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< Back The Pink Panthers A criminal group who's never been caught and never will be. There’s been a group of criminals that fog through the way a web of heists and robberies that have been ongoing for 25 years, most recently in 2018. The Pink Panther network of jewel thieves. In May of 2003, the flagship store of luxury jewelry retailer graph in London was serving an eccentrically dressed customer named Nebojsa Denic though his suit and umbrella may not have appeared unusual. His awkward pompadour wig stood out as he examined a 12-carat ring valued at $450,000. The ring was apparently not quite what Denic was looking for. Remarking that it was too glamorous. Before a more subtle piece could be offered. Denic whipped out a chrome-plated three 57 Magnum and told everyone to get on the floor at the same time, a Montenegrin man in his late twenties named Predrag Vujosevic entered the store and used a hammer to smash, open display cases, and remove 47 pieces of diamond jewelry. Now with 23 million pounds of jewelry, the two men fled the scene. Simon Stearman, a security guard gave chase and managed to subdue Denic by sitting on him. Stearman reportedly removed Denic's wig and began berating him for it. Telling the thief how dumb he looked. Within days, Scotland yard identified another accomplice in charge of the burglar's travel arrangements. One Milan Jovetic. Detectives obtained a warrant to search the apartment where Jovetic was staying with his girlfriend Anna Stankovic. The search turned up fake Italian passports with no names or photos and a particular jar of face cream. In the cream was a blue diamond ring worth upwards of three-quarters of a million dollars. The press referred to the robbers as the Pink Panthers. As a similar hiding spot was used in the 1975 comedy, "The return of the Pink Panther". While the blue ring had been found more than 22 million pounds of jewelry were still missing along with Vujosevic. Scotland yard detective Steve Alexander tracked phone records to an apartment in Paris thought to be Vujosevic's home. But Vujosevic was gone. While in Paris, Alexander met up with a special police unit called the Brigade for the Repression of Banditry to compare notes. It turned out the graph robbery in London wasn't the first time Vujosevic was suspected of robbing a jewelry store. In fact, it wasn't even the first graph store he'd targeted. Vujosevic was wanted for robbing a graph store in Amsterdam. It Castiglione in Paris as well as jewelers in Frankfurt, Geneva, and Barcelona. In 2005, Vujosevic was caught trying to cross into France from Italy via car. When Alexander traveled to Paris to question Vujosevic however, he refused to talk about the London robbery. According to his mother, Vujosevic was sentenced to nine years in prison, but the missing diamonds were nowhere to be found. While the London graph heist was the crime that gave the Pink Panthers, their name, it was far from the only one. And in no way, encompassing the full roster of the group. According to Jeweler Magazine, as of 2019, they'd stolen nearly $1 billion worth of goods across 35 countries. Let's look at a small sampling of their work. In 2001, a group robbed a jewelry store in the coastal town of Biarritz France. Speaking of their thoroughness in planning jobs to deter any possible witnesses prior to the heist, the men painted a bench outside the store. So no one would happen to sit there with a front-row seat of the heist. In 2002, a group stole the Millennium necklace worth $1 million from the Nevada casino in Las Vegas. In 2003, another group of Panthers made off with $14 million of Jewels from Chaupar in Paris. In March 2004, two Serbian men in wigs stole the Comtesse de Vendome necklace, which featured a 125-carat diamond from a store in Tokyo. In Saint Tropez in 2005, a group of Panthers in wigs and flower print shirts robbed a jewelry store and escaped via a waiting speed boat. Also in 2005, a group in Amsterdam dressed as airport workers transferred 75 million euros of jewelry to a waiting plane. In 2007, the Pink Panthers robbed the Harry Winston boutique in Paris with guns. The next year they robbed the same store dressed as women. Combined the two thefts resulted in 76 million pounds of lost jewelry. While jewelry has been a specialty of the Pink Panthers, it is not the only luxury item they've targeted. In 2008, the group pulled off the largest art heist in European history. Stealing a Monet, a Van Gogh, a Gauguin, and a Saison. In total, valued at over 145 million from a gallery in Zurich with so many big-money heists to choose from. Some theorize the collective's most infamous robbery took place in 2016. Stealing an estimated $5.6 million worth of jewelry in Paris from Kimberly Kardashian, including her 20-carat diamond engagement ring from Kanye West. I say that it's only theorized that the Pink Panther held up Kim Kardashians because frankly, despite their long list of crimes of which we've only discussed a few, not much is known about the group; who their leaders are, where they take the jewels, how they've organized, even how many people are in the group are all unknown. There's not much, confirmed information about the group, who their leaders were, or if they even had any leaders. This is one criminal group that investigators can't figure out. Previous Next

