The world of paranormal investigation recently faced a somber moment. Dan Rivera, a well-known figure in ghost hunting circles, passed away. His death occurred in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during a tour featuring the infamous Annabelle doll. This news sent ripples through the community of those who explore the unknown.
Zak Bagans, host of the hit show Ghost Adventures, spoke out shortly after Rivera’s death. He shared his heartfelt condolences for Rivera’s family and friends. Bagans’ comments came in an interview on Wednesday, July 16, with a well-known entertainment outlet.
Bagans himself has a history with Annabelle. He first encountered the doll in 2017. Its owner brought it to Bagans’ museum for an investigation. The experience left a strong impression on him. He even touched the doll during his investigation. This action reportedly displeased Annabelle’s owner. Bagans stated he could only speak about his personal interactions with the doll.
Zak Bagans Steven Lawton/FilmMagic
However, Annabelle wasn’t the only doll to give Bagans a fright. He shared a truly chilling experience from February. This encounter involved a different doll and left him severely shaken. He described it as a demonic attachment. The next day, Bagans ended up in the hospital. This attachment lasted for two months. He called it one of the worst experiences of his life. In his 21 years of ghost hunting, he ranked it among his two most severe attachments.
Bagans explained that a Las Vegas family and the doll’s owner had the item. Shockingly, two family members later tried to take their own lives. Bagans tried to remove the evil presence himself. His regular exorcist was unavailable for the urgent situation. This attempt went terribly wrong. He had never seen a doll like it before. He brought the doll home that very night. The next morning, he was uncontrollably sick. He also felt sharp pain in his side.
The scary aftermath continued for weeks. Bagans frequently visited his home chapel. He would pray and bless himself ten times a day. He admitted to having very dark thoughts during this period. For two weeks, something in his home kept telling him he would die. He saw a shadowy black figure in his room. The negative effects spread to others around him. His assistant developed neck tumors. His romantic relationship fell apart. Even his mother was affected. Then, all these issues simply vanished. Doctors had run tests, including an MRI. They found nothing wrong with him. Yet, his severe health problems disappeared as quickly as they came. Bagans pondered, "How could this have happened?"
The months-long ordeal was truly horrific. It made him take a break from chasing demons. He now firmly believes dolls can host evil spirits. They can certainly cause harm to people. He stated that dolls absolutely can be carriers of demonic possession.
Dan Rivera’s tragic death occurred on July 13. He was part of the "Devils on the Run" tour. This event showcased the reportedly haunted Annabelle doll in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Local police responded to a hotel call about a man’s death. Police confirmed finding Rivera in his hotel room. They noted nothing unusual or suspicious at the scene. Francis Dutrow, the Adams County coroner, completed Rivera’s autopsy. The exact cause of death is still unknown. It awaits toxicology results, which could take up to ten weeks.
Despite Rivera’s passing, the New England Society for Psychic Research plans to continue the scheduled tour. Annabelle is widely known as a "demonically possessed" object. This organization, founded by famed paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren, shares Annabelle’s story. Her terrifying tale began in 1968. A woman received the doll as a gift. Soon after, her roommates noticed strange occurrences. They brought in a psychic medium. The medium claimed the doll housed the spirit of a young girl named Annabelle.
Ed and Lorraine Warren stepped in. They took the doll from the woman’s home. For many years, they kept it locked away. Later, the Warren family put it on display in their museum. Sometimes, they even loaned it out for special tours. Rivera was participating in one such tour when he died.