The New England Society for Psychic Research says it's "heartbroken" by the sudden death of Dan Rivera, a paranormal investigator who was on tour with the allegedly haunted Annabelle doll made famous by the Conjuring movies. The 54-year-old Army veteran was the society's lead investigator. Adams County Chief Deputy Coroner Scott Pennewill says Rivera died Sunday in a hotel room in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Today reports. He says the death was "nothing suspicious" and that autopsy results are pending. Pennewill says the doll wasn't present at the scene, noting it may have been a van in the hotel's parking lot, though he can't confirm its exact location.
Rivera was mentored by NESPR co-founder Lorraine Warren, per the Evening Sun. That outlet reports that during the sold-out Gettysburg leg of the "Devils on the Run" tour, featuring the doll and other items from Ed and Lorraine Warren's museum, Rivera told visitors he'd taken steps to "protect them" from the doll, including building a case that included three crosses. He joked that Annabelle wasn't connected to events that occurred during other stops on the tour, including a mass jailbreak and plantation fire in Louisiana. According to the NESPR website, the Warrens took possession of the "demonically possessed" Raggedy Ann doll in 1968 after "strange occurrences" when a nursing student brought the doll home.
Rivera also appeared as a paranormal investigator on shows such as the Travel Channel's Most Haunted Places and was a producer on Netflix's 28 Days Haunted, per the Sun. "Dan truly believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal. His kindness and passion touched everyone who knew him," the NESPR said in a Facebook post. "Thank you for your support and kind thoughts during this difficult time."
,
uBlock 
,
and
Ghostery 
)
