Latest news with #WarrenOccultMuseum
CNN
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CNN
Coroner says ‘Annabelle' doll was not present in the hotel room where paranormal investigator Dan Rivera suddenly died
A Pennsylvania coroner is revealing new details surrounding the sudden death of Dan Rivera, a noted paranormal investigator who was on tour with the Raggedy Ann doll known as Annabelle, made famous by 'The Conjuring' horror film franchise, when he died. Francis Dutrow, coroner in Adams County, PA, told CNN on Thursday that the doll was not present in the hotel room where Rivera died earlier this week in Gettysburg. He was reportedly 54. Ever since the death was reported by the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) via a press release posted to Facebook on Tuesday, horror and supernatural fans have theorized about a possible connection between the Annabelle doll, which Rivera was seen handling during the 'Devils on the Run Tour' over the weekend, and his death. The case remains an'active investigation,' according to the coroner, with autopsy results expected in eight to ten weeks. Pennsylvania State Police public information officer Megan Frazer shared a report on Wednesday citing details that match Rivera's case, and stated that 'nothing unusual or suspicious was observed at the scene.' On Tuesday, NESPR posted to social media announcing 'the sudden and heartbreaking loss of our dear friend and colleague' Rivera. 'Dan was not only a vital part of our team for over a decade, but also a deeply compassionate, loyal, and dedicated friend.' Rivera was affiliated with the Warren Occult Museum in Connecticut, which shared on its Facebook page that he 'played a vital role in the museum's operations, often responsible for transporting and safeguarding Annabelle during public appearances and private events.' 'He was respected for his careful approach and deep respect for the artefact's (sic) alleged supernatural reputation. Rivera's sudden passing has shocked both colleagues and paranormal enthusiasts worldwide.' NESPR's statement also said Rivera was a US Army veteran, and that he 'worked closely with' Lorraine Warren – the late famed paranormal investigator who determined that the real-life Annabelle doll was demonically possessed in 1968. Warren was portrayed by actor Vera Farmiga in the 'Conjuring' films, an immensely successful horror franchise that has also seen sequels and standalone spinoffs, including 2014's 'Annabelle' and 2018's 'The Nun.' A new sequel starring Farmiga and Patrick Wilson, titled 'The Conjuring: Last Rites,' is due in September.
NDTV
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
Handler Dies, Jailbreak And Fire Follow: Haunted Annabelle Doll Sparks New Panic
The notorious Annabelle doll, long associated with paranormal legends, is once again making headlines following a series of bizarre and tragic events during its US tour. Dan Rivera, handler of the doll during the "Devils on the Run" paranormal exhibit, was found dead in his hotel room under mysterious circumstances this week. Rivera, a cult figure in the ghost-hunting world, had been touring with Annabelle, a supposedly demon-possessed Raggedy Ann doll made famous by The Conjuring films. The tour, which began in May, stopped in New Orleans just days before a fire destroyed the historic Nottoway Plantation and ten inmates escaped from a nearby jail. Rumours quickly swirled that Annabelle had gone missing and may have been connected to the disasters. However, Tony Spera, owner of the Warren Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, refuted these claims. "You know, it's easy for rumours to start. The fact of the matter is that doll was never out of our sight, never out of our control," Spera told NBC News this week. "It's in a protective case and many precautions were taken to make it safe." Paranormal investigator Ryan Buell supported this by posting a video from the museum on May 24, showing Annabelle secured behind him. Despite these reassurances, conspiracy theories and fear have spread rapidly online. Ghost City Tours founder Tim Nealon said, "I didn't realise people were actually taking this seriously." Annabelle's legend traces back to the 1970s, when paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren claimed it was used by a demonic entity to manipulate and harm humans. Plans for the doll's future appearances remain uncertain following Rivera's death.
