04/25/2025
STATE OF PARANORMAL – April 2025 Update
Welcome to the April 2025 edition of our monthly State of Paranormal address. As we move into Ghost Hunting season, things have settled considerably since last month’s controversies. Cooler heads have prevailed, but that hasn’t stopped our inboxes from lighting up. Over 100 messages and 30 emails have come in this month alone—many of them regarding concerns about individuals, teams, locations, and staging crews accused of faking paranormal activity.
Let us begin by addressing this directly: Haunted Soulz is not the “Paranormal Justice League.” It is not our responsibility to speak on behalf of other teams, individuals, or haunted locations. Our policy is clear—we only step in under two specific conditions:
1. When our allies are directly attacked (such as McInteer Villa’s Stephanie, Johnny Houser, or the often-targeted Haunted Rooms dropship entertainment).
2. When a badged Soul is unfairly targeted.
We are a serious investigative team composed of professionals who take our work and our integrity seriously. We’re always open to hearing your side, but we ask for the same level of respect and responsibility that we hold ourselves to.
A recent example worth mentioning is the Hill House. We received multiple reports claiming the location was staging paranormal activity. These are serious accusations that, if unfounded, can cause real harm to both the reputation of historic properties and their owners’ livelihoods. After internal review, it became clear that none of our 25 team members have ever investigated Hill House. Therefore, we cannot comment on the validity of these claims. What we can say is this: making public accusations without proof is reckless and can do more damage to your own credibility than anyone else’s. As we saw earlier this year with false claims made against Ashmore Estates, unsubstantiated allegations rarely hold up under scrutiny.
We wish the Hill House all the best and hope that it continues to be recognized as a reputable paranormal location.
Cryptid News
In the world of cryptids, Bigfoot researcher and public figure Russell Acord recently came under fire—surprisingly, for his income. We find this criticism odd and unwarranted. We’ve had the pleasure of meeting both Dr. Mayor (a professor from my alma mater) and Russell, and can confidently say they are kind, passionate individuals who go out of their way to engage positively with fans.
While Jeremy and I have never been particularly drawn to Bigfoot investigations, we respect the hustle. Russell’s show was recently renewed for a fifth season, which unfortunately sparked backlash within the cryptid community, with detractors labeling him a “sellout” and accusing him of being scripted.
Let’s be clear: breaking into television is extremely difficult. Jeremy and I have collectively been up for five different shows—none of which made it past development. Our most recent project, Haunted Garage (backed by Blumhouse and Leftfield Pictures, of Pawn Stars fame), didn’t make the cut either. We’ve learned that success in this space is rare, and the perception that paranormal TV stars are raking in millions is largely a myth. Ghost Adventures is an exception—not the rule—and even their success came from years of branding and strategic negotiation.
Russell has paid his dues. He was doing this work long before television and has continued to do it with passion and consistency. While I may not personally believe in Bigfoot, I can’t throw stones—after all, I spend my weekends in abandoned buildings trying to communicate with spirits from the 1800s.
So let’s stop tearing each other down. Instead of criticizing Russell, consider drawing inspiration from his determination. His work brings visibility to the field, supports historic locations, and attracts interest in preserving these sites for future generations.
Let’s all strive to lift each other up, support the community, and build a more united front in the paranormal field.
(Unless you’re Haunted Rooms—we’re still waiting for that 2018 email.)
Franki Cambeletta
Co-Owner - “Haunted Soulz Paranormal”
Co-Host of “Haunted Soulz Live Stream”
Co-Host of “Paranormal Potluck”
Co-Host of “Lost Boys of Hannibal”
Host of “Courageous Conversations”
Co-Owner - Shift Films
Co-Owner - Haunted Garage
Haunted Hill House Russell Acord discovery+
