At Creepy Bonfire, we have a passion for the paranormal and ghost hunting. We love exploring the unknown and uncovering hidden secrets. To learn from the best, we spoke with Phantom Detectives, a dedicated team revolutionizing paranormal investigations in the Philadelphia, PA region. Founded by Joshua Chaires, this team uses state-of-the-art equipment to detect paranormal activity in haunted locations worldwide. Let’s hear from the experts.
During the investigation our voice recorders caught numerous EVPS on them one saying, “I want you to go”, and another say, “F-you”.
A Small Chat with Phantom Detectives
CB: What’s the most popular haunted location you’ve been to? Can you elaborate a bit about how it was?
PD Team: Over the course of 4 years since the birth of Phantom Detectives in 2020 there have been many popular haunted locations that we have investigated. For all of us on the team the most popular one is Samuel Miller Mansion in Columbia, PA. Samuel Miller Mansion used to be a Toy Company, Feed Mill, and has a print shop next door. Daryl Marston, and Jeff Bader run My Haunted Major on the other side of the print shop. Samuel Miller Mansion has been featured on local television, various paranormal television shows.
We booked our investigation at Samuel Miller Mansion in February 2024. CBS News 21 in Harrisburg came down to do a story on our investigation of the Mansion. They came down to follow us around as we investigated. As the night progressed, we had a lot of things that happened. We took a thermal image of a man and a woman in the attic that received over 4000 views on our TikTok page.
Later that night our Para Rem Paranormal Lantern was going off in the basement, we caught several Electronic Voice Phenomena, and our medium picked up on a child spirit in the children’s room. On our NVR security system picked up on a large shadow that was seen the room right to the steps of the mansion. Samuel Miller Mansion is a very active and historic location. It has connections to the Underground Railroad in the basement as well.
The Fright of DH’s Home: Our Scariest Investigation
CB: Which was the scariest place you had to investigate, and what was the most difficult part about it?
PD Team: The scariest place that we investigated was a client’s home named DH. DH was a client that had contacted us through our website PhantomDetectives.org. After they reached out to us our case manager reached out to the client regarding having the team investigate there. According to DH the family was staying in the upper part of the house in a small apartment that’s on top of the house. The family was so terrified to be there as the children would see dark shadows, tall figures, hearing demonic voices, and much more in the basement area. Before the investigation in November 2022 all of us cleansed ourselves before we entered the home.
Entering the Unknown: Immediate Presence Felt
As we entered the home, we felt there were spirits watching us from the moment we started the investigation to its finish. During the investigation our voice recorders caught numerous EVPS on them one saying, “I want you to go”, and another say, “F-you”. Besides being cursed at on our voice recorders we also had our shadow trackers lighting up, we caught a thermal camera image near where the shadow trackers set off. As the night went on our Lead Investigator/Tech Manager reported feeling heavy pressure on his chest, and his 8+1 EMF meter was lighting up like crazy. The last thing we did was use the SLS Camera which stands for structured light sensor. It uses the X-Box Kinet Technology to properly map spirits.
But you must be very careful if it maps a chandelier or water bottle it will create a false positive. As we started running the SLS camera we started picking up on black oil spills on the wall that changed shaped. That hasn’t happened since that investigation. After the investigation two of our members cleansed the house by burning sage and putting holy water on doorways. Within 30 minutes of cleansing the house it felt much more vibrant and positive. Our first demonic case is one that we will never forget.
Are you into Real Paranormal Stories? Listen to our podcast “Confessions of the Unknown”.
Planning Paranormal Tours: A Glimpse Behind the Scenes
CB: How do you plan your paranormal tours and investigations? Who can participate, and what should attendees expect?
PD Team: The first thing that we are going to do is start contacting various haunted locations in our area to see if they are interested in having us host tours at a location. Once we have permission to host tours, we will then post the event on our paranormal tours page on PhantomDetectives.org. Our PayPal Account will be linked to our public overnights page, and we will post the event on every social media platform we can. Based on the demand, the cost to rent the venue, and the number of people that attend, we will plan more tours in the future. Anyone that has an interest in paranormal investigating/ghost hunting will be able to attend our events.
