playnext.fm

Strange Familiars

The Devil Within

·1 hr 15 min·5 clips
A 14-year-old boy allegedly severed his own neck after making his left hand useless—with only one set of footprints in the snow.
The episode begins with host Timothy Renner introducing guest Brandon, host of the podcast 'The Devil Within'. Brandon explains his accidental entry into podcasting after a TV writing job fell through, leading him to adapt a screenplay about a childhood tragedy into a podcast. That tragedy was the 1989 case of Tommy Sullivan in Jefferson, New Jersey, a 14-year-old altar boy who murdered his mother and died by suicide, leaving a contract with demons in his pocket. Brandon describes the crime's inexplicable details: only one set of footprints in the snow led to Tommy's body, and he inflicted horrific, medically contradictory wounds on himself. The local Catholic archdiocese declared it a case of demonic possession, effectively shutting down the investigation. Brandon reveals the case's aftermath, including the suicide of Tommy's younger brother and their aunt becoming a cloistered nun after viewing crime scene photos. The conversation shifts to Brandon's podcast format, which blends true crime with paranormal themes, and his other investigative seasons. They discuss the Catholic Church's updated exorcism procedures, which require ruling out mental illness and medical conditions first. Timothy shares his perspective on demonic possession, citing a Franciscan friar who says genuine cases are extremely rare. Brandon mentions episodes on haunted video games, including the legendary Polybius arcade game allegedly linked to government mind-control experiments and player disappearances. Timothy then steers the discussion toward cryptozoology, specifically Bigfoot. He argues forcefully that Bigfoot is not a flesh-and-blood animal but a paranormal entity, citing parallels between Class B Bigfoot encounters and poltergeist activity. Both hosts express skepticism toward video evidence due to AI and CGI manipulation. Timothy shares personal ghost stories from his grandparents' New Hampshire home, including an apparition in a library and a protective spirit that unlocked doors. They briefly touch on UFOs, with Timothy suggesting government interest stems from concerns over foreign tech, not high strangeness. Brandon outlines his podcast production process and upcoming projects. The episode concludes with Timothy's signature question: whether you would eat pancakes given by UFO occupants, referencing a 1961 encounter.

As heard by us

A speculative path from alleged arcade mind control to tarot, symbols, and the unconscious.

The episode starts with the alleged Polybius arcade game, treating its sound and strobing visuals as part of a wider unease about influence, memory, and control.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Press play when an alleged haunted arcade game and tarot's hidden meanings feel like neighboring doors into the same dark hallway.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →
Listen to the show on
Apple PodcastsSpotify
Play clips from this episodeMore from Strange Familiars