Paranormal Investigator Dies While Touring With ‘Demonically Possessed’ Annabelle Doll

Paranormal investigator Dan Rivera, who’s been touring the United States with a supposedly haunted Raggedy Ann doll named Annabelle, died unexpectedly at a hotel, sparking a big reaction online.

Rivera, 54, was found dead in his room on Sunday at the end of his three-day stop in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as part of his “Devils on the Run Tour” with the doll. 

Pennsylvania State Police shared a more detailed report on Wednesday.

“Members from PSP Gettysburg responded to a hotel in Straban Township, Adams County for a report of a deceased [man],” the report said. “The decedent was discovered in his hotel room by workers.

“Nothing unusual or suspicious was observed at the scene,” it added. “This case is pending autopsy results.”

The New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) described this particular doll as “demonically possessed.” It was given to a nursing student in 1968, and she claimed that something wasn’t right with it.

“Almost immediately, the roommates noticed strange occurrences with the doll and they were introduced to a medium who told them the doll was inhabited by the spirit of a young girl named Annabelle,” the organization reported. “The two roommates tried to accept the doll’s spirit and please it only to have it reciprocate maliciousness and violent intent.”

The society’s late founders, Ed and Lorraine Warren, kept the doll stored in a glass case in an effort to “contain the evil spirited entity.”

The movie “The Conjuring” is based on the story of the “haunted” doll Annabelle. Meanwhile, many people are skeptical of the claims that the doll is possessed. 

A statement from NESPR stated that the tour would continue. “We believe with all our hearts that Dan would have wanted the work to continue — bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and honoring the memory of Ed and Lorraine Warren,” it said. “We will carry his spirit in everything we do.”

Colleagues of Rivera also called out commenters who tried to claim that his death was in some way staged to drum up interest for the tour. 

“Ghost Hunters” star Jason Hawes shared his thoughts on Facebook, saying, “The world lost a good man.

“Dan Rivera was an Army veteran, a father of four, a husband, and someone who truly cared about people,” he wrote. “What’s even harder to see right now are the posts blaming his death on things like the Annabelle doll and attacking places like Ghostly Images of Gettysburg Tours and other locations for having events. That needs to stop.
“His family shouldn’t have to read that kind of nonsense while they’re grieving,” Hawes added. “Some people are using his passing to push an agenda for profit, and it’s just disgusting. Dan was a family man, a respected paranormal investigator, and he left this world way too soon…Honor the man. Forget the garbage.”

Trump Considering ‘Mega Deal’ To Exchange Drones, Weapons With Zelensky

President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky are on the cusp of striking a “mega deal” that would send battle-tested Ukrainian drones to the United States in exchange for Kyiv receiving another batch of weapons from Washington, the New York Post reported on Thursday.

Zelensky revealed the potential deal in a discussion with the Post, saying, “The people of America need this [drone] technology, and you need to have it in your arsenal.” If a deal is struck, Ukraine also promised to share information with the United States on what it has learned about modern warfare during the conflict with Russia, according to Zelensky.

“I think this is really a mega deal, a win-win, as they say,” he said.

The White House did not respond to The Daily Wire’s request to comment.

Throughout the war, Ukraine’s drone fleet has proved to be vital in defending the country from Russia’s aerial assaults. Kyiv’s drones have also been used to launch attacks on Russia. Last month, Ukraine smuggled 117 drones into Russia, which were used for a massive assault on Russian air bases, taking out 41 Russian aircraft, including roughly one-third of Russia’s strategic cruise missile carriers, The Daily Wire previously reported.

The United States military has fallen behind its adversaries, including Russia and China, in producing drones and training troops to use them in battle, according to a report earlier this week from The New York Times. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth acknowledged that the United States must catch up on drone warfare technology and moved last week to rescind “restrictive policies” and “red tape” getting in the way “of American manufacturing and warfighter ingenuity.”

“So while our adversaries have produced millions of cheap drones before us, we were mired in bureaucratic red tape. Not anymore,” Hegseth said in a video filmed alongside U.S. military members outside the Pentagon.

“In June, President Trump issued an executive order unleashing American drone dominance to bolster our drone industry and arm our warfighters because that’s what we’re all about,” he added.

Hegseth said that the move includes bolstering “the nascent U.S. drone manufacturing base by approving hundreds of American products for purchase by our military.”

Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance @DOGE pic.twitter.com/esaQtswwDb

— Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) July 11, 2025

Trump’s relationship with Zelensky has grown warmer in recent weeks after the Ukrainian president was blasted in the Oval Office in February for his continued requests for American assistance. Earlier this month, Trump vowed to send Ukraine more defensive weapons as Moscow ratchets up attacks on Ukrainian cities.

“They are getting hit very hard. … We’re gonna have to send more weapons,” Trump said, adding, “I’m disappointed, frankly, that President Putin hasn’t stopped.”

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