< Back Ed and Lorraine Warren Collection Small brief overview of the Warren's The state of Connecticut is quiet, maybe perhaps too quiet. This is the state where 2 famous paranormal investigators resided, Ed and Lorraine Warren. In 1952, the Warrens founded the New England Society for Psychic Research, where they kept artifacts from cases in their basement. The Warrens have a vast collection of these objects that inspired multiple movies such as The Conjuring. The Warrens collected trinkets and totems they claim were defiled by evil, locking them in the museum to keep them safe from the public. These haunted trinkets in the collection are said to perform harm to others or were involved in satanic rituals, black magic, and even voodoo. One common thing among the collections is dolls, such as the shadow doll who can go into dreams along with other haunted objects. Whether people believe in the paranormal or not, the Warrens Occult Museum which contains the collection, has certainly created a spark of paranormal obsession with the modern world. Unfortunately, Ed Warren passed away on August 23, 2006, and Lorraine Warren passed away on April 18, 2019. Since Lorraine’s death, the museum has been closed. Previous Next

< Back Wendigo Never go in the woods alone. The story of the wendigo comes from Algonquian Native American folklore, and the exact details vary depending on who you ask. This creature may appear as a monster with some human characteristics or as a spirit who has possessed a human being and made them monstrous. It is historically associated with cannibalism, murder, insatiable greed, and the cultural taboos against such behaviors. They go by several names, but each roughly translates to “the evil spirit that devours mankind.” There have been few who managed to escape their grasp of wrath. This story comes from Xen in Colorado, who had a close encounter with this dangerous creature. When Xen was around six years old, she lived deep in the mountains of Colorado. Her family had no internet, and no cell phone coverage. They lived in isolation from the rest of the world, and liked it that way. Xen spent most of her days outside, playing in the forest that surrounded her house. Her only company up there was her two, huge St. Bernards. One day, Xen was playing in the forest with her dogs. She realized she wandered a little too far, when she looked behind her, and couldn't see her house anymore. She found herself in a clearing, where there were piles of strange sticks strewn around. Little did Xen know at the time, that they weren't sticks at all. She looked up, huge rain clouds had started to form, and the wind picked up speed. A storm was coming, and she needed to get back inside. Xen started to head in the direction that she thought was home. With every step, the wind's power increased. The leaves from the trees were swirling around her, and little droplets of rain sprinkled on top of her. She walked for what seemed like forever, and then she heard it. Rustling in the trees. It was coming from the trees in front of her. Xen became super uneasy. She felt like someone was watching her. Then her dogs started to growl and bark. They stood in front of her, protecting her. The twigs snapped, and her dogs lost it. She had never seen them act this way. Then, a voice called out from the trees, it was her mother's. “Xenny”, the voice said. Xen wanted to be comforted by this, she should've been comforted by this, but she couldn't. That was her nickname, and that was her mother's voice, but it sounded off. It's like when you pull on a record, and the words are slow and mumbled. “Come here.” The voice shouted again. That was definitely not Xen's mother. She began to run, her dogs barking the entire way. But she stopped when she saw those familiar sticks. She had run the wrong way. “Xenny, come here. Come here.” The voice had followed her. She took off in the other direction, not stopping for a second, until finally her house! She ran inside, and after she caught her breath, told her mother what happened. She assured her that it was probably just the wind howling in the trees, and nothing more. It wasn't until years later, after Xen and her family had moved from that house, that Xen decided to ask her mother about that day. “Mom, do you remember our old house, and that day when I heard your voice in the forest?” “Oh, yeah.” Her brow furrowed as she contemplated her next words. “I guess you're old enough now to know the truth.” “The truth about what?” “When you told me about the voices in the trees, I didn't want to scare at the time, because you were so young. That house was on Native American land. I called a medicine man to come and cleanse our house and property. When I told him your story, he said that you were very lucky to be alive. You had narrowly escaped a wendigo.” A wendigo is a demonic spirit that possesses humans, and turns them into cannibals. They have an insatiable hunger for human flesh, and will stop at nothing to get it. Wendigos are vicious, but also very cunning and tricky. With their heightened sense of hearing, they can pick up the panicked heartbeat of a lost human from miles away. Then, with their long legs and supernatural speed, they run over to their prey and begin their twisted game. Sometimes, they taunt their victims with their deep growls. Other times, they'll mimic the human voices of loved ones, to trick you into coming closer. According to legend, a wendigo is nearly impossible to escape. Once it's made you its target, you're as good as dead. To this day, Xen still can't believe that she is one of the lucky few to have escaped the clutches of a wendigo. Previous Next

