Paranormal investigator known for Annabelle doll tour dies suddenly, group says
A paranormal investigator, known for bringing the allegedly haunted doll, Annabelle, across the country as part of a tour, has died, the organization behind the now-viral tour announced.
The New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), the organization behind the tour, announced the "sudden" death of Dan Rivera, 54, in a Facebook post on Monday, July 14.
"It's with deep sadness that Tony, Wade, and I share the sudden passing of our close friend and partner, Dan Rivera," the Facebook post reads. "We are heartbroken and still processing this loss."
Rivera, who was the lead investigator for the NESPR and a U.S. Army veteran, died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 13, during his visit to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the organization said, per the Evening Sun, part of the USA TODAY Network.
"Dan truly believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal. His kindness and passion touched everyone who knew him," the organization's Facebook post reads. "Thank you for your support and kind thoughts during this difficult time."
The tour Rivera was a part of, the "Devils on the Run Tour," had gone viral due to him and other NESPR members bringing the Annabella doll to various states.
What happened to Dan Rivera?
NESPR did not disclose how Rivera died, but Adams County dispatch scanner archives show that local firefighters and medical personnel were called to a hotel in Gettysburg on Sunday evening, July 13 for a report of CPR in progress on a man who was the same age as the paranormal investigator.
Adams County Coroner Francis Dutrow, whose office was conducting a death investigation, confirmed to the Evening Sun that Rivera's cause of death remained pending as of Tuesday afternoon, July 15.
Death comes after tour stop in Pennsylvania
The Gettysburg portion of the tour, hosted by Ghostly Images of Gettysburg Tours at the Soldiers National Orphanage, completely sold out, according to organizers, who sold over 1,260 tickets across three days on the weekend of Friday, July 11. The visit was expected to conclude on Sunday afternoon.
Rivera had helped the tour go viral and garner international attention through his public outreach, including several TikTok videos that he produced with fellow paranormal investigator Ryan Daniel Buell.
The last video posted on the Annabelle World Tour TikTok page was on May 27, 2025, and it has over 38,000 views.
What is Annabelle?
Annabelle is a doll that became popular following the release of the 2013 film "The Conjuring." The doll's origin goes back to the 1970s, when a mom gave her daughter, Donna, a 28-year-old nursing student, the toy she'd purchased from a hobby store, according to the NESPR.
At some point, Donna and her roommate, Angie, purportedly noticed weird paranormal activity occurring around the apartment, which began to escalate.
The legend behind the doll suggests that paranormal activity worsened, and that Annabelle was possessed by something "demonic and inhuman." The doll was eventually handed over to Ed and Lorraine Warren, a couple famous for collecting paranormal objects and artifacts.
Annabelle was subsequently put on display in the Warren's occult museum, which was located in Monroe, Connecticut. Rivera said Lorraine Warren mentored him, and during Saturday's event, he told attendees about the steps he'd taken to "protect them" from the doll.
"What Lorraine would say to protect yourself is to close your eyes and envision yourself in a halo of white light," Rivera said, per the Evening Sun.
What will happen to the Annabelle tour now?
It is unclear what will happen with the tour going forward, as Annabelle and NESPR were expected to appear in Rock Island, Illinois in October, according to the Shreveport Times, part of the USA TODAY Network.
USA TODAY contacted NESPR on Tuesday, July 15, but has not received a response.
Contributing: Presley Bo Tyler, Shreveport Times
Jonathan Limehouse covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at JLimehouse@gannett.com.
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