We have turned down cases based on evidence given to us by the client that we felt was just too evil or had a high amount of negative energy.
Phantom Detectives is hoping to have the members of Ghost Hunters/The Atlantic Paranormal Society at some of our future events. People that attend our tours can expect an intense paranormal experience. Our team will work very hard so that every person attending is satisfied with the tour, and the venue we are investigating. We can’t promise every person will have a good time, but we will do our best to give them all the knowledge they need to investigate the location with us. Each investigation team member will be there to assist every person attending the tours.
Knowing When to Stop: Safety First
CB: When you visit a location, what are the “no” indicators that make you stop the investigation or proceed with extra caution?
PD Team: So far as a team we haven’t had any cases that we investigated that we felt we needed to abandon. Of course, safety is always important to use, and we wouldn’t enter any property that we felt was unsafe. As an example: gas leaks, unsafe structures, high radiation, etc. We have turned down cases based on the interview with the client and sometimes even evidence given to us by the client that we just felt was just too evil or had a high amount of negative energy, we thought it would be best for us not to investigate the case. We don’t mind volunteering our time but also need to do what is safe and in the best interest of the team as well.
The Real Deal
CB: How do paranormal movies compare to reality? Can you share some insights?
PD Team: Paranormal Movies are often scripted and for show business only. Many of them such as the Conjuring, Amityville, can be based on true stories. But many times, they are designed to showcase a particular person or group of people that are going through paranormal experiences These paranormal experiences are often for show business to gather ratings and make money. Hollywood has done many movies on UFO encounters such as Fire in the Sky which was about a logger named Travis Walton in Arizona. But the movie was just based on eyewitness testimony and not reality.
Scriptwriters will often change most if not all the paranormal experiences that a particular person or persons will deal with. Many of them will attempt to make the topic more mainstream to get people to buy tickets to go to the movies. In our opinion many of the movies may start out based on a true story but as soon as there is a script, actors, and more involved it becomes strictly entertainment. It is very hard to film a paranormal television series or show that isn’t a reality show. In our opinions we welcome everyone to watch all these shows on television. But remember they are strictly entertainment and nothing else.
Joshua Chaires: Founder and Visionary
Joshua Chaires is the driving force behind Phantom Detectives LLC. His fascination with the supernatural began early, inspired by shows like “Unsolved Mysteries.” With a solid background in paranormal investigations, Joshua has explored numerous haunted sites and created a team to help people experiencing the paranormal.
CB: Joshua, can you start by sharing a brief history and formation of Phantom Detectives? What inspired you to create this team?
Joshua: Phantom Detectives was created on August 20, 2020, after I left a previous paranormal team. After I founded the organization I created social media pages, had business cards made, had a website constructed from the ground up, had the name trademarked, and started doing investigations under the Phantom Detectives banner in December 2020 at the Sanderson Museum in Chadds Ford, PA. My idea was to start revolutionizing paranormal investigating in the Philadelphia, PA region. The most difficult part was searching/finding a diverse group of people that would fit my vision of building a world-renowned paranormal society building it brick by brick.
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My main inspiration for creating Phantom Detectives was after an old 1930’s-1950’s comic called “The Phantom Detective”. This comic was very popular during that era and was read by millions of people. In addition, I was watching Phantom of the Opera and Sherlock Holmes back-to-back in August 2020, so the name stuck to me. Along with a comic book there is also a video game called The Phantom Detective. No other paranormal investigation team was using the name, so it fit what we were doing perfectly. Our mission statement is to “Detect the paranormal in haunted locations all over the world using state of the art investigation equipment”.
The Lightship Overfalls: Joshua’s Favorite Investigation
CB: You’ve investigated numerous locations. Which investigation stands out as your favorite, and why?
Joshua: There are so many investigations that we have done in our history since 2020. Each place leaves a memorable mark on you as an investigator, along with having a very different energy to it. Out of all the places we have investigated, the Lightship Overfalls in Lewes, Delaware was my favorite. The Lightship Overfalls was created in 1938 in Massachusetts and was used by the US Coast Guard to guide ships onto land like a lighthouse. The Overfalls was decommissioned in 1972 and was brought to Lewes during that time. There are only about 5 Lightships left in The United States. We booked the investigation through the Overfalls Foundation, and I did a lecture there in October 2022.
