Arrival
Gravy and Andy arrived at the location at 7:24 pm and introduced themselves to the client. After they unloaded their equipment into the Living Room, the client showed Gravy and Andy around the house while discussing claims and locations of activity. The tour ended at 7:55 pm and Gravy and Andy began to set up their equipment. The client left at 8:05 pm, taking her cat with her.
At 7:58 pm, Gravy and Andy went outside to take outside weather conditions using a Kestrel 2500 weather station. After which, they went inside to take EMF and temperature readings using a Mel-8704R-Vibe.
Gravy and Andy started their control recorders. Every member of PIM is equipped with a Zoom H1 digital audio recorder, as a control recorder, an Extech RHT50 data logger and a UV flashlight, which they carry on their person. Control recorders are not only used as another recording device but also to discriminate the sound contamination that an investigator might create during an investigation. Control recorders are started and time stamped prior to all other equipment being started and time stamped. They are also the last piece of equipment to be turned off. Time stamps, from a designated clock, are used as a point of reference and make cross referencing easier during evidence review. Control recorders are also placed in a Faraday cage. PIM’s main goal in using Faraday cages is to block radio signals from interfering with their audio recorders that could cause false EVPs.
The Extech data logger measures humidity, temperature and barometric pressure at one minute intervals. This device allows us to graph these changes and compare data to other devices that might have measured or recorded an event. Each investigator is required to wear a data logger, should there be a change in the environment surrounding the investigator, an unbiased measurement of said change can be cross referenced.
A Sony HDR-CX160 full spectrum video camera was placed in the Dinette area facing the Kitchen, stairwell and bedroom doors. An H1 Zoom digital audio recorder and a Dark Matter Detector were placed on the counter in the Kitchen. The Dark Matter Detector is a device that measures EMF, temperature, barometric pressure and has a high quality audio recorder. This device also data-logs these measurements for later review should something have occurred and would need to be referenced.
A touch flashlight was also placed on the counter along with some trigger objects. These trigger objects were a crucifix, rosary, 3rd relic card and a cigar. Trigger objects are miscellaneous items that are strategically chosen in hopes to invoke a response.
The touch flashlight is activated by two contacts being touched, thus completing a circuit and turning the light on. The touch flashlight is used in lieu of a flashlight that has had the battery compartment or on/off switch manipulated to function in a way that is not intended and as a result, can create false positives.
Gravy proceeded to turn off the heat before beginning the investigation. When possible, PIM turns off or unplugs devices that could cause noise contamination during an investigation. Keeping in mind that the change in temperature throughout the evening could cause undesired noises form other parts of the house as it cools.
Claims of Activity
- Female client has seen a shadow figure of a man in a suit outside her bedroom door. Male client claims to have seen the same figure.
- While in the Bathroom, the female client would hear music coming from the Basement when no one down there
- Both male and female clients are regularly awoken around 3:00 am
- Male client felt he was sprayed in the face by what was described as a fluid but no traces of such fluid could be seen or felt afterwards
- Footsteps can be heard in stairwell to Basement
- Tapping/clicking noise is heard from in Living Room
- Male client was holding a crucifix that was knocked out of his hand by an unseen force
- Smell of cat litter in the Female’s Bedroom after hearing scratching noises in litter box while cat is still on bed
Investigation
1st Floor – 8:56 pm
PIM members spread themselves throughout the 1st Floor but were careful to be within eye shot of each other. This is a practice that PIM follows should an investigator experience something there would hopefully be two investigators to corroborate the event.
They observed several minutes of control silence before beginning an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) session. Control silence is the practice of sitting quietly and getting accustomed to the normal sounds of the building structure. It allows for investigators to get a baseline of normal building sounds.
An EVP session is conducted by asking several questions but leaving a minimum of ten seconds between each question in the event a response is captured on a nearby device. Investigators speak in full voice and tag any abnormal noises they might make or hear during an investigation. Common noises that investigators tag are stomach growls, accidental whispering and shifting or moving noises they might create that could be mistaken as something paranormal during evidence review. It was noted that street noise from the nearby highway could be heard. The wind had also knocked over some furniture that was on the front porch.
At 8:57 pm there was a single click or pop noise from the television area. Andy and Gravy both agreed that this was a normal sound as they have experienced a similar sound with their televisions. It is believed that with the air temperature changing and components within the television, as they heat up or cool, causes these popping noises. Similar to the noise of a flimsy plastic water bottle popping as it warms up or cools down.
At 9:42 pm Gravy and Andy heard a dull hollow thump. They weren’t entirely sure of its origin but it was described as a car door slamming in the distance. Both Andy and Gravy went to several windows to see if they could find the source but many of the views were obstructed by surrounding buildings.
