Episode Post-Mortem: "Schoolhouse Haunting"
Tuesday January 29, 2008 8:53 AM
Case File: 2007.01.32F
Code Name: "Schoolhouse Haunting"
DIRECTOR'S LOGS
These logs have been condensed and edited, but to the best of our ability, they remain an accurate account of the case:
THE EVP "KATIE"
This was possibly the strangest EVP session we had during the filming for "Paranormal State." Katrina claimed that she was hearing a heavy breathing sound right behind her. However, on our sensitive microphone, I couldn't hear anything. Later, I hear a voice clear as day saying, "Katie" through my headphones, although none of the teammates heard it. I then heard the breathing that Katrina was hearing once we repositioned the microphone. Later, during our evidence analysis, we could only hear one instance of the breathing. Nevertheless, I was certain that we at least documented the "Katie" sound. It was so loud and clear that I was eager to listen to it.
Continued after the jump.
When Sergey isolated the clip, however, all I got was a faint humming. This was completely frustrating to me, because I was certain I had heard the name Katie. I was relying on our technology to verify that I had indeed heard an anomalous voice. Unfortunately, I was let down. I asked Sergey to work on the clip and enhance it as much as he could. He worked on it for hours.
TRISHA THE PSYCHIC
I am always skeptical of psychic information, no matter who the psychic is. Here is an example where we decided to discount the psychic's testimony. It is certainly not the first time we've had to do this on the show. The problem we had with Trisha is that her testimony changed quite a bit.
One of the things I regularly do with psychics is repeatedly ask them the same questions over again. In Trisha's case, her answers were changing quite a bit. Her testimony also changed from the time she spoke with Shannon.
To be fair, we tried to validate her information through the historical society. One of the big things that Trisha told us is that someone hung themselves in the building. Unfortunately, this isn't possible because the alleged hanging took place decades before the building was even erected.
We also decided to give her another opportunity by having her read one of our members. We volunteered Sergey. Trisha was a sweet lady, but she was completely off when it came to Sergey's reading. We tried to entertain the idea that she was perhaps reading someone else in the condo, but that also didn't add up.
In the end, we felt that she was cold reading Sergey. Most of her reads were very generic ("do you or somebody around you need glasses?").
Whenever any investigator deals with a psychic, it's important to try and verify their information. Never just take their word for it. In our case, we were coming in to a situation where there was already a psychic involved. This is why we re-interviewed her and why we had her read one of our members. Who knows how much information Tricia had of the location before we arrived?
When it comes to Chip Coffey, a medium we use regularly, we are able to verify his information regularly. He has also read many individuals on the film crew and PRS team and has impressed them all.
KATIE THE PERSON
Despite the fact that we could not verify the "Katie" EVP that I heard, an interesting coincidence developed while we were filming the case. Jeff had learned from a friend that a woman named Katie used to live in the building.
During her visit to Shannon's condo, we learned that Katie had many similar experiences. Now, like in many cases where we come in, we aren't always able to verify the haunting with hard, scientific evidence. But sometimes it's also hard to deny the testimony. Katie and Shannon had similar experiences. For Shannon, this helped her realize that she wasn't alone in her experiences at the location.
The big question that plagues me is, if it was a spirit that said the name, "Katie," then what significance does Katie have to the haunting?
SHANNON'S NIGHTMARES
This didn't make it into the episode much, but Shannon had been plagued by some very dark and terrifying nightmares. We brought in our good friend, Irina Geiman, who is a Reiki practitioner and forensic expert, to help Shannon meditate and try to find some inner peace. Shannon felt that it was very educational and helpful.
We felt that her nightmares could partially be due to stress. Shannon is a very ambitious and hard-working individual. She has her own web development business. She was also in the middle of opening up a spa. On top of that, she is very interested in the paranormal and has decided to become a paranormal investigator.
CLOSING DIRECTOR'S LOG
We were unable to document or capture any solid paranormal evidence at the client's home, although the first DEAD TIME did give us some questionable sounds that we still cannot identify. This incident has actually challenged us to re-evaluate our tools and equipment so that in the future, we will be able to capture the sounds as best as possible. Finding Katie was an unexpected surprise and it helped validate Shannon's experiences.
UPDATE:
Shannon still has occasional activity in her condo, but she is more understanding and accepting of the activity. She is now a paranormal investigator. She can now be seen every Wednesday night on the new TV series, "Ghost Hunters: International."
Comments (7)
Ryan,
Could you please comment on why a Ghost Hunters International investigator and former member of New England Paranormal needed help from PRS?
Was the episode before she became an investigator?
It seems strange that she would be on your show.
Posted by Doug Barnum | January 29, 2008 11:15 AM
Posted on January 29, 2008 11:15
It freaks me out the name Katie appears on your show a lot. I agree someone mentioned somewhere that she had been part of the GHI since 2005. Could be mis-info. I luv the show.
Posted by Anonymous | January 29, 2008 11:42 AM
Posted on January 29, 2008 11:42
I am happy to hear that you felt skeptical of Trish the psychic. I was a bit put off by her. She was totally all over the place and not direct. I laughed at her "glasses" question. While the evidence was not solidified, I felt you all did a fine job. Keep it up!
