Latest news with #GhostAdventures
New York Post
2 days ago
- General
- New York Post
Locals buy ‘haunted' Venice island known for horrific experiments in plan to ban tourists
A group of more than 4,500 residents of Venice chipped in to buy a 'haunted' island that once housed an asylum and a hospital for quarantined plague victims — to keep tourists away. The local investors are now due to take over the 18.5-acre island of Poveglia on Aug. 1 with a 99-year lease that will turn it into an urban park for Venetians that is strictly off limits to foreigners visiting the historic city, according to a report by CNN. The spooky island sits on the southern end of the Venice lagoon. Advertisement 5 Poveglia island was once a Roman military outpost, and later housed an asylum and a hospital for plague victims. Getty Images 5 Once home to controversial experiments on the mentally ill, Venice's Poveglia Island is now believed to be haunted. Getty Images 'It wasn't just outrage, it was psychologically traumatic to realize that the city could be broken up and sold to the highest bidder, without a starting price, without even a plan,' Patrizia Veclani, who formed the group Poveglia per Tutti, or 'Poveglia for Everyone,' told the outlet. Advertisement 'It's as if Rome were to decide to sell the Trevi Fountain,' Veclani said. 'The island would never have been as popular as other places, but keeping this small space just for Venetians is a victory.' Poveglia's haunted history dates back to 421 AD, when it served as a Roman military base. It was later a farming and fishing community before it was used to house victims of the bubonic plague when it broke out in the 18th Century, the report said. 5 Over the years Poveglia was also a farming and fishing community before it became a hospital and asylum. De Agostini via Getty Images 5 A group of 4,500 Venetians chipped in to buy the island to keep it away from private developers and tourists. Getty Images Advertisement At least 160,000 plague victims are believed to be buried there. In the 19th Century, the island was converted into an asylum for the mentally ill — and experimental treatments and abusive conditions reportedly ran rampant, the outlet said. Poveglia has been uninhabited since the asylum shut down in 1968, and today it is heavily overgrown with brush and woods with a large rabbit population surrounding 15 abandoned hospital buildings. Ghost hunters have since dubbed the island haunted, and it was featured in TV's 'Ghost Adventures.' Advertisement However, the island was put up for auction in 2014, and recent rumors suggested a private developer would end up buying it and adding yet another tourist attraction in a city weary of tourists. 5 Poveglia's new owners said they will turn the haunted island into an urban park exclusively for Venetians. Getty Images Alarmed, Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro organized a group to buy the island for $600,000, but their effort failed to get approval from the state and Poveglia's fate remained in limbo. However, Veclani's group banded together and landed the lease for $539,000. 'The island was made famous by foreigners who were looking for something to exploit,' Massimo Pera, a member of the group, told CNN. 'The memories of the island are steeped in pain, but we will transform it into a place of joy.'
Express Tribune
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Zak Bagans speaks out after Dan Rivera dies while touring with Annabelle doll
Ghost Adventures star Zak Bagans is speaking out following the unexpected death of paranormal investigator Dan Rivera, who had recently toured with the infamous Annabelle doll, an object long associated with sinister folklore and housed in the Warrens' Occult Museum. Bagans, who first encountered Annabelle in 2017, shared in a recent interview, 'I got very affected by her and it kinda caused me to touch the doll,' adding that the experience with the doll was so intense that 'the owner didn't like that too much.' That chilling revelation comes into sharper focus now. Rivera, who worked closely with Bagans' Haunted Museum and appeared on several paranormal series, passed away in early July. According to Pennsylvania State Police, his death was ruled 'natural,' with no signs of foul play, though final autopsy and toxicology results are still pending. In his tribute to Rivera, Bagans called his colleague 'a kind, gentle soul' whose passion for the paranormal made a real impact. He emphasized the need to honor Rivera's memory rather than dwell on the spooky timing. Despite the eerie coincidence of Rivera's recent work with Annabelle, neither Bagans nor investigators are suggesting a supernatural link. As investigators await the autopsy results and Rivera's legacy continues through the ongoing tour, his death remains a poignant reminder of both fascination and caution in the field of paranormal investigation.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wife of Reality TV Star Learns Fate After Murder-for-Hire Plot
