The notorious Annabelle doll, long associated with paranormal legends, is once again making headlines following a series of bizarre and tragic events during its US tour.
Dan Rivera, handler of the doll during the "Devils on the Run" paranormal exhibit, was found dead in his hotel room under mysterious circumstances this week. Rivera, a cult figure in the ghost-hunting world, had been touring with Annabelle, a supposedly demon-possessed Raggedy Ann doll made famous by The Conjuring films.
The tour, which began in May, stopped in New Orleans just days before a fire destroyed the historic Nottoway Plantation and ten inmates escaped from a nearby jail. Rumours quickly swirled that Annabelle had gone missing and may have been connected to the disasters.
However, Tony Spera, owner of the Warren Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, refuted these claims.
"You know, it's easy for rumours to start. The fact of the matter is that doll was never out of our sight, never out of our control," Spera told NBC News this week. "It's in a protective case and many precautions were taken to make it safe."
Paranormal investigator Ryan Buell supported this by posting a video from the museum on May 24, showing Annabelle secured behind him.
Despite these reassurances, conspiracy theories and fear have spread rapidly online. Ghost City Tours founder Tim Nealon said, "I didn't realise people were actually taking this seriously."
Annabelle's legend traces back to the 1970s, when paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren claimed it was used by a demonic entity to manipulate and harm humans. Plans for the doll's future appearances remain uncertain following Rivera's death.
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