Comedian Matt Rife has revealed his ‘super random’ purchase of the museum that houses the ‘haunted’ Annabelle doll.
The Raggedy Ann doll was obtained by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine 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.
Over the years was claimed to have caused a string of supernatural occurrences, 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).
Over the past five decades, the original doll has been kept in the Warren’s Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut.
Last month the doll came to attention again following the sudden and mysterious death of its caretaker Dan Rivera.
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 ‘nothing unusual or suspicious was observed at the scene.’
A few weeks on Rife, 29, has now announced he’s ‘officially’ purchased the Warren’s house and museum alongside YouTube creator Elton Castee.
‘INSANE ANNOUNCEMENT,’ he began.
‘I have officially purchased Ed and Lorraine Warren’s 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’m obsessed with the paranormal and all things haunted. You also may know The Conjuring films are my favourite scary movies of all time. So I’m 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…
‘We 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.’
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: ‘I know a lot of you guys don’t know [what] any of this means whatsoever, but if you follow ghost stuff, this is about as big as it gets.’
The New England Society for Psychic Research, which was founded by the Warrens, previously described it as ‘demonically possessed’.
Despite Rife’s excitement, many people expressed concerns for him.
‘It was nice knowing you!!!!!!’ Jake commented on Instagram.
‘DONT TOUCH ANYTHING!! PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD DONT TOUCH ANYTHING!!’ Heather urged.
What is the curse of the Annabelle doll?
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.
The events began in 1970, when a nursing student named Donna received the doll as a gift from her mother.
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 ‘Help me,’ despite not having such paper in the apartment.
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.
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, ‘Warning: Positively Do Not Open.’
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.
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.
‘No way. We are not ready to lose you,’ Mel added.
Rife went on to explain that he and Castee are now the ‘legal guardians and caretakers’ of the Warrens’ home, as well as the museum and its collection of 750 artifacts, but don’t have permanent ownership.
‘I 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,’ he clarified.
He also shared his plans to re-open the museum, which was forced to shut in 2019 due to a zoning violation.
Rife said that ‘soon’ 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.
‘This is the most random hobby ever, but it’s so f***ing ool, man. I should probably collect stamps or something — might be a little safer,’ he joked.
Ed Warren died aged 79 in 2006, while Lorraine died aged 92 in 2019.
They were played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga in The Conjuring franchise.
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