Dan Rivera, a renowned paranormal investigator and lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at the age of 54.
The tragic event occurred during a stop in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of the “Devils on the Run Tour,” which showcased the infamous Annabelle doll, a Raggedy Ann doll allegedly possessed by a demonic entity and popularized by The Conjuring film franchise.
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According to Adams County dispatch records, emergency responders were called to a Gettysburg hotel around 8 p.m. on Sunday for a report of CPR in progress. Despite efforts to revive him, Rivera was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Adams County Coroner’s Office confirmed that Rivera was found alone in his hotel room, and the Annabelle doll was not present at the scene, possibly stored in a van in the hotel parking lot.
The cause of death remains pending, with autopsy results expected in 60 to 90 days. Authorities have ruled out any suspicious circumstances.
Rivera was a prominent figure in the paranormal community, known for his appearances on shows like the Travel Channel’s Most Haunted Places and as a consulting producer for Netflix’s 28 Days Haunted.
The Annabelle doll, central to the tour, has a storied history. According to NESPR, it was given to a nursing student in 1968 and began exhibiting strange behaviors, leading to its investigation by paranormal experts Ed and Lorraine Warren.
The Warrens claimed the doll was possessed by a malevolent entity, and it has since been housed in a secured case at the Warren Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut.
Rivera’s work helped maintain the Warrens’ legacy, and he often addressed viral rumors, such as claims of the doll’s involvement in unrelated incidents like a 911 outage in Pennsylvania or a fire in Louisiana.