The cause of death of veteran ghost hunter and Annabelle handler Dan Rivera has been revealed – nearly two months after his shock passing aged 54.
Rivera was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, for his Devils on the Run tour – a chilling cross-country event featuring the infamous Annabelle doll – when he was found unresponsive at his hotel on July 13.
The death of Rivera, the lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), had sparked a fan frenzy, with social media users begging for the tour to be cancelled amid curse rumors.
The Annabelle doll gained notoriety through paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren in the 1970s, who kept it locked in a glass case in their private occult museum and famously warned visitors never to touch it.
Rivera’s autopsy results revealed he died from natural causes, with County of Adams Coroner Francis Dutrow saying his death was ‘cardiac-related’.
Per the report obtained by TMZ, Rivera had a known history of cardiac issues, which were consistent with the autopsy findings.
The cause of death of veteran ghost hunter and Annabelle handler Dan Rivera has been revealed – nearly two months after his shock passing aged 54
Rivera was in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania , for his Devils on the Run tour – a chilling cross-country event featuring the infamous Annabelle doll – when he was found unresponsive at his hotel on July 13
The coroner also confirmed the Annabelle doll was not in the room with Rivera when he died.
The Warrens’ work inspired The Conjuring films and remains central to modern paranormal lore.
The Devils on the Run tour – during which the doll was removed its sealed case for a series of public events – has come under growing scrutiny, with fans fearing its dark energy could be unleashed.
Even the Warrens’ grandson, Chris McKinnell, has spoken out, telling the Mirror that he respects Annabelle’s ‘power.’
The Raggedy Anne Doll’s paranormal legend dates back to the 1970s, when it was apparently given as a gift to nurse in Hartford, Connecticut, before beginning to exhibit disturbing behavior.
Annabelle was thought to be possessed by the spirit of a dead child and was said to move on her own, leave terrifying handwritten notes and even allegedly attacked someone.
The case caught the attention of the Warrens, who concluded Annabelle was being manipulated by a demonic entity.
Due to the popularity of the story and subsequent film franchise, the real Annabelle doll was removed from its secure case and included in the Devils on the Run tour, which began touring in May.
The tour wasn’t just a viral hit – it stirred controversy too. Critics accusing Rivera and his team of exploiting fear and superstition for profit, while believers warned that transporting the doll could unleash real danger.
Due to the popularity of the story and subsequent film franchise, the real Annabelle doll was removed from its secure case and included in the Devils on the Run tour, which began touring in May – sparking fan fears the doll’s rumored curse would strike
The tour has come under growing scrutiny, as fans fear removing Annabelle from her sealed case could unleash dark energy – a move some believe is tempting fate.
During one of the stops, visitors claimed the three-foot-tall doll had vanished without explanation, sparking a wave of online panic and conspiracy theories.
Tensions escalated further after a fire broke out at a historic resort in White Castle, Louisiana, and 10 inmates escaped from a New Orleans prison – all within days of Annabelle being exhibited in the state.
Fears snowballed across social media, with some convinced the so-called ‘possessed’ doll had unleashed a curse.
Rivera stepped in to shut down the hysteria in a TikTok video.
Despite the dark nature of his work, Rivera was known for his upbeat, engaging presence – especially when it came to Annabelle.
At the Gettysburg event, Rivera told attendees how he built the doll’s case using wood stained with holy water and embedded with three crosses to represent the Holy Trinity.
He often leaned into the lore while debunking internet hysteria – including rumors that Annabelle caused a statewide 911 outage in Pennsylvania.
Rivera’s fascination with the supernatural began at an early age and never let up.
After serving in the US Army, he founded his own investigation team before being mentored by Lorraine Warren, who taught him how to spiritually protect himself by ‘visualizing a halo of white light.’
He eventually became NESPR’s lead investigator, helping to carry on the Warrens’ legacy – including assisting families with private hauntings and organizing events like the ParaCon convention.
Beyond the haunted doll circuit, Rivera appeared on hit shows like Most Haunted Places on the Travel Channel and helped produce Netflix’s 28 Days Haunted.
The paranormal community responded to Rivera’s passing with an outpouring of love and grief.
Two nurses claimed the doll wreaked havoc on their lives in the 1970s, so they turned to paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (pictured) for help
The Warrens had a special wooden and glass case constructed for the doll, and stored it away in their Occult Museum, warning that it should never be opened
‘Dan truly believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal,’ said fellow NESPR investigator Chris Gilloren. ‘His kindness and passion touched everyone who knew him.’
Mary Jo Chudley of Penn Paranormal called Rivera ‘a true legend’ and ‘one of the kindest, most genuine and funniest guys.’
Rivera wrote about the afterlife in a touching 2020 tribute to Lorraine Warren.
‘My answer was, in life, we leave a piece of ourselves with loved ones and friends on our journey through life until there are no more pieces to give away. You would think that is the end, but, when you look back at all the pieces you gave away, those pieces will always be remembered,’ he said.
‘So I say I will never die. My journey has only begun.’
