Just hours after leading a sold-out crowd through the dark history of the allegedly demonic doll Annabelle, Dan Rivera – a legendary paranormal investigator – was found dead in his Gettysburg hotel room.
Now, as shock ripples through the paranormal world, one question hangs in the air: Did Annabelle claim her next victim?
At 54 years old, Dan Rivera was the lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), which was founded in 1952 by famed demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren.
NESPR became synonymous with the world’s most terrifying hauntings – including The Amityville Horror, the Enfield Poltergeist, and the cursed Annabelle doll, who was given to a young girl in 1968, People reports.
The rag doll – specifically Raggedy Ann – is believed to be manipulated by a demon who used it to walk around the house and leave notes,” according to iHorror.
“Her cloth body is stuffed with batting, her hair made of yarn with a stitched face sown into an unthreatening smile,” the site writes.
But Annabelle was far more menacing than her smile suggested, leading the Warrens – who suspected it was inhabited by a spirit “inhuman and demonic in nature” – to store the doll in a glass box “to contain the evil spirited entity.”
According to the Evening Sun explains that the doll, along with the real-life investigations of the Warrens, inspired the blockbuster horror franchise, The Conjuring, cementing the couple’s legacy in the paranormal world and Annabelle’s sinister legend in pop culture forever.
Dan Rivera
Described as having an “insatiable curiosity,” Rivera explored ghost stories and unexplained phenomena from a young age. After completing his military service, Rivera didn’t seek comfort in the ordinary – instead, he embraced the extraordinary by exploring the paranormal.
His dedication earned him a mentorship with Lorraine (1927 to 2019), who took Rivera under her wing during the twilight years of her life, preparing him to carry on her legacy.
In 2011, Rivera officially became the lead investigator for NESPR and building awareness, the charismatic investigator helped demystify paranormal research for the public.
‘Devils on the Run Tour’
Starting in May, Rivera escorted Annabelle – one of the world’s most feared objects – across the United States for the “Devils on the Run Tour.”
“You’ve seen the movies. You’ve heard the stories. But nothing – NOTHING – prepares you for seeing the doll in person,” the NESPR shared in a Facebook post about Annabelle’s tour. “Feel the chill creep up your spine as you lock eyes with evil.”
Contained within a case Rivera built himself – lined with crosses and coated with a holy water-infused stain – the doll was said to be safely neutralized.
White light
On July 12, a reporter from the Evening Sun sat in the audience and watched Rivera as he introduced Annabelle to the audience, entertaining believers and reassuring skeptics, emphasizing that every measure had been taken to prevent spiritual harm.
“I want you guys to have a good time,” he told the sold-out audience at the Soldiers National Orphanage in Gettysburg, the last stop of the sold-out tour for the summer.
Rivera even quoted his former mentor’s advice for spiritual protection: “What Lorraine would say to protect yourself, is to close your eyes and envision yourself in a halo of white light.”
But in Gettysburg, even white light could not protect him.
Mysterious death
The day after his charismatic presentation, Rivera – reportedly alone – was found unresponsive in his Gettysburg hotel room. He was later pronounced dead.
According to statements from both the coroner’s office and Pennsylvania State Police, no signs of foul play have been identified.
Adams County Coroner Francis Dutrow confirmed to the Evening Sun that the exact cause of his mysterious death remains unknown, with autopsy results still pending as of July 15.
And, according to the news outlet, the death falls under standard protocol for the coroner’s office, which investigates any sudden, violent, unexplained, or unattended deaths, especially those involving individuals without a known medical history or not under a doctor’s care, raising haunting questions about what truly happened behind closed doors.
‘I say I will never die’
In 2020, Rivera shared a tribute on Facebook that included a photograph of the Warren’s grave.
“Does life really end? I’ve asked myself that question today,” the ghost hunter started. “My answer was, in life, we leave a piece of ourselves with loved ones and friends on our journey through life until there are no more pieces to give away. You would think that is the end, but, when you look back at all the pieces you gave away, those pieces will always be remembered.”
“So, I say I will never die,” Rivera wrote. “My journey has only begun.”
Fear and fascination
The Annabelle doll, once a curiosity confined to glass, is now the subject of renewed fear and fascination.
Was Dan Rivera’s death a tragic coincidence or has something malevolent followed the tour from town to town, waiting for the right moment to strike?
Whatever the answer, one truth remains: You don’t have to believe in ghosts for them to haunt you.
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