The estranged wife of Ghost Adventures star Aaron Goodwin has been sentenced to a minimum of 3 years to 7.5 years in a Nevada prison following her conviction in a murder-for-hire plot involving a Florida inmate who is a convicted killer himself. Aaron, 49, confronted Victoria Goodwin in court at her sentencing hearing and detailed how he felt when he first learned about her diabolical plan to have him killed because she wanted out of the marriage. "For seven years I thought I was in [the] most loving relationship of marriage with my best friend, someone I trusted [with my] whole heart and laughed with every day. Someone who made me feel like I was so — like I was her one and only,' Aaron said in video captured by Court TV. "Now, discovering she put a hit out to kill me more than once, got blackmailed and spent almost all our savings to keep it quiet … This has led me to fear [for] my life,' he continued, through tears. 'I've hired armed security for weeks. Not knowing [whether] it was over or not.'For her part, Victoria said she'll never forgive herself for the "stupid" choices she made. "I'm so immensely sorry for the pain and anxiety I have caused you and the betrayal you undoubtedly and rightfully feel by my actions," she read from a prepared statement. "I'm sorry I broke us, and I'm consumed with regret every day." Victoria, who pled guilty to conspiracy to commit murder, became pen pals with Grant Amato, a Florida inmate serving a life sentence following his conviction of a triple murder. She had seen a true crime documentary about his case and began writing to him. Victoria set aside more than $11,000 to pay a hitman, allegedly hired by Grant. Prosecutors, who uncovered the plot through text and Facebook messages Victoria sent to Grant's seized phone, say Victoria went as far as telling Grant about Aaron's whereabouts as he filmed Discovery's Ghost Adventures with Zak Bagans. Prosecutors alleged Victoria was so nervous about the setup that she demanded a play-by-play of when the murder was to take place. Victoria's lawyers sought a lighter sentence, claiming she had never been in trouble with the law and had abandoned the murder-for-hire plot before it was uncovered. Wife of Reality TV Star Learns Fate After Murder-for-Hire Plot first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 9, 2025
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'Ghost Adventures' Star Aaron Goodwin Gets Emotional Confronting Estranged Wife as She Is Sentenced for Conspiring to Murder Him
Aaron Goodwin confronted his estranged wife Victoria Goodwin during her sentencing on June 5 He told the judge he "will never feel safe" and he fears for his life after finding out that his estranged wife conspired to have him killed Victoria was sentenced to a minimum of 36 months and a maximum of 90 months in prison after taking a plea deal in AprilAaron Goodwin confronted his estranged wife Victoria Goodwin for conspiring to murder him. The Ghost Adventures star, 49, read a statement in court as Victoria was sentenced on Thursday, June 5, detailing how he felt when he found out that she had been plotting his murder and the subsequent fear he had for his safety. 'For seven years I thought I was in [the] most loving relationship of marriage with my best friend, someone I trusted [with my] whole heart and laughed with every day. Someone who made me feel like I was so — like I was her one and only,' an emotional Goodwin told the judge, per Court TV. "Now, discovering she put a hit out to kill me more than once, got blackmailed and spent almost all our savings to keep it quiet … This has led me to fear [for] my life,' he continued, through tears. 'I've hired armed security for weeks. Not knowing [whether] it was over or not.' Aaron, who filed for divorce from Victoria in March, told the judge that ever since he found out about the plot, he has been 'looking over' his shoulder and going through therapy to understand everything that has happened. He then described the feeling as a 'heartbreak no one should go through in life," stating, "The fact that this person did all this to me with no worry, no care or love in her heart for me, I will never feel the same." "I will never feel safe or be the same because of what she did. Especially when she gets out one day," Aaron added. 'Whether she [gets] minimum or maximum time, I still won't feel safe whenever she's released. I feel like this deserves prison time." Victoria was later sentenced to a minimum of 36 months and a maximum of 90 months in prison, according to KVVU-TV. She previously accepted a plea deal in April, pleading guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to commit murder. Victoria was initially taken into custody on March 6 on charges of soliciting to commit murder and conspiring to commit murder. She allegedly conspired with convicted murderer Grant Amato, with whom she began a relationship in March 2024, after seeing him in the Paramount+ true crime docuseries, Ctrl + Alt + Desire, per a police report. