Chris Moon

In 1970, two teenage girls were brutally murdered at a housing tenement in Denver, Colorado. Paranormal investigator Christopher Moon and his Haunted Times team, have contacted the girls using their 'Telephone to the Dead'.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


PRLog (Press Release) - Mar. 30, 2007 - (March 30, 2007 - Denver, Colorado) In 1970, a double murder took place at the Lumber Baron Inn in Denver, Colorado that still remains unsolved. At the time, the popular bed and breakfast that the Inn is today, was converted into apartments. Occupying one of the apartments was a 17 year old run-away girl. Her life came to a brutal end one night when she was raped and murdered. An 18 year old friend of hers who stumbled upon the murder was also killed. There have been reports of several haunting incidences, including sightings of a girl. Footsteps have been heard and seen on the squeaky steps

Haunted Times will be conducting a Ghost Hunter University at the Inn on April 7th, led by Christopher Moon, renowned paranormal investigator and founder of Haunted Times. Chris and his team have already been there several times before. Each time they attempt to contact the girls and have had remarkable success in reaching them. They were first able to reach the 17 year old. It took several more attempts before they were able to reach the 18 year old as well. When they make contact, they ask the girls to provide them details of the murders including those of the perpetrator or perpetrators.

Dina Everling, part of the Haunted Times team says, “The Lumber Baron experiences are always tough. We want so desperately to help the two murdered girls come to some peace with their deaths. Until the murderer is finally arrested and convicted, I don't think that will happen. The girls replay their attack every day, and you can always feel the horror they felt on that fateful day.”

Using a piece of equipment, that Moon refers to as Thomas Edison’s telephone to the dead, he and his team are able to pick up Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP’s) from a location’s ghostly residents. “The apparatus provides an electronic media through which the spirits can communicate.” explains Moon. “We have had amazing results using this tool. We have been able to communicate with passed loved ones including those who were victims of murder.”

Thus far, the girls have provided Moon and his team with several details including names. To date, the investigation continues.

Perhaps at some point, using the scientific methods stressed by Christopher Moon during Ghost Hunter University, enough information will be gathered to solve the murders and two young girls who met a tragic end will finally rest in peace.

To register for the Lumber Baron Inn paranormal investigation, or to see the scheduled paranormal investigations in your area www.hauntedtimes.com

- PRLog (Press Release)

Mr. Ghost comes to town Spook's night out at the Carolina Inn by Jamie McLendon Karen and Jeff Kirchner chose to hold their wedding reception at the Carolina Inn for its convenience to the church, its ties with the university they both attended and loved, and, above all, its beauty. Standing on the corner of Pittsboro and Cameron streets since 1924 on the spot where the chapel that gave the town its name once stood, the Inn is a Chapel Hill institution.

It is indeed a beautiful establishment. It's also chock full of ghosts. Though a professional photographer documented the ceremony, many of the guests brought digital cameras. As photos from the evening filled her e-mail inbox, Karen began to notice an interesting phenomenon evident in many of the shots. "There was a group gathered to catch the bouquet, and above their heads were several round circles that were spots of light. They were perfectly round, and some were larger and brighter than others."

Most people would probably dismiss the spots as reflections of objects in the room or the results of using non-professional equipment. Someone familiar with the art of ghost hunting, however, might regard them as evidence of paranormal activity.

Exactly how a ghost hunter is able to detect whether such activity is prevalent is what drew me to participate in "Ghost Hunter's University," a crash course in the terminology and technology involved in ghost hunting at the Carolina Inn.

As with most historical places, it would stand to reason that stories dealing with the paranormal would inevitably pop up here over time. The difference with the Carolina Inn is that the sheer volume of stories alone would suggest that something strange is happening. Certainly, that's what the Web site about.com thought when it voted the Carolina Inn one of the Top 10 Haunted Hotels in the United States (hotels.about.com/od/hauntedhotels/tp/mosthaunted.htm). And certainly, that's what the readers of Haunted Times magazine thought when they contacted editor and professional ghost hunter Christopher Moon, who arranged to have a GHU seminar at the Inn after collecting his own evidence.

