Paranormal Research
"Don't try the paranormal until you know what's normal."
-Terry Pratchett
I have always loved a good ghost story—not so much for the “spooky” aspect of the genre, but for the historical context behind them, and also for the science involved in studying documented hauntings. Whether skeptic or believer, a ghost story is still often part of a person or place's history, providing an opportunity to glimpse a piece of the past; and technological advances in the field allow for credible study of the scientific factors (environment, weather, geography, etc.) associated with hauntings or other ghostly activities.
Recently, I’ve come to especially appreciate cryptozoology, the study of cryptids—those strange creatures whose existence is disputed or unsubstantiated, such as Bigfoot, the Loch Ness Monster, and the Mothman. My professional work in puppetry and mascots has proven useful in my research on the subject; I’m not a professional creature scientist, but I am a professional creature builder, and my industry knowledge has given me a unique perspective in analyzing evidence regarding cryptids.
As an investigator with the Charlotte Area Paranormal Society, I’ve had the opportunity participate in and even lead some exciting investigations, and I continue my own research and writing in the field. I also created and led a highly popular Haunted History program for Historic Rosedale (an 1815 historic site in Charlotte) that, along with my other paranormal endeavors, has led to speaking engagements and even consulting for various television and web productions. Following are a few of my favorite projects and evidence photos/clips, updated as new evidence and projects come in.
Cryptids of the Carolinas map featuring known/documented cryptids of North and South Carolina (available for purchase)
Activities
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Team lead with the Charlotte Area Paranormal Society at Historic Rosedale, October 2023 (complete with odd light anomaly at the bottom left of the photo).
Along with several of my fellow CAPS members, I was a guest on an episode of the Unsolved Mysteries podcast telling ghost stories from one of our favorite haunted locations, the Chester County Jail in Chester. SC. Our episode can be found here!
For several years, I led a Haunted History tour at Historic Rosedale--a guided tour featuring the ghosts and ghost stories at the site-- that I created based on research and personal experiences. It proved very popular, with one particular tour (A Look at the Victorian Funeral) having to add additional presentations to accommodate interested visitors. A local television station (WCNC) featured Rosedale and the Haunted History tours on an evening newscast, shown here.
Consultant for the Netflix series Outer Banks, Season 2 Episode 8, "The Cross"
Although technically not a paranormal event, my Haunted History research and presentations on Victorian-era funeral practices led to a consulting role for an episode of Outer Banks. In addition to sharing information on coffins of the time, I was commissioned by the propmaster to provide a period dress, jewelry, and fabric for the coffin lining; and while the dress itself did not make it onscreen, I appreciated the opportunity to put my historical research to good use.
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Evidence
Photo taken on a walking tour in Charleston, SC, at the Circular Church on Meeting Street. The photo's exposure has been lightened to show detail; a hazy image can be seen on the left side of the photo, behind which there appears to be a group of people standing on the church's stairs.
Pareidolia is the perception of recognizable patterns and images, especially faces, in random or accidental arrangements of shapes and lines (the "face in the clouds" effect). As a paranormal researcher, I'm very familiar with the phenomenon; but that still didn't stop me from being taken aback by this image on the headboard of my bed!
