Podcasts by Big Easy Spirits

Episode 59: The High Priestess of the French Quarter from 2021-03-08T15:15:04

Mary Oneida Toups was known as the High Priestess of the French Quarter, but her life, and her death, remains a mystery to this day, thanks to a natural disaster and the laissez faire attit...

Episode 58: Who Murdered Vanessa? from 2021-03-01T18:27:26

December 1989, Vanessa Bodden was last seen getting into a white car in the early hours of the morning. Her mutilated body was found a few weeks later in an abandoned building in her neighborhoo...

Episode 57: Garden District Ghosts from 2021-02-22T12:00

The Rosegate House is a staple of the Garden District in New Orleans. It's also home to a few ghosts and writer Anne Rice. Learn more about the history, the ghosts, the settings for famous novel...

Happy Mardi Gras! from 2021-02-15T20:27:37

Big Easy Spirits listeners know we’re based in the greatest city in the world… New Orleans. And even though the coronavirus pandemic has cancelled this year’s festivities, we’re taking this week...

Episode 56: Historic Haunted Hotel Hop...or something like that from 2021-02-08T20:46:23

A listener suggestion turned into a story of a trio of haunted hotels in the French Quarter all linked by a mysterious Civil War military hospital that Kelly is trying urgently to find more abou...

Episode 55: Will the Real Dr. John Please Stand Up? from 2021-02-01T12:00

Doctor John Montanet, a Senegalese prince turned Voodoo master, inspired the transformation of 3rd Ward's own Mac Rebbenack into the colorful Dr. John, psychedelic rock pianist and performer. Listen

Episode 54: Who Murdered Edna? from 2021-01-25T12:00

Edna Muscarello Lester, a 32-year-old mother of three, was pulled from a fire in her home on the morning of Nov. 15, 1982. A closer look uncovered 15 stab wounds found across Edna's body. The ca...

Episode 53: Honey Island Swamp...Bigfoot? Say what! from 2021-01-18T20:24:11

What happens when you combine the deep, dark swamps of Louisiana with Bigfoot? And is it possible for a chimpanzee and an alligator to have a baby? All your questions and more, answered.&nb...

Episode 52: But The Mortuary is haunted, right? from 2021-01-11T12:00

This week we dive into the history of one of the most famous haunted houses in the country: The Mortuary. Originally a private home, the site of the now haunted house was a funeral home for over...

Episode 51: Would you like a side of ghosts with your New Orleans fine dining experience? from 2021-01-04T12:00

This week, Ashley and Kelly catch up after a week apart and dive into the ghostly patrons of one of New Orleans' top restaurants. Since 1918, Arnaud's in the French Quarter has been the ultimate...

Episode 50: Bridget Fury and the infamous Gallatin Street ... or Quentin Tarantino's Next Movie from 2020-12-21T12:00

The two blocks of Gallatin Street was known for its many saloons, dance halls, brothels, brawls, prostitutes, robberies, disappearances and... murders. And Delia "Bridget Fury" Swift ... yes, th...

Episode 49: Can a Spirit Follow You Home from the Cemetery? from 2020-12-14T12:00

But can they? Not if you have a jazz funeral.  This week, we discuss what jazz funerals actually are and what does it mean when they say "cut loose?"

Listen and learn more about this...

Episode 48: Is Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop Really Haunted? from 2020-12-07T12:00

This week we start with a few ghostly tales from the famous Lafitte's Blacksmith Shop in the French Quarter... but things take a turn as Kelly's investigation brings a few historical inaccuracie...

Episode 47: A Charity Hospital Christmas from 2020-11-30T13:00

Merry and bright or creepy and dark?  You be the judge. This week we explore the mysterious Charity Hospital Christmas tree.

Originally founded on May 10, 1736, by a grant from Jean ...

Episode 46: Casket Girls and the Old Ursuline Convent from 2020-11-23T19:30

Did the casket girls bring vampires to New Orleans? Did those vampires look like Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise? Are there still vampires housed in the third floor of the convent?

This week we ...

Episode 45: Wrought Iron, iconic and deadly? + Our New Band Name from 2020-11-16T19:55:08

Wrought iron is one of the most iconic features of New Orleans' French Quarter; but did you know those beautiful iron fences and balconies hide history and secrets...some of them deadly!

Episode 44: The Devil In LaPlace, The Murder of Elizabeth Tornabene from 2020-11-09T18:23:56

On Oct. 26, 2020, Elizabeth Tornabene and her sister Hattie were brutally murdered by her boyfriend Oscar Urias. Urias attacked and killed the sisters, chasing Hattie down the street into a neig...

Episode 43: Is The Superdome Cursed? from 2020-11-02T17:36:58

This week, Ashley shares the history of the land that now houses the Superdome, home of the New Orleans Saints. Is it cursed? Hear why many think it was and what roll a local Voodoo priestess pl...

Episode 42: The Hanging Jail from 2020-10-26T15:15:46

About four hours outside of New Orleans, DeRidder is home to an architecturally beautiful, yet insanely creepy Gothic jail. After a double execution in 1928, the jail is forever known as "The Ha...

