Paranormal investigators look for signs that we are not alone
By SEAN HIGGINS, Staff Writer
Sean Higgins/Coolidge Examiner, The paranormal investigators, known as Spectral Vision, prepare their equipment before a night in the dark.
The destination: San Carlos Hotel, Coolidge, Ariz.
The mission: make contact with suspected paranormal residents
The investigators: Spectral Vision, a team of six paranormal investigators
COOLIDGE - The team has a mission statement, so to speak, which they follow as they do their investigating.
"When we find things, we try to disprove them and find a logical explanation," said team member Kris, who preferred to keep his last name anonymous. "We go in open-minded and objective, not assuming there is or isn't something there."
Entering the old hotel, ghost hunter or not, one can't help but feel a strange presence. The aura about the rundown, rickety, wood floored building isn't for the faint of heart. Residents who currently reside there have stated that it is a commonality to hear footsteps in the night and other strange "thumps" here and there.
Two small doors just off Central Avenue offer access to a large staircase adorned with a handrail, which is guarded by two bronzed, lion-like creatures that give a spooky welcome to visitors. After you've gained entrance past the hotel "guardians," the room opens up into a foyer or commons area where guests would have once gathered to socialize.
From the foyer, there is a maze of winding hallways lined with rooms that have been occupied by many guests. With some imagination, the hotel can be envisioned in grandeur, with elegantly dressed patrons walking the halls, chatting with one another about their personal ventures while passing through the quaint town of Coolidge. The wood floors would have been freshly buffed, smooth and shiny, and the chandelier hanging above the staircase, watching as guests came and went.
When the hotel was still receiving regular guests, several unfortunate incidents occurred resulting in deaths. Two women, who were staying in rooms on opposite sides of the building, jumped from their windows, taking their own lives. The events occurred on different occasions. One was the result of a cheating husband and the other had no apparent reason, still to this day.
Last Tuesday evening, the hotel was taken over by investigators of the paranormal. The team arrived at sunset, and after a brief visit with a current resident, began their work. The group was split into two teams that would investigate separate parts of the building. Moving through the halls as quietly as they could, they took different approaches to "lure" any possible "occupants."
Sessions were documented by way of a voice recorder, and began in a room, where the participants stated who was present, the date and time. Then, they would begin, "Hello, if there is anyone here, we want you to know we are not here to hurt you, we just want to make friends," "The things we are holding will do you no harm, and are just here to try and record you," and "If you're here, can you let us know? Will you make a noise or do something for us?"
The team, who has been doing this for several years, utilizes several pieces of equipment that, when used correctly, are believed to catch paranormal activity. These include things such as an EVP (electronic voice phenomenon), which are unexplained voices caught by a digital recorder. To ensure playbacks are accurate, when a noise occurs of any kind, it is stated immediately following what it was. For example, if a member of the team bumps a table, it will be said "this person bumped a table causing that noise," which prohibits the team from mistaking it as something else during playback.
Another device, which measures electromagnetic fields, is an EMF recorder. Spikes in the device suggest that there is a stronger than normal electrical field present. Many times, this is because the device is in the area of a wire, outlet or some other electric current but, on occasion there will be a spike that can't be explained and isn't anywhere in the vicinity of an electrical charge.
Thermometers to detect temperature changes and infrared cameras are also used. The team goes through hours upon hours of tape during each investigation, and reviews each second of them following their completion.
Through their investigation on Nov. 10, the group did see, or hear, some things. After careful review of one particular recording during an EVP session, a woman's voice was picked up. Although faint, it was determined by the investigators that it was indeed paranormal activity. The tape was played over and over and the end result determined the word "people" was picked up.
After further discussion it was decided that it may have been something along the lines of "who are these people?"
