Ed and Lorraine Warren’s grandson has issued a serious warning to the new owner of his grandparents’ home and the infamous ‘demonic’ doll.
Earlier this year in July, Dan Rivera, a former US Army veteran and paranormal investigator, suddenly died in his Pennsylvania hotel after concluding his tour with the notorious ‘Annabelle’ doll.
This Raggedy Ann doll gained notoriety in 1970 due to various eerie incidents and attracted the interest of the Warrens, who were well-known paranormal investigators. They claimed that Annabelle was possessed by a demon and had the ability to move, cause car crashes, and had even stabbed a police officer.
Renowned as a demonologist and clairvoyant duo, the Warrens founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) in 1952 and delved into numerous unusual cases, some of which inspired The Conjuring horror film series.
To contain the doll’s influence, the couple placed Annabelle in a specially designed glass case and warned against moving her.
Despite this caution, Rivera, who was mentored by Lorraine before her passing, seemed to disregard the warning. However, Adams County coroner Francis Dutrow concluded that Rivera’s death was due to natural causes linked to his pre-existing heart issues.
Dutrow also confirmed, “Annabelle was not present in the room at the time of his passing.”
Rivera’s sudden death has further fueled speculation surrounding the sinister doll, now under the care of a new owner.
The Warrens’ residence and Occult Museum in Connecticut were acquired by comedian Matt Rife, who now serves as the legal guardian of the supposedly malevolent doll.
The Warrens’ grandson, Chris McKinnell, has publicly criticized Rife’s actions and issued a foreboding warning.
During an appearance on the Reel Appreciation podcast, McKinnell expressed his concerns, stating, “One of the worst parts of my grandparents’ legacy is that my grandfather ever made the mistake of calling it a museum.”
He clarified, “It was never open to the public. That’s a misconception. It was always by special invitation, one or two people, very small groups with specific instructions — don’t touch anything, don’t treat anything with misrespect, do not try to communicate with anything.”
McKinnell explained that his stepfather initially wanted to take the ‘thing’ on tour, which he believes was ‘so dangerous’ and ‘such a betrayal of everything my grandparents spent their lives doing.’
Representatives for Rife informed Entertainment Weekly that there are ‘no plans to take any of the artifacts on tour,’ yet the 30-year-old reportedly has aspirations to open the home and museum to visitors.
McKinnell also expressed his frustration with the current state of paranormal exploration, emphasizing that people now use platforms like TikTok to interact with such objects.
“They’re trying to communicate with these things. To me, that place is the Chernobyl of the paranormal, and it bothers me to no end what can happen. We’ve seen what recently happened.”
Regarding Rivera’s death, McKinnell admitted uncertainty about whether the investigator was ‘killed’ by the doll, but he shared his own unsettling experiences with the paranormal.
“I’ve been levitated over stairs in the Smurl house,” he recounted, referring to the Smurl family case that drew Ed and Lorraine’s attention and inspired the latest Conjuring film, The Conjuring: Last Rites.
“I was picked up and thrown across the room with my cousin in our bed in another poltergeist case,” McKinnell added. “I’ve had the gas turn on my stove three nights in a row without the flame because I was about to go on a case.”
He also mentioned that a 40-year-old researcher he worked with died of a stroke, and he was involved in a car accident after other paranormal investigations.
“So the paranormal can be deadly,” he cautioned. “It can be empowering. It can be very, very beautiful, but it’s like electricity. It can light up the world or it can kill you.”