Paranormal Investigator Dan Rivera Dies Suddenly On 'Annabelle Doll Tour', Terrified Netizens Blame Haunted Doll

A veteran paranormal investigator and mentee of Lorraine Warren, Dan Rivera passed away on July 13 during the viral Devils on the Run tour featuring the popular Annabelle doll. Rivera, 54, was found unresponsive in a Gettysburg hotel room on Sunday evening in Pennsylvania. Despite CPR efforts, he could not be saved.

Rivera’s death was announced on Facebook by the “New England Society for Psychic Research” (NESPR). “It’s with deep sadness that Tony, Wade, and I share the sudden passing of our close friend and partner, Dan Rivera,” read a Facebook post by the NESPR. “We are heartbroken and still processing this loss. Dan truly believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal. His kindness and passion touched everyone who knew him. Thank you for your support and kind thoughts during this difficult time.”

Adams County Chief Deputy Coroner Scott Pennewill told TODAY.com, "His death was nothing suspicious. The coroner’s office and the state police were called to the scene on Sunday night ... he did go for an autopsy today and it’s pending."

Pennewill told that the Annabelle doll was not present at the scene and that Rivera was found alone. He says that Annabelle might have been inside a van in the hotel parking lot, although he cannot officially confirm the doll’s location.

Paranormal investigator Dan Rivera dies suddenly at 54 while traveling across the US with the real ‘haunted’ Annabelle doll. pic.twitter.com/1ArYrmvPXW

— Creepy.org (@creepydotorg) July 15, 2025

Devils on the Run Tour

Rivera was participating in the “Devils on the Run Tour” hosted by the NESPR, a Connecticut-based paranormal research group founded by Tony Spera, the son-in-law of the late supernatural investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.

Annabelle, a wide-eyed clown-like doll, lives in Connecticut in a display case at the Warren Occult Museum, Connecticut.