543114
Pinellas County
Residence
March 1, 2014
The Ghost and the Machine
Among the other enigmatic behaviors from ghosts is that of electrical interference. Batteries drain, computers shut down, TVs turn on and off on their own. The question that haunts investigators is why this happens. A cursory search through the Internet shows a variety of theories. One is that popular culture creates this expectation due to movies like "Poltergeist" and "White Noise". Another is that ghosts draw from the environment and take in the electricity themselves, thus causing technical issues through power surges. The last is that we are involved with our technology and they want our attention.
This case features one small notation of electrical interference. The SPIRITS of St. Petersburg has a computer through which we record information and data via the Paranormal Puck. On this investigation the computer simply shut down. The laptop was one bought specifically for investigations and had been used for at least a year before this case. It continues as an instrument for investigations and currently doubles as my own home computer. It has not shut itself down in the manner described below. As batteries can be drained due to either paranormal influence or simple use the device is plugged into an electrical current whenever possible. The battery is also charged before investigations to ensure that the computer is available if there is no active electrical source. What is it about this case that the computer, while plugged into the wall, simply shut itself down? All programs had been updated and, to date, the computer has not powered off for reasons unknown. Even when the power goes down the battery backup allows it to remain useable for at least a couple of hours.
The strangeness of this particular case in which the entity may have been a residue or a wanderer from a nearby cemetery makes this even stranger. There was certainly nothing that strong at the location, but the residents also reported power outages from their electronics. EMF did not show strange electrical issues and the lower readings indicate grounded wiring. So, the mystery remains. If, indeed, there was someone desiring attention there this certainly was one way to get it. Perhaps, however, there are more conducive ways of communicating desires through EVP or video recordings rather than electronic shut down. Unless, of course, the message was "leave me alone."
543114 Investigation Report from Home Owner:
1. Do you experience any of the following?
Visual: Seeing a shadow/shadowy figure(s), dark form, dark cloud of gray/black colorVisual: Unexplained movement caught from the peripheral (corner of the eyes)Physical/feeling: Cold drafts or cold spots found only in a certain location(Barring drafts created by the a/c or heating units, fans, and windows).Feeling/touch: Moving cold or hot spots in the house.Visual: Confirmation of objects moving.Sounds: footstepsSensation: Feeling watchedCan feel chilled and then activity happens. Kitchen sounds as if a drawer is being opened and/or closed. Use side door as main entrance and exit; make a right, there is an unfinished room and on the other side there is another room. She saw people looking in the window, so she covered the window. That area has more hanging around.
2. If animals are in the vicinity, have they been observed (check all that apply):
Sudden recognition/friendlinessWatching something unseenOtherbarking
3. Have you experienced any of the following? Please check all that apply.
Unusual dreams: Dreams that seem external or unrelated to the dreamer, though projections, or interrupted dreams.
4. Is there any other phenomena that you have experienced that we did not ask you about? If so, please list and describe.
Girlfriend of roommate has unusual dreams in the house. Many are violent. Dreams like this only happen in the house. Other friends who stayed would say that they had really intense dreams. Never elaborated, but would say "intense"or "realistic". Contact has had dreams where they woke up and asked "was I dreaming or not?" Roommate has wondered about EMF and other factors.
5. Do you experience any anomalous health conditions that might impact these experiences? If so, how might they be impacted? (Medication, physical sensations, etc.?)
No.
6. To your knowledge, did any of the following events happen on the property?
No Response
7. When was the property/location built? Was the location recently remodeled/refurbished? If so, when? Do you have any information on the history of the property?
The woman who lived at the house before lived here a long time, and she didn't say anything about the house. Don't know how old the house is.
8. A time line of paranormal activity is immensely helpful. Please note as much information as possible, including dates, times, events, who was present, and what happened.
I have been living here since July. I was visiting the roommate starting in January when she moved in. I had weird feelings even then. I felt that it was an active house as soon as I walked into it. It's not creepy or negative, but there is something.
