Original subtitles

This is the most haunted item in the world.

Why am I already shaking?

Another accident.

I didn't expect to cry.

Not all wishes come true

the way you want them to come true.

Dude, what the ****

I want my life back.

I want my life back.

Since I was a young boy,

I've been collecting haunted artifacts,

drawn to the dark and mysterious energy they carry.

The Manson murders will go down as

one the most heinous crimes of all time.

Through my career as a paranormal investigator,

I've been able to build my collection.

- Now I'm building a museum... - The Conjure Chest

is one of the deadliest haunted artifacts

- in existence. - Robert the Doll.

He's affected thousands of people.

...And providing a place

for people to bring their haunted items

and hear their stories.

We aid people into coming into the world.

Why can't we aid them in exiting the world?

These are my deadly possessions.

So these are actually real bones from a person.

- Here at the museum... - I don't know if you'd like

- to hold one of them. - ...You never know who will stop by.

- No **** way. - Hey, guys!

This is wild!

Hey, Joe!

- Hi! - Nancy!

- How are you? - Nice to see you.

- Good to see you. - What a surprise.

I didn't know you were here.

Angry Joe is an old friend

from Bonnie Springs Ranch.

Are you angry? I imagine you feel angry.

I've been wanting to come here since I heard about it.

Right.

It was just -- I had to come.

The objects that are in this museum,

they're donated from people all over the world,

I purchased some of them.

But some of the other objects that people bring here,

that I sit down in the ballroom and interview,

these objects are serious.

These objects have killed people.

Last time I saw Joe,

he discussed a cross that may have saved a man's life.

Leave now!

Leave Brian and go back to the opera house.

When he got possessed, okay?

Everybody was trying to get him out of it.

- On the film, I got him out of it. - Right.

- But I felt that hit me in the chest. - Yeah.

I went home that night.

My cross, it was brown.

That cross that turned brown,

what are you doing --

No way!

Wow, that's it.

I've always thought my mom has been possessed.

So I'm gonna have you wear it and her grab it.

And I know it's gonna turn black.

- She had him! - I know it's gonna turn black.

Please, save me.

- No. No. - After 38 years, please, save --

I'm just kidding.

Thank you. My God.

Although we might laugh now,

nothing about these items is a joke.

So you want to keep this in the museum?

And we can tell your story -- the story of Bonnie Springs?

- Is that okay? - Yeah, it's okay.

I'm never gonna refuse an object.

You know, bringing the energy that's attached to stuff like this,

is bringing with it,

the spirits and energies that are attached with it.

Somebody's about ready to bring an object.

So we got to go back --

Okay. All right.

Excuse me.

As I build my collection,

I want to experience the most historically haunted items

in the world.

This is a place for people to share these possessions

and seek answers.

My name is Jason Haxton. I live in Kirksville, Missouri.

I'm the owner of the most haunted object in the world,

known as the dibbuk box.

I feel that this object is so dangerous,

I've kept it buried and away from people

for five full years.

The dibbuk box was created by a Holocaust survivor

as a way to deal with her grief and loss

from the war.

I'm digging this box up

so that I can take it to Zak Bagans...

and bring back the original owner,

Kevin Mannis, who feels that the box

may have been contributing to his mother's death.

Between the three of us,

we might be able to come to some answers and resolution

about this haunted object.

My God.

Please tell me that's a replica.

Is this the dibbuk box?

This is, today,

the most haunted item in the world.

It's the dibbuk box.

Why am I already shaking?

Please, have a seat.

This is the first time

it's been removed from Missouri in 12 years,

since it arrived.

This is known as not only

one of the most iconic haunted items in the world,

but it's also known to be one of the most deadly.

I was kind of apprehensive bringing it here.

It's not been removed.

It's not been seen.

It's not been, really, out like this.

Where do you keep it at home?

It actually --

It stays in the state of Missouri in a military box and buried.

So it is completely protected.

Where is it buried?

