Restless Itinerary Project

Episode 4: The Witch Hunt of 1972 — John Todd & San Antonio’s Satanic Panic

What happens when a self-proclaimed former witch walks into a church with a terrifying story—and an entire congregation believes him?

In October 1972, San Antonio found itself at the center of a growing witchcraft scare. A young man named John Todd claimed he had escaped a powerful network of witches and that a secret ceremony was planned for Halloween night. His warnings caught the attention of church leaders, newspaper reporters, and eventually a national Christian audience.

In this episode of Restless Itinerary Project (RIP Texas), Candice and Morena dig into the strange story of John Todd, the Castle Hills Baptist Church witchcraft panic, and the Halloween night event known as Operation Jesus Trek.

We explore Todd’s reported struggles with drug addiction, his dramatic conversion story at a Christian coffeehouse called the Greengate Club, and how his allegations helped spark a public book and record burning. From claims of secret covens and human sacrifices to the missing Book of Shadows that Todd supposedly planned to burn, the story raises some fascinating questions about what people believed—and why.

But how much of Todd’s story was true? Later investigations challenged his credibility and exposed inconsistencies in his accounts. We separate the documented events from the sensational allegations and examine how fear, religious divisions, and media attention helped turn one man’s story into a much larger conspiracy narrative.

Grab your spooky snacks and join us as we investigate one of San Antonio’s strangest Halloween stories.

In this episode, we discuss:

• John Todd’s claimed conversion in San Antonio in 1972
• The Greengate Club and his reported drug struggles
• The October 20, 1972, newspaper article “Shadow World Battleground”
• Castle Hills Baptist Church and Operation Jesus Trek
• The Halloween book and record burning
• The allegations, contradictions, and questions surrounding Todd’s credibility
• How a local witchcraft scare became part of a wider Satanic conspiracy narrative

A note on the history: This episode discusses historical allegations involving witchcraft, occult activity, and human sacrifice. These claims are not established facts, and we distinguish Todd’s statements from documented events and later reporting.

👻 Have you heard of John Todd or the 1972 San Antonio witchcraft scare? Tell us what you know, share a local legend we should investigate, and follow RIP Texas for more strange history, spooky stories, and unsettling corners of Texas. email us @

RestlessItineraryproject@gmail.com

Follow us for more adventures with Candice and Morena as we chase the stories hiding in Texas history! Instagram and TikTok @ RIP.Texas

Resources:

“Witch-Hunt” — Gregory Curtis

Texas Monthly, May 1974

“The Bewitching of the Churches”

Christianity Today, February 2, 1979

“A Witches’ Plot” — Robert W. Nixon

Adventist Review, November 16, 1978.

#RIPTexas #RestlessItineraryProject #SanAntonioHistory #TexasHistory #JohnTodd #SatanicPanic #Witchcraft #OccultHistory #HalloweenHistory #TrueCrimeHistory #StrangeHistory #TexasLegends #ParanormalPodcast #SpookyTexas #PodcastRecommendations

Restless Itinerary Project — Episode 3 Notes

What happens when a historic San Antonio mansion holds more than a century of secrets?

This week, Candice and Morena investigate the history of 802 Kentucky Avenue, the former Protestant Home for Destitute Children. From the thousands of children who passed through its doors to documented childhood deaths, disease outbreaks, and decades of dramatic changes, this building has a history that deserves to be remembered.

We explore the orphanage's beginnings in 1890, uncover newspaper reports about children who died while in its care, and follow the building's transformation into a Catholic missionary residence, low-rent apartments, an abandoned property, and eventually a restored historic mansion.

But what about the paranormal?

We dig into the local lore, explore leads involving paranormal investigators, and ask whether anyone has firsthand experiences from inside the building. What can we actually document, and what remains unverified?

Follow Restless Itinerary Project for more Texas history, strange places, unsettling stories, and mysteries that deserve a closer look.

