Paranormal Investigator, Dan Rivera, was found unresponsive in his hotel room Sunday night while on tour with the infamous Annabelle doll. CPR was performed on Rivera, 54, but the paramedics’ efforts were unsuccessful. His sudden passing has spooked the nation, especially the crowd who bought tickets to see the demonic doll.
Rivera was a US Army veteran visiting Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as one of his final stops in the sold-out “Devils on the Run Tour” put on by the New England Society for Psychic Research. The society was designed to showcase a paranormal entity, allowing ticketholders to view the real Annabelle doll and other haunted artifacts held in the Warrens’ Occult Museum. The tour had one more stop in Maine, but on the final day in Gettysburg, it took a turn for the worse.
The Haunting of Annabelle
The Raggedy Ann doll, known as Annabelle, was connected to a series of hauntings in 1970, which were investigated by the famous paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Annabelle Doll was given as a gift to Donna, a nursing student in Connecticut. She and her roommate alleged several strange occurrences, such as the doll moving itself, leaving handwritten notes in their apartment, and streaking blood.
The two sought help from a local medium, who claimed the doll was possessed by a 7-year-old girl named Annabelle Higgins. Ed and Lorraine Warren stepped in to claim the doll, and it was demonically possessed, so they placed it securely in their occult museum. They allege the doll lifted its own arms, followed people in the apartment, and showed frightening behavior. They also claimed that the Annabelle Doll stabbed a police officer and caused a priest to get into a car crash.
“Devils on the Run Tour” Will Proceed
The New England Society for Psychic Research reported to TMZ that they “do not know what the future of NESPR will look like without Dan, we do plan to move forward with the events previously scheduled for this year.” They added, “We believe with all our hearts that Dan would have wanted the work to continue — bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and honoring the memory of Ed & Lorraine Warren.”
Rivera’s cause of death has not been revealed. He was found unresponsive and had no prior medical history. Investigators say an autopsy is being performed, but the results could take months. Police confirmed nothing seemed unusual or suspicious at the scene. He is survived by his wife, Sarah, and their four children. They used social media to bring national attention to the Annabelle Doll tour, and never expected this to be the outcome.
Others who knew Rivera went to social media and expressed their sorrow. Paranormal investigator Ryan Buell said, “I have so many amazing memories with this guy. Just as recently as two months ago, we traveled around the country and introduced a whole new generation to Ed and Lorraine Warren’s legacy,” on TikTok.
Trail of Terror
The Annabelle Doll, along with multiple other haunted artifacts, went on tour after the Warren’s Occult Museum closed due to public zoning issues. So far, the “Devils on the Run Tour” has had a streak of bad luck, including the plantation fire and 12-person jailbreak in Louisiana. Multiple conspiracy theorists have made suggestions online, claiming the doll is responsible. However, officials and the NESPR deny theories and have attempted to reassure the public.
Dan Rivera’s death is another tragic incident that the conspiracy theorists will eat up on social media, and hopefully not take it too far. The Annabelle Doll is scheduled to appear at the Maine Paranormal & Horror Convention on September 6 and 7. In October, it will travel to Illinois and Kentucky. Who knows what is to come from its next stops, but maybe the worst has already happened.
