Museum investigating the murder scene there.



Professor Norman(seen here with Mrs.Norman) shortly before his murder




NEXT: ANOTHER BIZARRE CASE OF EERIE OCCURANCES

[Memphremagog]

Investigation #2: The Electric Man Killings

In 1941,  in a small town in upstate New York, a bus went out of control during rainy weather and struck a high voltage power station, killing all aboard except one. The lone survivor, Dan McCormick, would make headlines as a minor news sensation at that time..months later he would reemerge in the news at the center of a series of deaths, all concerning electricity.

After a period of rehabilitation in a local hospital, McCormick was released and subsequently took up residence at the home of a Dr. John Lawrence, also in upstate NY. He was invited there by Lawrence as part of a study that was supposedly researching possible immunity to electricity. Within several weeks, Lawrence was dead at the hands of McCormick, who killed him, as testified by Lawrence's research partner, Dr. Paul Rigas. Rigas stated that McCormick had murdered Lawrence in a fit of rage at the time. After a sensational trial, McCormick was sentenced to be executed in the electric chair.

It is here, that the story becomes quite sensational or rather murky, depending on the accounts that followed. At the time of execution, McCormick managed to escape the prison, killing several guards and taking the warden Harris. as a hostage. Harris would later be found dead, apparently killed by McCormick, during their flight, several miles away.

Rumors and several news accounts at time claimed that McCormick was somehow using electricity to murder his victims, although exactly how was never confirmed. What is known is that he made his way to the Lawrence residence once more and according to testimony from June Lawrence, Jphn's daughter, killed Paul Rigas before taking Miss Lawrence hostage and escaping to the woods nearby. Once again, exactly what occurred is subject to several fantastic accounts, but all agree that McCormick was killed while trying to escape law enforcement. June Lawrence was unharmed.

According to newspaper reporter, Mark Adams, McCormick actually used electricity to murder his victims and Rigas was a direct accomplice in this, despite no direct proof to corroborate the story. Adams later claimed he had Rigas' journal which described what transpired between him and McCormick, but burned it so that the results would not be duplicated in the future. Several witnesses and officials at the time testified that McCormick WAS actually charged with electricity, even earning him the name "Dynamo Dan, the Electrical Man."

Many of the records of that time have become lost or sealed to this day and the majority of witnesses to the events have since passed away. However, the cause of death in all of the killings, except for Lawrence, are stated as "massive electrical shock" on the death certificates.  No motive for the murders was ever established, despite rumors of bizarre medical experiments gone wrong.

PHOTO ARCHIVES:

Photo of Dan McCormick taken at the time of his hospital stay



Dr.John Lawrence



Dr. Paul Rigas(photo taken in lab, date unknown)



Mark Adams and June Lawrence(taken after the death of McCormick)



Photo purportedly showing McCormick escaping with June Lawrence as hostage( NOTE: the weird glow coming from McCormick at the time..)



Rare footage from security camera in prison, apparently showing McCormick attacking guard while escaping with Warden Harris as hostage(NOTE: once again, strange glow is present on McCormick)