Moon, a soft-spoken 30-something from Colorado, has been seeing spirits since childhood. As he grew older, his "gift" led him to pursue the paranormal full time.

"I really started in this field not knowing what to do, and learning by trial and error," he says. "Then, I started speaking to other people in the field [about] what worked for them and what didn't and really took my own angle on that."

During "Ghost Hunting 101," Moon explains the different types of ghostly presences, passes around equipment, and offers anecdotes of his own experiences. Forget any notions of Don Knotts in The Ghost and Mr. Chicken or Bill Murray in Ghostbusters; this is a serious business that can come with serious consequences.

"The hitting and pushing [from spirits] I can deal with to a point, but the scratching and burning is a little much," says Moon.

Listening to him describe some of hazards of his profession, it becomes evident that he's dealt with some pretty nasty ghosts. Fortunately, such experiences seem to be the exception rather than the norm. In fact, some spirits are so taken with Moon that they "attach" themselves to him, including a suicide who pays him weekly visits.

But what about those spots that popped up in the Kirchners' photos? Moon bears the distinction of being one of the first in his field to attach significance to them. The spots, or orbs, as they are referred to in ghost hunting circles (no pun intended), are defined by Rosemary Ellen Guiley's Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits as "energy anomalies recorded at some haunted sites." Many ghost hunters previously dismissed them as not being of any real interest. Moon, however, was intrigued enough to closely examine a photograph until he made a startling discovery: He was able to clearly see a human face.

Since then, Moon has been able to find faces in all orbs that he finds in photographs. And that's not all. He's conversed with the dead, thanks to digital recorders picking up comments from beyond. It takes a while for the untrained ear to discern the whispered messages, but once one knows what to listen for, ghostly statements spring forth.

Following the discussion is a dinner and a history of the Inn, as well as some of the stories that impelled guests to write to Moon. Perhaps the most thrilling part of the evening is the finale, when attendees are given a chance to use their newly acquired knowledge in a hunt of their own. Guest are encouraged to make use of their cameras and recorders as the Haunted Times staff leads them to locations where activity has been detected.

The ghost hunt includes a stop in Room 252, former home of Dr. William Jacocks, a resident of the Inn for 17 years who apparently never really left. Jacocks would definitely fall into the "friendly ghost" category. In fact, he's a bit of a prankster. Though his favorite trick appears to be locking unsuspecting guests out of the suite, Moon relayed a tale about his first visit to the Inn that had more in common with The Three Stooges, as the bathroom sink faucets inexplicably fell off, giving him two shots of water in the face.

I was offered a chance to stay in Jacocks' suite by myself. Though nothing as dramatic as collapsing bathroom fixtures occurred, several incidents did happen, including an overwhelming scent of flowers that greeted me the next morning--an undeniable sign of a presence. Upon calling Moon to compare notes, I found that he had experienced several of the same things.

According to Margaret Skinner, director of public relations for the Carolina Inn, "In the history of the Carolina Inn, nothing frightening has ever been reported." Indeed, it would seem unlikely that the Inn would be anxious to tout its spirit population if there were incidents of a horror-movie variety.

Judging from the number of orbs that appear in the ballroom, the spirits just want to be where the action is.

Ghost Hunter's University returns to the Carolina Inn on Monday, Oct. 10 from 1-9 p.m. Call 918-2711 or visit www.carolinainn.com for details.

Jamie McLendon occasionally sings about ghosts in Durham rock band Dom Casual.

- Indy Week

It's midnight, and Christopher Moon is hunched over his laptop computer in the cold, dark basement of the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast.

He says he is listening to the voices of the dead.

Initially, there are no surprises. Moon first heard the voices earlier that night, two floors up, in the bedroom where Abigail Durfee Gray Borden was hacked to death with a hatchet in August of 1892. Now, he is playing back the audio of that session so he and a room of paranormal investigators can hone in on not only what was said, but who said it.

