Blog Post, Shadowcast website

Hey, Shadowcasters!

So, if you’ve been following us this season you know that we’ve been trying to figure out a few real-life murders that have gone unsolved in New Orleans over the last few years.

We thought, what better way can a true crime podcast give back to the community than by solving a few crimes, right?

Well, we definitely had the best of intentions…but there’s one slight little problem. The names we were researching? They’re not actually real cases…because they’re not real people.

Have you, listener, ever heard of an ARG—or an Alternate Reality Game? No? Well, then you’re in for a treat because on this week’s episode, we will be telling you all about one that we here at Shadowcast found ourselves playing without even knowing it!

Don’t want to ruin the surprise, but rest easy, NOLA—no one was found exsanguinated on a tomb, but we here at the show might have a bit of graveyard dirt on our face. (Get it?)

We do want to say thank you all for your passionate responses, emails, and theories—these cases might not be real, but we’re seriously considering finding a few that are! After all, with a dedicated and determined team of listeners out there to help, what crime couldn’t we solve?

Watch out, Axe Man of New Orleans from Days of Yore! We just might be coming for you!

—Arthur

Comments [5]

Comment: Nina Jones

OMG what happened?? I can’t wait to hear!!

Comment: Koby Le

Axeman was Jack the Ripper everybody knows that. He went to London after New Orleans. JACK WAS AN AMERICAN

Reply: Rosalee Finch

ugh figures

Comment: Chris McGee

wait so the murders aren’t real? Like any of them? o.O

Reply: B.J. Sherman

no no just the ones they were gonna try and solve

Reply: Nathan Lyle

lol if they don’t know the diff between fake murders and real murders…

Comment: Emmie Sands

omg you guys are killing me!!

Reply: Anonymous

make sure you say you’re just kidding or they’ll try and investigate your death lol

Comment: Anonymous

i knew it wasn’t real all along, these had to be made up. Called it.

Reply: Anonymous

suuuuuure

Shadowcast Twitter Feed

Shadowcast Podcast @shadowcast

If you missed it, our new episode is up—in which we tell you all about Allium, the ARG (alternate reality game) that we didn’t even know we were playing! And we gotta admit, while the murders might not be real, we’re still going to do our best to play along and solve it anyway!

[Link Preview: SHADOWCAST EPISODE “All About the A’s: Alternate Reality Games, Amateur Detectives and Allium”]

Any1 T. User @dontatmeidc

HAHAAHAHAHA @shadowcast thought those murders were real like lol i knew it all along they were fake!

Mia @politemia_ftw

I can’t believe @shadowcast was fooled but tbh I totally thought they were real, too! I’m kinda glad people aren’t really dead and i’m so curious to know about Allium!

kris @cloud89and10

Been doing all kinds of web searches/etc today to find out more about Allium (sure they’re real glad about that at work) and I can’t find ANYTHING. @shadowcast, y’all gonna tell us where you found it?? I’m so curious!

Troy Melby @gamerdude

Ugh the whole point of these games are supposed to be like secret and shit and now these stupid girls @shadowcast are ruining it because they can’t keep their traps shut >:(

Star @starshinebright

Reply @gamerdude @shadowcast

OMG like you even knew about it being a game before they did *epic eye roll*

Leah Elle @leahmeoutofit

Reply @gamerdude @starshinebright @shadowcast

I bet he’s that guy on the website who was all “i knew it all along” lol

Star @starshinebright

Reply @leahmeoutofit @gamerdude @shadowcast

Or the guy who was like “the axeman was jack the ripper”

Troy Melby @gamerdude

Reply @leahmeoutofit @starshinebright @shadowcast

your podcast suxx

Steph @steponesteptwo

Is it bad that I think it’s actually better that Allium is a thing and the murders aren’t real? I wouldn’t want my fave @shadowcast crew to end up in danger!! :O

