Shadow Travels: A House In Amityville

     I won’t lie; the place used to give me nightmares.

     I watched the original movie portrayal of the Lutz family’s experience here on a dark night in the 1990s, and I was lucky to have my older sisters and a few friends present. Upon further research I often found myself getting unfriendly dread and sensations that I was not alone.

     The idea of being helpless in bed while someone of your immediate loved ones decided to stand over you and end your life was a haunting proposition in its own right. The possibility that otherworldly evils forced you into it added to the freaky factor.

     The Lutz encounters are probably the most debated case of fraud in paranormal history, but that does not change the fact that only one member of the family that dwelled there previously is still alive- and he is serving life in prison for the six members who are not.

     Mass murder of bizarre circumstances took place in the walls of the beautiful Dutch colonial by the river, and that itself can create a storm of energy that is unable to rest in death.

     Layers of fascination built over the years as I discovered the famous “ghost boy photo” that was captured during an investigation that followed the Lutz family’s hasty abandonment of the house. This was done by the Channel 5 news crew with Ed and Lorraine Warren in attendance. It is possibly the only source of credible evidence that supernatural things dwelled in the house. Others claim that the photo has been debunked.

     This does not erase the fact that George and Kathy both passed lie detector tests, and they went to their graves saying that the accounts were true. Their sons have come forth corroborating the stories.

But no reports of further paranormal occurrences plague proceeding residents. And why would they want to stir the fire since the town seems disturbed by an overwhelming amount of visitors and gawking tourists like myself? These are people with much less respect- people who have taken pieces of the house, the grass, the personal space of private owners. Some have even been known to ring the doorbell. Can’t say I wasn’t tempted.

     The quiet town does not associate itself with the terrible things that happened on Ocean Avenue. You will find no stores with ghostly memorabilia, but you will find a fence around the horror house yard and plenty of ‘No Trespassing’ signs to keep you going on your way.

     I was drawn there after years of reoccurring dreams that saw me going up the stairs and into a different room each time. The rooms were always dark as I was pulled into the blackest section where something awaited me. Growing older, the dreams changed. I was no longer pulled or forced into these places, rather I would charge forward on my own accord to face off with whatever hostile beings dwelled in the black corners.

     I suppose being an adult has its advantages sometimes.

     On that note, I made it a point to not have to dream anymore. It was the day after Halloween, and I was determined to make it a reality.

     After heathens of New York traffic, I cruised into Long Island late in the day. Charming signs welcomed me into Amityville, and I was relieved to have a while to breathe on less busy roads. The buildings and houses gave the homey feeling of a quiet area. It was not long before I took a right turn onto Ocean Avenue. One STOP sign later, I beheld the place that consumed my mind for so long.

     Formerly addressed as number 112, it is in an upscale neighborhood with people going for walks and groups of kids riding bikes. ... Little bastards who would not take my picture in front of the house.

     The home looks unique from all the others and is by no means isolated. The black-cloak decoration of a witch stretched across the house face under famous windows that have been remodeled from when they looked like the eyes. I found it ironic that Ronald DeFeo Jr. claimed a black-hooded figure handed him the gun that he used to slaughter his family.

     The sign that used to be in front of the house is long gone from the place, much like the idea that the sign used to convey when it read High Hopes.

     I turned around, parked my rental in the business center on the corner, ordered a pizza, and went for my walk. Leaves of all colors made rattles on the street.

     My heart pumped as loudly in my chest as the leaves that made scraping noises along the street. It was not long until I stood before it, smelled the New England air, and hoped to get no hassle from neighbors. I took a long stare at the place and wondered, like most people do, why each member of the DeFeo family was found face-down in bed, why none of them were awakened by the sounds of gun blasts, and why zero neighbors heard anything out of the ordinary aside from the dog barking.

     I internally criticized how it would not be a surprise for neighbors to notice me and cause trouble, even though they were unable to notice more than five rounds of high powered rifle blasts in the middle of the night. But then I fell back into wonder at other claims about the house.