We captured a woman’s voice/class A EVP that said, 'Hello Help Me.'
An Electric Experience on the Overfalls
During the investigation we had numerous pieces of equipment going off in the utility area of the ship, Mr. Warner was also getting a lot of responses on the Electric Dowsing Rods. In addition, Melissa was picking up on the captain, and several crew members while we were doing the investigation. As the investigation was progressing, we were doing an EVP session we liked to call “Phantom Time”. This is where we let the Phantoms talk to us on our digital voice recorders.
We captured a woman’s video/class A EVP that said, “Hello Help Me’. In the Captain’s area of the ship, we were getting a lot of activity. This activity was recorded on our EMF meters and our Paralight Plus. The Paralight Plus was spiking at the highest levels of electromagnetic fields. After that the Cape Gazette News Paper along with WRDE Coast A.M. featured us on their television networks about that investigation we did. Our investigation in November 2022 helped give us a lot of national attention.
A New Chapter
CB: You purchased Dark Matter News in 2021. How has this acquisition impacted your team and its mission?
Joshua: In May 2015 I called into a radio show one day to book my friends Craig Nehring from the Fox Valley Ghost Hunters, and the late Kevin Malek from the Northern Wisconsin Paranormal Society on the late Art Bell’s show Midnight in the Desert. Art Bell’s producer at the time agreed to book them for his show. After that show I ended up working with Art’s former producer at the time booking that show’s guests. In addition, I also worked with another of Art’s staff members on her radio show. She was his Affiliate Director from October-December 2015. That person worked under Leo Ashcraft at Dark Matter News. Dark Matter News was discontinued by Leo after he left Dark Matter Digital Network in October 2015 due to conflicts with Art’s webmaster.
A Bold Move: Purchasing Dark Matter News
As we rolled into May 2021 Leo Ashcraft reached out to me about purchasing Dark Matter News. At first, I wasn’t interested in the purchase, since it was connected to the Dark Matter Digital Network. After thinking about it I decided to make Leo an offer which he accepted. On May 21, 2021, Phantom Detectives purchased the Dark Matter News name, the logos, audio files, website, and rights to the brand. Both Leo and I walked away very happy knowing that the legacy of Dark Matter News continues under the Phantom Detectives banner.
Dark Matter News was a five-minute paranormal newscast on Art Bell’s Midnight in the Desert that was at the bottom of every hour. It was a huge hit according to thousands of Art’s listeners all over the world. Leo created the brand and we have rebranded it into a paranormal news hub for everyone. After the purchase we changed the Dark Matter News logos, and website to fit out branding. It is an honor to continue the legacy of Dark Matter News for the foreseeable future. Phantom Detectives is the parent company of Dark Matter News.
High-Tech Tools for Spirit Communication
CB: Can you explain the Chaires-Warner Method and how it differentiates from other investigative approaches?
Joshua: The Chaires-Warner Spirit Box Session is a method of spirit communication developed by Joshua Chaires, Founder and Director of Phantom Detectives, and Rick Warner, the team’s Lead Investigator/Tech Manager/Director of Client Relations. This technique builds upon the Estes Method, incorporating additional equipment and procedures to enhance the potential for paranormal communication. The session begins with a participant, often the team’s Psychic Medium Melissa Ferrazzano, who is equipped with various devices designed to facilitate communication with spirits. Key components include spirit Box, delco glasses, crystals, EMF meter, and a tripwire EMF cable. The Spirit Box is an AM/FM digital radio that sweeps through channels rapidly and is believed to allow spirits to use the sound frequencies to communicate by forming words or sentences.
As the night went on, our Lead Investigator/Tech Manager reported feeling heavy pressure on his chest, and his 8+1 EMF meter was lighting up like crazy.
Sensory Deprivation and Energy Amplification
Delco glasses use Electroluminescent Technology to create a sensory deprivation effect with a reddish-orange glowing light, which helps the medium focus by blocking external visual stimuli. Crystals are held by the medium used to amplify energy and aid in spirit communication. EMF meter is used to detect electromagnetic fields, which may indicate paranormal activity, and lastly, tripwire. The tripwire, which is a string of lights that illuminate in response to paranormal activity, provides a visual cue during the session.
