Spooky Nights at the Shilo Inn

In 1998, I worked for the law firm Snell & Wilmer in Phoenix, Arizona. I worked in Bankruptcy at the time, but business was slow back then. Because we had a minimum hours requirement and I was having trouble meeting mine, I was “loaned out” to another practice group.

Funny, now that I think back I don’t know what the group was called. I know they did oil and gas stuff out of the Salt Lake City office, but I don’t know if that’s what they were called. That part really doesn’t matter. What’s important is that I spent two weeks in Salt Lake City copying oil records at a government building.

THE HOTEL

I’m also not 100% on the name of the hotel I stayed at, but I do believe it was the Shilo Inn in downtown Salt Lake City. I remember I was across from the convention center and this hotel fits the bill.

It was during my second week in town that I had my “encounter.”

THE FIRST EXPERIENCE

The very first odd thing I remember happening was when I woke up one morning. I got out of bed and headed towards the bathroom, then found myself rapidly ducking as I turned the corner and saw a dark mass flying at me from out of the corner of my eye.

I remember feeling so confused. I was certain something had flown at me. Not just something, but possibly even someone. If I hadn’t been standing there all by myself I would’ve sworn someone else had just rushed at me…or maybe even swung at me.

But there was nothing there. I was all by myself. I pretty much dismissed it after I took a shower. I was a little worried about my health actually…until I rationalized it that I was maybe just more asleep than I wanted to admit when I’d first stumbled out of bed.

THE SECOND EXPERIENCE

Harder to dismiss was what happened over the next couple of nights. (Which I’ll just lump generally together as “The Second Experience.”)

I remember being awoken by something…sounds in my room. Almost like drawers being opened. When I turned on the lights nothing was out of place, though, and I was still all alone.

Yet, I had the oddest sensation I wasn’t all alone. And for some reason I had the notion children were hiding in the drawers. It was a really creepy feeling, and like I alluded to before, it lasted more than one night.

GHOSTS OF THE MURDERED CHILDREN?

When I got back to Phoenix I was talking to one of the project assistants who’d been born and raised in Salt Lake City. She had asked how I’d liked it there. I had really enjoyed the city. I’d had my nights free…and had gotten off at 5 p.m. most nights so I had time to explore a little. I’d actually ended up having a blast.

But I did happen to mention my weird experiences…just kind of jokingly. I never expected her to tell me what she did.

She didn’t know which hotel it’d happened at, but she remembered when she’d been little that a lady had thrown several of her kids out the window before killing herself.

Could it be the sensation of children playing in the drawers of my room had been these children?

I don’t know. I’ve never been able to confirm if that had really happened. (Heck, the project assistant might even have been pulling my leg for all I know! I doubt it, because she wasn’t that type, but…I suppose there’s always that possibility.)

If you happen to live in Salt Lake City or grew up there yourself and remember such an incident, or if you come across any news articles detailing one, I’d really appreciate hearing of it.

Courtney Mroch

Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.

Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.