     George Lutz claimed that the night he and his family fled, it sounded like a storm inside the house. And I believe it was Hans Holtzer who mentioned that some entities are able to encapsulate sound like a force field trying to keep secrets.

     I certainly know of hauntings where noises of chaos, destruction, and broken dishware turn up no mess at all. It is a phenomenon all its own, and I always wonder what type of entities are able to manipulate sound so intensely. How is it possible to convince our ears that we hear something? It must be equally possible to convince unwanted ears that they hear nothing.

     To top off the strangeness, Lutz often said he was drawn to the fireplace repeatedly at the infamous 3AM hour- the same hour said to be when the DeFeo family were executed.

     From the other side of the river, I took a picture of the house with a red sunset in the background. Another surreal moment of accomplishment. ... And, yes, it was fantastic pizza.

     The house on Ocean Avenue in Amityville, Long Island is on the market as of the moment this is written. If you happen to score the purchase, please let me in for a sleepover. I assure you a night of utmost respect and quietness. Nothing paranormal happens there anymore, anyway.

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And don't be afraid to check out some works of paranormal fiction on my website and my Amazon Author Page....

Something About A Cemetery....

     They dot the landscapes in a variety of displays. Some colorful, many elaborate, often hidden in unexpected places like tree-covered hillsides or forgotten plots in the desert.

     Death is big business because it seems to be one of a few things that have been prominent throughout history. With so many people here and gone, a variety of afterlife displays have come about. But one special version of this ritual comes in the form of a good old cemetery.

You may come across a wild character from history, such as the outlaw poet called Black Bart in Marysville.







Or the worn epitaph on the headstone of strange fiction writer H.P. Lovecraft in Swan Point.

     The feeling of walking into- or stumbling upon- these places usually has a different feel to it, depending on the atmosphere. One may feel a sense of peace in the presence of simple stones, the scent of cut grass, and bright flowers fluttering in the breeze. That feeling might be opposite when surrounded by broken memorials on weeded hillsides and looming tree branches that have not seen a caretaker in years.
     I have seen many varieties of these memorial grounds.

   




Every monument in the Père Lachaise Cemetery has its own uniqueness that seems to be built by an artistic sculptor.









The creeping moss and brooding tombs in Highgate Cemetery breed good reason for the rumors of a vampire lurking around.










Union Cemetery, made famous by the Warrens claiming it to be one of the most haunted in the USA, has tilting stones and dates from centuries ago.







In New Haven, Connecticut there is a cemetery known as the Crypt On the Green. It resides in the basement under a beautiful church.











And the simple headstones from the Winter Quarters coalmine disaster rest on the hill overlooking Scofield, Utah.

Honorable mention goes to the Montmartre Cemetery, much of which resides under a bridge busy with foot and auto traffic. It is full of wild, wandering cats who move about the crypts.

   



     Many of these places seem quiet enough to meditate, but we often hear about the restless side of these places. Virginia City, Nevada has tales of glowing light with no natural source. Boothill Cemetery bares ghostly tales of those who did not survive Tombstone, Arizona. And Bodie, California is known for its deadly curse on anyone who takes even the smallest item from the area. Let us not forget the photos captured of strange figures in Bachelor's Grove, said to be a dumping ground for the mob.

   
     It always baffles me when people would find enjoyment vandalizing these places. How bored can people be? It is one thing to sneak into a moonlit burial ground for the thrill of makeout sessions and fast romps among the tombstones, but it is entirely another demon when monuments that cost lots of money from families who wanted to memorialize loved ones have been toppled over or sprayed with paint for a night of “fun”.

     These people lack any ambition or creative powers to occupy their time creating something, so they occupy their time in sabotage and destruction.

     In other ways, the dead have been disrespected by ghouls and seekers of easy money- like macabre entrepreneurs who sold bodies to medical schools. This practice may have actually lead to more knowledge of the human body that we have today. Double-edge sword indeed.