The words are choppy and abrasive to the ear as they are blasted from a set of speakers, but everyone is in rapt attention. The group hears static, white noise and occasional fragments from local radio stations, all picked up by a wooden, cigar box-like machine adorned with knobs and packed with wires — a device Moon calls the Telephone to the Dead.

But every few seconds, between and over all the noise, throaty voices, almost urgent in their clarity and speed, spout specific answers to direct questions. The voices are distinct, consistent and almost jolting in the way they stand out from the clatter.

A few minutes into the playback, Moon picks up on something no one heard during the real-time recording: a woman's voice, seemingly soaked in fear and desperation, making a plea.

Moon widens his eyes and scratches his red beard, realizing what he has captured. Then he rewinds the tape a few seconds back and plays the voice again. A couple of people gasp and nod their heads; one woman covers her mouth. By the time Moon plays the clip for the fifth time, the message is clear to all in the room.

"Help me," the voice implores. "Help me."

'DON'T TURN YOUR BACK'

Moon — editor of "Haunted Times," a widely read paranormal magazine — and his Colorado-based team have amassed a rich collection of photos, videos and audio recordings during dozens of investigations that they say prove the historic Borden home is filled with spirits.

Ranked by the Travel Channel as the world's creepiest destination, the Borden home continues to attract ghost seekers and history buffs more than a century after the gruesome ax-murders of Andrew Borden, a wealthy city businessman, and his wife, Abigail. Lizzie Borden, Andrew's daughter and Abigail's step-daughter, was brought to trial for the killings. She was promptly acquitted and the case was never solved.

Out of all the supposedly haunted locations Moon says he has investigated in recent years, 92 Second St. ranks "easily in the top three." The 36-year-old former heavy metal musician uses technology to prove, as he puts it, the existence of ghosts, including electromagnetic field detectors, white noise machines, digital cameras and voice recorders.

Like many people who work or have stayed overnight at the house, Moon also claims he has experienced other unexplainable things without the aid of electronic equipment.

His first night as a guest, Moon was resting in a second-floor bedroom when he says he heard a voice warn, "Don't turn your back." Several hours later, he was jarred awake by a choking feeling, as if someone was trying to strangle him. In the morning, he discovered what appeared to be a rope burn around his neck. Moon attributes the attack unequivocally to Andrew Borden. And although he still investigates regularly at the house, he goes elsewhere when it's time to sleep.

"I believe he died not only angry, bitter and evil, but so brutally, that when he was released from his body, he attracted more negativity," Moon says of Andrew Borden, who sustained 11 blows to the head.

Andrew Borden, the miserly, affluent patriarch of the Borden family, is the dominant spirit in the house, Moon says. His energy turns up in photos of the sitting room sofa, an exact replica of the one on which his body was found. And his deep, stern voice, tinged with a slight Fall River accent, frequently interrupts Telephone to the Dead sessions, often with swears and warnings to "get out."

Moon says his evidence suggests that Andrew Borden was not only tightfisted, but cold and abusive to his daughters.

"Andrew Borden was one of the most sick, disgusting men who ever lived," Moon tells a group gathered in the home's basement for Ghost Hunter's University, a two-day crash course into the world of paranormal investigations.

Moon and his crew — including his parents, Dennis and Paulette Huff — return to the Borden home several times a year. The seasoned investigators claim the strength of Andrew Borden's spirit is unmatched by any other they know. They are drawn to the home.

"It's rare that a spirit has that much energy and ability," Moon tells The Fall River Spirit. "Aside from the obvious question, which is why, the bigger question is how does Andrew have the power when 99 percent of the spirits we encounter don't?"

CRACKING THE CASE


Lizzie Borden didn't do it. At least, she wasn't directly responsible for the deaths of her father and step-mother, according to the "Haunted Times" group. Moon claims he learned that with help from his telephone to the spirit world, which souls on the "other side" speak through by manipulating radio waves. Thomas Edison started work on such a device before his death, Moon says.

