Ghost Hunter Dies In Eerie Circumstances Traveling With Annabelle Doll

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A paranormal expert, Dan Rivera who was associated with Netflix’s “28 Days Haunted” and worked for the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), perished at the age of 54 in his hotel room in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Tragically, this event occurred during a tour where he was accompanying the infamous “haunted” Annabelle doll across the United States. This incident is not a sensationalized advertisement for an upcoming horror movie, but an unfortunate reality.

During its inaugural tour, known as “Devils on the Run”, Annabelle – the doll that served as the basis for the doll in “The Conjuring” movie series and subsequent spinoffs – was taken across various cities. This allowed people nationwide to witness the infamous haunted toy up close. In a recent interview with I95 Rock, Rivera shared an unusual encounter he had after handling the doll: “I felt compelled to move the doll from its case,” he said, “and later that evening, I had to depart from the museum because my leg began shaking uncontrollably and I was overcome by cold sweats. Such a sensation was unlike anything I’d ever experienced before.

Ryan Buell, a fellow NESPR member, paid tribute to Rivera on TikTok: “Right now, we are all feeling the sorrow of our friend’s passing, and we kindly ask everyone to be mindful of his friends and family during this difficult period.” The precise cause of Rivera’s death is still undisclosed. He leaves behind his wife Sarah and their four children.

Annabelle has become a horror icon (and chilling real-life presence)

Annabelle, well-known as a horror movie legend, has a chilling real-life background. It all began in 1970 when a nurse brought home a Raggedy Ann doll. She sensed an ominous aura from the toy and soon noticed peculiar occurrences linked to its arrival, such as “help me” written mysteriously on papers strewn across the floor. This intriguing event caught the eye of Ed and Lorraine Warren, renowned paranormal investigators whose experiences form the basis for the “Conjuring” films. They concluded that the doll harbored an entity seeking to possess a human being.

The Warren family obtained the doll from the nurse and incorporated it into their collection of supernaturally charged items, making Annabelle a permanent exhibit in the Warrens’ Occult Museum located in Monroe, Connecticut. Over time, the Warrens have been widely regarded as charlatans lacking genuine psychic abilities, although their film portrayals may lead many to think otherwise. Nevertheless, they retain a loyal following, and any artifact connected with them is certain to stir interest, especially an object like Annabelle.

2019 saw the museum closed to the public after Lorraine Warren’s passing due to zoning complications. However, in 2025, a tour was initiated to exhibit the Warrens’ artifacts across different locations, with Annabelle as a key feature, despite Lorraine’s earlier warnings not to disturb the doll. Given all that has unfolded, it seems her cautionary advice may have been wise after all.

Is the Annabelle tour cursed?

Dan Rivera’s death is undeniably unfortunate, and while some might speculate a curse linked to the doll, it’s more probable that this was merely an unfortunate coincidence. It’s not uncommon for people to suspect supernatural causes when events like these occur, especially since the “Devils on the Run” tour has experienced its share of misfortunes. Yet, there’s no compelling evidence to support such a theory.

In New Orleans, Louisiana, on May 13 and 14, 2025, the Annabelle doll made its presence known. The NESPR took measures to ensure safety during the tour, like traveling with a Catholic priest, but many still felt the doll’s visit to the swamps caused disorder. A fire destroyed the Nottoway Plantation House on May 15, and the next day, ten inmates escaped from Orleans Parish Prison. As of now, nine have been recaptured, leaving one still at large. This event could easily be a storyline for another “Annabelle” movie, where the demonic doll influences an escaping criminal.

Is something sinister happening here, or are these events merely a series of coincidences? Regardless, it seems that the intrigue surrounding eerie dolls persists among the general population, and it won’t be fading any time in the near future.

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2025-07-17 02:30