Then there are those who have dug into crypts for fortune. As was the case with the body of President Abraham Lincoln when his corpse was stolen for ransom. A more depraved reality comes from those who put their muscles to work and dig through the six feet of dirt to do mind-blowing deeds, example being that of one lonely farm owner out of Plainfield, Wisconsin. Another example being the unidentified Ghoul of Whitmire Cemetery.

     It is not uncommon when Mother Nature herself takes entitlement to vandalizing, such as the heavy downpours of rain that have uncovered some burial grounds and the floating coffins of Hurricane Katrina. A more supernatural event of unexplained destruction comes from Barbados, where the Chase Family vault has become a legend for the repeated ransacking of caskets by an unseen force.

     But it is not uncommon for more selfish reasons of defacing these monuments to the dead. People who simply want memorabilia have ruined it for the rest of us. Hence why there is no longer a statue the likeness of the Lizard King on Jim Morrison's grave in Paris, France and why the headstone of Billy the Kid has been caged in Fort Sumner, New Mexico.

 
















     For those of us who have learned to respect the memory of those who have passed on, sometimes centuries before our first breath, these grounds are important places. It is no wonder why the Native Americans guarded their own places of tribute to fallen relatives as the influx of people who marked the graves with stone monuments and crosses may have intruded on their original cemeteries.

It is important to remember to give the utmost respect in these grounds. They are dedicated to the lives of many people who still have stories to tell.

     These are stories from different generations across the spectrum of time. Lives of tragic repeats and unsung heroes who heavily believed in the generations of people to be born long after their final breath.

     And, whether you believe it or not, your lack of appreciation for their final resting place could very well lead to them following you home.

We speak lightly here where families shed a tear.

Our naked eye unknowing that souls are near.

It's easy to find fate and future if you search hard.

It's easiest if you walk down to the churchyard.

- JEB

Evidence: The Key to a Paranormal Investigation

                                                               Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

When I first became interested in the Paranormal I read every book and website I could find on the topic. Even though I am not big on reading, I could finish an entire book in two days. I just couldn’t get enough information to quench my desire for knowledge on the subject.
During a visit to my local library I came across a book that I thought was about ghosts and the paranormal. The title was very deceiving. I took it home anyways not really knowing what it was about.

As I read through the book I began to realize that the intent of the author was to discredit the paranormal. He wasn’t interested in entertaining the idea that it was possible that ghosts actually existed. He also wasn’t interested in attempting to capture any evidence to establish any kind of claim or attempt to use that evidence to debunk it. He would simply visit a location that was reported to be haunted, walk around for a couple of hours, and if a ghost didn’t jump out at him and say, “Boo!,” that location wasn’t haunted. By the end of the book, the author came to the conclusion that there were no haunted locations, just “haunted” people. In other words, those that believe are making it up. I will never get the two days back that I spent reading that book!

Today, there are tons of paranormal shows on TV and the internet. A majority of the shows collect evidence during their investigation, but some don’t. Some are based solely on one persons "special abilities" to detect if a location is haunted or not. Not one bit of evidence is collected to support their claims.

One such show, which I will refrain from mentioning the name, involves an individual going to different locations and telling the owner what they sense. It’s usually a demonic entity, which drives me nuts! I will save my disdain for those that believe demonic entities are hiding around every corner for another blog.

I have watched this show several times. If I don’t know someone or if I can’t point to any evidence that can back their claims, I am a little skeptical of their “abilities.” A famous politician once said, “trust, but verify.” I always refer back to that statement in cases where I find myself a little skeptical.

So, several of the episodes involved locations I have never been. Since I have never been there and I don’t know the history of the location, I remained skeptical, but had nothing to go off of. One episode involved a location that I knew very well! They went to the Amargosa Hotel and Opera House in Death Valley Junction, California. I had investigated and researched the heck out of that location.