< Back The Cecil Hotel What happened to Elisa Lam in this hotel? Was it something logical or paranormal? This is a story about a young woman who checked into the Cecil Hotel and never checked out. The Cecil Hotel in downtown Los Angeles has been around since 1927. And since its doors have opened, it has had a very dark history. At one point, it housed famed serial killer Richard Ramirez, who murdered his victims in his hotel room. There have also been numerous incidents of guests jumping out windows and other unsolved deaths, just like the one in this story. In January of 2013, a young woman named Elisa Lam flew to Los Angeles from Canada and checked into the Cecil Hotel. She was first placed in a hostel-style room, which she shared with another guest. But after two days, the front desk got a call. Elisa was moved to a room of her own, and that was the last time anyone saw her. During her trip, she kept in frequent touch with her parents back home. But when they didn't hear from her when she was supposed to be leaving Los Angeles, they became worried and called the LAPD. Around the same time, the front desk kept getting more complaints. So a hotel staff member went up on the roof to inspect the water tanks. He noticed that one of them was open. He looked inside, and that's when he found Elisa floating in the tank. To this day, nobody knows how she got in there undetected. But there are a lot of theories. Elisa had bipolar disorder and depression, and was on prescription medication to help keep her in balance. She kept a blog where she wrote about her struggles with her illness and seemed to be very open about it. The most logical conclusion is that Elisa was off the medication, broke from reality, and drowned herself in the water tank. Another theory is that she was playing the elevator game. The elevator game is a ritual that originated on a Korean website. When performed properly, you can supposedly be transported to another dimension. In order to play, you need a building that has at least 10 levels. It's best played at night since you need to be completely alone. You enter the elevator, and you go to different floors in a particular order. Once you reach the fifth floor, a woman will get on with you Whatever you do, don't look at her or speak to her. She isn’t human. When you reach the 10th floor, you exit the elevator and enter a new dimension. You will still be in the hotel, but only you exist. Be careful. In this dimension, your cell phone won't work, and you may feel disoriented and even faint. If you wake up without taking the proper steps to come back to our world, strange things may happen. So what does the elevator game have to do with Elisa Lam? After news spread of her bizarre death, a surveillance video from one of the hotel elevators went viral. It showed Elisa acting very oddly in an elevator, pressing random buttons, talking to seemingly nobody. Was she playing the elevator game? This is a real woman who has passed away, the elevator game is just a theory of what happened that night. Previous Next

Unearthly Stories A site full of mystery, oddities, and the unknown Work I’ve put together a selection of my most recent and memorable work. I’m proud of each and every piece in my Author Portfolio , and hope you will enjoy reading them as much as I enjoyed writing them. For any inquiries, please get in touch. The Unknown There are things among us that we may not be able to see but many believe that they do exist. Many fear the unknown, such as darkness and death. The unknown is when something seems unfamiliar, undisclosed, or even something that doesn't seem natural. Those should be aware of such things, the unknown isn't something you should mess with. Consequences may occur. Famous Cases of the Paranormal Ever thought about what inspired popular movies or stories? Or those that were based on true events? This could be either items, homes, or even specific locations. In the Paranormal tab, you can find many cases involved with spirits, such as those in the famous Ed and Lorraine Warren Collection. "When there’s no more room in hell, the dead will walk the earth.” Dawn of the Dead STAY IN THE KNOW Enter your email here Sign Up Thanks for submitting!

