The paranormal community is mourning the sudden passing of Dan Rivera, 54, the lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR). Rivera died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 13, 2025, during the Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, leg of the highly publicized “Devils on the Run Tour,” which featured the allegedly haunted Annabelle doll.
Rivera’s death occurred on Sunday evening, with Adams County dispatch scanner archives indicating that firefighters and medical personnel were called to a Gettysburg hotel for a report of CPR in progress on a male patient matching Rivera’s age. The official cause of death has not yet been released, according to the Hanover Evening Sun. NESPR announced his passing on Monday evening, July 14, 2025.
The “Devils on the Run Tour” had garnered significant attention and controversy across the country. Rivera was a central figure in the tour, helping to bring it to international prominence through public outreach, including numerous viral TikTok videos produced with fellow paranormal investigator Ryan Daniel Buell. The Gettysburg stop, hosted by Ghostly Images of Gettysburg Tours at the Soldiers National Orphanage, was a complete sell-out, attracting over 1,260 ticket holders across three days from Friday, July 11, to Sunday, July 13, 2025. Organizers noted the tour’s immense popularity, despite sparking outrage in some locations due to superstitions surrounding the doll’s storied past.
A U.S. Army veteran, Rivera’s fascination with the paranormal began at a young age, leading him to establish his own investigation group after his military service. His “insatiable curiosity” eventually led him to attend lectures by the legendary paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren, who took Rivera under her wing in her final years. This mentorship culminated in Rivera’s appointment as the lead investigator for NESPR in 2011.
NESPR was co-founded in 1952 by Ed and Lorraine Warren, who gained international fame for their investigations into cases like “The Amityville Horror,” the “Enfield Poltergeist,” and, most notably, the Annabelle doll. Their work inspired “The Conjuring” film series, which became the highest-grossing horror franchise worldwide by 2023. After the passing of Ed Warren in 2006 and Lorraine Warren in 2019, their daughter, Judy Spera, and son-in-law, Tony Spera, have maintained NESPR and the Warrens’ occult museum collection. Rivera was deeply committed to preserving their legacy, even caring for Lorraine in her later years, as noted by Ryan Daniel Buell. His efforts included organizing the paranormal convention ParaCon, which visited Gettysburg in 2024, and the Annabelle tour, which Buell credited with introducing a new generation to the Warrens’ work. Beyond public events, Rivera and NESPR also undertook private investigations to assist families experiencing alleged hauntings, continuing the Warrens’ tradition.
During the Gettysburg tour, Rivera was known for his charismatic approach, emphasizing a positive experience for visitors. He spoke about the measures he took to “protect” patrons from the Annabelle doll, including the custom-built case he constructed with three crosses representing the Holy Trinity and stained with holy water. He also humorously debunked social media rumors attempting to link the doll’s journey to various unrelated incidents, such as a 911 outage in Pennsylvania. Rivera often shared Lorraine Warren’s advice for protection against “evil spirits,” which involved a form of meditation: “close your eyes and envision yourself in a halo of white light.”
News of Rivera’s passing prompted an immediate outpouring of tributes from across the paranormal community. Chris Gilloren, a fellow NESPR investigator present at the Gettysburg event, shared in a statement from NESPR, “Dan truly believed in sharing his experiences and educating people on the paranormal. His kindness and passion touched everyone who knew him.” Mary Jo Chudley of Penn Paranormal described him as “A true legend… one of the kindest, most genuine and funniest guys I’ve ever known.” Hundreds of comments and thousands of reactions flooded Ryan Daniel Buell’s tribute post, with many recalling their positive interactions with Rivera at various events.
In a poignant resurfaced 2020 post dedicated to Lorraine Warren on the anniversary of her passing, Rivera reflected on mortality: “Does life really end? I’ve asked myself that question today. 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. So I say I will never die. My journey has only begun.” His words now serve as a powerful testament to his enduring legacy in the field he so passionately pursued.
