The paranormal world was rocked this week by the sudden death of Dan Rivera, a leading investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), who died just hours after a sold-out Annabelle doll event in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He was 54.

Rivera, a U.S. Army veteran and father of four, was found unresponsive in his hotel room on Sunday morning following the eerie tour. His death, while not currently considered suspicious, has sent shockwaves through the paranormal community—and sparked a storm of speculation given the sinister reputation of the Annabelle doll.

NESPR, founded by famed demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, confirmed Rivera’s passing and called it “sudden and heartbreaking.” The group praised his life’s mission to “educate, help, and connect with others,” and described him as “a deeply compassionate, loyal, and dedicated friend.”

Though Rivera was known to many from television shows like *Most Haunted Places* and Netflix’s *28 Days Haunted*, he was more than a familiar face in paranormal pop culture. He was one of the few trusted handlers of the real Annabelle—a seemingly innocent Raggedy Ann doll that, according to the Warrens, harbored a malevolent spirit.

The Annabelle legend began in 1970 when a Connecticut nurse claimed the doll was moving on its own, leaving threatening notes and even physically harming a friend. A psychic at the time claimed it was the ghost of a young girl named Annabelle Higgins. But the Warrens believed otherwise. They declared the spirit a demonic entity pretending to be a child—a deception designed to gain the trust of the living and manipulate them.

Eventually, the Warrens removed the doll and locked it in a specially blessed glass case inside their Occult Museum, where it remained until the museum’s closure in 2019. Since then, Annabelle has only left the premises under NESPR supervision, and Rivera was often tasked with overseeing the tours.

“She is never out of our control,” Tony Spera, current NESPR director and son-in-law of the Warrens, told *Newsweek* earlier this year. Rivera took that responsibility seriously. Friends and colleagues said he was meticulous in his handling of the artifact and showed unwavering respect for the potential dangers associated with the doll.

Just before his death, Rivera had appeared energized about the ongoing national tour. In a tribute posted online, *Paranormal State* host Ryan Buell shared that Rivera was not only a trusted colleague but also a true believer in second chances. “When I got clean, Dan believed in me,” Buell wrote. “He carried the Warrens’ mission forward. I mourn his unfinished dreams.”

Although the Adams County Coroner has ruled out foul play and an autopsy is pending, the paranormal circumstances surrounding Rivera’s final night are not lost on fans. Some have taken to social media to express grief, while others have speculated about the unsettling timing—dying just after handling what’s widely considered the most dangerous haunted object in the U.S.

Still, NESPR is pressing forward. The team announced the haunted doll tour will continue in Rivera’s honor, adding a quote from the late investigator: “In life we leave a piece of ourselves with loved ones and friends. So, I say I will never die. My journey has only begun.”

Whether his passing was tragic coincidence or something more mysterious, Rivera’s legacy as a champion of both the living and the haunted is secure. His work helped people confront the unknown—not with fear, but with clarity, compassion, and courage.