I own 26 acres of land,

- It's buried in a secret spot on that land. - Rural area.

So I always know where it's at.

But I don't disturb it.

You literally unburied it

like you were on "Raiders of the Lost Ark"...

- Brought it out. - ...and digging this thing up

This box is used to contain evil spirits?

Correct.

We don't know whether it's one or two or multiple.

But we know, at least, there is a dibbuk.

Can you define what a dibbuk is?

In the Jewish faith,

it's a spirit that has unfinished business...

...and so it cannot have peace.

So it attaches, it cleaves.

- Possesses? - It possesses a person

to finish out whatever it didn't finish.

So you have something living through you

to finish its life.

I'm really shaking.

You -- you see that, right?

Well, I'll be honest. I was so nauseous after touching it the first time...

...and this ectoplasmic-like crud came out of me.

Crud came out of you?

- Literally just quantities of it. - Vomited?

And that pain is as if someone took a knife

and stabbed me in the gut

and actually ripped it through me.

- You had the pain right after you touched it? - Well, yeah.

And I was sick to my stomach. I woke up, my eyes were bleeding.

- I was broken out in hives I'm choking. - Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa.

All of this on the same day of this box.

- Your eyes were bleeding? - Yeah.

Like, literally, just blood.

- Coming out of your eyes? - Right.

I also have to share with you that it was a gift,

an accidental gift by Kevin Mannis to his mother

on this day, her birthday.

I'm aware of Kevin Mannis.

I think the coincidence of it being here with you...

Wait a minute.

...On the day that it was basically

to be presented as a gift,

when she had all of her issues.

Today is his mother's birthday?

It was the beginning of the end for her.

Kevin is the original owner of the dibbuk box.

Today is Kevin's mother's birthday.

It was the beginning of the end for her.

And Kevin believes

the dibbuk box killed his mother.

We're gonna try to talk to him about this

as respectful and as sensitive as I can.

Hello, Kevin.

- Please have a seat. - Sure, man.

I've read a lot about you.

I've learned that Kevin Mannis acquired the dibbuk box

from the family of a deceased Holocaust survivor.

After fleeing Nazi Poland and seeking refuge in Spain,

this woman created the dibbuk box

to deal with her grief

but inadvertently created an attachment

with something very dark.

Kevin, did you give this dibbuk box

as a gift to your mother for her birthday,

not knowing what the dibbuk box is?

Yeah.

Um...

I gave it to her, and she opened it up.

And I found her beside the box,

door open to the box.

And then I realized she was having a stroke.

And got on the phone with 911

and called 911 immediately.

And that day,

she lost her speech and 80% of her eyesight.

Again, a recurring theme that happens to people

who come in contact with the box.

I had no idea.

Did she ever have any communication

about what she felt when she opened those doors?

- Yeah. - She did?

She said, when she opened the doors to the box,

that something blew through her

that she could only describe as pure evil.

I don't know what he's doing.

Dude, what the ****

I've been speaking to Kevin Mannis

about the dibbuk box, a truly disturbing object,

which he believes led to his mother's death.

Something blew through her that she could only describe as pure evil.

Do you regret buying the dibbuk box?

If you could go back into time, Kevin...

Would you have still bought the box?

Knowing what I know now,

there's an innocence that I've lost.

I just have a simple -- not a simple question,

a question that I just would like

- a "yes" or "no" answer for. - Sure.

Do you believe the dibbuk box can kill people?

Zak, I can't --

I can't empower that by saying yes.

Jason, do you think that there is an evil spirit contained inside of there?

I think evil can happen.

It just depends how it's used.

If you're telling me, right now,

that it's not all bad,

then can I ask you,

why would you put it in a military box

and bury it in a field?

Why wouldn't this be on display on your mantle?

Well, not all wishes come true

the way you want them to come true.

What do you think about the current owner Jason?

What do you think about what he's doing with it

and how he's storing it underground?

