Was Ed and Lorraine Warren’s Connecticut home, which still contains the Warren Occult Museum, for sale before Dan Rivera’s death? Rivera was the senior lead investigator with the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR). He died on July 13 while in Gettysburg for the “Devils on the Run” tour.
Some outlets reported that Annabelle was in the room where Rivera died. However, officials pointed out the 54-year-old’s death didn’t look suspicious. His cause of death still remains to be determined, with a full autopsy expected to reveal the cause of his death in the coming months.
It’s not even a month later, and now news has broken that comedian Matt Rife and TikTok ghost hunter Elton Castee bought the Monroe, CT, home and occult museum. It’s shocking for many reasons.
For one, as I noted above, Rivera only recently passed. Not that he owned the house, though. Ed and Lorraine’s son Tony Spera did. And not that Spera deciding to sell had anything to do with Annabelle or Rivera’s death.
However, it seems very out of the blue. Then again, I’ve been gone, so I could’ve missed the announcement that “one of the most prominent properties in paranormal history” (Rife’s words) was for sale. (I Googled it, but nothing came up. If you have any info, please share in the comments below.)
But the most shocking thing is the buyers. I would’ve expected Spera to sell to someone equally prominent in the paranormal community, like Jason Hawes or Zak Bagans. I’m not on TikTok, though, so for all I know, Castee could be of comparable fame. Rife isn’t. He admitted to loving the paranormal in his Instagram announcement, but his day job’s comedy.
Plans for Annabelle and the Occult Museum
On his Instagram account, Rife announced he will also be “the legal guardian for at least the next 5 years, of the entire haunted collection including THE ANNABELLE DOLL.”
Today reported that Spera made it clear he still owns the allegedly haunted doll that his parents made famous. Rife and Castee will just be leasing Annabelle and all of the other spooky items in the Warren Occult Museum.
Rife also noted that he and Castee plan to open the house for overnight stays and museum tours. I like that he framed it so that others can “experience and learn all the haunted history” surrounding the property and its former occupants.
Oh my. Some say Ed and Lorraine Warren were jokes. All of this has me wondering who the joke will be on in the end? Rife and Castee? The paranormal-loving public? Annabelle and all of her haunted friends? Or will it prove to be an amazing teaching moment?
As it always does, time will tell.
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Would you want to visit the Warren Occult Museum and say hi to Annabelle?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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The first I heard of this development was Jason Hawes mentioning it. I have no idea who these guys are or what their arrangement was, so this post was helpful.
By the way, based on things he’s said in the past, I doubt Jason Hawes would invest in this sort of property or materials. I suspect he would view it as an encumbrance as opposed to an opportunity. He seems to prefer doing what he’s doing now. If he had been interested in any such investment/management property, it would have been the Conjuring House, but because of all the current owner’s drama I suspect he wants nothing to do with it anymore.
I wouldn’t want custody of Annabelle. She freaks me out. (The titular movie didn’t ease my fears at all.) Nope, I wouldn’t want to go say hi to her at the museum.
I wonder if there’s going to be a custody battle over the doll sometime in the future.
Okay. You made me feel better, Maria. I don’t know who these two whippersnappers are either. I just know they are clearly attention-seekers. lol
Also, SO interesting you shared your POV about Hawes. I don’t follow what he’s doing anymore. I’ve always had the most respect for him out of them all, though. And now after what you brought up, even more so. Well, that and his reaction to Dan Rivera’s death vs how Zak Bagans responded to it. I contemplated writing a post about it, but didn’t because it was so far after Rivera’s passing. (I was on vacation when it all happened without a way to write about it. By the time I got back, it seemed old news.)
But now I’m thinking it bears pointing out. So thanks to you, I just may do it after all!
Oh, Priscilla, sounds like how you feel about Annabelle is how I feel about Laughing Sal. Although, I do find myself compelled to say hi to the Sal in San Fran when I’m near Fisherman’s Wharf. Can’t resist her siren’s call (laugh?). lol
Also, I love your question about a potential custody battle. That should be the Annabelle movie!!!! lol
Also, based on some comments Jason made in one of his recent videos on YouTube, he doesn’t really believe in ‘haunted/cursed’ items or he chooses not to invest any of his energy in believing in them.
I watch Hawes’ TAPS videos when they’re released on YouTube. They do have some fun while they’re hunting for ghosts. The old Tennessee hospital they just investigated had these mannequins stationed in a couple of spots for when tours go through. Even though Hawes and his two friends knew they were there those mannequins kept startling them whenever they turned a corner and saw them again. Then they’d laugh it off. Also, Hawes is deeply phobic about bats, as became apparent in a video they released last year. He really doesn’t like bats.
That’s super interesting too. I’ve been struggling with that one a LOT myself lately. But then my departed friend Scott Morrow’s voice echoes in my brain, recalling a convo I had with him once about not believing in demons. “You may not believe in them,” he said, “But they believe in you.” lol
HA!!! I do NOT like mannequins. Never have. Even as a kid, I’d scream and meltdown having to walk past them. So, yeah, department store shopping with me was OUT!
Bats I like but my husband is like Jason. We have a camping story about him hiding in the tent to avoid the bat attacks. OMG. Drama king! lol
It has been known that all items in that museum are haunted and have bad energy and that is why it was closed to outsiders. It is very worrisome to think it will be opened to the public…just do not touch anything.
It’s really a shame people are profiting off of this sensationalism. And certainly “enter at your own risk” waivers will be involved so if anything happens to anyone, there’s no recourse either. That’s what’s truly terrifying.