A popular paranormal investigator, known for the Annabelle doll tour, is no longer with us. The organization behind the viral tour confirms this. The New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), the organization behind the tour, announced the sudden death of Dan Rivera, 54, in a Facebook post on Monday, July 14. In this article, you will learn more about this news and the aftermath.
The Facebook Post That Broke the News
“Tony, Wade, and I shared the sudden passing of our close friend and partner, Dan Rivera, with deep sadness,” the Facebook post read. “We are heartbroken and still processing this loss.”
Rivera, a U.S. Army veteran and the lead investigator for the NESPR, unexpectedly died on Sunday, July 13, while visiting Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The organization also said the following to USA network: “Dan truly believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal. His kindness and passion touched everyone who knew him,” the organization’s Facebook post reads. “Thank you for your support and kind thoughts during this difficult time.”
Why Tour Rivera Went Viral?
The Tour Rivera was part of the “Devils on the Run Tour.” It went viral due to him and other NESPR members bringing the Annabelle doll to multiple states. Fans loved this, and as a result, this tour was gaining more popularity.
What Transpired with Dan Rivera?
Though NESPR didn’t disclose how Rivera passed away, the Adams County dispatch scanner archives showcased some things. Medical personnel and local firefighters responded to a call at a hotel in Gettysburg on Sunday evening, July 13, after receiving a report of an emergency.
They arrived on the scene to assist with a CPR effort involving an individual matching Rivera’s age and description. They were called for a report of CPR in progress on a individual who was similar in age to the paranormal investigator. Adams County Coroner Francis Dutrow told the Evening Sun on Tuesday afternoon, July 15, that he still did not know Rivera’s cause of death.
Death Comes After the Tour Stops In Pennsylvania.
The organizers said the Gettysburg part of the trip, held at the Soldiers National Orphanage by Ghostly Images of Gettysburg Tours, completely sold out. They sold over 1,260 tickets during the three-day weekend starting Friday, July 11. The visit was scheduled to end on Sunday afternoon.
Rivera had helped the tour go viral and get attention from people all around the world through his public outreach, which included making many TikTok videos with fellow paranormal investigator Ryan Daniel Buell. There have been over 38,000 views on the latest video posted to the Annabelle World Tour TikTok page on May 27, 2025.
What or Who is Annabelle?
Annabelle is a doll that gained popularity following the release of the 2013 movie “Conjuring.” The NESPR says that the doll’s history goes back to the 1970s, when a mother handed her daughter, Donna, a 28-year-old nursing student, the toy she had purchased from a hobby store.
At some point, Donna and Angie (her roommate) reportedly noticed unusual supernatural activities happening around the apartment that began to escalate. According to the story, Annabelle was possessed by something “demonic and inhuman,” and paranormal activity got worse. Ed and Lorraine Warren, a couple known for collecting strange and paranormal things, eventually got the doll.
Annabelle Was Put on Display
The Warrens later placed Annabelle on display in their occult museum in Monroe, Connecticut. Rivera said Lorraine Warren mentored him, and during Saturday’s event, he told attendees about the steps he’d taken to “protect them” from the doll.
“What Lorraine would say to protect yourself is to close your eyes and envision yourself in a halo of white light,” Rivera stated, via the Evening Sun.
Rivera Conducted Paranormal Investigations for Over a Decade Before His Death.
Dan Rivera was always a part of paranormal investigations for more than a decade before his death, as per the NESPR website. His bio reads, “He encountered haunting phenomena at an early age, having witnessed paranormal events in his home.”
The Connecticut native was a veteran of the U.S. Army and thought of himself as “an expert in the rites and rituals of Santeria.” The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom says that “Santería is a syncretic religion that is mostly based on Yoruba traditions and includes parts of Catholicism.” About 70% of Cubans today practice one or more African-based religions, such as Santeria.
What Happens to the Anabelle Tour Now?
Nothing is confirmed as to what will happen with the tour now. This is because Annabelle and NESPR were to appear in Rock Island, Illinois, in October, as per the Shreveport Times. Though USA Today contacted NESPR, Tuesday, July 15, they have yet to receive a response.
Surviving Family Members of Dan Rivera
His wife, Sarah, and son David are still alive. Since June 1, 2002, Sarah Bond Rivera has worked as an accountant at Kent C Wahlberg, CPA LLC in Stratford, Connecticut. She went to Fairfield High School and then to Eastern Connecticut State University, where she studied accounting and English.
Sarah Bond Rivera Posted a Teary Farewell to Her Husband
Rivera’s wife posted a teary farewell to her husband, “I’ve loved you from the moment we met. Your eyes, that smile… it was all so written in the stars. You are the love of my life and will be forever. Until we meet again, my love; may you be surrounded by God’s eternal love and gilded light.”
Final Words
The paranormal community is missing Dan Rivera very much since he died suddenly. As a pivotal figure in the viral Annabelle doll tour and a devoted investigator for more than ten years, his legacy lives on via the many people he touched. We don’t know what will happen to the tour in the future, but Rivera’s commitment to teaching people about the supernatural will live on.
About The Author
