'Ghost Hunters' Star Talks Annabelle Rumors Over Dan Rivera Cause of Death

Newsweek

a day ago

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Ghost Hunters star Jason Hawes addressed a rumor that Dan Rivera's death was tied to Annabelle—a doll that inspired the 2013 film The Conjuring and is said to be possessed by evil spirits.
Newsweek reached out to Hawes' representative via email for comment on Friday.
The Context
Rivera died suddenly on Sunday at the age of 54 in a Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, hotel room, the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) said.
The paranormal investigator's death came just one day after he hosted a viewing of the Annabelle doll during NESPR's sold out "Devils on the Run Tour."
According to the Pennsylvania State Police report, "nothing unusual or suspicious was observed at the scene."
Adams County Chief Deputy Coroner Scott Pennewill added in a statement to Today that Rivera's death "was nothing suspicious" and said that an autopsy, which will likely be available in 60 to 90 days, is "pending."
Jason Hawes (left) and Steve Gonsalves from the TV series "Ghost Hunters" are seen at Seminole Casino Hollywood on October 6, 2012, in Hollywood, Florida.
Jason Hawes (left) and Steve Gonsalves from the TV series "Ghost Hunters" are seen at Seminole Casino Hollywood on October 6, 2012, in Hollywood, Florida.
Vallery Jean/WireImage
What To Know
In a statement posted to Facebook on Wednesday, Hawes wrote that "the World lost a good man," adding that Rivera "was an Army veteran, a father of four, a husband, and someone who truly cared about people."
He continued: "What's even harder to see right now are the posts blaming his death on things like the Annabelle doll and attacking places like Ghostly Images of Gettysburg Tours and other locations for having events. That needs to stop. His family shouldn't have to read that kind of nonsense while they're grieving. Some people are using his passing to push an agenda for profit, and it's just disgusting. Dan was a family man, a respected paranormal investigator, and he left this world way too soon."
Hawes concluded his message: "Let's focus on remembering Dan for who he was, not turning his death into some made up bullshit story to get clicks or attention. Honor the man. Forget the garbage."
Dan Rivera is pictured in an Instagram photo from 2023.
Dan Rivera is pictured in an Instagram photo from 2023.
Dan Rivera/Instagram
Annabelle was gifted to a nursing student in 1968, but she and her roommate soon "noticed strange occurrences with the doll," NESPR's website states.
"They were introduced to a medium who told them the doll was inhabited by the spirit of a young girl named Annabelle. The two roommates tried to accept the doll's spirit and please it only to have it reciprocate maliciousness and violent intent."
NESPR's founders, Ed and Lorraine Warren, "pronounced the doll demonically possessed" and "removed the doll from the house and encased it in a glass box to contain the evil spirited entity."
Normally, Annabelle is kept at the Warrens' Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, but it has been on tour.
What People Are Saying
The NESPR wrote in a statement posted to Facebook on Monday: "It's with deep sadness that Tony, Wade, and I share the sudden passing of our close friend and partner, Dan Rivera. We are heartbroken and still processing this loss. Dan truly believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal. His kindness and passion touched everyone who knew him. Thank you for your support and kind thoughts during this difficult time."
Ghost Adventures star Zak Bagans said in a statement to Us Weekly on Wednesday: "My thoughts and prayers go out to [Rivera's] family and friends. I can only speak to my experiences with Annabelle. I did have the opportunity to investigate Annabelle when the owner brought her to my museum in 2017. I got very affected by her and it kind of caused me to touch the doll. The owner didn't like that too much. It was a demonic infestation and severely affected me, and I was literally in the hospital the next day. It was a two-month-long attachment and one of the worst experiences of my life."
What Happens Next?
The newest film in The Conjuring franchise, The Conjuring: Last Rites, will be released in theaters in September.