Episode 41: Not Your '03 Bonnie and Clyde from 2020-10-19T12:00

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Champion Barrow were an American criminal duo who, through TV and movies, were romanticized as a couple in love and on the run. They were dramatically gunned down in the ...

Episode 40: Missing For 22 Years from 2020-10-05T16:12:36

Shannon Harris was last seen heading to the Greyhound bus station to go back to art school in Dallas. That was 1998. Last week, remains were found in Houma believed to be that of Shannon Harris.

Episode 39: Ghosts, Death and Amusement Parks from 2020-09-28T12:00:27

The legendary Dr. Blood's haunted house. Roller coasters held together by nuts, bolts and the bravado of a 1980s teenager hoping to impress the girl. Rumors of decapitation, death and irresistable ...

Episode 38: Justice For Jessica from 2020-09-21T20:32:06

Aug. 12, 2019, Jessica Easterly Durning - originally from Ocean Springs, Mississippi living in Lakeview with her husband and stepdaughter - called her friend Maria multiple times one after anoth...

Episode 37: The Witch of Manchac from 2020-09-14T16:17:40

A witch, a swamp and a hurricane...all walk into a bar... This week Ashley tells the tale of The Witch of Manchac swamp! Did she really predict her death and the death of all those in her swamp tow...

Episode 36: The Bourbon Orleans Hotel from 2020-09-07T12:00

There were a lot of fires, a lot of creepy nuns and a whole lot of ghosts... This week, we dive into the history of what is considered one of the most haunted hotels in the country - the Bourbon...

Episode 35: Would you mess with a witch bottle? Someone on the West Bank did... from 2020-08-31T12:00

In this week's episode, Ashley tells the story of the eerie "witch bottle" someone found on the West Bank and KEPT! IN THEIR HOUSE! Learn what a "witch bottle" is, plus a little Voodoo, gris-gri...

Episode 34: The Badass Baroness from 2020-08-24T12:00

Baroness Pontalba may have given us the historic Pontalba buildings in the French Quarter, but not many people know of her badass background. She’s the bulletproof HBIC (head baroness in charge)!

Ep 33: The Algiers Devil Man from 2020-08-17T18:13:10

The devil went down to...Algiers? This week, Ashley tells the story of the Algiers Devil Man and we talk about urban myths!

Ep. 32: JonBenét Ramsey & Kelly Turn 30, and is Magnolia Shorty’s death part of serial killer spree? from 2020-08-10T15:22:38

This episode, Kelly realizes she’s the same age as JonBenét Ramsey and she would have been 30 yrs old this month. Plus, while researching a local murderer, we look at the death of bounce artist Mag...

Ep. 31: A Metairie Cemetery, Rhinestone Suits, A Body Snatching and Country Rock Star Gram Parsons. from 2020-08-03T15:28:34

This week, Ashley asks the question: What do these all have in common?  A Metairie cemetery, rhinestone suits, Emmylou Harris, Mick Jagger, Napoleonic law and a midnight body snatching!&nbs...

Episode 30: When the Zodiac Killer and New Orleans Combine, Part 2 from 2020-07-27T15:50:59

Part 1 was a wild ride, but this episode we finish up the store and decide if Baton Rouge businessman Gary Stewart’s biological father is the Zodiac Killer ... spoiler alert: he’s not.

Episode 29: When the Zodiac Killer and New Orleans Combine, Part 1 from 2020-07-20T13:00:03

Gary Stewart is a Baton Rouge business man born in New Orleans. During the search for his birth parents and an episode of “Cold Case Files,” Gary decides his birth father is the Zodiac Killer ... a...

Episode 28: Jayne Mansfield’s Head - band name or part of a horrible death? from 2020-07-13T13:00:28

In this episode, Ashley tells the story of the life and death of Jayne Mansfield - who died in a crash right outside of New Orleans - while Kelly tries to manifest being Mariska Hargitay’s best fri...

Episode 27: Hamilton, Hazel and Unsolved Mysteries from 2020-07-06T13:00:36

After the new “Unsolved Mysteries” premiere on Netflix, we take a look at a Louisiana unsolved mystery of Hazel Leota Head and the death of Charles Barker.

Episode 26: Morbid Moments from 2020-06-29T17:30:58

In this episode, Ashley shakes Kelly to the core with the stories of three unusual New Orleans funerals.

Episode 25: The Gruesome Death of Addie Hall from 2020-06-23T04:15:03

The evening of Oct. 17, 2006, Zack Bowen’s body was found on the roof of the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel parking garage. In his back pocket, a confession to the murder of his girlfriend Addie Hall. WA...

Episode 24: The Rougarou and that B**ch Lori Vallow from 2020-06-15T13:00:18

In this week’s episode, Kelly goes off on a rant about Lori Vallow and Ashley shares the stores of the rougarou...with a little bit of Harry Potter and Elizabeth I sprinkled in.

Episode 23: Podcast Blackout from 2020-06-08T22:12:57

As we are all - or should be - aware, we are in the middle of a pivotal moment in our history. Following the deaths of Brionna Taylor - a 27 yr old frontline worker who was innocently gun downed...