Time of India
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Dan Rivera's death: Paranormal investigator Zak Bagans' haunting experience with the Annabelle doll is still creeping people out
Dan Rivera's death: Paranormal investigator Dan Rivera, 54, has died suddenly while touring with the infamous Annabelle doll, believed by many to be haunted. His unexpected death has left everyone in shock. As news of his passing spreads, many are recalling a chilling account shared by American paranormal expert Zak Bagans, who once described the disturbing impact touching the doll had on him. Here's what he said. Zak Bagans' haunting experience with the Annabelle doll Back in 2017, Zak Bagans took to his Facebook account to address the backlash he received for touching the haunted Annabelle doll. In response to the outrage, he shared a detailed account of how he felt in the doll's presence and described the unsettling experience he had during that time. Responding to criticism, Bagans emphasized that many viewers simply don't understand what it's like to be in such intense paranormal situations. He explained that he is a 'sensitive' not a psychic medium but someone who has always been highly receptive to energies, whether from living beings, objects, or spirits. He described his experiences around Annabelle as overwhelming, explaining that the doll was infused with a complex mix of layered energies. According to Bagans, a dark entity had latched onto the doll, using it as a host to influence and manipulate the living. He also believed that both past and present owners had contributed their own energies, both good and bad, to the doll. Its long stay in a cursed and haunted occult museum, surrounded by other possessed artifacts, only intensified the entity's strength. On top of that, the doll's Hollywood fame had brought greed, lawsuits, and negativity, further fueling the energy surrounding it. So many of you in outrage because I touched "Annabelle" so here's my response. While so many viewers think they know... Initially skeptical of Annabelle, Bagans said his doubts vanished once the doll arrived and his team began documenting significant evidence using various pieces of paranormal equipment. He and his colleagues, Billy and Aaron, felt extraordinary sensations around and beneath the doll. They captured spirit box voices saying "Annabelle," "Anna," and 'Grab leg,' among other messages. SLS camera evidence reportedly showed two figures entering Bagans when Annabelle's figure would leave the doll's body and go into his. How touching the Annabelle doll affected him He recounted becoming emotionally affected during the encounter, feeling inexplicably sad as the spirit box emitted phrases like 'you' and 'us,' which he interpreted as signs that the entity within Annabelle was attempting to manipulate him. He described going into a trance-like state, feeling freezing cold, while one of his team members was drenched in sweat. The event even stunned Tony Spera, curator of the Warren Occult Museum and the doll's custodian, who witnessed the evidence firsthand. Bagans admitted to touching Annabelle but claimed it was not a stunt for television. He said he felt compelled, as though something had taken hold of him. He expressed regret for upsetting Tony Spera and the late Lorraine Warren, acknowledging that the act of touching the doll seemed to trigger a series of strange events in his life. Despite the risks, he stood by the investigation, proud that his team was the first to investigate Annabelle on television and that they had captured what he described as 'incredible evidence.' What investigators have to say about Dan Rivera's death As reported by the New York Post, Dan Rivera, a U.S. Army veteran and paranormal investigator, passed away suddenly while on his sold-out "Devils on the Run Tour" in Pennsylvania. The incident occurred on Sunday, shortly after he concluded a three-day event in Gettysburg, hosted by "Ghostly Images of Gettysburg Tours" at the historic Soldiers National Orphanage, according to the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR). Rivera had been touring the country with the reportedly haunted Annabelle doll, visiting various paranormal sites. Emergency responders, including firefighters and medics, were called to his Gettysburg hotel that evening following a report of CPR in progress. However, by the time they arrived, Rivera had already passed away.
Metro
16-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Deaths, fires and prison breaks: The mystery behind the eerie Annabelle doll
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A cursed doll rumoured to have gone missing while touring the US with a travelling exhibit is being blamed for local disasters, including a fire and a jailbreak. Annabelle, a doll which some believe is demon-possessed and was featured in The Conjuring horror films, is on a paranormal tour along with other items belonging to her ghost hunter owners. She's dominating headlines again after her handler on the tour, Dan Rivera, was found dead in his hotel in mysterious circumstances. Rivera had become a cult figure in the paranormal world, gaining a devoted following through his eerie investigations, viral content, and direct work with some of the world's most notorious haunted objects. The Devils on the Run tour, which began in May, brought Annabelle to cities across the U.S., sparking massive interest as well as widespread concern. Critics accused Rivera of exploiting fear and superstition, while some believers warned that removing the doll from its sealed case could unleash dangerous energy. At the centre of it all was Annabelle, a seemingly innocuous Raggedy Ann doll believed to be possessed by a malevolent spirit, or worse. Odd things began happening in mid-May, however. The doll vanished while stopping at the Ghost City Tours office in New Orleans – the same week that a fire tore through a nearby plantation and 10 prisoners escaped from a jail. But Tony Spera, the owner of the Warren Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, said that Annabelle was 'safely back' in the museum, locked in her display case. 'You know, it's easy for rumours to start. The fact of the matter is that doll was never out of our sight, never out of our control,' Spera told NBC News this week. 'It's in a protective case and many precautions were taken to make it safe.' Paranormal investigator Ryan Buell sought to further quell rumours by posting a video on Facebook on May 24 of himself at the museum. 