ArtRojasDesign

The team is off to Sawyer, Michigan to investigate the home of an antique collector that says she’s seeing some unusual figures and hears some strange voices in her home. She collects items from everywhere such as a gun that was supposedly used in the suicide of a priest, a gold dental bridge she found on the beach and mourning jewelry. Some fascinating, but odd stuff.

The owner claims to hear voices in the house and has seen a shadow figure multiple times walking around.

Of course a gun used in suicide of a priest is riveting stuff, but the legend isn’t anywhere close to reality. I’m impressed at the investigation of the team. There was indeed the death of a priest in 1979. They were able to locate that through newspaper articles. They had the gun dated and it was made in 1985-86. Obviously, the two can’t be connected. The priest has nothing to do with the house and it’s just an ordinary gun.

As they continue the investigation, they see a shadow figure in the room with fireplace and where the dental bridge is kept. They really didn’t get much when they messed with this before, but now John feels there is more to it. It does look like a shadow moving across the wall, but as they show, there are plenty of exterior lights on so it could have easily been someone walking by. Why no debunking on this one?

Also, why didn’t they go in there and try to communicate? Why no EVP session. If that was a real shadow figure and there was a presence they had a chance to talk with the spirit and just decided to pack it in the for the night.How can they be so on the ball for researching the gun, but just so lax about this?

In the end John thinks the gold dental bridge is the source of the problem. It may have come out during a drowning or something similar. It may be related to a death in the lakes. And since the mysterious shadow was in the same room, the two have to be linked. The owner decides to turn it over to the police to see if goes with some sort of unsolved crime. There seem to be a whole lot of flaws with this episode, things just aren’t coming together for me. They barely get any evidence, stop far short from doing any proper debunking of that shadow, and out of all the items there, they go with the gold tooth? A little bit odd.

Radford Virginia – St Alban’s Asylum

Everybody loves a haunted asylum! And this one sounds like it comes with some decent stories. They have stories of one of the workers being lifted off the ground and thrown down the stairs. They have women getting scratched and their hair pulled. There is a strange axe that keeps showing up in different places of the asylum, an autoclave that is able to open itself and rumor of lobotomies. The current owner wants to turn restore the facility and turn it into a museum. I say to hell with that, open it as a haunted attraction. You have tons to work with already!

But anyway… There are some things to note about this place. It’s falling apart, it’s been vandalized, it’s more than likely got animals living in it and there is already the preconceived notion that it’s haunted. When you put that all together, people will naturally assume something is going on in the place.

The highlight of the investigation is finding a bizarre looking box tucked away in the corner. Sounds from the baby monitor have lead them to the spot. They discover it’s an early form of electroshock therapy. Primative and probably brutal. Patients would have it hooked to their head and voltage applied to calm their nerves and release their anxieties.

The part that bothers me here, other than the incredibly coincidental way in which they found this, and all their other relics, is that the owner wants to get rid of it. I thought this was supposed to be a museum? You have a true piece of medical equipment from the era and you want to toss it away? Right or wrong, that is how medicine is done. We can only learn from our mistakes. Sweeping it under the rug doesn’t do anyone any good. I think that was the wrong decision and it should have been kept and put on display so the story of it’s use and possible abuse could be told. Pity.

Other Articles of Interest:

• Haunted Collector – Bare Bones and Octagon Haunting – S02E08
• Haunted Collector – Spirits of Gettysburg and Headless Horseman – S03E06
• Haunted Highway – Bridge of Doom and Shades of Death Road S02E05
• Ghost Mine – Secret Passage – S01E05
• Ghost Adventures – Winchester Mystery House – S12E11
• Haunted Collector – The Sanitarium & Firehouse Phantom – S01E04
• Haunted Collector – Haunted Mansion and Ghost Mill – S02E01
• Ghost Adventures – Point Sur California – S07E03
• Ghost Asylum – St Vincent’s Mental Asylum – S01E04
• Haunted Collector – Haunted Rectory and Grand Midway Ghosts – S02E05

Haunted Villa

Johns heads to New York to help a restaurant owner get his place of business under control. They hear voices, people get grabbed and have a feeling of uneasiness in the restaurant.