After spending some time walking around, the star of the show sat down  with the caretakers of the hotel and explained what they felt was happening at the hotel. Everything they talked about was the same information that was common knowledge and you could find on every website about the history of the hotel or legends that had been passed around throughout the years. Some kind of evidence would have been nice to back up their claims. Without evidence, they were simply repeating the stories they have heard and these stories were not based off of any kind of physical proof.
Our team basis our investigations off of physical evidence, pictures/video/audio. We need something physical to present to the client so that they can see or hear for themselves that there is possibly something there. Without that physical evidence, we just have personal experiences that can’t be backed up.

I am sure many would say to themselves, yes, but evidence can be faked so what does it really matter? That is true and all you have to do is look at social media and you can find many instances where people put out fake videos, pictures, or audio in order to go “viral” and gain interest. Apps have also been created where you can insert a picture of a “ghost” into any picture to try and fool people to think that a picture of something paranormal was captured.
For those of us investigators who have reviewed 100s of hours of video and audio and 100s of pictures taken during an investigation, spotting a fake is rather easy. We take spotting fakes seriously. Every fake that comes out damages any credibility real investigators have and makes a mockery of the work that we do.

There is no way that we, as investigators, can prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that our evidence is paranormal. There is no method to prove it. Most of what we go off of is based on theories by those that came before us. It would be wonderful if we had scientific proof that our evidence was paranormal. That is why we try to caveat our evidence as "possible" or "probable" when we refer to it. If all other reasonable explanations for what that evidence can be is debunked, then there is a good case to be made that it is probable that we have captured paranormal evidence. How else can one explain capturing a voice on audio that doesn’t match anyone that was present in an area or capturing a voice in an area where no one else was present?

Even though we can’t prove the evidence is 100% paranormal there are ways that we can verify the integrity of our video, photographic, and audio evidence. There are specialists in these fields that can review the evidence and certify that the evidence hasn’t been altered in any way. While this is a good method, it’s not always practical to send out every bit of evidence for every investigation to be verified.

Video, Audio, and photographic evidence is the key to a paranormal investigation. While personal experiences like seeing or having a direct encounter, sensing the presence of something paranormal, and the ability to communicate with ghosts is great, it doesn’t provide a client with the possible proof they are seeking unless something they can hear or see can be presented with the personal experience.

Watching a clients face during a review of evidence says it all. We can talk for hours about our personal experiences and you can tell that a client just isn’t as impressed. When we play a class A EVP for a client, the excitement that they have been validated is obvious. We have even had clients invite their neighbors over to listen to our evidence because they are so excited. It’s this reaction that proves that this form of evidence is the key to a paranormal investigation.

A Hazard of being a Paranormal Investigator

  Paranormal investigating is a hazardous hobby. Wondering around in dark homes, dilapidated buildings, or buildings being renovated can lead to bumps, bruises, cuts, and more serious injuries. All those things can be prevented if you are safe, cautious, and watch out for each other. There is another hazard of investigating. That hazard is attachments. Attachments are when the energy or spirit of a dead person/entity “attaches” to someone and usually shows up at home.

  Ask any paranormal investigator about attachments and they will probably tell you stories about the activity in their own homes. Attachments are an unintended consequence of paranormal investigating. It seems even if you take precautions by saying prayers before investigations or do smudging afterwords, they will sometimes find a way to come home with you.

  I have had strange activity going on in every single house I have lived in since I started investigating. Over my ten years of investigating, I have lived in seven different homes in four states. I always think that when I move, I can just verbally demand that whatever is there stays behind. It never does. Once we get settled into our new home, the activity starts right up again.

  One would probably think that since I am a paranormal investigator and experienced a lot of crazy stuff that activity in my own home wouldn’t really bother me, but it does. It does a lot! It’s one thing to go into someone else’s house, have some experiences, and then go home. It’s something completely different being woke up in the middle of the night by something you can’t see! I guess the only benefit of this is that I am able to understand exactly what our clients are going through.