Paranormal Journal (from home owner):
12-22 (6:30 PM)
Kelly experienced chills and hairs on arm stood up (right side). After we had talked on phone and discussed the SPIRITS coming.
12-23: Kelly saw a person walk along window, no one there, 7:30 a.m.
12-25: Billy – afternoon – feelings of being watched from (first) bedroom while in living room.
12-25: saw person walk by window – both Kelly and Billy about 10 pm.
12-26: Billy (10 am-ish). Voices from laundry room area. Kitchen very cold much more than house. No one outside visible.
12-27: 7 pm Billy and Kelly both noticed shadows in Kelly’s room and hallway.
12-29: Kelly and Billy shadow person walking by window; 1st around 10 p.m. but happened a few times. Dogs barked.
12-30: 9 am-ish Heard cabinet in hallway slam (by bathroom) both Billy and Kelly.
1-1: Kelly saw “person” walk by window – dogs barked.
1 – 2: Current no real activity some odd feeling a few shadow figures
1-13: footsteps heard in hallway and both Billy and Kelly reported strange/scary dreams.
1-14: 12PM; felt scratched photos of red marks
Kelly’s input:
Dogs keep randomly staring for a long periods at different things and a few specific spots in the house. (In her room and by her closet).
The past couple of night something has chased me back into my room between 2 – 4 a.m. when I got up to use the bathroom.
Note: During the original member reports, the computer shut down for reasons unknown. 6:50 pm.
Areas to recheck: Back room, outside, bedrooms.
Home owners:
You guys were right on with the back room. First roommate had to put something in front of the window or to the other window and had to cover both windows. Contact gets creeped out in the back room. People will hear footsteps and see images of someone walking by. The gate makes a lot of noise for someone to be walking through the yard. There is no noise, just the sense of pacing back and forth. Most of the stuff happens in her room, feels like she’s being watched. The chitter chatter is interesting, but it sounds like someone is talking from her room or hallway but you can’t hear what they say.
Our laptops would just shut down all of the time. Cell phones do it all the time. The cells will shut off.
It’s interesting about the hanging aspects. Mediums and sensitives tell me that I have 2 spirits who follow me. One who follows me. There is one who watches. When I had my sessions with her, she was scratched and once slapped.
Today, contact was cleaning before we got here. Sleeveless cut of shirt on. Felt like something had scratched me or was touching me. Looked down and had these red marks. Tried to photograph them. Very red. Does not have allergies, shaved, etc. Was cleaning house and felt really uncomfortable and that’s when the welts showed.
Something has always felt like it is watching in the room. We live near a cemetery and sometimes the haunting they vary. I had to go to black out curtains because I felt that people were here watching.
Conclusion: Outside are transients, but at least one permanent entity. The elderly couple in here didn’t want to talk to us. The other two (younger) possibly lived here as well.
Because of the lateness of my report, I am going to go into the written format (sans survey). Overall, I did not get any results except for the one potential EVP on recording. SPIRITS members reported hearing a noise which did not appear on the recording. My equipment behaved as expected, though the computer did shut down unexpectedly at one point. As it was plugged into the wall, I am not sure why this happened. The home owner/resident later explained that they have the same issue with electronics and so do not utilize computers or wifi in the home any longer.
Did you die in your 20s? (No). Soft EVP or outside noise? Not repeated on the rest of the 1 hour 30 minute recording.
The Ghost and the Machine
Among the other enigmatic behaviors from ghosts is that of electrical interference. Batteries drain, computers shut down, TVs turn on and off on their own. The question that haunts investigators is why this happens. A cursory search through the Internet shows a variety of theories. One is that popular culture creates this expectation due to movies like "Poltergeist" and "White Noise". Another is that ghosts draw from the environment and take in the electricity themselves, thus causing technical issues through power surges. The last is that we are involved with our technology and they want our attention.
T