You know, I --

I guess we could talk about

how many people have died around it.

How many people have died around it?

There was a gentleman, was living in a house

Jason had the box in the basement.

He didn't tell me this.

And they found the guy dead,

sitting in a chair directly over the box.

What?

Yeah.

The man was found dead over the dibbuk box?

Sitting in a chair over the dibbuk box.

A dibbuk attaches itself to you

like a fungus growing inside of a person,

causing blood to pour from their eyes

or their heart to nearly stop.

When was the last time you saw the dibbuk box,

how long ago?

I guess it would be about 10, 12 years ago.

I have the box set up right now

in a basement isolation chamber.

Would you like to go down there

and see it again?

Well, would I like to? That's an interesting way of putting it. I'll do it.

We just want to observe.

And I'm asking you a question. I'm not giving you an order.

I understand that. For sure, yeah.

I'd be happy to do that, man. Yeah.

Okay. Right now, I'm in the library.

And through one of these secret doors

is our nerve center.

We can see and hear everything in this entire building.

And right now, it's time for Theodore

to escort Kevin down into the basement isolation chamber.

Kevin is bringing a trigger object

that also belonged to the family that built the box,

in an attempt to conjure the negative entity.

I'm nervous all of a sudden, man.

I'm all, like, anxious.

He's just going right to town

and opening it all up.

Look at the lights flickering.

The moment Kevin opens the door to the dibbuk box,

the lights begin unexplainedly flickering on and off in the front museum room.

Yeah.

See that?

That's in the store.

- In the main store. - Yeah.

Watch the store. Look at...

- There it goes. - Look.

What the hell?

I don't know he's doing.

Has Kevin released the evil spirit in the basement?

He did warn us that if he went down there...

Is he facing the wall?

- Yes. - Yes.

- What was that? - I don't know.

Just a banging noise.

- It was a loud bang by the... - Did you hear that?

- Yeah. - Yeah.

What's going on with you, Kevin?

What are you thinking about? Why won't you sit in the chair, buddy?

What's wrong with you?

I'm starting to feel anxiety in myself.

He did say it was getting creepy and eerie in there, too.

Light from the hallway crept into my room,

along with a shadow man too, I assume.

Never before had I seen such a form,

that could change

the candle's flame licks in a storm.

What in the hell?

- I wait here in the darkness till you fall asleep. - What is he saying?

Then I come to your dreams with a promise to keep.

From the nighttime to morning, I'll torment your soul.

Dude, what the **** is he saying?

- Don't forget about what he said would happen to you. - No.

- He's saying... - I started to tremble. I covered my head.

He's saying things like,

"Come out of this box and torment these souls."

And took flight.

He had deepened my plot and filled out with delight.

I'd just about fallen asleep when it started.

It began when I felt something under the bed coming...

What is he saying, 'cause he hasn't stopped.

Word for word. he hasn't stuttered.

As the stench of

the shadow man's breath filled the air

and the silence was broken one inch from my ear.

As the shadow man whispered, "My boy, I'm right here."

What are those?

There's voices after he stopped.

He's, like, speaking in tongues.

Listen. Listen.

Is this guy **** possessed?

Do you hear this?

Yeah.

When should we get him?

Theodore, I want you to go down and get him,

get Kevin.

He's acting weird.

I'm gonna go with you.

But I want you to go down there and call for him, okay?

Keep an eye on Theodore.

- Kevin? - Yeah.

You okay?

I'm, I'm okay. I'm okay.

What's wrong?

I don't know if you've paid any attention

to what's going on above your furnaces over here in the background.

But you've got quite a bit of activity happening.

What Kevin is seeing is out of our camera's view.

What kind of activity, Kevin?

You got some wispy sort of -- sort of...

manifestations that have happened

three times since I've been down here.

- And... - Theodore?

Yes?

Come back upstairs, please.

Because the dibbuk box is known to be a killer,

I don't want to take any chances while the doors are open

in fear for Theodore's safety

until we can comprehend what's happening with Kevin.

