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A new mystery has been created by the unexpected death of a paranormal investigator. Dan Rivera, who was conducting a national tour of the original Annabelle doll, made famous by the Conjuring film series, passed away unexpectedly after visiting Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, with the New England Society of Psychic Research (NESPR). His age was 54.
Chris "Jeek" Gilloren, the chief investigator for NESPR, posted on the organization's Facebook page on July 14: "It's with deep sadness that Tony, Wade, and I share the sudden passing of our close friend and partner, Dan Rivera." "We are heartbroken and still processing this loss."
"Dan genuinely believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal," Gilloren continued while discussing Rivera's legacy. Everyone who knew him was impacted by his passion and kindness.
He concluded, "Thank you for your support and kind thoughts during this difficult time."
The cause of Rivera's passing was not disclosed. According to documents seen by USA Today, the Adams County Coroner marked it as "pending."
According to Adams County dispatch scanner archives the outlet was able to obtain, on the evening of July 13, authorities were called to a nearby hotel in Gettysburg and responded to a report of a 54-year-old man's CPR in progress.
The terrifying figure from the Conjuring horror movie series was inspired by the Annabelle doll, which was shown on NESPR the day before.
NESPR founders Ed Warren, a demonologist, and his wife Lorraine Warren, a trance medium (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in the films), established the Warrens' Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, where the doll is typically kept.
The eerie tale of Annabelle started in 1968 when a nursing student received a Raggedy Ann doll as a gift, according to the organization's website.
"She brings it home where she lives with a roommate," according to the website for NESPR. "The roommates noticed odd things happening with the doll almost immediately, and they met a medium who informed them that the doll was inhabited by the spirit of a little girl named Annabelle. When the two roommates attempted to appease the doll's spirit and accept it, it returned their hostility and violent intent.
The Warrens were called in to look into the matter, and they concluded that the doll was "demonically possessed."
"They removed the doll from the house," according to the website, "and encased it in a glass box to contain the evil-spirited entity."
The Devils On The Run Tour on NESPR promotes a "chilling experience" with the doll, which has "reportedly brought misfortune, injury, and even death to those who have interacted with it improperly."
According to his biography on the NESPR website, Rivera spent more than ten years conducting paranormal research and investigations prior to his passing.
"At an early age he was introduced to haunting phenomena," according to his biography, "having witnessed paranormal events occurring in his home."
The Connecticut native was a veteran of the U.S. Army and regarded himself as "an expert in the rites and rituals of Santeria."
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom states that "Santería is a syncretic religion that incorporates elements of Catholicism and is largely based in Yoruba traditions." Approximately 70% of Cubans currently participate in Santeria or other African-inspired religious rituals.
