New Orleans has always lived where myth and reality bleed together, and this episode walks that line. We begin with the Creeps: the infamous Carter Brothers “vampire” legend of 1932—a story of chains, blood, and whispered truths—examined through missing records, unreliable archives, and a city that knows how to turn theater into history. From there, the episode turns grimly real with the Crime at its center: the post-Katrina murder of Zach and Addy, a tragedy that unfolded above a voodoo shop, played out in rooftop footage and headlines, and revealed how trauma, systemic failure, and a battered city can collide with devastating consequences.

To close the night, we head into the bayous for the Cryptid that still keeps kids close to home: the Grunch. Small, clawed, and blazing-eyed, this creature’s folklore—often tied to Marie Laveau, railroad tracks, and cautionary rituals—shows how New Orleans uses monsters to enforce boundaries when rules fail. Along the way, we separate voodoo faith from tourism, challenge the city’s “vampire” reputation, and confront why some stories endure even when the records don’t.

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Creeps, Crimes & Cryptids is a podcast by Ghost City Tours, exploring the strange, sinister, and unexplained history lurking beneath America’s most haunted cities. If you'd like to take a ghost tour in this episode's featured city, or to find tours in a city nearest you, visit www.ghostcitytours.com!