Again, I have a very, very apprehensive feeling

about what is -- what is inside...

Want to come up, Kevin?

You all right?

That's not something to play with.

It's not something ever to play with.

I don't mean to get that emotional about it.

- But it's... - It's okay.

Yeah, and I am really kind of feeling --

I told you -- apprehensive down there.

You can see I'm kind of physically...

- Yeah. Yeah. - ...Shaken.

And I didn't think it was gonna affect me like that at all.

It's weird, but --

- You all right, man? - Yeah.

I just -- I didn't --

I didn't expect to get hit that...

I mean, it's really, I got a physical, you know...

Wow.

We were hearing other voices down there,

when you weren't talking, did you hear that?

- No. - You didn't?

I don't know.

That's very, very strange.

Did you ever feel anything down there with you

in the basement?

Up above the furnace there.

- You did? - Yeah.

I mean, you -- you can... I couldn't stand there and look at it

- without seeing... - Was this from the box?

I don't know.

- Crazy. - Yeah.

I think he's -- I think he's...

I'm concerned about Kevin and Jason,

who, I believe, have an unhealthy addiction to the dibbuk box.

Well, not all wishes come true

the way you want them to come true.

So I seek the help of Rabbi Wyne

to answer lingering questions about the box and its origins.

Rabbi Wyne,

what did you hear about the dibbuk box?

Exactly what everyone hears.

You have the box,

weird things happen to the owner of the box.

We do believe in transmigration,

that a soul can attach itself to something else.

But what about the case in point

of these two gentlemen here that have owned the box.

Okay.

As you two had said...

- Yeah. - The things that it has caused --

The manifestations, the death.

I'm just not gonna sit here and sugarcoat that.

Well, do we want to say that it caused it?

Do we want to say that the spiritual entity

that is attached to it caused it?

- That's why I'm here-- to get more answers. - Or when you encounter,

"My goodness. There's a box, and it seems to be possessed with a spirit."

That's a message to you that your soul --

and that you've got to straighten your soul out.

That's really what it's about.

And then --

So sorry.

- You okay? - Yeah. I just have a little cough.

And then when you say, "Hey, listen.

Let's bring this box to me,"

that's a message from the almighty.

I'm so sorry, man.

If I can just take a second, yeah.

- You need some water or something? - I guess so.

Are you... What's wrong?

I'm just -- I've got something my throat.

Yeah, I -- I don't know.

- Do you want to come down for a second? - I'd love to. Thank you.

Let me run back here and grab some water real quick.

Since symptoms of the dibbuk box

include choking, hives, cold sweats,

and other physical reactions,

I am very concerned.

- Let's -- let's... - I'm so sorry.

That's okay. Are you okay?

Yeah.

It's just really strange.

I don't know what this cough is from. It's odd.

When I interviewed you, you were fine.

- I just... - Who knows.

I'm sorry about that, guys.

You know what I've noticed is

how close both of you are to this box,

how you are when you speak of it.

I wonder if something

contained in or around the box

is also affecting you two.

My name's Cori Convertito.

I'm the curator here at

the Key West Art and Historical Society,

home of Robert the Doll.

For the 20-years-plus that Robert's lived here,

he has really had a big effect on people,

people losing jobs and relationships breaking up,

death in the family.

There have been dead pets.

Robert has been affecting people's lives for decades.

We're hoping that Zak can help us understand

exactly what it is about Robert

that makes him affect people in the way that he does.

Okay. No.

No..

Is this Robert the Doll?

It is Robert the Doll.

My gosh.

Yeah.

Holy... cow.

This is the most haunted doll in the world.

Is it true that Robert the Doll

actually inspired the movies, "Child's Play?"

He is the real Chucky, is this true?

Their stories are quite eerily similar.

Can you give me a second?

- Yeah. - I'm -- I'm like... - No, take your time.

- I'm seriously... - Take your time.

