My name is Justin O'Riley. I've had many occupations, but currently I'm a hosptial security dispatcher, an OSU student, and a WCBE intern. I'm also part of the Ohio Paranormal Detective Agency (OPDA).
I didn't believe in the paranormal until later in life, and I remain fairly skeptical of simple “ghost stories” and “urban legends.” My partners include my brother Josh and his best friend Sean, who are both sheriff deputies that bring a healthy dose of skepticism as well as professional investigative methods. There are several other law enforcement officers in our group, with me being one of the exceptions. The OPDA has conducted dozens of investigations, which developed a good reputation for us that led to an invitation from the Psychic/Paranormal Conference of Mid-Ohio to speak and host a hunt for novice ghost hunters. This all took place at Mansfield in early October.
We were asked to lead several people on an investigation of two locations near downtown Mansfield: the old Eagles Club building, and the Charles Schroeder Mortuary. The Eagles Club building was once a “speakeasy” which was the mobster slang term for a location where alcohol was being produced and sold. The probable mob connection is significant because of the increased likelihood of larger emotional “imprints,” or dark energy, in the area. With the mortuary, most of the bodies arrived and left in the same manner: cold and lifeless. However, there is at least one confirmed death that occurred inside the mortuary; Charles Schroeder, Jr. (the son of the mortuary's founder and original owner) hung himself there around 1916. Knowing a location's history isn't always necessary (sometimes it's almost impossible), but it can give investigators a beneficial starting point.
We divided into groups, and I went with several others to the Eagles Club building. A tall four-story building, it reminds me of the firehouse from Ghostbusters (but maybe it's just me). We set up the “Spirit Box” up on the third floor former ballroom/basketball court which was reportedly the site of the
speakeasy (a “Spirit Box” is an electronic device that scans AM and FM frequencies, which can pick
up voices through the white noise, resulting in possible paranormal communication). The session
yielded some interesting results during later analysis. One of the best pieces of audio evidence captured
from the Spirit Box, there is someone that is stating, “clean out the hooch, it's dirty.” A “hooch” is
slang for alcohol and liquor that was used during that era.
The actual speakeasy storage was in the very room we were in, which makes this evidence much more relevant. I also filmed the stairwell lobby several feet from out position, but there was no conclusive visual evidence. When I saw some shadows move, I debunked any paranormal claim because I was able to attribute the shadows to passing car headlights, which hit the windows even on the third floor. Eliminating all normal activity is part of being a skeptic.
My group then joined another group down in the basement, and then we set up another Spirit Box session. I utilized the surroundings here, as I noticed the bar and I asked, “Can I make you a drink.” We received a response that stated “vodka.” That first clue is sometimes the only thing needed to gain more answers. When asked how many drinks the spirit had, he replied with “five” or “six.” Over the course of our conversation, we heard the name “Phillip,” a name that was heard more than once in different locations. We asked “Phillip” a series of questions, but one that was key was when we asked him if he actually died in the Eagles Club building, to which he replied “no.” We reviewed the information that we had already, which was “Phillip” was drinking here, and had a lot to drink, but didn't die inside the building. After some more questions, we finally asked directly if “Phillip” died while drunk driving, and the response was “yes.” We also learned, by asking simple “yes and no” questions, that his wife and at least four others died in that same crash. This evidence is so unique because “Phillip” didn't die on the property, but yet “Phillip” continues to haunt the building. Of course, this just brings out a million more questions to ask, but the evidence gathered here is simply incredible. This was also recorded on camera, but again, no visual evidence was found.
Our group set up a camcorder and the digital voice recorder on the piano so that we could possibly record any kind of Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP). Once the equipment was turned on, we stood across the room, a good ten feet away. During the session, nothing significant was heard or seen by us. However, the review produced some outstanding EVPs. My favorite one is the request made for the spirit to whistle.We were trying to ask any spirit to play just one note on the piano key. We also asked for other noises, including a knock, or a whistle. We never heard anything, other than the occasional passing car outside (which can easily be heard on audio, making it distinct from any sound that we conclude as paranormal). However, once you listen very closely you will hear a very faint whistle right after the request is made. For further proof, here is an YouTube video that shows what the camera audio heard, and then the amplified audio.
The Spirit Box session was very telling, which featured a possible interaction with a dark entity. I will update this blog post with the evidence once the final analysis has been finished.
The ultimate joy that comes from being a paranormal investigator isn't really the thrill of the
hunt, but the joy that comes from finding convincing evidence and building friendships among fellow
investigators. Ghost hunting is a lot like hunting deer, as you'll spend 85 to 90% of the time waiting
around, and there could be a chance that you don't capture anything. Apparitions don't always want to
communicate, especially when there are large groups. Should you decide to try this for yourself, always
be sure to be safe, be prepared, and most importantly, get permission for wherever you go. Happy
Holidays, and to all the ghost hunters out there, happy hunting!
Additional EVP Evidence