Posted by Barbi | January 29, 2008 12:20 PM
Posted on January 29, 2008 12:20
To Doug who asked about Shannon if you read it carefully it said "On top of that, she is very interested in the paranormal and has decided to become a paranormal investigator". So my guess was this epidsode was before she joined any paranormal group.
As for the psychic she made me laugh. She was clearly a fraud. I mean she changed her stories and couldn't even read Sergey. She didn't get one question right and just kept pushing it aside by saying oh it will come to you after I leave. I am so glad that you decided not to believe her.
I love the show. Keep up the great work!!
Posted by Christina | January 29, 2008 1:25 PM
Posted on January 29, 2008 13:25
I felt that doing more readings with Trish the psychic was wise especially since her stories were so inconsistent. When she did Sergey's reading, it seemed she was trying to get him to give her something to work with by asking leading questions, I had the same experience once when I had a psychic reading, she asked me leading questions and was not right on much of anything,(I know this because some of my answers were lies to test her) so I do have to say it is a good thing you test the psychics you work with before allowing them to help with the investigation. Otherwise..great show!!! Keep up the great work!!!
Posted by Krissy | January 29, 2008 1:26 PM
Posted on January 29, 2008 13:26
Shannon was kind enough to shed a little more light on on her status at New England Paranormal and the groups that have investigated her place.
http://www.spectralreview.com/2008/01/29/paranormal-state-school-house-haunting-report-card/#comments
Looks like she wanted Ryan to look into it also.
Posted by Doug Barnum | January 29, 2008 1:36 PM
Posted on January 29, 2008 13:36
Shannon Syliva is desperate to be 'famous' despite having no real talent - kind of like the Kato Kalien of the paranormal world.
Shannon Sylvia runs some amature web design business/spa/decorating firm/belly button lint farm.
A google of her name will reveal that she loves contacing the media - Shannon Sylvia can't find health insurance - call the media, I am a "ghost hunter" call the media so they can write snappy headlines about me like "She ain't afraid of no ghost" then I will go on another show to be tourmented by ghosts. The cherry on the cake is that Shannon Sylvia made a web site called www.villagesaabsucks.com in witch she slanders a dealership that did her wrong for 1,000 (most of us get rooked for more) anyway what does Shann Sylvia do? Continue the slanderous web site and - you guessed it - CALL THE MEDIA, no less than 4 tv news station, news papers and radio stations. How very professional of a business woman. I feel bad for any web client of Shannon Sylvia's cross her and she will make a slanderous site then get the media involved to rally around her. She is quite an awful person I don't quite get the allure, she does not seem especially smart, barley passable for attractive - not sure how she has dooped so many.
Shannon has hurt the creditability of TAPS and paranormal investigations in general.
I have been a fan of Ghost Hunters from the start. What I liked about Jason and Grant is that, in the beginning, they looked to disproove a haunting as much as proove them. Then someone like Shannon comes along and it looks like she has every paranormal group investigate her supposed haunt (hearing voices could be attributed to mental illness as well has this avenue been explored, I mean since nothing creditable was presented as evidence) Perhaps a case of Munchousin Ghost proxy - where you claim there is a ghost/spirits to get attention and consolation - she has been rewarded so why no keep doing it. As if she is the only person on the plant with a haunting!”Call in help, I hear voices, I am the only one with a haunting!” oh, the horror. Seriously, if there is that much of a probelm with her condo that all the ghost hunter heavy hitters have been called in and there is still no reprives or creditable proof, you a.) get some sort of priest to help b.) move since it seems to be encumpassing your entire being c.)Ignore it - laughing children not all that sinister d.) seek mental help, perhaps you are halucinating e.)stfu - nobody what’s to hear it anymore.
How do you think someone bothered by giggling children is supposed to “investigate” centuries old castles with demonic spirits? Answer: out of her league, which is why Shannon is cowering and on the verge of tears in every GHI episode - she adds no deminsion to the show. Not only that, I love the way Shannon chanks on her gum and wears those silly hats - GHI has now become comedy instead of a quest for truth or proof. Good for a laugh I suppose.
I have explained this Shannon sham to people that do not watch either show to get their take. I tell them there is a ghost ‘investigator’ on one show that hunts down evil spirits and such, yet on another show she is the victim of ghosts and being taunted by the laughter of children. Wait she is a ghost hunter but can’t ‘investigate’ her own benign haunt. Why is she bothered by giggling kids but can sit in a church pew and talk to a ‘demon’? Apparently she wants to be on TV. Shannon, Flavor of Love 3 on VH1 is casting , better get your tape in - you could label it: Looking for a haunting love.
Also at the beginning of “paranormal State” they state that they only take the most critical cases. Why would the PN crew think an experienced ghost hunter would need help (on story even calls her a "seasoned professional"? You would think she would be qualified to do her own investigation and archival research since she ” joined NEP in 2005 as an investigator after the training course and investigations required to join.” Ahh, a tale of two Shannons. The PS team could have helped someone that really had no clue on how to investigate, or that had children that were being disturbed by a haunting. How selfish of you Shannon.
I sound mad? Sure, because people that research the paranormal get knocked back every time people like Shannon surface and cast doubts for her own gain - to be on TV, sell web space, interior designs, or spa treatments.
SHANNON SYLVIA IS A CON ARTIST - pure and simple
Posted by Jeb | January 31, 2008 4:34 PM
Posted on January 31, 2008 16:34