Instagram and TikTok @RIP.TEXAS

Youtube @ RestlessItineraryproject

#RestlessItineraryProject #RIPTexas #SanAntonioHistory #HauntedTexas #TexasGhostStories #TexasHistory #ParanormalInvestigation #ForgottenHistory #HistoricBuildings #GhostHunting

Many sources were used in this episode:

• The Portal to Texas History — digitized editions of the San Antonio Express, San Antonio Light, San Antonio Daily Light, and other newspapers. Search names and phrases such as “Protestant Orphans' Home,” “Elmer Premner,” and “Floyd Rinebold.”
• San Antonio Public Library's Texana and Genealogy resources — a good starting point for historical photographs, local histories, and guidance on city and county records.
• “Historic former orphanage survived many uses, changes over its 135 years”San Antonio Express-News · Paula Allen · May 17, 2025
• “Cityscape: Protestant Home for Destitute Children orphanage”San Antonio Express-News · Michelle Mondo · July 28, 2012
• Texas Historical Commission: “Protestant Home for Destitute Children”Historical marker record · 1991
• Elmer Premner's deathSan Antonio Daily Express · May 21, 1902
• Protestant Orphans' Home annual reportSan Antonio Light and Gazette · February 28, 1911
• “Diphtheria at Orphans' Home”San Antonio Express · December 6, 1914
• Floyd Rinebold's burial-permit recordSan Antonio Express · January 1, 1915
• San Antonio history chronology: the 1923 epidemicSan Antonio Public Library historical blog
• Children living at the home named in a 1913 articleSan Antonio Express · June 17, 1913
• “Was a cache of weapons stored at former San Antonio orphanage during Cristero War?”San Antonio Express-News · Paula Allen · July 5, 2025
• Texas Historical Commission research fileHistorical marker supporting documentation“San Antonio, TX: Protestant Home for Destitute Children”The Morbid Travel Guide · Curious Twins · June 11, 2024
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RIP Music by our handsome husbands: Andy Hockley & Dan Ornes

Welcome to Restless Itinerary. We’re Candice & Morena — two Texas moms, educators, and travelers hitting the roads across Texas to uncover real history, strange legends, haunted places, forgotten stories, cemeteries, ghost towns, and the people who lived and died there.

But we don't just tell the stories. We go there. From haunted taverns and abandoned places to historic cemeteries and creepy backroads, we explore the history behind the legends, talk to locals, investigate the claims, and decide for ourselves what we believe.

Is this place restless???? Or just a story? Help us decide.

👻 Ghost stories 🤠 Texas history 🔎 Paranormal investigations ⚰️ Cemeteries & forgotten stories 🚗 Road trips & unexpected adventures 😂

Two friends getting themselves into questionable situations. Because sometimes the truth is stranger than the legend.

History first. Legends second. Investigation third. You decide.

This is Restless Itinerary.

#RestlessItinerary #HauntedTexas #TexasHistory #TexasGhostStories #ParanormalTexas #SpookyTexas #TexasTravel #Ghoststories

Welcome to Restless Itinerary. We’re Candice & Morena — two Texas moms, educators and travelers We’re hitting the road across Texas to uncover real history, strange legends, haunted places, forgotten stories, cemeteries, ghost towns, and the people who lived and died—there. But we don't just tell the stories. We go there. From haunted taverns and abandoned places to historic cemeteries and creepy backroads, we explore the history behind the legends, talk to locals, investigate the claims, and decide for ourselves what we believe. 👻 Ghost stories 🤠 Texas history 🔎 Paranormal investigations ⚰️ Cemeteries & forgotten stories 🚗 Road trips & unexpected adventures 😂 Two friends getting themselves into questionable situations Because sometimes the truth is stranger than the legend. History first. Legends second. Investigation third. You decide. This is Restless Itinerary. #RestlessItinerary #HauntedTexas #TexasHistory #TexasGhostStories #ParanormalTexas #SpookyTexas #TexasTravel

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Welcome to Restless Itinerary. We’re Candice & Morena — two Texas moms, educators and travelers We’re hitting the road across Texas to uncover real history, strange legends, haunted places, forgotten stories, cemeteries, ghost towns, and the people who lived and died—there. But we don't just tell the stories. We go there. From haunted taverns and abandoned places to historic cemeteries and creepy backroads, we explore the history behind the legends, talk to locals, investigate the claims, and decide for ourselves what we believe. 👻 Ghost stories 🤠 Texas history 🔎 Paranormal investigations ⚰️ Cemeteries & forgotten stories 🚗 Road trips & unexpected adventures 😂 Two friends getting themselves into questionable situations Because sometimes the truth is stranger than the legend. History first. Legends second. Investigation third. You decide. This is Restless Itinerary. #RestlessItinerary #HauntedTexas #TexasHistory #TexasGhostStories #ParanormalTexas #SpookyTexas #TexasTravel