Episode 22: Ghost House For Sale from 2020-06-01T19:50:36

In this week’s episode, Kelly shares an update about her family’s cemetery tombs and we head to Youngsville as a woman gives away a haunted house for free through Facebook!

Episode 21: The City of the Dead and Nicholas Cage from 2020-05-25T18:19:46

This week, Ashley tells us about the City of the Dead, shares what Nicholas Cage and Marie Laveau have in come and ruins pizza stones forever.

Episode 20: The Murders of Leonard Fagot from 2020-05-18T23:03

Leonard Fagot may have been a decorated WWII marine, but that didn’t stop him from murdering two of his son-in-laws.

Episode 19: Plagues, cemeteries, a ghost dog and a can of corn? from 2020-05-11T13:00:21

In this episode, Ashley tells the story of St. Roch and the unusual way people give offerings to him in times of need. Plus a ghost dog!

Episode 18: Jacque and Comte de Saint-Germain from 2020-05-04T21:51:37

Was Jacque St. Germain a vampire? Was he really the Comte de Saint-Germain? Was the Comte de Saint-Germain really the prince of Transylvania? We look into the two men’s stories in this week’s episode!

Episode 17: The Ghosts of Le Petit Theatre from 2020-04-27T20:52

In this episode, Ashley shares some ghostly details about the famous French Quarter theatre.

Episode 16: The Murder Of Liz Marinello from 2020-04-20T13:01:34

In this episode we discuss the murder of Liz Marinello, wife of radio host and popular WDSU reporter Vince Marinello, a year after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans.

Episode 15: The Grunch and Odd Louisiana Laws from 2020-04-13T23:02:51

Still social distancing, so this week is a lighter episode. We dive into the legend of The Grunch and Ashley fills us in on a few *odd* laws we all may be breaking.

Episode 14: The Green Fairy from 2020-04-06T13:00:05

In this remote episode, Ashley shares a story of ghosts, hallucinations, murder and, of course, alcohol.

Episode 13: Fancy Prostitute of Basin Street from 2020-03-30T13:00

In our first quarantine episode, we explore the "Fancy Prostitute of Basin Street." Kate Townsend started as a barmaid in Liverpool, England, and ended as one of the most successful madames in a...

Episode 12: Listener Stories, Vol. 1 from 2020-03-23T20:52:11

In this episode, we give a lot of binge-worthy shows and documentaries to watch while we are all stuck inside, as well as share a few listener stories... are the listeners two of Kelly's friends...

Episode 11: The Vampire Brothers from 2020-03-16T13:00

One night in 1934, a young girl comes running out of a French Quarter apartment with her wrists cut. She tells of a story about two brothers who cut her wrists to fed on her blood. This is the s...

Episode 10: The Trunk Murders from 2020-03-09T16:55:36

On Oct. 27, 1927, Leonide and Theresa Moity's severed bodies were found in their Ursulines Avenue home by the housekeeper. Listen to this week's podcast to find out who would do this and why the...

(Mini)Episode 9: The Pharmacy Museum from 2020-03-02T14:00

In this episode, Ashley shares a little history on The Pharmacy Museum. Kelly drank a little too much, swung the mic around a little too much and definitely forgot this episode even happened. So...

Episode 8: The Pharmacist, Part 2 from 2020-02-24T18:50:44

We continue our look into Netflix's "The Pharmacist" about local St. Bernard pharmacist Dan Schneider. 

Episode 7: The Pharmacist, Part 1 from 2020-02-17T14:00

"The Pharmacist" is sweeping Netflix. In this episode, we take a look at the first two episodes of the four-part docuseries. 

Episode 6: Lee Harvey Oswald and New Orleans from 2020-02-10T14:00

He's known the world around as the man that shot President John F. Kennedy, but how is Lee Harvey Oswald connected to New Orleans? We discuss the early life of this killer in this episode of Big...

Episode 5: Minnie Wallace from 2020-02-03T06:00

The young and charming Minnie Wallace quickly becomes notorious for all the wrong reasons. Starts with the 1884 New Orleans World's Fair and ends with San Diego and a name change.

Episode 4: Marie Laveau from 2020-01-27T06:00

Do you really know the story of one of New Orleans' most well-known characters? This week we take a look at the life of the notorious Marie Laveau. Was she really a mysterious voodoo priestess?&...

Episode 3: What Is A Serial Killer? from 2020-01-20T06:44:46

After last week's dive into the story of "Bricktop," we take a look into the definition of a serial killer and a few of the world's most notorious female serial killers. 

*Note: Thou...

Episode 2: Bricktop Jackson from 2020-01-13T04:12:28

Mary Jane "Bricktop" Jackson considered a serial killer and nicknamed "the Scourge of Gallatin Street."

Our First Episode: The LaLaurie Mansion from 2020-01-06T01:55:54

Welcome to Big Easy Spirits Podcast! In our first episode we take a look at Madame LaLaurie and the LaLaurie Mansion.