At 9:48 pm, with Andy standing in the doorway to the Female’s Bedroom and Gravy sitting on the couch in the Living Room looking out the blinds of the front window, they both heard several faint clicking noises, mechanical in nature. Gravy believed it was the clock on the wall to his left but Andy thought it was coming from the Kitchen and sounded louder than what Gravy described it as. Both Andy and Gravy looked for a source of the sound and tried to replicate what they were doing at the time the sound was heard. It wasn’t determined what caused the sound or where the sound came from. This is a prime example in that sound can travel in all directions and sound different based on perspective.
At 10:10 pm, Gravy and Andy attempted to find a reason for being able to see a shadow figure from both bedrooms. Other than having to move a table and stand up against a wall in front of a large window in the Kitchen, it would be improbable that a living being would have been seen from both bedrooms. However, the window could be seen from both bedrooms and light from outside causing shadow play was apparent. It was also noted there was a bright street light on the northeast side of the house shining in through the windows as well. Couple this with tiredness, medication, stress and/or sleep paralysis and a shadow figure could be misinterpreted in that area.
END TIME: 10:41 pm
Basement – 10:48 pm
The group situated themselves throughout the Basement. Gravy sat on the stairs and Andy sat in the far southwest corner. After observing control silence they began an EVP session.
It was noted while in the Basement, there was a dryer vent in the middle of the glass block window of the basement that often opened and closed making a clicking noise due to the high winds. This window was on the north side of the house and is in a narrow pathway between the house and a fence which created perfect conditions for turbulence causing it to open and shut. It is easily heard while in the Basement and once the noise was determined, although faint, the noise became noticeable from upstairs as well.
Gravy, sitting on the stairs, heard a loud plastic sounding pop a few feet in front of him and to his right. After turning on his flashlight, he noticed a laundry detergent bottle on an appliance. Tally marks on his notes showed that the bottle popped three times in the short time they were in the Basement.
Noises like these are documented regardless of their nature. These can account for some of the noises clients hear on a day to day basis and possibly misinterpret the sounds as something paranormal. In many cases, when strange sounds are heard, explanations aren’t always sought out and thus become something unusual. PIM only points these natural noises out in case they are the explanations for clicking noises, footsteps heard, other noises claimed or even mistaken as voices. This doesn’t always mean these are the causes of these sounds claimed to be heard by clients but should be considered first before believing they are paranormal in nature.
END TIME: 11:20 pm
1st Floor – 11:54 pm
Gravy and Andy situated themselves on the 1st Floor. At 11:26 pm Gravy decided to attempt to debunk the claim of music being heard in the Bathroom coming from the Basement. With Andy in the Bathroom, Gravy went into the Basement and played music from his phone from various spots of the Basement while slowly increasing the volume from quiet to loud in each spot until Andy shouted he could hear it. Andy was able to hear the music when Gravy was in each spot and without having the volume all the way up on his phone. He could also make out the music clearly. It was noted that there were a few stereos/boom boxes, none of which were plugged in at the time, in the Basement. Also while in the Basement, sounds from outside could easily be heard. There is the possibility a neighbor could have been playing the music with a window open and could be heard coming up from the Basement easier than being heard through the insulated walls of the house.
Gravy and Andy continued their EVP session on the 1st Floor with no report of activity during this time.
END TIME: 11:58 pm
Basement – 11:23 pm
Gravy and Andy went back into the Basement and switched places from before. After observing control silence they began an EVP session. It was noted there was a hollow metal cabinet next to the stairs and a door/board leading to a small space under the stairs. Gravy and Andy both discussed the possibilities of how that metal cabinet could make a hollow muffled bang that could be heard up in the Living Room and possibly be mistaken as banging noises or even footsteps on the stairs. Since the client has a cat, this could account for some of the sounds throughout the house including the metal cabinet being thumped on by the cat in passing.
Cats are elusive and noisy. Many of the claims at this location could be caused by a cat. As an investigator, it is difficult to determine if the cat is the cause of such sounds without living in the house with the cat 24/7. Having the cat removed from the premise during the investigations eliminates those possibilities of truth discovery. It is asked that clients realize having pets in a house can also contribute to noises not normally heard as opposed to when pets aren’t present in a household.
Again, the cat may not be the explanation for the sounds heard in the house but should always be considered before deeming an unknown source of a sound as paranormal.
Gravy and Andy continued their EVP session with no notable activity.
END TIME: 12:29 am
The group broke down and packed up their equipment. After packing up their vehicles, they left the key in a secure location and informed the client of their departure.
Conclusion
It was PIM’s pleasure to investigate this location. Even though nothing paranormal was experienced and nothing was captured via audio or video recordings, PIM believes they were able to determine possible explanations for some of the claims. PIM hopes these explanations will help the client in feeling more comfortable living in their home and as always, seek the truth to the activity they are experiencing.
PIM would like to thank the owner for allowing them access to their home and hope that if activity persists, the owner will contact PIM again.
