The real-life Annabelle doll’s handler, Dan Rivera, has died at the age of 54, while on tour with the frightening toy.
The Connecticut native and paranormal investigator has been the primary caretaker for the Raggedy Ann doll, which is a classic fixture in the horror genre, specifically in The Conjuring film franchise.
According to a Facebook post from the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR), which is hosting Annabelle’s tour, Rivera suddenly died while at the event with the doll this past weekend. Rivera was also the lead investigator for NESPR.
However, a cause of death has not been released.
“It’s with deep sadness that Tony, Wade, and I share the sudden passing of our close friend and partner, Dan Rivera,” fellow investigator Chris Gilloren, who’s a part of the tour, wrote, alongside a black and white picture of Rivera.
“We are heartbroken and still processing this loss. Dan truly believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal. His kindness and passion touched everyone who knew him,” he continued.” Thank you for your support and kind thoughts during this difficult time.”
Rivera was a part of a group currently on the Devils on the Run Tour, hosted by Ghostly Images of Gettysburg and NESPR. According to NESPR’s website, the event, held in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, this past weekend, was a “night of paranormal history as the infamous Annabelle doll visits Gettysburg’s Haunted Orphanage.”
Annabelle the doll will continue traveling throughout the next few months, with her next stop in Augusta, Maine, on September 6 and September 7. She’s also expected to be at the Rock Island Roadhouse Esoteric Expo in Rock Island, Illinois, on October 4, and ScareFest Weekend 17 in Lexington, Kentucky, which is from October 17 through 19.
Rivera’s death came after rumors circulated in May that Annabelle had somehow gone missing while in Louisiana. The rumors came after some visitors claimed they didn’t see the doll during a tour.
In addition, a recent fire at the nearby Nottoway Plantation-turned-Nottoway Resort in White Castle, Louisiana, intensified speculation that there was somehow a connection between Annabelle’s supposed disappearance and the blaze.
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However, Rivera debunked theories that the doll had gone missing in a TikTok video at the time.
“I’m here at the museum right now, and I just wanna show you guys that Annabelle is in the Warrens’ Occult Museum,” he said. “Let’s go inside and let’s check.”
After entering the museum, he walked over to show the doll sitting in a wooden case.
“Annabelle is not missing; she’s not in Chicago,” he assured fans.
Annabelle first appeared in 2013’s The Conjuring before receiving her own spin-off franchise. Annabelle was released in 2014, followed by Annabelle: Creation in 2017 and the latest entry, Annabelle Comes Home, in 2019.
