Annabelle doll disappears after investigator touring with it dies suddenly. What happened in that hotel room?

In a development that has unsettled both skeptics and believers in the supernatural, paranormal investigator and U.S. Army veteran Dan Rivera was found dead in his hotel room in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, just hours after leading a sold-out ghost tour. The 54-year-old had been traveling across the United States as part of the “Devils on the Run Tour,” a paranormal exhibition that featured the infamous Annabelle doll — a figure long associated with alleged demonic activity.

Rivera’s Mysterious Death Raises Eyebrows

Rivera was discovered unresponsive on Sunday night, July 13, in a Straban Township hotel, according to Adams County Coroner Francis Dutrow, who spoke to People magazine. Officials confirmed that Rivera was alone in the room and that no foul play or suspicious circumstances were observed at the scene. The cause of death remains undetermined, pending autopsy results which could take several weeks.

What has added to the mystery is the absence of the Annabelle doll, which Rivera had been showcasing as part of his tour. First responders noted the doll was not in the room at the time his body was found. Dutrow explicitly stated that “there was no Annabelle doll present” when emergency personnel arrived.

The Haunted History of Annabelle

The Annabelle doll, which inspired The Conjuring film franchise, has long been at the center of supernatural folklore. As per New York Post, originally given to a nursing student named Donna in 1970, the Raggedy Ann-style toy was soon linked to strange and disturbing events. Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) in 1952, claimed the doll exhibited autonomous movements, followed people around, and even attacked a police officer. It was eventually moved to the Warrens’ Occult Museum in Connecticut for safekeeping.

A psychic medium once suggested the doll was possessed by the spirit of a six-year-old girl named Annabelle. Over time, the doll has become a notorious object in paranormal circles, often blamed for unexplained incidents and accidents involving those who came into contact with it.

Connection to Rivera's Death?

Although there is no official evidence linking Rivera’s death to the doll, speculation has been rampant on social media. Conspiracy theorists have drawn connections between Rivera’s sudden demise and the supposedly cursed object, despite state police confirming that “nothing unusual or suspicious” was found during their investigation.

Rivera had been a prominent figure in the paranormal field, with appearances on the Travel Channel’s Most Haunted Places and production credits on Netflix’s 28 Days Haunted. He was touring with NESPR — the organization founded by the Warrens — to educate audiences about the doll's history and the broader world of the supernatural.

Tour Will Continue Despite Tragedy

Despite the shock surrounding Rivera’s death, NESPR has announced that the tour will continue. In a public statement, the organization said Rivera would have wanted the mission to go on, emphasizing his dedication to sharing knowledge and preserving the legacy of Ed and Lorraine Warren.

“We will carry his spirit in everything we do,” the group stated, underlining their intent to honor Rivera’s contributions to the field, as per New York Post.

Meanwhile, tributes have poured in from colleagues and fans, including fellow paranormal investigator Ryan Buell, who shared his memories of Rivera and praised his role in introducing a new generation to the Warrens’ legacy.