Case #4: The Witch’s Circle

I’d like to start off with saying I have nothing against earth religions and the folks who practice them. This article is targeted at a very specific group and any views expressed pertain to these individuals and their group.

I’ve had an ongoing investigation of a local coven of self labeled “witches” who have operated (as far as my investigation can date) on and off for nearly 25 years. This group make their livings, operate, and recruit among the populace of Henry County, IN. From my unwanted questioning of local ex-members and other locals who know of the groups existence I estimate the group’s size to be a minimum of 25 members. Much of the local populace is reluctant to speak of the subject, claiming ill-will befalls those who have ever crossed “the Coven”. The group is standard Occult based with their beliefs, integrating various small ideological points from Wiccan, Neo-Shamanism, and more directly the so called “Book of Shadows”. Much of their beliefs, I stress, are classic Satan-centric occult practices.
My investigation of this group began immediately after the previously published “Case #1″ as I felt a group of naive teens could not have had access to true demon summoning materials without help from another, more advanced source. Questioning many locals I learned of a supposed “Witch’s Circle” (the locals’ name for it) and felt investigating this location and learning more surrounding it to be a good beginning.

Witch’s Circle is near the intersection of Country Road 700N/S and 700E/W about a mile from Middletown, IN. I’ve searched for the exact location but not encountered the stated grove of trees, circular shaped, near a brook. It is supposed to be only accessible through an old cemetery with the guidance of someone who has been there. Alone I’ve come across the cemetery and the brook, but following the brook along both banks until it ended at a road did not bring me to any site matching the described circle.

Within the circle, the Coven participates in monthly meetings, sky-clad, and utilizes a large bonfire near a crude stone alter to go about their rituals. In preparation for such rituals, typically local pets come up missing, graves are robbed from one of 3 local cemeteries, and traffic out of town towards 700and700 increases. I know of all this information as I obtained a job at the convenience store a mile before the cross of these roads to monitor the traffic and checked all the local papers for missing pet, cemetery stories near the days I say increased traffic. On one such night at the store, around 4 am, a lady dressed in occult ceremonial robes came into the store to purchase a Twinkie and a Soft Drink. Attempting to get more information, I asked her the reason behind such an outfit to which she replied, “You’re better off to not know.”

My reasoning behind the continued investigations is that the group has a seemingly total control over the local populace. A religious group, just expressing their beliefs and holding meetings, should not bring such fear into a population. I suspect a more direct satanic group working up to much greater sacrifices and crimes.
Another aspect to the Witch’s Circle of Indiana is the farmhouse closest to the circle’s location. In the mid ’50s a mother of 6 stabbed and burned herself and her children in the house. Since then, the electricity and lights remain on in the home nightly to this day, no one has lived there since the murder, and no one living in the county dare approach the home. Records for current ownership of the home could not be located. I suspect a connection but have nothing concrete. If the circle sits in the area it is supposed to, it sit on property owned by whomever owns that house.

This is an ongoing investigation and I make occasional trips to try and locate the circle and investigate the home but feel I wont get any farther until I participate in less legal means to gain access to both.

Until more is available, I plead with amateur enthusiasts of supernatural investigation to steer clear of this area as there is no guarantee you’ll find information, and if you do, no guarantee you’ll ever tell another living soul. This group is dangerous and zealous in their self protection.
Tonight, Halloween, I am going out later to stake out one of these cemeteries where a supposed grave robbing attempt is going to take place. So for those who need to take my articles more lightly than you probably should, think of this is my Silent Hill 1 save, so that should something happen, you’re caught up on the story.

Author’s Note: I’d like to get the feeling of how many of you would like a beginner’s guide to what I do. Not a how to, but a “should it happen…this is what you can do” sort of article. Post in the forums your desire either way.

“… and remember please, for the next day or so, the terrible lesson you learned tonight. That grinning, glowing, globular invader of your living room is an inhabitant of the pumpkin patch, and if your doorbell rings and nobody’s there, that was no Martian… it’s Halloween.” — Orson Wells

Related posts:

1. Case #2: Spectral Garden
2. Published Case #1: A Demon’s Passing Interest
3. Case #3: Donut Shop Ghost
4. Case File: Haunted Hotel Rooms