Did 'possessed' Annabelle doll strike again? Paranormal expert Dan Rivera’s death fuels wild theories

GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA: Internet was abuzz with wild theories after a senior paranormal investigator died during a tour in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, showcasing the “possessed” Annabelle doll.

Officials did not disclose the reason behind paranormal investigator Dan Rivera's death during the Devils on the Run tour. His demise was confirmed by the New England Society for Psychic Research, where he was its lead paranormal investigator.

Paranormal investigator Dan Rivera dies at 54 on tour with Annabelle doll

Dan Rivera died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 13, during his visit to Gettysburg, the New England Society for Psychic Research revealed on Monday, July 14 evening.

First responders conducted CPR on a man of Rivera’s age at a hotel in Gettysburg, where he was staying, according to police scanner archives, according to the Evening Sun.

Rivera, who was also an Army veteran, traveled around the US with the doll to put on shows for horror fans. Moroever, his organization stated that he sold out all three of his shows - from July 11 to 13 - over the weekend.

Interestingly, the Annabelle doll was treasured for years by Ed and Lorraine Warren, a married couple who dabbled in paranormal investigations.

They kept the doll in a locked box at the Warren’s Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, until it closed in 2019, the same year Lorraine died at the age of 92.

Furthermore, the couple had claimed that the doll was possessed and "inhabited by an inhuman spirit" and warned that it should not be interfered with.

Meanwhile, Rivera was also an expert on the Travel Channel’s 'Most Haunted Places' and also served as a producer for the paranormal Netflix series '28 Days Haunted'.

Dan Rivera had explained measures he implemented to 'protect' tour attendees from the doll

Dan Rivera was full of charm as he joked with guests about the recently held tour's popularity, and focused on keeping the guests tour enjoyable before escorting them into the room to see the doll, the outlet reported.

He told the visitors, "I want you guys to have a good time."

Rivera explained to the visitors the measures he implemented to "protect them" from the doll, which included the case containing the doll he had built himself.

He said that he made a structure that was stained with holy water and featured three crosses, symbolizing the holy trinity.

Rivera added that "we did not burn down that plantation," and “we did not free those prisoners,” alluding to some of the viral rumors.

He also mentioned, "Annabelle had not caused a 911 outage that sent wireless emergency alerts blaring across cellphones in Pennsylvania, including inside of the doll's first showings a day prior."

Dan Rivera’s unexpected death ignites wild theories online

Many internet users came up with wild theories and tried to link the Annabelle doll's curse behind Dan Rivera's unexpected death.

A user wrote on X, "Omggggg so it begins. I don’t know why they taking that Doll on a tour, the Warrens said not to ever touch it or take it out lol," while one added, "Not the doll still catching bodies."

A person also stated, "Unexpectedly?? Annabelle?? Y'all better burn those Labubu dolls," whereas one mentioned, "The Annabelle doll was never supposed to be let out of its locked display. The late Ed and Lorraine Warren made sure of it. Taking it out and on tour was a massive mistake. I don’t know what caused his death, but that’s a fact I know."

A Reddit user also wrote, "That damn rag doll back on her bullshit," while one commented on X, "Some things aren’t meant to be played with spirits, ancestors, energies. Disrespect opens doors you may not survive."

A person also added, "Playing with the devil. They should have left that s*** where it was," whereas one mentioned, "Two whole movies were made on why we do NOT play with Annabelle."

Meanwhile, there has been no evidence that the doll was the reason behind Rivera's death, and X's AI bot Grok also debunked the claim stating, "No, there's zero evidence Annabelle caused Dan Rivera's death. Coroner reports list the cause as pending, likely a natural medical event during travel—CPR was attempted at his Gettysburg hotel."

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online