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. After Victoria and Amato met, she allegedly conspired to kill Aaron with her new lover's help — allegedly going as far as discussing payments for his murder. Their alleged plans were discovered when a phone Amato had been communicating with Victoria on was confiscated by prison security guards. Aaron and Victoria had been married since August 2022. Following the news of Victoria's alleged murder-for-hire plan, Aaron filed for divorce in a complaint that read, "There is no possibility of reconciliation between husband and wife.' Aaron later thanked his fans for their continued support in a March 22 Instagram post. "Thank you everyone for all the love and support through this emotionally trying time. It has really helped a lot and I appreciate you all,' he wrote. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Ghost Adventures star Aaron Goodwin wails in court as he comes face to face with wife who tried to kill him
Ghost Adventures star Aaron Goodwin broke down in court as his estranged wife was sentenced for plotting his murder in a chilling murder-for-hire scheme. On Wednesday, a Nevada judge sentenced Victoria Goodwin, 32, to 36 to 90 months in prison after she pleaded guilty to conspiring to have her husband killed while he was on a filming trip in California. Court documents revealed that Victoria contacted Florida inmate Grant Amato - who is serving a life sentence for murdering his parents and brother - and offered him $11,500 to carry out the hit, with a $2,500 down payment already made. But, her devious plan unraveled when prison authorities seized Amato's phone and discovered disturbing communications between him and Victoria. Investigators said she instructed him to make Aaron's death look like an accident and provided detailed information about his travel plans and routines. At her sentencing, Victoria apologized to Aaron, saying she would 'always hold love for him' and promised he would 'never be in danger of her again.' Aaron, 49, wept as he described the betrayal of discovering that the 'love of his life' had not only cheated on him but had tried to have him killed. 'For seven years I thought I was in the most loving relationship of marriage with my best friend, someone who I trusted with my whole heart and laughed with every day,' the paranormal investigator said. Failing to hold back tears, he said after he found out his then-wife was 'cheating on him with several men,' he gave her options for a path forward. One option was divorce and another was 'trying to work things out' because he just 'loves her so much.' Aaron went on to recount how Victoria initially expressed regret and begged not to lose him. 'She didn't want to lose me,' he recalled. 'She was so sorry for the pain she caused me. At least that's what she told me.' He then revealed the extent of her betrayal. 'Now discovering she put a hit out to kill me more than once, got blackmailed, and spent almost our entire savings to keep it quiet.' He also told the court that Victoria had even 'got spiritually married' to the man she enlisted to kill him. In his emotional statement, Aaron said the experience has left him deeply scarred and in constant fear for his life. 'This has led me to fear for my life. I've hired armed security for weeks, not knowing if it was over or not,' he said. 'I cry every day, I feel so low. She grew me into a person I never was. I will always wonder why.' He accused Victoria of attempting to keep him from speaking at the sentencing, claiming he only learned of the murder plot when detectives informed him. 'Now, behind bars, she's trying to manipulate through lawyers and trying to silence me to not come here today,' he said. The murder plot was set to unfold in October 2024 while Aaron was filming Ghost Adventures in California. The show follows Aaron and three other men as they explore reportedly haunted locations and investigate paranormal activity. Prosecutors cited chilling messages recovered from Amato's phone. One message from Amato to a hitman read: 'He's asleep right now in the hotel room… I need to know what's going on. Can I get an update. Was it done?' In another message, Victoria wrote to Amato: 'Am I a bad person? Because I chose to end his existence. Not divorce.' When questioned by authorities, Victoria claimed she first learned about Amato through a true crime documentary and began corresponding with him. She described their relationship as 'pen pals' and admitted that she and Aaron had been experiencing marital problems, which led her to 'connect' with Amato. According to divorce documents obtained by Court TV, Aaron and Victoria married in May 2020. Following her arrest, Aaron filed for divorce on March 12, stating: 'The views, tastes, likes, and dislikes of Husband and Wife have become incompatible to the extent that it has become impossible for them to live together as husband and wife in marital harmony. There is no possibility of reconciliation between Husband and Wife.'