Henry Irving @henryirving

Yeah we wouldn’t want that

[Quote Retweet: Is it bad that I think it’s actually better that Allium is a thing and the murders aren’t real? I wouldn’t want my fave @shadowcast crew to end up in danger!! :O ]

Brides of New Orleans Podcast @BridesofNOLA

Now @shadowcast is finally talking about vampires but it’s bc they’re playing a GAME? Besides that’s clearly not the victim of a REAL vampire bc it was left in a cemetery and everyone knows that’s hallowed ground. #needsresearch

Lily @flowersforall

Lawlz forever, @BridesofNOLA u r sooooo bitter! *laughing crying emoji* You might as well have just said “we hate them cuz they’re popular listen to our podcast instead plz!!!” *snort*

Henry Irving @henryirving

@BridesofNOLA ikr i hate them

Seb @sebsays

@BridesofNOLA jesus h christ are you guys the ones who did an episode about katrina actually being a cover up for a vampire epidemic? Bc there’s #conspiracytheories and then there’s hashtag flat out being stupid fucks who think vampire epidemic = more credible than infrastructural racism smh

JSchumacher @runfastrealfarGO

@NOLAAssVamp plz come collect yr brides, @BridesofNOLA

Attack of the Ass Vampire @NOLAAssVamp

@runfastrealfarGO…I think you have the wrong #AssVamp *leer*

House of Radagast @Radagast4NOAV

The New Orleans Association of Vampires has NO association with the Brides of New Orleans podcast (or its podcasters). We are an organization of self-identified vampyres and do NOT condone murder or violence. See neworleansassociationofvampires.org/outreach to see the ways we HELP! @@NOLAAssociationVampires

House of Radagast @Radagast4NOAV

While on the topic, @BridesofNOLA, if yr willing to believe in vamps & massive government cover-ups, why so hard to believe that the gov systematically denied resources to certain neighborhoods (bc of race & class), resulting in the unevenness of the devastation of Katrina?

All About the A’s: Alternate Reality Games, Amateur Detectives and Allium

Lucy:

…so you can think about bloody footprints every time you see a barge, you’re welcome!

Ok, so, now it’s Allium Time! Thanks to everyone for being so understanding about how we got caught up in thinking these murders were real. You get what it’s like to be so into something you kind of get hypnotized by it, right? As Arthur announced, we’re going to keep playing the game. If I’m honest, now I feel kind of competitive about it. So, without further ado, Mina, tell them about the first clue!

Mina:

Yep, thanks for understanding—obviously this podcast is supposed to be entertaining so playing a murder mystery game seems super relevant. So, we had three choices of which murder to solve and we chose the victim who was found exsanguinated on a grave. I mean, an exsanguinated body? Obviously we’re looking for some kind of vampire killer, right? Allium seems like it was basically made for this podcast, right?! Well…in kind of a creepy coincidence, clue number one actually did seem like it was made for us. It was a little creepy, right Luce?

Lucy:

Yes! We’ll put the picture of the body in the show notes so y’all can take a look, but the location…let’s just say me and Mina knew it immediately when we saw it, because it is the spot where we got together! And just if I can pause for a sec and be happy since we talk about so much dark stuff and the world is really scary right now…sometimes things are also amazing! And sometimes you find love, and sometimes there’s hope. Okay, jeez, Mina, stop me.

Mina:

Aw, babe. I love your dedication to hope. And yes, the image of that gravestone is permanently emblazoned on my brain because I had to lie very, very still and stare at it to keep from hurling. But it was all worth it, obviously, because I got the best girlfriend in the world out of it.

Lucy:

She has to say that because y’all are listening but actually I’m the one who has the best girlfriend in the world.

Mina:

Okay, yes, that’s true [laughs]. Anyway, let’s talk about clue number two. All the info is in the show notes…

ALLIUM

Clue #2: A list of the contents of Jay Ingram’s pockets:

—A roll of dollar bills totaling $48

—A napkin

—A punchcard ticket [click for image]

The image shows the punchcard ticket stub is partially disintegrated from having been covered in Jay Ingram’s blood [click to enlarge]

Using the part of the ticket that was visible, we used an image search to determine it was a monthly punchcard ticket for the Algiers Ferry, so that told us that Jay lives on Algiers Island and must come into the city for work.