Contact Willimantic, CT 06226 jody.shamer_rojas@uconn.edu 860-207-3893

Our Projects Projects based on the English Studio class. This is the Project Page, where all creative assignments and works are posted. All being different pieces that express imagination and interest. Even though I'm a fan of the strange and supernatural, I also tend to enjoy the works of literature. Throughout the years, I've enjoyed books and stories that have interesting concepts or themes which inspired my work. The artifacts written express my interest and even my enjoyment. For myself, creativity was always a key factor in demonstrating effectiveness, inventiveness, and artistry. The story's insight helps feed my imagination, and due to this literature, they offer endless possibilities and sources when designing. When working with different modes, the one that appeals to me is visuals. I’ve been a fan of gothic literature which can contain dark subjects such as death. The stories I read help me visualize, which the vision then helps me with the creation. My work tends to be a part of the gothic genre, a type of writing that employs dark and picturesque scenery. This influenced my site’s theme and content. A way to spread my enjoyment of creepiness and grotesque materials. Creativity and visuals aren't the only modes I've worked with. For example, when creating the material and content, I've used the aural and linguistic modes. Mostly in a “storytelling” format, something that can be read out loud or independently. As a full-time student, I've barely had time to express myself. I no longer had time to read or do anything that involved creativity. Everything had to be factual or logical. However, in some projects, I was able to return to a fun state of mind. Not only that, I've learned new things in the process of designing. Circulation; As a fan of the creepy, strange, and supernatural; I’ve based my favorite subject on this site. It provides multiple stories; urban legends, unsolved mysteries, the paranormal, and cursed objects. At a point in the studio, I’ve had my peers look over my site, and many have said great things about it. They enjoyed the themes, organization, and the idea of the content I was planning to write about. They may not know, but it was their support and feedback that encouraged me to continue. When deciding on the artifacts, most were similar to what I was planning to create. Many stories and works had involved dark topics like death and morality. I’ve always enjoyed writing and drawing, as seen in this portfolio. I loved doing things that involved expressing my creativity, and now I have mixed 3 of my favorite things together; the unknown, art, and stories. When the portfolio was set in motion, I knew exactly what I wanted to create; a site full of stories of what I call “the unknown”. I have heard countless stories, either real or fake, they brought me a sense of fear yet endearment. With this newfound passion, the design is based on what I feel and what I envisioned it to be. The readings I’ve had in class helped me with this, many were mysterious and strange. Although I enjoy writing about the unknown, I also enjoy seeing it. Throughout the year, there have been many people claiming to see something, along with evidence such as videos. It was either paranormal or something told in stories, there have even been some concerns and ‘evidence’ about specific creatures who were written by people on a site called Creepypasta. I had my fair share of writing and I enjoy reading other people's content. I always liked giving feedback to others, especially when it comes to creation. I do hope that people who decide to come to this site enjoy mystery and the supernatural. I’ve always enjoyed reading, but not so much about writing. I used to think I didn’t have the creativity to create such an interesting story, but throughout the years and months of writing things for either class or myself has been fulfilling. Mainly when it comes to my favorite genres or topics. When it comes to the public nature of this design, I believe that it’s a way to show how something can be strange at first, but then become interesting to one who decides to look thoughtfully. Kinda like a “don't judge a book by its cover” kind of thing. If my portfolio does eventually make its way out of class, then I can just hope that they enjoy the content or at least the design, art, and thought into it. Not everything is what it seems, if anything, be aware of the things around you, not everything is written in a good light. I just want people to enjoy and maybe even explore subjects that appear unusual or uncanny. Some might say that these legends and stories are unearthly… Visualizing Yourself A Mood Board that I've created; Since I was a child, I always found the unknown intriguing. Urban Legends, the paranormal, cursed objects, and other anomalies. Although many are dark, I've always found some sort of beauty in the stories passed. In fact, the first cursed item that I saw was the Hope Diamond (I remember being so excited when I saw the sign). Remixing "A Good Man is Hard to Find" Based on the Southern Gothic Short Story, A Good Man is Hard to Find, by Flannery O'Connor. A collage inspired by the gothic story while giving a slightly modern twist. The story involves a family who gets wiped out due to an escaped convict who calls himself: "The Misfit" Big Two-Hearted River; 2/22 One thing that made this story different from the ones I originally read is that it isn’t dark. This story was more wholesome and calm, but it did include things I enjoy such as nature. This artifact demonstrated how something can be so enjoyable and tranquil, and showed me how not everything has to be negative or bold. This represents creativity or visual skill. Since this help me envision what I wanted, the aspects of design played a big part, such as; color, space, and line. The Library of Babel; 3/31 No mystery as to why I liked this one, the library of Babel seemed interesting to me. How a library with infinite numbers of books with strange writing just seemed fascinating to me. This artifact demonstrated how a story could be told in a strange yet intriguing way and made me think about how my stories are creepy yet undisturbed. This represents the “storytelling” or aural skill. This format helps the reader understand and recognize something, using aural skills to help be conscious of the stories told and passed. Death of the Author; 4/29 This artifact was created very recently, and it was inspired by the gothic genre and was inspired by The River by Flannery O’Connor. This has demonstrated how an author can always have an intent when writing yet there will be those who won’t notice or even agree with them. The skill represented in this was linguistic skills. Designing with technology wasn’t easy, but not exactly hard as long as you know what you want. It's a way to understand and express themselves through writing.

About Me Hello! I'm Jody, the creator of Unearthly Stories. I'm currently a college student who majors in Animal Science. Other than caring for animals, I've always enjoyed drawing, painting, and basically anything that involved creativity. Although my life is filled with study, I've always made time for things I enjoy. In my free time, I like to research urban legends, the paranormal, unsolved mysteries, etc. I've always had friends and family ask me about them, so I thought that I would share my findings and knowledge of the unknown.