Comedian Matt Rife revealed on social media that he and YouTuber Elton Castee have bought the Monroe, Connecticut home of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren—along with the storied Occult Museum that houses the rag doll said to inspire the Conjuring franchise’s Annabelle.
Rife wrote that the agreement makes him legal guardian of the entire collection for at least five years, calling the responsibility “an honor” for a lifelong horror fan. The previous owner, the Warrens’ son-in-law Tony Spera, endorsed the hand-off and will advise on artifact handling protocols, according to the buyers. The museum, shuttered since 2019, remains packed with crucifixes, haunted paintings and satanic relics catalogued during the Warrens’ five-decade career.
Local officials forced the closure after determining that steady tourist traffic violated residential zoning rules. Rife and Castee say they will apply for a special permit to reopen for small tours and overnight investigations and are exploring mobile displays if capacity limits persist. They also pledged additional security following years of trespassing incidents and viral rumors that the Annabelle doll had “escaped.”
The acquisition has split opinion online. Posts on Reddit’s paranormal boards welcome fresh access to the artifacts, while Monroe residents warn of clogged cul-de-sacs and late-night thrill seekers. Some skeptics dismiss the collection as sideshow props, yet collectors note that individual pieces—such as the “Shadow Doll” and satanic altars—have documented provenance through police reports and church records.
Industry watchers point out that the sale lands one month before Warner Bros. releases The Conjuring: Last Rites on September 5, a finale expected to revive interest in the real-world cases behind the screen mythology—and, by extension, in Rife’s newly acquired attraction.