Clue # 3

—A roll of dollar bills totaling $48

—A napkin [click for image]

—A punchcard ticket

This time, in the list of the contents of Jay Ingram’s pocket there was the opportunity to see an image of the napkin.

The napkin was crumpled, probably from when Jay Ingram shoved it in his pocket. Written on the napkin, in what looked like eyeliner or something, was a note that gave us the access code to Jay’s phone. I won’t spoil it for the codebreakers among you. Have a go!

Clue #4

When we entered the code to Jay’s phone, we found a creepy picture! [click to enlarge]

The image is extremely high angle, like whoever took it was lying on the ground (did Jay take it?). And the image is of this blurred figure looming over him. It’s dark out, but it looks like the figure’s mouth is wide open, about to consume his soul. Creepy! Over the figure’s shoulder, part of a big house is visible. It looks like it might be one of the smaller Garden District homes. The house number is visible (1260) but we can’t tell what street it’s on. We need to enter the full street address in order to get the next clue.

Shadowcast Twitter Feed

NOLA Needs Nerds @NerdcastNola

WHAT THEIR FIRST DATE WAS IN A GRAVEYARD YOU BROKE ME OMG <3 <3 <3

@shadowcast

Lions n Tigers n Bears @OhMySaucepants

@shadowcast

love among the murders!!!! Congrats and happy reminder of your love, you two!! #lucina

Murder By Life @murderbylifexoxo

@shadowcast How is it possible that a podcast about MURDER just made me 100% squee with joy? Wishing you many more years together, ladies!!!

Shawn Mendez Stories @DeadMenTellTales

@shadowcast wait whoa they’re together???

Bunny @hiphopflop

Reply @deadmentelltales

…you new, bro?

Girls Just Wanna Have Pun @IMakeYouBreak

OMG just found out that Mina and Lucy from @shadowcast went on their first date to a GRAVEYARD ahhh i’m dying #relationshipgoals

Tropes For Days @RomanceWritesItself

@shadowcast Y'all are seriously like something out of a romance novel!!! HELLO friends to lovers!

<3

Lisa Wilson @lisawilson_55

Hey @shadowcast i am here for the murders and the allium game could you maybe keep the romance stuff off it? Just not comfortable with that kind of thing and don’t think we should have to hear it :(

Anna Graham @anagram

Note to self: don’t read the Tweets and Replies to @shadowcast after an episode where the hosts mention they’re dating unless you want to end up on the show for murdering a whole bunch of ignorant assholes

Sarah Wilde @swildelife

Would really prefer it if @shadowcast would stick to murder and not try to get political :(

Dylan @wishesforkisses

Reply @swildelife @shadowcast

Ummmm what is political about saying they’re happily dating…? Would you care if one of them mentioned they were dating arthur?? Let me guess, i bet you wouldn’t.

Sarah Wilde @swildelife

Reply @wishesforkisses @shadowcast

I don’t care what they do in their personal life but i don’t think i should have to hear about it. I can support their podcast and not their lifestyle it is my right as an american god bless you.

Ms Marvel @marvelatme

Reply @wishesforkisses @shadowcast

You DON’T have to hear about it actually—god bless the stop/forward button [eyeroll.gif]

Ariel @hereforcatpics

AHHH WHY ARE MINA AND LUCY FROM @SHADOWCAST LITERALLY THE BEST seriously they are in love and happy and my tears of joy let me shed them ;;; #heairl #whereismypodcastgirlromance

Lexie @lostineos

One day i am going to find my perfect soulmate who takes me through walks in the graveyard and runs a murder podcast with me <3 @shadowcast

Camden Lando @camdenland

You two are the dream @shadowcast