Yes—Matt Rife really did buy the Warrens’ spooky house and agreed to babysit Annabelle.
But the comedian doesn’t actually own the 750 “haunted” artifacts inside, and the town may block his plan to open tours next summer. Here’s the strange, still-unfolding story behind the headlines.
The Surprise Twist Hiding in Plain Sight
When Matt Rife hit “post” on Friday, fans pictured the 28-year-old comic strolling through a creaky museum, cracking jokes at a ragged Raggedy Ann possessed by demons.
What almost no one noticed: the doll—and every other cursed trinket—still belongs to the Warren family. Rife and YouTuber Elton Castee merely signed on as caretakers for at least five years, according to the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR). The legal fine print surfaced only after local reporters pulled the paperwork.
So yes, Rife “owns” the iconic Monroe, Connecticut house. The relics? Not so fast.
How We Know What We Know
(Here’s the paper trail we followed)
- Property records filed July 30 confirm the sale of 30 Knollwood Street to “MR-EC Holdings LLC” (Rife and Castee).
- NESPR spokesperson Tony Spera tells CT Insider the ownership of Annabelle and roughly 750 artifacts “remains with the family; Matt and Elton are stewards.”
- **Multiple outlets—**TMZ, NBC, Entertainment Weekly, New York Post—ran Rife’s quotes verbatim, but none initially clarified the custodianship clause.
- Monroe zoning files still list the museum as “non-permitted commercial use” in a residential zone, shuttered since 2014. No new application has been filed.
CT Insider | TMZ | NBC
A Comedy Star, a Demon Doll, and a Town That Said “No”
Picture it: Stand-up sensation Matt Rife, still buzzing from a sold-out tour, decides his next big venue will be the Warrens’ basement. The same basement police once described as “an attractive nuisance we can’t permit.”
Rife calls it destiny: “This is a piece of real history … We’ll turn it into the best paranormal experience in the country.”
The catch? Monroe’s zoning board already slapped the museum shut years ago after neighbors complained about traffic and late-night ghost hunters. Unless Rife persuades officials to rewrite the rules, the only overnight guests will be him, Castee, and—of course—Annabelle.
“We haven’t seen an application, so nothing’s changed,”
—Monroe zoning officer Joseph Chapman, phone interview, 5 Aug 2025
Translation: that grand-opening summer 2026? Aspirational at best.
The Tragic Side Plot: Dan Rivera’s Final Tour
Adding another chill to the tale, Annabelle’s longtime handler, paranormal investigator Dan Rivera, died suddenly on July 13, 2025, during the traveling “Devils on the Run” exhibit. Coroner reports confirm the doll was locked in a separate room.
Rivera’s death stoked the legend, but NESPR insists the tour will finish its booked dates before the artifacts move into Rife’s care. (Sources: ABC 7, People)
What’s True, What’s Murky, What’s Next
Verified
- Rife and Castee bought the Warrens’ former home.
- They signed a guardian agreement for Annabelle and other artifacts.
- Dan Rivera’s death and the doll’s absence from his room are documented.
Needs asterisks
- “Owns the occult museum” → They own the building, not the relics.
- “Opening to the public next summer” → Town zoning hurdles make this uncertain.
Unknowns to watch
- Will Monroe grant a special permit or keep the museum dark?
- Can Rife’s Hollywood clout (and rumored Netflix tie-in) sway local politics?
- If tours resume, does liability insurance even cover demonic dolls?
We’ll keep digging and update as the real-life sequel unfolds.
Quick Takeaways for the Curious
- Yes, Annabelle’s new “dad” is a comedian.
- No, he can’t just throw open the doors tomorrow.
- The doll’s demonic back-story? Long claimed by Ed & Lorraine Warren, never proved—but it sure sells tickets (and now, maybe, punch lines).
Until the zoning board rules, the scariest thing in Monroe might not be Annabelle—it could be the paperwork.
Stay tuned.