Honestly, I have so many problems with this episode I’m not sure where to start. Let’s start with the obvious. This is a newlywed couple so they obviously have those stressed. Second, they’re taking over the family business that’s been around for 20 years, no small task there. They sleep above the restaurant, which to me says there could be some financial issues as well as they never get away from work. You can’t predict how people will react to stress, and we clearly have financial, emotional and family stress all piled together. We also have the story of a suicide in the restaurant and the claims that activity has been going on for some time. I’m not trying to be rude, but it seems like the paranormal is going to be blamed for anything that goes wrong regardless.

Another problem I have is the flowers dying. Ok, that’s not paranormal, that’s bloody gas leak. They either have a natural gas, carbon monoxide or some other type of problem going on. Since those plants wilted while they watched, they need to forget the paranormal and get some building maintenance in there before they kill someone. Also, depending on what the leak is, it could be responsible for the anxiety, the tension, fear, even hallucinations. I don’t think for a minute that smashed up watch that might be associated with a lovers betrayal is behind all the problems. These people have bigger problems on their hands.

Jordan Springs in Stephenson, Virginia

The team heads to Virginia to investigate a home in Virginia where the owner hears noises and sees shadow figures. Once John investigates he comes across some very impressive old bottles that have been found in the yard as well as some interesting tins with symbols painted on them. The tins are associated with a monk that is rumored to have lived there.

But as the investigation goes on, attentions turn to Native American artifacts and a fetish that’s found out in a tree. It’s a completely hidden doll, inside a tree trunk, out in the woods and John and his team just happen to hit upon it. Again, their ability to find these items is staggering. We also have the headless angel statue on the grounds. It’s pretty obvious this is the work of some vandals. Were the little punks messing around and trying to make a voodoo doll? Was this actually directed at the home owner? It all seems pretty unlikely. It’s nowhere near the house, it’s a new doll, and there doesn’t seem to be a link between any of these events. How does any of this relate together? Is she on Native American land? Was there injustice to those people done there? Is someone seeking justice? It all just seems a little odd. For all we know some kid saw that in a book and decided to make one for himself. It probably has no significance and no power whatsoever.

Other Articles of Interest:

• Ghost Adventures – Leslies Family Tree Restaurant – S12E07
• Ghost Adventures – Hauntings of Vicksburg – Demons and Dolls – Part 2
• Haunted Collector – Haunted Bayou/Library Ghost – S01E01
• Paranormal Challenge – Western Virginia Penitentiary – S01E05
• Ghost Adventures – Island of the Dolls – S10E04
• Paranormal State S04E05 – Haunted Sex Dungeon
• Paranormal State – The Lurking Man – S05E09
• Paranormal State S04E04 – Boy Pushed Me
• Paranormal State – Return of the Dead – The Glove II – S05E06
• Haunted Collector – Priest Gun and Haunted Asylum – S02E04

Hulbert House, Boonville, New York

John and the team head out to New York to investigate a Bed and Breakfast that the owners say is increasing with activity. There are reports of being touched, hair pulling, pushing and there is supposed to be a little girl running around. They even have a guest who died in the hotel and they have his urn on the mantel. His ashes aren’t in there, they’ve been spread, but they inherited the urn itself. And he’s not the only one who died in the hotel. Several people have passed away and they even have a guest who simply disappear and left his personal effects behind. Suffice it to say, this hotel doesn’t seem to have the best track record with guest.

They do some research on the house and find it has some mafia connections. It was known for lavish parties and plenty of drinking. As they investigate the house John and Jesslyn head down to the basement and pick up an EVP of a little girl saying "help me". They don’t pick up anything else, nor do they get any other kind of reading to go with the EVP.

Brian and Chris check out the upper levels of the house and the massive water damage that’s happened. As Jason and Jesslyn investigate other parts of the house, the showers and faucets mysteriously turn on. Not just in room, but in multiple places. It’s becoming pretty clear that the plumbing in this place sucks. They have massive water damage and who knows what else from some seriously leaky pipes. But the water damage also reveals a garrote, the classic mafia way of sneaking up behind someone and chocking them with piano wire. Since the mafia was known to stay there, it’s not that big of a fine. But John feels it’s the cause of the problems has it removed.

