{"id":3746,"date":"2025-08-03T21:50:26","date_gmt":"2025-08-03T21:50:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/?p=3746"},"modified":"2025-08-04T10:14:50","modified_gmt":"2025-08-04T10:14:50","slug":"haunted-annabelle-doll-gets-new-celebrity-owner-weeks-after-handler-mysteriously-dies","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/2025\/08\/03\/haunted-annabelle-doll-gets-new-celebrity-owner-weeks-after-handler-mysteriously-dies\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Haunted\u2019 Annabelle doll gets new celebrity owner weeks after handler mysteriously dies"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n\t\t\"W977TF\t<\/div>
A comedian has announced he’s the new owner of the infamous Annabelle doll (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Comedian Matt Rife has revealed his \u2018super random\u2019 purchase of the museum that houses the \u2018haunted\u2019 Annabelle doll<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Raggedy Ann doll was obtained by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine<\/a> Warren, in the 1970s after its original owner claimed it exhibited unsettling behaviour and was told by a psychic it had been possessed by a dead girl called Annabelle.<\/p>\n

Over the years it was claimed to have caused a string of supernatural occurrences<\/a>, featuring the 2013 film The Conjuring, going on to inspire the Annabelle horror film series, which includes the 2014 film Annabelle, followed by Annabelle: Creation (2017), and Annabelle Comes Home (2019).<\/p>\n

Over the past five decades, the original doll has been kept in the Warren\u2019s Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut.<\/p>\n

Last month, the doll came to attention again following the sudden and mysterious death of its caretaker, <\/a>Dan Rivera.<\/p>\n

The well-known ghost hunter, 54, had been taking the doll around the US when he was found dead in his hotel. An autopsy is yet to confirm his cause of death, but police said \u2018nothing unusual or suspicious was observed at the scene.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"PANAMA\t<\/div>
Matt Rife said he is ‘obsessed with all things haunted and the paranormal’ (Picture: Michael Chang\/ Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DM02fDXRMRd\/?hl=en&img_index=1<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n

A few weeks on Rife, 29, has now announced he\u2019s \u2018officially\u2019 purchased the Warren\u2019s house and museum alongside YouTube creator Elton Castee.<\/p>\n

\u2018INSANE ANNOUNCEMENT,\u2019 he began.<\/p>\n

\u2018I have officially purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren\u2019s home and Occult Museum, including being the legal guardian for at least the next 5 years, of the entire haunted collection including THE ANNABELLE DOLL, with my good friend @eltoncastee!! If you know me, you know I\u2019m obsessed with the paranormal and all things haunted. <\/p>\n

‘You also may know The Conjuring films are my favourite scary movies of all time. So I\u2019m incredibly honoured to have taken over one of the most prominent properties in paranormal history. Ed and Lorain Warren arguably put demonology and paranormal into the mainstream and are the very heart of some of the most famous haunted stories of all time, The Conjuring House, Amityville Horror, etc\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2018We plan to open the house for overnight stays and museum tours so you yourself can experience and learn all the haunted history surrounding this amazing place.\u2019<\/p>\n

In a TikTok Rife, best known for his self-produced comedy specials Only Fans, Matthew Steven Rife and Walking Red Flag, as well as Netflix specials Natural Selection and Lucid, added that: \u2018I know a lot of you guys don\u2019t know [what] any of this means whatsoever, but if you follow ghost stuff, this is about as big as it gets.\u2019<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"Mandatory\t<\/div>
The Annabelle doll has been blamed for a string of unsettling events (Picture: Jessica Moore\/ TNS via ZUMA Press Wire\/ Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"Editorial\t<\/div>
She inspired The Conjuring film franchise (Picture: Atomic Monster\/ Warner Bros\/ Kobal\/ Rex\/ Shutterstock)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The New England Society for Psychic Research, which was founded by the Warrens, previously described it as \u2018demonically possessed\u2019.<\/p>\n

Despite Rife\u2019s excitement, many people expressed concerns for him.<\/p>\n

\u2018It was nice knowing you!!!!!!\u2019 Jake commented on Instagram.<\/p>\n

\u2018DONT TOUCH ANYTHING!! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DONT TOUCH ANYTHING!!\u2019 Heather urged.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tWhat is the curse of the Annabelle doll?\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
\n

The original Annabelle doll is a Raggedy Ann-style cloth doll that became the subject of widespread attention due to its alleged involvement in paranormal events investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren, prominent figures in American demonology and paranormal research.<\/p>\n

The events began in 1970, when a nursing student named Donna received the doll as a gift from her mother.<\/p>\n

Shortly after, Donna and her roommate Angie reported unusual activity involving the doll, including changes in its position and location within their apartment. They also discovered handwritten notes on parchment paper with disturbing messages such as \u2018Help me,\u2019 despite not having such paper in the apartment.<\/p>\n

Seeking an explanation, the women consulted a medium who claimed that the doll was inhabited by the spirit of a deceased girl named Annabelle Higgins. However, the Warrens, upon investigating, concluded that the presence associated with the doll was not that of a human spirit but a malevolent, demonic entity using the doll as a conduit to ultimately possess a human host.<\/p>\n

Following their investigation, the Warrens removed the doll and placed it in a secure glass case in their Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut, with a warning label reading, \u2018Warning: Positively Do Not Open.\u2019<\/p>\n

The doll is also associated with a supposed curse. The Warrens recounted an incident in which a museum visitor mocked the doll and challenged its power.<\/p>\n

According to their account, the visitor died in a motorcycle accident shortly after being asked to leave the museum. This story has contributed to the belief that Annabelle carries a dangerous curse, although no verifiable evidence supports these claims.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\u2018No way. We are not ready to lose you,\u2019 Mel added.<\/p>\n

Rife went on to explain that he and Castee are now the \u2018legal guardians and caretakers\u2019 of the Warrens\u2019 home, as well as the museum and its collection of 750 artifacts, but don\u2019t have permanent ownership.<\/p>\n

\u2018I must go on record and say we do not legally own the items, but we are the legal guardians and caretakers of the items for at least the next five years,\u2019 he clarified.<\/p>\n

He also shared his plans to re-open the museum, which was forced to shut in 2019 due to a zoning violation.<\/p>\n

\n
\n\t\t\"\"\t<\/div>
Lorraine and Ed Warren were played by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson (Picture: Warner Bros.)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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\n\t\t\"HOLLYWOOD,\t<\/div>
Warren died in 2019, while her husband had died in 2006 (Picture: Jason LaVeris\/ FilmMagic)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rife said that \u2018soon\u2019 the museum will be opened for tours, while the house would be open for guests, with options to visit for a day, night or entire weekend.<\/p>\n

\u2018This is the most random hobby ever, but it\u2019s so f***ing ool, man. I should probably collect stamps or something \u2014 might be a little safer,\u2019 he joked.<\/p>\n

Ed Warren died aged 79 in 2006, while Lorraine died aged 92 in 2019.<\/p>\n

They were played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in The Conjuring franchise.<\/p>\n

Got a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk<\/a> entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff<\/a> page – we\u2019d love to hear from you.<\/p>\n


\n\t\t\tComment now<\/title><\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"comment-now__label\">Comments<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t<\/a><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A comedian has announced he’s the new owner of the infamous Annabelle doll (Picture: Alamy Stock Photo) Comedian Matt Rife has revealed his \u2018super random\u2019 purchase of the museum that houses the \u2018haunted\u2019 Annabelle doll. The Raggedy Ann doll was obtained by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, in the...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3618,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3746"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3746"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3746\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3754,"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3746\/revisions\/3754"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3618"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3746"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3746"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.satecsite.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3746"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}