READ: Dan Rivera, Paranormal Investigator, Dies Suddenly While Touring With Haunted Doll Annabelle

Photo: @dan_rivera_nespr/Instagram

Dan Rivera, a well-known paranormal investigator and U.S. Army veteran, died unexpectedly Sunday night while on tour with the infamous haunted doll Annabelle. Rivera, 54, was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, concluding a sold-out stop of his “Devils on the Run Tour” when emergency crews were called to his hotel. Despite efforts to revive him with CPR, he was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death has not been publicly released.

Rivera served as lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), the organization founded by legendary demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. He was also known for his television work, including appearances on Most Haunted Places and producing Netflix’s 28 Days Haunted. He had recently gained a viral following through his engaging paranormal content on TikTok and other social media platforms.

The tour Rivera was leading prominently featured Annabelle, a Raggedy Ann doll believed by the Warrens to be demonically possessed. The doll became infamous in the 1970s for a series of alleged supernatural incidents, including violent attacks and unexplained movements. Though it typically resides in the now-closed Warren occult museum in Connecticut, Annabelle has been touring with NESPR in recent years.

Rivera had just completed a three-day event in Gettysburg hosted at the historic Soldiers National Orphanage when he passed. Fellow investigator Ryan Buell paid tribute, saying, “Just two months ago, we were traveling the country, bringing Ed and Lorraine’s legacy to a new generation.”

Rivera is survived by his wife, Sarah, and their four children. His sudden death has shocked the paranormal community and cast a chilling light on Annabelle’s already dark reputation.