Matt Rife becomes 'guardian' of cursed Annabelle doll -weeks after mysterious death
US comedian Matt Rife has confirmed he is the new 'legal guardian' of the Annabelle doll that is said to be cursed and inspired The Conjuring movie franchise and its subsequent Annabelle spin-off films.
The 29-year-old took to Instagram to share the news, after admitting he is "obsessed with the paranormal and all things haunted" and that The Conjuring films films are his "favourite scary movies of all time".
It comes just weeks after the Annabelle doll's previous caretaker - paranormal investigator Dan Rivera - mysteriously died as he took it on tour round America. The 54-year-old was found dead in his hotel room in Pennsylvania on July 13. A post-mortem is yet to reveal his cause of death.
Writing on social media, Matt shared a photo with the infamous Raggedy Ann doll, best known to modern horror fans by her more menacing fictionalised form in The Conjuring films. She is supposedly haunted by the spirit of a deceased six-year-old girl who others have claimed has the ability to move around - and even inflict "psychic slashes" on horrified house guests.
For decades, the allegedly fearsome red-haired doll was owned by Ed and Lorraine Warren, the husband and wife duo famed for delving into some of the most chilling paranormal cases ever recorded, from the Amityville haunting to the Enfield poltergeist.
It was kept in a glass case bearing the warning 'positively do not open', and from an early age young members of the Warren family were taught that Annabelle was not a toy. She is even said to have caused a car crash involving one of the family members.
Ed and Lorraine are now deceased and their home and their Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, was put up for sale. Matt has now bought both and will Annabelle's guardian for at least the next five years.
Alongside the photo with the doll, he posted: "INSANE ANNOUNCEMENT. I have officially purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren's home and Occult Museum, including being the legal guardian for at least the next 5 years, of the entire haunted collection including THE ANNABELLE DOLL, with my good friend @eltoncastee!!
"If you know me, you know I'm obsessed with the paranormal and all things haunted. You also may know The Conjuring films are my favourite scary movies of all time. So I'm incredibly honoured to have taken over one of the most prominent properties in paranormal history.
"Ed and Lorain Warren arguably put demonology and paranormal into the mainstream and are the very heart of some of the most famous haunted stories of all time, The Conjuring House, Amityville Horror, etc…"
Sharing his plans for the future - which may delight horror fans eager to meet the real Annabelle doll in person - he added: "We plan to open the house for overnight stays and museum tours so you yourself can experience and learn all the haunted history surrounding this amazing place."
But some fans issued warnings to Annabelle's new owners, with one writing: "This isn't just a fun fascination guys, this is a literal spiritual agreement with darkness. Demons aren't collectibles. They don't care if you believe in them or not — the fact is, they're real, and they're dangerous."
Another commented: "Oh boyyyy. Didn't someone just die for taking that Annabelle doll on tour or something???" A third chillingly said: "RIP buddy. It's been nice knowing ya." A fourth warned: "Be careful please!!" And a fifth added: "DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DON'T TOUCH ANYTHING!!"
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