  The activity started after I conducted my first couple of investigations. It was subtle at first. I would hear footsteps in the house, noises around my bedroom at night that couldn’t be explained, and a general feeling of being watched. Over the years, and during certain periods, the activity has increased. In the last ten years since this all began, I have heard voices of women and children, been poked in the back while I am going to sleep, heard knocking on the walls, and had drawers and other things open and close at night. The activity only happens in the bedroom and only takes place once the lights go out and I am trying to go to sleep.

  After every night of increased activity, I share with my wife what happened. She always thinks it’s just my imagination, even though I see her wake up and react to whatever is going on. She already thinks I am crazy enough going out looking for ghosts. Lately I have been able to get her to take it more seriously. One night I was working a night shift and she was in bed reading. She started feeling like something was moving around at the end of our bed. Thinking it was the cat, she looked down and saw nothing was there. As she stared at the end of the bed, she could see the sheets moving. A couple of minutes later a blanket we had at the end of the bed moved about four inches, while she was watching it. She believes me now!

  The activity continues no matter what I do. When it picks up, I just tell it to knock it off. Well, I sometimes use a little bit harsher language than that! If it is really causing me problems with getting sleep I will use some sage and try out a prayer of protection or removal. It usually helps for a little while, but than it’s back again.

  One common thing we hear on every investigation is the client saying that they don’t want us to think they are crazy or they want us to help prove that they aren’t crazy. My response to them is that we don’t think they are crazy at all and that they should come check out my house! There isn’t a person on our team that doesn’t have some kind of activity going on in their house. At this point, I would think it would be strange if they didn’t!

  So, if you are an investigator, thinking about being one, or you just like to visit places that are reported to be haunted, be careful out there and at least try and take some precautions to protect yourself before you go! You may be bringing home more than memories from your investigation or visit.

Dream Visitation

What is dream visitation? Well, it is thought to be when a love one, that has passed away, comes back and visits you.
Wow, what a thought of having loved ones who have past to visit while you are sleeping! To grieve and get that chance to once again talk with them and hold them. To feel that love and know they are there with you. Such a wonderful feeling!

I had not heard of dream visitation until someone had posted an article on a group on Facebook. I read the article and realized wow, so this is what I have experienced most of my life off and on?

I had on occasion looked up sleep paralysis but the description and others experiences were nothing like what I have experienced time and time again. Imagine being a young kid, lying in bed, just dozing off still aware of the sounds and smells in the room when you get this overwhelming feeling that someone is coming... you look and see a figure coming towards you. The best way I could describe the figure is someone wearing a dark cloak. You think you are awake because you see your room as it was when you went to bed. The only difference, at this point, is you have this figure coming towards you from the door. You try to scream for help, but nothing comes out. You try to move, but can't. You then realize that you are not awake. I had this happen from time to time from Jr. high until current. When I did manage to wake myself I would go talk to my grandmother who, has always been there for me during these strange occurrences.

 Fast forward to about 10 years ago.... I had moved in with my now husband and for a while had nothing happen. Then when I started taking naps during the day, weather it was in bed or dozing off on the couch, I would start having these occurrences happening again. I could hear and smell everything, the feeling of fear came over me, and once again I saw this figure come towards me. I would struggle to wake knowing I was in a cat nap type state. I never wanted to really see what it was that would come towards me. I started to think maybe it's my subconscious trying to tell me something? I was researching dream paralysis, just anything I could think of.

