The paranormal community is mourning the sudden death of Dan Rivera, a respected investigator with the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), who passed away unexpectedly during a haunted tour featuring the infamous Annabelle doll.
Rivera, 54, died on July 13, 2025, while touring in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania as part of the Devils on the Run event. Emergency services responded to a hotel where CPR was performed, but Rivera was later pronounced dead. The cause of death has not yet been publicly disclosed.
Rivera’s Life and Connection to the Paranormal
Dan Rivera had over a decade of experience in paranormal research and was a senior lead investigator with NESPR. The original organization founded by Ed and Lorraine Warren, the legendary ghost hunters who inspired The Conjuring movie franchise. Rivera’s passion for the field began early, following personal paranormal experiences in his childhood home. He later served in the U.S. Army and became an expert in the rites and rituals of Santeria.
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He played a key role in organizing the Devils on the Run tour. Which showcased the allegedly demonically possessed Annabelle doll. Originally gifted to a student nurse in 1968. The Raggedy Ann doll became infamous for violent supernatural activity and was later sealed in a glass case at the Warrens’ Occult Museum in Connecticut.
The Gettysburg event was hosted at the historic Soldiers National Orphanage. And featured viral TikToks produced by Rivera, which helped generate millions of views and fan interest. He also worked as a consulting producer for the Netflix paranormal series 28 Days Haunted.
Remembering Dan Rivera
In an official statement, NESPR called Rivera a dedicated educator who was committed to “sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal.” Ghostly Images of Gettysburg, which helped host the event, said his legacy will “inspire future generations.”
The tour will continue as planned, but the loss of Rivera has cast a somber tone over future stops. For many, Dan Rivera wasn’t just an investigator he was a storyteller, a guide, and a trusted name in the world of unexplained phenomena.
