But first, kicking off ID’s theme weekend, is the return of “Cropsey” (Friday, October 29 from 8-10 PM), a spine-tingling documentary by filmmakers Joshua Zeman and Barbara Brancaccio that seeks to solve one of New York’s most disturbing unsolved mysteries and, in the process, uncovers a real-life boogeyman. Finally, Halloween day becomes “Trick or Cheat,” featuring shocking tales of infidelity that end with tragic outcomes. Some of ID’s most talked-about episodes featuring stories of spousal revenge will air back to back from 3 PM to 11 PM ET on Sunday, October 31.
Each episode of “American Occult” features two different stories about mysterious deaths, kidnappings or rituals that are linked to the occult. Leading viewers through the twists and turns of these stories is Dr. Katherine Ramsland, a Ph.D. in forensic psychology from Jay College of Criminal Justice and a Ph.D. in philosophy from Rutgers University, who has written over 30 publications on the topics of forensics, crime and the supernatural. Dr. Ramsland takes viewers inside the world of these killers, analyzing and explaining their thought processes, beliefs, reasoning and how these crimes relate to the broader schemes of these dark subcultures.
The cases featured in “American Occult” are:
Savage Sin: Premieres Saturday, October 30 at 8 PM ET
A police officer hears troubling rumors about children living on a farm in Kirtland, Ohio spreading stories to other kids about demons coming up out of the earth to swallow them whole, and telling them that the end of days is coming. The families living on the farm are under suspicion of being a cult. Police keep tabs on the farm, watch their strange rituals, and worry when they begin stockpiling weapons. Then, one day, the entire cult disappears, leaving behind a terrible massacre. In a second story, in Belmont County, Ohio, police are called to a horrifying crime scene at the home of Terry and Marilynn Brooks. Investigators find occult books scattered around nearby. The Brookses had two sons living at home, and one of them has a shocking secret to share involving his brother.
Blood Lust: Premieres Saturday, October 30 at 9 PM ET
A group of students in Fall River, Massachusetts discovers the body of a local prostitute. Her skull has been completely crushed by heavy stones in what looks like a primeval murder conducted by multiple assailants. With no leads, the case goes cold until another prostitute is found three months later, killed in exactly the same way. These murders lead investigators to a secret underground cult of devil worshippers, and the police try to crack the case by going undercover. In the second story, a local motorist on the way home from work in Brevard, Florida, spots a nude woman, handcuffed at the wrists, stumbling along the side of the road. The motorist takes the woman to a hospital, where they discover she has lost forty percent of her blood. She leads investigators to where she was being held and they discover the lair of a self-proclaimed vampire, who has claimed the lives of more than twenty victims.
Evil Sacrifice: Premieres Saturday, October 30 at 10 PM ET
A tip leads police to find the dead and mutilated body of a woman in a field outside Chicago. Soon, female victim after victim shows up dead, all murdered in the same fashion. Police are baffled and without leads until they find a woman who managed to survive the same kind of vicious attack. She leads authorities to arrest the men responsible for these heinous murders — a group of devil worshippers who have been ritualistically cannibalizing their victims. In the second story, a housekeeper at Toledo, Ohio’s Mercy Hospital finds a terrible scene in the hospital chapel: Sister Margaret Ann Pahl lies on the alter, stabbed to death. When police fail to find a suspect, investigators speak with the local Catholic community. The case goes cold for years, but when investigators exhume Sister Pahl’s body in light of new evidence, the identity of the true killer is someone they never suspected.
“American Occult” is produced for Investigation Discovery by M2 Pictures, with executive producer Mike Sinclair. For Investigation Discovery, Pamela Deutsch is executive producer, Sara Kozak is vice president of production and Henry Schleiff is president and general manager.