To be honest, there are a hell of a lot of things wrong with that place. The plumbing is broken, the walls are ruined and who knows what else is broken. I also find it interesting that with all the other personal items up there, like photos, abandoned urns and clothes that the garrote was the main focus of interest. I guess it’s the only clear weapon of murder? Sure, you should toss that sucker away or give it to a museum, but it seems off everything hinges of that one item that just happens to be in the water damaged area and just happens to be dangling down.

King House in Mayport Village, Florida

John and the team head up to New York to investigate another hotel, the King’s Inn. The owner says she scared of the place and doesn’t stay there alone. There are reports of a woman in white, hair being pulled and of course the sound of a little girl running around. The research says nothing about any children dying there, but there is a report of Viola being stabbed in the face and her remains tossed in the river across the street. Have to admit, that’s pretty gruesome.

The parrot keeps referring to a "Howard", which they believe is Howard King, one of the former owners, They also speak with a local writer and historian who makes plenty of claims about people dying in the place. As he puts it, they died early or violently. We’re certainly being painted the picture of a violent and abusive family.

Even though there is no report of a little girl dying in the place, the team keeps running with that idea. They keep trying to get some sort of response as though they’re talking to an abused child. I find that a little odd.

The investigation hasn’t yielded any results until the end when Brian sees all this dirt and debris flying around on the IR screens. He feels it necessary to investigate the ductwork. To that end he miraculously discovers a pendant in the bottom vent down by the parrot where the woman was supposedly stabbed. What an ironic bit of luck that turned out to be. Good thing they brought along that scope so they could see into the vents and get that tiny little locket.

They decide that’s the cause of the issues and throw the locket into the river to put Viola to rest. Her body was never buried, which I presume to mean it was never found. The locket had the word "forever" engraved so they make a link to her. This should put the spirit to rest.

It’s reported that the activity stopped, yet the bird keeps calling to Howard.

I still think everything both of these cases was extremely circumstantial and their conclusions are pretty shaky at best. The location of both the garrote and the locket are awfully convenient. With all that water damage, the garrote it just happens to be discovered when his team just happens to be there? The locket is down the last air vent they look into and they feel the urge to use the scope? Convenient. Very convenient.

Other Articles of Interest:

• Haunted Collector – Bare Bones and Octagon Haunting – S02E08
• Haunted Collector – Burning Spirits – Ghosts of the West – S01E03
• Haunted Collector – Stirring the Dead and Ghost Writer – S02E06
• Haunted Collector – Uncivil Spirit & Revolutionary Ghost – S01E05
• Ghost Hunters International – Argentina/Australia S02E08
• Haunted Collector – Hollywood Haunted and Gold Rush Ghost – S03E10
• Haunted Collector – Farm Stalker and Echo Club Spirits – S03E01
• Ghost Adventures – The Stanley Hotel – S04E05
• Ghost Stalkers – Wheatlands Plantation – S01E05
• Haunted Collector – Haunted Mansion and Ghost Mill – S02E01

Haunted Mansion

The previous season of Haunted Collector had a lot of promise, but so many of the ideas and conclusions didn’t gel with me. There were massive leaps in logic and a habit of making the evidence fit with a pre-determined outcome. Overall it was still interesting and some of their debunking procedures were right on the mark. I’m willing to give the second season a look, but after just the first episode, I see some things haven’t changed.

We start off by visiting a home a Warsaw Kentucky, where the owner has claims of doors opening, shadows and vases being knocked off display cases. There hasn’t been any contact or other physical encounters, but the owner senses something and wants John to look into it. Ok, fair enough, she has quite a few Native American artifacts so there is validity to her concerns.

Brian and Chris start off with some excellent investigation into the shadow and how that would be caused by the lights off in the distance. John and Jesslyn do some great work in the bedroom by showing the display cabin to be unbalanced and simply walking around can cause things to shake. People forget just how easy it is to make furniture and display cases shake. Sure, they weigh a ton if you straight lift them, but once in place, they’re not always as sturdy as they appear.