Investigations at the house have led Moon's team to conclude that William Borden, believed by some to be Andrew Borden's illegitimate son, committed the crime. Fall River native Lewis Peterson, who knew Lizzie Borden in his childhood, professed the spinster's innocence to Hathaway Publishing in 1997, suggesting that William Borden was not only related to Andrew Borden, but guilty of his murder. The story was later reprinted in "The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies."

"One of the advantages of our technology is that we can hear out of their own mouths what took place," Moon says. "Some of that information is cryptic in ways, but we have found out that Lizzie never swung the ax."

Lizzie Borden wasn't entirely innocent, Moon says. She planned the killings, securing her freedom by having someone else do the dirty work. She was determined to seek an end to the "hateful things that had happened to her."

Other conclusions the "Haunted Times" crew has drawn raise more questions than answers. Evidence collected from the spirits suggests that Andrew Borden might have been killed outside the home and that his body was later moved to the sofa, says Dina Everling, director of marketing for "Haunted Times."

Andrew Borden still forcefully stands watch over his home, but Moon claims to have found evidence of other spirits in the dwelling, including Abby Borden, Bridget Sullivan — the Bordens' maid — and a few children who are believed to have died in a well down the street.

Lizzie Borden has "moved on," Moon says.

"She comes back from time to time, though."

SKEPTICS WELCOME

While on a break from the most recent investigation at the Borden house, someone shows Lee-Ann Wilber a photo he took in the room where Abby Borden was slain. The photo is filled with orbs — little white circles that some believe are the energy of spirits.

"OK, I know that's not dust because I just Dysoned in there," says Wilber, owner of the bed and breakfast.

Sometimes, orbs simply are dust or moisture and nothing more. Moon says he encourages people to think sensibly when they delve into the paranormal and rule out all possible explanations before assuming something is of another world.

"The only thing worse than a hard-headed skeptic is the true believer," he tells the Ghost Hunter's University class crowded in the basement one recent March evening. "Be rational."

Moon knows that paranormal investigations can be hard for some people to grasp. Skeptics regularly attend his seminars and investigations, and he's fine with that, so long as they are open-minded.

Wilber, who believes there has been legitimate spirit activity at the house, enjoys hosting the "Haunted Times" crew every few months. "I wouldn't invite them back if I didn't," she says as Max, her black cat, darts under the dining room table.

As for the team's conclusions about what really happened 118 years ago?

"Everyone who comes in seems to find something different," Wilber says, acknowledging with a smile that she has heard some "out there" theories. "I always stick with the facts. If people do ask for experiences, I can only offer my personal ones."

NATIONAL ATTENTION

Lizzie Dickson wasn't named after Lizzie Borden, but she is reminded of Fall River's most infamous woman quite often.

"There's a guy at work who sings the song to me every week," Dickson says with a groan.

By song, Dickson means the well-known rhyme that pins Lizzie Borden down as the killer.

After arriving at the Borden home for the first time on a Friday afternoon, Dickson and her boyfriend, Joe Samalis, both of Shrewsbury, wait in the sitting room, not knowing what to expect from Ghost Hunter's University, which they have heard so much about. Their spur-of-the-moment trip has landed them in the John Morse bedroom, where Abby Borden was killed. Visitors usually book rooms well in advance, but there happened to be an unexpected vacancy when the couple called earlier in the week.

"It was something we always wanted to do," Samalis says.

Dickson's thoughts turn to spending the night in a purportedly haunted bedroom and she says she is nervous.

"She's going to stick to me like white on rice," Samalis says of his girlfriend.

"No, like super glue," Dickson clarifies. She breathes in, smiles and shakes her head, motioning to Samalis. "I hope nobody tries to poke me tonight — except him."

Later that night, Dickson volunteers to stand in the spot where Abby Borden was killed. Moon stands in front of her, asking her to breathe deep, close her eyes and tell him how she feels.

"Anxious," Dickson says, before becoming light-headed and stumbling backward. Huff, Moon's mother and a psychic, comforts Dickson and tells her to "let go" of the energy.

Samalis, an electrical engineer, says he is skeptical, but after receiving what he calls a sign from his late father several years ago, he believes in something more. He contends that the afterlife probably isn't as spooky or outrageous as Hollywood portrays it, though.