'She's not in Chicago, she never was in Chicago, and she's not missing because she's right behind me,' said Buell, while pointing the camera towards him with the doll sitting in the case over his shoulder. Still, social media users and conspiracy theorists have been sceptical about those accounts of Annabelle's whereabouts. A blaze destroyed the Nottoway Plantation House between Baton Rouge and New Orleans on May 15, and the very next day, inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Centre. Annabelle was touring in New Orleans on May 13 and 14, and among the precautions that were taken was having a Catholic priest alongside the doll. Some people are 'absolutely convinced' that Ghost City Tours is at fault for the fire and jailbreak, said its founder, Tim Nealon. One Facebook user asked why Annabelle wasn't left at the Connecticut museum and wrote on Ghost City Tours' page: 'Did it cross your mind maybe she was there for a reason? Some things are better left alone.' 'I did not think people were taking it seriously, I kept seeing jokes about it on Instagram and TikTok,' Nealon told USA Today. 'But, I didn't realise people were out here like, actually thinking that this was legit.' Spera said he doesn't blame people for being sceptical: 'If people don't know about the demonic, it's very difficult to believe that these things are happening,' he said. 'But they do happen.' Annabelle has been on sold-out tours across the US, and Buell previously said that plans were underway for her to be at the Rock Island Roadhouse Esoteric Expo in Illinois on October 4. Those plans have been made uncertain by Rivera's sudden death this week. Annabelle's legend dates back to the 1970s, when a young nurse claimed the doll moved on its own and left frightening handwritten messages. The events began in 1970, when a nursing student named Donna received the doll as a gift from her mother. Shortly after, Donna and her roommate Angie reported unusual activity involving the doll, including changes in its position and location within their apartment. They also discovered handwritten notes on parchment paper with disturbing messages such as 'Help me,' despite not having such paper in the apartment. Seeking an explanation, the women consulted a medium who claimed that the doll was inhabited by the spirit of a deceased girl named Annabelle Higgins. More Trending However, the Warrens, upon investigating, concluded that the presence associated with the doll was not that of a human spirit but a malevolent, demonic entity using the doll as a conduit to ultimately possess a human host. Following their investigation, the Warrens removed the doll and placed it in a secure glass case in their Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, with a warning label reading, 'Warning: Positively Do Not Open.' The doll is also associated with a supposed curse. The Warrens recounted an incident in which a museum visitor mocked the doll and challenged its power. According to their account, the visitor died in a motorcycle accident shortly after being asked to leave the museum. This story has contributed to the belief that Annabelle carries a dangerous curse, although no verifiable evidence supports these claims. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Ali went for a walk to clear his head – but what happened next is a mystery MORE: 'I shared a prison dorm with Ghislaine Maxwell – she isn't suicidal in the least' MORE: Seven officers investigated after man 'in crisis' dies during Boston arrest
Metro
03-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Haunted doll's handler says it's not responsible for disasters while on tour
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video A cursed doll rumored to have gone missing while touring the US with a traveling exhibit is being blamed for local disasters including a fire and a jailbreak. The 'Annabelle' doll, which some believe is demon-possessed and was featured in The Conjuring horror films, is on a paranormal tour along with other items belonging to her ghost hunter owners. Word on the street in mid-May was that Anabelle vanished while stopping at the Ghost City Tours office in New Orleans. It happened to be the same week that a fire tore through a nearby plantation and 10 prisoners escaped from a jail. But Tony Spera, the owner of the Warren Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, said that Annabelle is 'safely back' there locked in her display case. 'You know, it's easy for rumors to start. The fact of the matter is, that doll was never out of our sight, never out of our control,' Spera told NBC News this week. 'It's in a protective case that many precautions were taken to make it safe.' Paranormal investigator Ryan Buell sought to further quell rumors by posting a video on Facebook on May 24 of himself at the museum. 'She's not in Chicago, she never was in Chicago, and she's not missing because she's right behind me,' said Buell, while pointing the camera towards him with the doll sitting in the case over his shoulder. Still, social media users and conspiracy theorists have been skeptical about those accounts of Annabelle's whereabouts. A blaze destroyed the Nottoway Plantation House between Baton Rouge and New Orleans on May 15, and the very next day, inmates escaped from the Orleans Justice Center. Annabelle was touring in New Orleans on May 13 and 14, and among the precautions that were taken were having a Catholic priest alongside the doll. Some people are 'absolutely convinced' that Ghost City Tours is at fault for the fire and jailbreak, said its founder Tim Nealon. One Facebook user asked why Annabelle wasn't left at the Connecticut museum and wrote on Ghost City Tours' page: 'Did it cross your mind maybe she was there for a reason. Some things are better left alone.' 'I did not think people were taking it seriously, I kept seeing jokes about it on Instagram and TikTok,' Nealon told USA Today. 'But, I didn't realize people were out here like, actually thinking that this was legit.' More Trending Spera said he doesn't blame people for being skeptical. 'If people don't know about the demonic, it's very difficult to believe that these thing are happening,' he said. 'But they do happen.' Annabelle has been on sold-out tours across the US – and Buell said that plans are underway for her to be at the Rock Island Roadhouse Esoteric Expo in Illinois on October 4. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Family business '£10,000 out of pocket' after Meta blocks their accounts for 12 weeks MORE: British journalist Charlotte Peet who vanished in Brazil four months ago has been found MORE: FDA tomato recall elevated to highest level due to salmonella risk
