“For the love of god, do not go there”: Matt Rife purchases Ed and Lorraine Warren’s home and occult museum, becoming the new owner of the Annabelle doll

Comedian Matt Rife announced that he has purchased the rights to the home of the haunted doll Annabelle, which Ed and Lorraine Warren previously owned. He became the “guardian” of several paranormal items in the occult museum on the same property.

Why was Anabelle’s home for sale?

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren owned the Connecticut property until their deaths. Many of their haunted artifacts have served as inspiration for cult-favorite horror films, including Annabelle and The Conjuring.

The museum shut down in 2019 following Lorraine’s death at 92 years old.

Arguably the most infamous haunted artifact, the Annabelle doll, has been on tour around the country, causing an uproar on social media. For those who are unfamiliar with the tale, Annabelle was labeled “possessed” by the Warrens after it was linked to paranormal events that began in the 1970s.

The tour recently went viral when Annabelle’s guardian, 54-year-old Dan Rivera, suddenly died while the doll was in his custody, according to The Guardian.

Now, Rife, who loves all things paranormal, steps up to take custody of the doll and its haunted accomplices.

In a post on X, he shared that he plans to open the property for tours and overnight stays. Rife says the new offering will allow guests to enjoy “overnight stays and museum tours,” enabling them to “experience and learn all the haunted history surrounding this amazing place.”

He clarified that he does not actually own the property, but has paid to be the legal guardian of the museum and its artifacts for “at least” five years. He did not disclose how much he, alongside YouTuber Elton Castee, paid for the title.

How did fans react to the announcement?

The internet spiraled after the announcement, with some fans worried that Annabelle could possess Rife.

“Would be very funny if he was very clearly actually possessed during his next special. Doing crowd work like ‘Does anyone else here love being an evil doll?’” one X user posted.

Another X user joked about priests getting more exorcism requests after Rife’s guardianship of the doll.

One exclaimed, “MATT RIFE IS NOW THE LEGAL OWNER OF THE ANNABELLE DOLL??? AND THE ENTIRETY OF ED AND LORRAINE WARRENS’ HOME/ MUSEUM???? I HAVE NOBODY TO TALK ABOUT THIS WITH?????”

Jersey Shore star Snooki also reacted to the announcement on TikTok. She wrote, “POV finding out Matt Rife purchased the Warren’s home FOR AN AIRBNB.”

The caption reads, “Please, for the love of god, do not go there.”