We Talked About the Doll—Then the News Hit: A CT Coincidence Too Weird to Ignore

The world is a trippy and sometimes disturbing place and yesterday was a blinding reminder of that.

Get our free mobile app

At 8:55 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, TMZ reported that Annabelle doll handler Dan Rivera passed away suddenly while touring the doll in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. He was just 54 years old.

Here’s what TMZ had to say:

A paranormal investigator on his creepy "haunted" Annabelle doll tour in the "haunted" battlefield town of Gettysburg has died ... completely out of the blue. Dan Rivera, 54, was in Pennsylvania for his "Devils on the Run" tour — hauling the infamous doll across the country — when firefighters and medics rushed to his hotel Sunday night. Adams County dispatch logs reveal a call for CPR in progress on a man matching Rivera’s age. Rivera's death was confirmed by the New England Society for Psychic Research, where he served as lead investigator. His exact cause of death remains unclear.

First and foremost, my heart goes out to Dan’s family and loved ones. I didn’t know him personally, but he joined us on the I-95 Morning Show back in 2022 (more on that in a bit).

Read More: Dudleytown, Connecticut: A Ghost Town That Guards Its Secrets 

Here’s the eerie part — we were literally talking about the Annabelle doll and Dan's tour on the I-95 Morning Show just twenty minutes before the news of his passing broke. Ethan asked me if I’d ever been near the doll, and I explained how deeply I believe in Annabelle’s dark energy. I told him flat-out that I believe there's something otherworldly and demonic attached to it — and I would never go near it. Take a listen.

Not long after that conversation, we started getting flooded with messages from listeners who had just heard about Dan’s death. On Wednesday, July 16th, we talked about Dan's death—and how strange it was that we read the news on the very same day we had just been talking about how we'd never want to be in the same room as Annabelle.

When we spoke to Dan in 2022, the focus of our full conversation was all about the safety precautions he and his team followed when handling Annabelle. He was measured, thoughtful, and clearly took the responsibility seriously.

It's heartbreaking to lose someone at just 54 years old. And as much as we want to celebrate Dan’s life and work, there's no denying that his connection to the Annabelle doll will shape how this story is told — fairly or not. Some will see his sudden passing as further proof of the doll’s dark power. Others will roll their eyes and call it superstition.

But no matter what you believe, it’s unsettling. It gives you pause. It makes you question the unknown — and that’s exactly the space Dan dedicated his life to exploring.

Rest in peace, Dan.

Here's a Youtube video of Dan handling the doll from Paracon

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by i95Rock (@i95rock)

Check out the Ethan, Lou & Large Dave Show Podcast on Apple & Spotify