  One day I came home from grocery shopping, came in, put my bags on the table, and went back out to get the rest of the groceries. At the time we had an indoor dog that was part Doberman and Rottweiler. I was talking with him when all of a sudden I heard a man's voice come from the bedroom area that said "Get out!" I was so frightened! I mean crap, was there someone in my house? How did he get in? Why is the dog just sitting next to me looking in the direction of the voice but doing nothing? There is no way someone got in with the dog in the house. Could that have happened? Honestly I was frozen with fear! I couldn't move. The layout of the house is simple, it goes in circles of sorts. I was afraid of going towards the front door. I was afraid that a guy would be standing near the first bedroom. Not even within 2 minutes of hearing the voice my husband which, was boyfriend at the time, pulled up and walked in. He opened the door and looked at me. I was so frightened! Tears were filling up in my eyes because I was so scared. He said, "what's wrong"? I asked him to please just go look in both rooms to make sure no one is in the house. He looked at me funny, but did go and there was no one. There were no TV’s on, none of the windows were open, and no fans were on. I know for a fact what I heard. I don't live in a busy city, I live in the mountains, and our neighbors are quiet. We have a lot of elderly neighbors. I couldn't make sense of it, neither could my husband.

A couple of nights later, as we were in bed watching TV, I started dozing off to sleep. I could feel the warmth of his body next to mine and I could hear the program still on the TV. Then I started getting that feeling again and looked towards the door to see this figure once again coming towards me. I knew I was in a sleep like state not fully awake. I thought to myself that I needed to look at it not be frighten, see what it is...
Well, I looked at the foot of my bed and saw a man... yes a man! He had jeans on, no shirt, skinny build, light brown hair, pale blue eyes, and he was so sad. You could see the pain in his eyes. So you know, I do believe in spirits/ghost whatever you might call them. I believe that sometimes they get lost or don't pass on.

I looked at the man and said, "you don't belong here, you need to leave, you are not welcomed here." He looked at me and said, “I can't leave." I asked him why? He looked at me and said, while pointing towards the hallway, "I hung myself out there, I can't leave." I then told him, "all you need to do is forgive yourself and move on." He looked at me like oh, that's it? He walked to the hallway and was gone. After that I woke up and asked my husband if I acted strangely while laying there and how long was I asleep. He had told me no and I wasn't out very long. The reason I wanted to know if I acted strangely is when I get frightened I try and shake my head or a part of my body in hopes to wake up. This only confirmed that even though I thought I was moving, in reality, I had not moved a muscle. I told him what happened. Of course, he didn't know what to say. I still didn't know what to think. Was that my imagination or was it something else? I hadn't watched a movie or program that had something like that so, it couldn't have been brought on by that. So I just considered it to be just my icky dreams. That's what I would call these episodes. Years later I joined a paranormal team. I love the thought of helping people, the living and the dead. Well, the founder of the team had told us how she has, since childhood, dealt with dream paralysis so, once again, I looked into it, but it wasn't what I would experience.

Then one day that article was posted about dream visitation. It talked about recently decease loved ones coming to help you, to help give you messages. The way it was described was high frequency of love. Then it talked about earth bound spirits and how they give off a low frequency which, tends to frighten people. That they come to people for help, to not be afraid, and to know that you are in charge. After reading the article I was like wow so this is what I've been experiencing. Granted, we have moved into a new house and not much has happened here. If in fact this is what my experiences are, the occurrences could also correspond to location. Last residence seemed more active, but the house was old. Really makes one wonder, Doesn't it? So now with a little in-sight of something different, I have been looking more into information on dream visitation. Now I have a new journey for myself to try and find more information. I am not saying that is what I fully experience, but it is a more plausible explanation of my experiences.

There are so many articles out there about dream visitation and really dreams who knows, right? All I know is that I have written down all the individual experiences from the past and present. With each new one I experienced I have been keeping record of weather, stress levels, what I have eaten, had to drink, and the time. Just about everything I can remember just to see if there are any similarities other than my nap time. These visitations are never in a middle of a dream, in some type of magical world, and someone I know pops in and it feels real. I did have one of those which was my dad visiting, but that is the only one that was full of love and reassurance. All the others ones are just in the house, as if I am awake, and witnessing people and feeling frightened. 

I guess I am putting this out there to see if others experience anything similar. All I know is what I experience and it's real for me. You decide.