- Like, I'm just... - Take your time.

- Do people get anxiety around -- - Absolutely. Absolutely.

Are you supposed to make eye contact with Robert?

Some people find it, you know, very calming.

And then some people seem to get lost in the...

...the utter darkness of it all.

How did he get the reputation that he has now,

of being haunted?

He belonged to a boy from Key West.

His name was Robert Eugene Otto.

For Robert's fourth birthday,

Robert, the boy's, mother bought Robert the doll

and brought him back.

The boy named him for himself.

So he'd started going by his middle name ---

Gene, Eugene -- instead of Robert,

- to differentiate between the two. - Okay.

They were inseparable.

He would take Robert the Doll everywhere with him.

Anything bad or naughty that the boy did,

he blamed on Robert the Doll.

- Eugene would talk to Robert as he was... - Right.

...was alive.

Well, all kids -- all kids talk to dolls, you know.

- Um, but... - As a teenager,

I think those things start falling away.

So he's...

He's not a 4-year-old boy anymore,

talking to a doll.

- He's now a teenager. - So Gene started...

Was still talking to Robert as a living person...

...well into teenage years. - Absolutely.

- That's strange. - And beyond.

After he was married,

he still would talk to Robert in the first person. - What?

His wife and he had separate bedrooms.

But Robert actually slept

in Gene's quarter of the house.

Now that's strange.

- It's -- it's... - As a grown man...

- Right. - ...And treating him like a living person.

Did Gene know that this doll was possessed?

I don't know why he would devote

so much attention and his own energy

focusing on Robert.

If that wasn't the case --

I mean, they were together.

Has it been said that Robert

has been responsible for people's deaths?

People have suggested so.

Um, Eugene's father died

not long after Robert appeared on the scene.

The grandfather also died quite young.

Do you believe that countless people

have been cursed by Robert for disrespecting him?

Um, there's something to him.

There's something --

His energy? I don't know what it is.

It's something that I've not been privy to with him.

I don't experience any negativity from him at all.

Are you his caretaker?

I am.

You are his caretaker.

I am. Yeah. Absolutely.

So I'm seeing a pattern here.

I'm seeing a connection to you, to Gene.

And do you think that that is the reason

why you don't experience anything negative from Robert?

I think it's partially to do with that.

I mean, I'm very respectful.

I'll talk with him...

Okay.

...Or to him,

and just him what we're doing,

why he's out of the display case,

why he's in my lap or --

- You let Robert sit in your lap? - I do.

I mean, not on a daily basis or anything.

Nobody else is allowed to do that?

I don't know.

Yeah.

Robert does get a lot of letters saying,

"I'm sorry I took your photograph."

He gets letters?

Letters of what?

Apologizing.

Apologizing to Robert?

- To him for disrespecting him... - What? - Yes. Absolutely.

Can I help you, Theodore?

This is for you, sir.

Okay.

- Hello. - Hello.

- I'm Theodore. - Nice to meet you, Theodore.

- Hi. - I'm Cori.

Aah!

Theodore, don't.

Um...

what Theodore just did is very serious, correct?

I think, to me, it was slightly disrespectful.

I don't know how Robert saw that,

running off like that,

instead of taking the time to try to understand

and just be afraid and leave.

Can we check on him?

I would suggest.

Hang on one second, please.

You okay?

Okay.

Cori firmly believes

that if Theodore doesn't make this apology to Robert,

something very bad will happen to him.

Robert, I'm really sorry.

I meant no harm.

That's good. Thank you, Theodore.

Thank you.

Thank you, Robert.

When I turned and saw it

'cause I hadn't seen it before,

and that really freaked me out.

And I went back in the room there,

and then I started coughing.

Robert maybe put a curse on me or whatever.

but it was a very freaky experience,

very strange.

Um...

There's some letters here that you were speaking of.

"I am a grown-up man, 68 years old.

I have never believed I could be cursed.

Now I do believe.

