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Is 'Annabelle' behind Dan Rivera's death? Shocking details emerge as netizens say ‘the curse is real’

The Gettysburg tour of the 'Haunted' doll Annabelle ended in tragedy with the unexpected death of organizer Dan Rivera, igniting panic among locals.

Updated on: Jul 16, 2025, 24:07:22 IST
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‘Haunted’ doll Annabelle's Gettysburg tour ended tragically this weekend with the unexpected death of one of the tour's primary organizers, reigniting panic and fear among the locals. Dan Rivera, the 54-year-old lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research and a US Army veteran, died unexpectedly on Sunday, July 13, 2025, during his visit to Gettysburg, the society stated on Monday evening. With his death, one question that comes to everyone's mind is if 'Annabelle' is behind Dan Rivera's sudden demise.

Dan Rivera, the 54-year-old lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research and a US Army veteran, died unexpectedly on Sunday amid Annabelle's Gettysburg tour, ( Among The Unknown @OfficialATU)
Dan Rivera, the 54-year-old lead investigator for the New England Society for Psychic Research and a US Army veteran, died unexpectedly on Sunday amid Annabelle's Gettysburg tour, ( Among The Unknown @OfficialATU)

Did Dan Rivera attend Annabelle's Gettysburg event before death?

Rivera was one of the main organizers who led the sold-out tours for visitors to see the Annabelle doll at the Gettysburg event on Saturday.

According to the Evening Sun, which was in attendance, Rivera was full of charm as he joked with guests about the tour's popularity and craze and underlined his focus on keeping their visitors tour enjoyable before escorting them into the room to see the doll.

He said to the people assembled at the orphanage, “I want you guys to have a good time.”

During the event, Rivera, who received mentoring from renowned paranormal investigator Lorraine Warren, explained to the attendees the measures he implemented to "protect them" from the doll, including the case containing the doll he had constructed himself.

Rivera informed the gathering, he constructed a structure that was stained with holy water and featured three crosses, symbolizing the holy trinity.

Rivera quipped during his remarks that "we did not burn down that plantation," and “we did not free those prisoners,” alluding to some of the stories that went viral and were attempted to be connected to the doll's tour on social media.

He went on to mention that “Annabelle had not caused a 911 outage that sent wireless emergency alerts blaring across cellphones in Pennsylvania, including inside of the doll's first showings a day prior.”

In reference to his late mentor, Rivera told the audience that her advice on warding off “evil spirits” was similar to meditation.

“What Lorraine would say to protect yourself,” Rivera continued, “is to close your eyes and envision yourself in a halo of white light.”

While Rivera's cause of death has not been revealed by officials, several netizens on X wondered if he was killed by Annabelle.

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Here's what netizens are saying on Dan Rivera's demise

Expressing outrage and anger at the Annabelle tour organisers, one X user wrote: “This was bound to happen.”

“I don't know why people are still playing with Annabelle,” another commented.

“I had a ticket to the last timeslot Sunday & didn’t go bc my daughter had a terrible gut feeling. *Never* ignore gut feelings. Glad I stayed home,” third person said.

“Keep that doll locked up,” a fourth person chimed in, while the fifth said, “Y’all should never mess with Annabelle.”

“The curse is real,” one more added.

  • Shweta Kukreti
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Shweta Kukreti

    Shweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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