By Robert Sobus
October 19, 2020
This paranormal group expects to “get a call” when something strange is going on in the neighborhood.
The Warren Legacy Foundation for Paranormal Research is a nonprofit worldwide network of experts who study the paranormal and help those affected by supernatural occurrences.
Director and Chairman of the foundation, Chris McKinnell said he has been involved with paranormal cases since 1980. McKinnell is also a minister and an exorcist.
“I went on my first paranormal case with my grandfather when I was 16 years old,” McKinnell said. “It was a poltergeist case. There was pounding on the walls, things flying around, two demonic shapes came down the stairs and there was clawing and growling noises coming through the walls.”
The foundation follows a process to rule out paranormal phenomena. Paranormal investigator and researcher, Kenneth Torres explains that the foundation will rule out natural phenomena from supernatural phenomena before an investigation.
“We check for levels of electromagnetic energy, mold and physical attributes that may affect the person,” Torres said. “We make sure clients get seen by doctors and psychologists and ask them a series of thorough questions regarding mental health and drug use history.”
Children claiming to be visited by spirits is a popular occurrence. Most times parents will brush it off as their child’s imaginary friend. Paranormal investigator and researcher, Austin Timmons said he began to see spirits at a young age.
“My first paranormal experience was myself being followed by a shadow figure to my room and it would stand in the corner all night,” Timmons said. “I was raised in a religious family, so it was brushed off and I feel so bad for those that are in a situation like I was.”
The foundation is growing and currently has about 75 members. Most members reside in the United States but there are some in Great Britain, the Czech Republic, Poland, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia and Canada. Investigator and paranormal researcher, Dalton Harrell likes the diversity within the foundation.
“The foundation has people from everywhere,” Harrell said. “We have members who have more knowledge in one paranormal aspect than others and have members who share unique gifts that can be used while helping a client.”
The foundation was established in 2016 to carry on the legacy of McKinnell’s grandparents, Ed and Lorraine Warren. The Warrens were paranormal investigators who investigated thousands of hauntings in their 50-year career. They have documented some of the most famous paranormal cases recorded.
One of the most famous cases the Warrens investigated was on a Raggedy Ann doll named Annabelle. The doll is believed to be inhabited by an inhuman spirit according to The New England Society for Psychic Research.
The Warrens became involved to investigate Annabelle after the owner of the doll called a priest for help. Their synopsis was that an inhuman spirit was attached to the doll and that it would be safe if they took Annabelle from the owner.
The doll now sits in a case that resides in the Warren Occult Museum which is currently closed.
Hollywood would debut the film “Annabelle” in 2017 that was adapted from this case.
Other cases the Warrens and McKinnell have worked on have also made it into Hollywood. Films adapted from other cases include The Amityville Horror, The Haunting in Connecticut and The Conjuring films.
“Obviously I have learned from my grandparents and that’s where I got my start,” McKinnell said. “My first priority like my grandparents is to serve the people that need our help.”
Some investigations can be unsettling and end in ways that permanently harm individuals according to McKinnell. These cases can take years.
“When someone is dying it becomes disturbing,” McKinnell said. “I am working on a case right now where a man has been in an asylum for 20 years and I am about to do an exorcism on him. There are a lot of disturbing cases out there.”
If someone believes to be experiencing supernatural phenomena, the foundation can be contacted here.
“Always look for the natural explanation first,” McKinnell said. “If you believe it is paranormal, contact The Warren Legacy Foundation. We are here to help.”
Robert Sobus 
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