To anyone who might be reading this letter,

do not take that photo,

do not doubt some of the things that can happen."

I'm sure these you have hundreds,

if not thousands of letters.

I have a cabinet full.

It's just incredible.

So if I take a photo with Robert,

and I ask permission...

Will something bad happen to me?

I -- I can't -- I can't promise anything.

Why do you have to say that part?

It's a disclaimer.

Could he sit on my lap?

God.

Okay.

I can get him, if you want.

I'd like to do it.

- Okay. - Okay?

Robert my name's Zak.

And I want to ask your permission

if you could sit on my lap for a photo?

Um...

You -- um, you pick...

Pick him up?

Well, no. No.

Um, no. I'm gonna put him in your lap.

- Okay. - Yeah.

- Ready? - Yeah.

- Okay. Okay? - Yep.

Hi, Robert.

- Ready? - Yeah.

Got it? Good.

Robert, thank you very, very much

for allowing me to take your photo and to hold you.

Okay, I'm ready.

Okay.

Cori has brought along Bonnie Randolph

because her life is in turmoil

after a negative encounter with Robert.

Therefore, we have removed Robert the Doll

from the ballroom.

Do you believe that Robert the Doll

has put a curse on your life?

I have been through so much in the last two years,

that it is impossible to look at it any other way.

- And can I guess? - Sure.

Did you take his picture without asking?

I did.

So this is real?

It was very real.

- Was there ever a derogatory comment made? - Yes.

What happened?

I had made the comment to Robert,

that he looked very handsome.

And the individual standing directly behind me says,

"Yeah, for a ****"

That's pretty heavy to say that.

It was intense.

Um...

Did anything happen to that person

or do you feel that you took the brunt of it?

I took the full -- full brunt of it.

You did?

After the comment was made,

did you feel impending doom?

Yes.

Did it come?

It did.

Driving along... Bang.

- We -- we -- - Car accident?

We had a car accident.

How many days after?

Three days.

This was only three days?

So we're driving back.

After your first accident?

After the first accident.

Bam.

- What? - Car comes out of nowhere and T-bones us.

- Two accidents. - Another accident.

- In the same day. - Wow.

- Two car accidents, same day. - Bad luck.

Would you think bad luck,

or would you think Robert at this point?

Three days later.

Again, three days?

Three days later.

Well, we live in a boat.

And in the lower level, three steps down is my office.

And it's on the left.

I fell and I broke my back...

...just outside that office.

You broke your back?

Is there anything I can do to help you?

Yes, I do need -- I do need to apologize to him.

Do you want to confront Robert now?

I do.

I want my life back.

Robert the Doll has left many lives in ruins

by cursing those who disrespect him.

This might be Bonnie Randolph's only chance at redemption.

Robert, I owe you an apology.

I didn't ask permission.

I was cocky.

And it was wrong.

I only have positive energy and light and love towards you.

How do you feel?

Um, I feel a little uneasy.

I feel unsure, um...

I don't think he wants to hear that you're unsure.

Just feel it in your heart.

Robert, I do, most sincerely apologize.

I'd like all the camera operators

to please leave the room, everybody.

All the camera operators to please leave the room.

I'm gonna let you stay here for a minute by yourself.

Thank you.

I need this to be over, Robert. Thank you.

I need my life back.

I've been through so much, so much pain.

And I deserved it.

Can you zoom in on her?

She's crying.

Thank you.

Man, I didn't expect to cry.

This poor lady.

I feel her emotion.

You're done with me.

Thank you.

Thank you. Okay.

Man, what a release.

- You okay? - Yeah, I'm okay.

- You sure? - Yeah. - Okay.

I didn't expect to experience quite all that.

It's okay.

I think you were supposed to experience all that.

It's a release.

It's a release.

Was it good emotions?

Yes. Yes.

- You needed that, All right? - I did.

- Thank you for coming here. - Thank you.

I hope you forgave her, Robert.

Please.

Okay.