Dan Rivera, a paranormal investigator known for leading the 2025 “Devils on the Run Tour,” was found dead following a scheduled leg of the tour in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, that featured the allegedly haunted doll Annabelle. Rivera was 54. Though his cause of death has not been determined yet, paranormal enthusiasts and fans of Rivera’s are speculating about the mystery surrounding his case.
The “Devils on the Run Tour” had just completed its Gettysburg portion and was held at the Soldiers National Orphanage by Ghostly Images of Gettysburg Tours. Rivera helped the tour reach nationwide attention in recent months thanks to his TikTok videos. Per the Evening Sun, Rivera’s tour had completed its final Gettysburg portion in the afternoon on July 13, 2025, just hours before his death.
The question remains in Rivera’s death: how did he die? Below, Hollywood Life is separating fact from fiction.
Paranormal investigator Dan Rivera dies suddenly at 54 while traveling across the US with the real ‘haunted’ Annabelle doll. pic.twitter.com/1ArYrmvPXW
— Creepy.org (@creepydotorg) July 15, 2025
Who Was Dan Rivera?
Rivera was a paranormal investigator, recently known for leading the “Devils on the Run Tour,” which featured Annabelle, and he worked with the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR). In addition to his profession, Rivera was also a U.S. Army veteran.
Previously, Rivera was featured on the Travel Channel’s Most Haunted Places as a paranormal investigator. Additionally, he worked as a producer on various shows, such as Netflix’s 28 Days Haunted.
Dan Rivera’s Cause of Death: How Did He Die?
Rivera’s official cause of death has not been determined at the time of publication. An autopsy will be conducted to uncover how he died.
In the evening hours of July 13, 2025, Rivera was found dead in his hotel room in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The Evening Sun reported that firefighters and medical staff were called to the hotel at about 8:00 p.m. local time. Both Pennsylvania State Police and the coroner’s office responded to the hotel room to perform an investigation, according to the publication.
Adams County first responders performed CPR on a male patient of Rivera’s age. The Adams County Coroner’s Office said that Rivera’s death did not seem suspicious, per the Evening Sun. He was discovered alone in the hotel room.
Where Is Annabelle Currently?
Annabelle was last seen in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, because the doll was scheduled to appear as part of “The Devils on the Run Tour” in the area from July 11 through July 13, 2025. The figurine was previously held at the Warrens’ Occult Museum in Connecticut.
The allegedly haunted doll was scheduled to appear in Rock Island, Illinois, on October 4 and October 5, 2025, as part of the tour.
Is Annabelle Actually Haunted?
Annabelle is considered a haunted doll, hence why she’s been kept in a glass case for years. Late paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who was Rivera’s mentor, investigated the doll in the 1970s after a 28-year-old nursing student named Donna from Connecticut claimed the figurine could move by itself and behaved maliciously. The Warrens said a psychic medium informed them that the doll was possessed by a dead girl named Annabelle. To prevent the supposedly possessed doll from harming anyone, the Warrens kept her in a glass case.
In May 2025, viral theories about Annabelle’s whereabouts circulated on social media in reaction to her being featured in the “Devils on the Run” cross-country tour. Contrary to rumors, Annabelle never went missing.
The doll’s story inspired the character and spinoff Annabelle films from The Conjuring universe. The real-life Annabelle doll is a Raggedy Ann plush figurine, not a porcelain doll with angry eyes, rosy cheeks like the one featured in the movies.
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