Other investigation attendees come from farther afield. Two men and two women from Saratoga, N.Y., on a return trip, say they have no doubts that the house is haunted. And Kris Bronson of Chicago brought along a pink suitcase full of her own investigative equipment, having experienced activity in the house before.

"The whole place makes me feel kind of nervous," she says.

The Borden home certainly isn't the only place to find spirits, says Moon, who spends most of the year on the road, conducting similar investigations at homes and historic sites.

"Everyone has a ghost story," Moon says. "There's paranormal activity throughout the country and the world. As long as people have been alive, there have been ghosts."

Calling the Dead at the Borden House

- PULSE OF THE PARANORMAL

The ghosts of Nebraska Wesleyan University didn't materialize Friday but a call to spirits eased one survivor's guilt.

Carol Ready of Scribner has carried guilt since two sisters died more than three years ago in a rollover.

The 18-year-old frets over little things -- why didn't she play with them when they'd asked?

Days before the accident, Carol told her tomboy sister Beth, 11, she'd teach her how to put on makeup "later."

Well, later was too late, Carol said.

The girls died April 14, 2007, en route to Concordia University for its "Gathering of Talents." Beth and Erin, 7, were to sing solos at the festival.

"I felt like they died because I pushed them away," Carol said. "I thought it was God's punishment."

Carol's mother, Ruth Ready, carries guilt for losing control of the Suburban that flipped twice on Nebraska 79 near North Bend.

Closure has been hard for the family. Carol said there's a void that can't be filled.

But those who say they spoke with Beth and Erin Friday have this message -- the girls are happy on the other side and want their mortal family happy too.

Carol was able to "talk" to her two sisters with the help of paranormal expert Chris Moon, who was at Nebraska Wesleyan University Friday night.

Moon claims to have the ability to talk to the dead through a spirit phone, a device he says uses sound waves to convey messages between worlds. He travels the United States going into historically haunted houses to talk to ghosts.

It's rumored that Wesleyan's Old Main building and Johnson Hall are haunted. Multiple people say they've seen, heard or felt paranormal activity there throughout the years.

And it just so happens that Carol lives in Johnson Hall.

She didn't really believe in ghosts until Friday, when Moon used the spirit phone to talk to ghosts on her floor.

Moon asked people to start asking questions. Carol asked if Beth and Erin were there. Through the phone they said, "Yes, here."

"Is there a girl that's 7?"

"Yes."

"Is there another girl that's 11?"

"Yes. We are at home. Safe."

"Beth? Beth Ready?"

"Me. Hi. This is odd. We're cool," she giggled.

Carol started shaking; tears streamed down her face.

"That was Beth's voice and giggle. I will never forget that sweet voice," Carol said. "I remember one morning I woke her up by putting my hand on hers and she said, ‘Hi!' That was the same hi I heard that morning."

Ten minutes later, the sisters asked for Carol. Carol hadn't said her name to the spirit phone, but a girl's voice asked to talk to Carol.

Carol asked, "Are you mad at me for not spending time with you?"

"No, we understand."

"Are you mad at Mom?"

"A little, because she is blaming herself and holding guilt."

"Every day Mom thinks about you girls."

Carol cried harder. Other students crowded around. Chris Moon teared up too.

Carol grabbed her cell phone and called her parents, who aren't big into ghost tales. But Carol didn't care, she needed to tell her mom to stop feeling guilty.

"It feels so good to know that they weren't blaming me for not spending time with them before they died," Carol said.

The idea that the dead can communicate with humans is weird until you've experienced for yourself, said Joe Pritchard, a Wesleyan student who stayed overnight in Old Main on Friday with about 30 people waiting for the ghost of Clara Mills to appear.

Brittany Gunther, another Wesleyan student, claimed she talked to her cousin and aunt through the spirit telephone.

"She recognized her cousin's voice right away, Pritchard said. "You have to be there to understand what we heard and saw."

Reach Alissa Skelton at 402-473-2682 or askelton@journalstar.com.
- journalstar.com