Still looking for root cause, John has an EVP session with Charlet. She seems to be the focus of the energy and intent. They get what sounds like “oh my god” and in the tone of child’s voice. There is also a lot of activity on their new “rem pod”. They had previously brought out a bone, which looked to be human and got a massive temperature change. However, the change was coming from under the table. Not to mention there was a fireplace a mere four feet away from them. Yes, the temperature drop was noticeable, but are we sure it wasn’t a draft from the fireplace? The house sits right next to the water and is over 200 years old. No draft in a place like that? No cold air blowing off the water?

There is conjecture that the bone may have come from a child, perhaps a victim of the riverboat accident that took place right in front of the house. Two steamers collided and dozens of lives were lost. Are we sure this is a child’s bone? It’s not like they took it to a lab and did any sort of real testing. They did have someone come out and look at it, but that’s hardly the same thing. Next, that’s a big leap to say it’s from a drowning victim. That’s based on one sound heard from one EVP. The conclusion is made before any additional investigation is done. In fact, John and the team hardly investigated the place. One random sound you think is a child’s voice and the place is haunted? Easy now, let’s not jump the gun or anything…

And supposedly when the bone is buried out in the backyard again, all the problems go away. Ok, two of the main issues were debunked with no evidence to support any of the claims and then a bone is buried in the yard supposedly bringing peace and rest to a lost girl. It wasn’t shown there were any paranormal claims in the first place and now there is no activity? Again, they’re forging links that I don’t think go together.

Ghost Mill

John and the team head out to Huron, Ohio to investigate an old Mill that’s set for demolition. There are claims of the little manholes being opened, objects moving, cries from the tunnels and banging. Ok, first of all, it’s an old building that’s coming apart, of course there will be bangs and noises. Second, it’s near the water and the damn thing is constructed like a wind tunnel, things getting blown open seems perfectly normal. The wind whistling through the air vents would sound like screaming (we’ve seen and hear this sort of thing dozens of times). So overall, all of this sounds pretty normal to me. But John heads out to see what he can find.

They do try to make things pretty dramatic with the blood on the hard hat. That’s transmission fluid. It’s viscous and red and would be in tons of the old machinery. Again, making something out of nothing for dramatic effect.

It doesn’t surprise me at all that there would be deaths associated with the Mill. Working conditions would be poor and owners care more about profits than lives. Accidents would happen and considering the size of the place, it would be easy for people to fall or get injured by the machinery. However, I highly doubt the story of the person being walled up in the silo. That story has come up so many times. Every time you investigate a mill you hear that story. It’s just as cliche as a worked being walled up in a house during construction. Could something like that during the time? Absolutely, but I really think those stories need to be taken with a grain of salt.

Finally, we have John bust up some rocks and find a lunchbox. Very typical for the area and doesn’t really prove anything. The scalping knife is extremely interesting as a relic and I agree, it’s probably killed some people, but I’m sure it was scooped up in the dirt used for the concrete or was churned up when the site was being planned. I don’t think it has anything to do with the Mill itself and is simply there. Not every place has to be haunted by the spirit of Native Americans you know. When we step back for a minute, they didn’t find any evidence, they didn’t capture anything visual or audio, they had no experiences and just happen to find some relics in the debris. Again, some interesting stretches to make it all fit.

Other Articles of Interest:

• Ghost Adventures – The Copper Queen Hotel and The Oliver House – S06E03
• Haunted Collector – Firestarter and Haunted Museum – S02E10
• Haunted Collector – Bare Bones and Octagon Haunting – S02E08
• Haunted Collector – Stirring the Dead and Ghost Writer – S02E06
• Haunted Collector – The Sanitarium & Firehouse Phantom – S01E04
• Haunted Collector – Hulbert House and King House – S02E02
• Haunted Collector – Haunted Seminary and Ghost Games – S03E11
• Ghost Adventures – Winchester Mystery House – S12E11
• Ghost Hunters International – Port Arthur Penitentiary – S02E10
• Haunted Collector – Haunted Bayou/Library Ghost – S01E01