The Chaires-Warner Method: Breaking New Ground
During the session, the medium is seated and blindfolded with the Delco Glasses, preventing her from seeing or hearing anything from the physical environment. The Spirit Box is turned on, and the headphones are connected to the medium, ensuring the only audio input she receives is from the sweeping radio frequencies. Investigators then take turns asking questions aloud to any present spirit, while the medium listens for and verbally repeats any perceived responses, which are recorded for later analysis. An alternative variation involves the medium using a scrying mirror instead of the Delco Glasses. In this setup, the medium gazes into a black, non-reflective mirror while facing sideways to avoid direct visual contact with the investigators.
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Throughout the session, investigators monitor the EMF meter and trip wire for indications of paranormal activity. All questions and responses are recorded using a digital recorder. After the session, recordings are reviewed to timestamp and document the interaction, ensuring that any missed responses are identified. The Chaires-Warner Spirit Box session improves many areas of the traditional Estes Method and takes it to another level.
Melissa Ferrazzano: The Psychic Medium
Melissa Ferrazzano, the Psychic Medium and Case Manager of Phantom Detectives, has experienced spirits from a young age. She honed her abilities through extensive training in mediumship and healing modalities. Melissa also owns a business as a psychic-medium and life coach.
CB: You’ve trained extensively in various psychic and healing modalities. Which method do you find most effective during investigations?
Melissa: The modality I find that works best is simply to trust what you are receiving. I prefer to go into each investigation blindly, not knowing anything about the history or backstory. I will make notes of who I’m tuning into, whether it is it a male or female, how they look, what messages they would like to share, are they happy we are there to talk with them, etc. Documenting these things as I go is beneficial so I can see if anything I am picking up on matches the backstory of the location, which I normally find out after our investigation. Joshua is our team historian; he knows all about each location prior to me entering them. It is always exciting to find out later if what I am picking up on is accurate.
Some other items I will use during investigations are tarot cards to see if there are any additional messages from spirits, as well as using psychometry. Psychometry is where I touch objects to see what impressions I am getting. I will also use crystals during our version of the Estes method (known as the Chaires-Warner method) to enhance spirit communication. My goal is to always gather as much information as possible. Going into each investigation without any prior knowledge and organically seeing what I’m picking up on is what works best for me.
Selma Mansion: A Psychic’s Debut
CB: Can you share a memorable experience you’ve had while investigating with Phantom Detectives?
Melissa: I would say my most memorable experience was during my debut investigation with the team back in June 2021. This is when we investigated the Selma Mansion in Norristown, Pennsylvania. A week before our investigation, I reached out to Joshua as I was having visions of Abraham Lincoln somehow being connected to the mansion. Although I didn’t understand why, and how Lincoln would be affiliated with it, Joshua told me that I was correct— Mary Todd Lincoln’s Great Grandfather owned the mansion at one point in time.
I also remember the intense energy I felt when we first entered the mansion on the day of our investigation. I had to step outside and catch my breath as it was overwhelming. That was also my very first paranormal investigation ever, and that was exciting! It was the first time I had an opportunity to go into a location and see who and what I was picking up on. Many things were accurate, which reassured me that I’m able to do this work. With time I became better with each investigation, and now use more modalities, (tarot, crystals, and psychometry). But I will never forget how excited I was to be a part of the team. It was a memorable experience for me, and I’m still very honored to be a part of Phantom Detectives!
Balancing Roles: A Medium and Case Manager
CB: How do you balance your work as a psychic medium with being a case manager for the team?
Melissa: It is important for me to focus on what I am working on at that moment and tune out everything else, I must stay focused on the task at hand. When I am working on case manager duties, I know I must stick to scheduling investigations and the psychic-medium in me must step aside for a while. Although it wasn’t easy, with time I learned how to balance each as I understand there is a time and place for both. Because I have my own business doing psychic readings (as well as working as a burial coordinator at a local cemetery), I know I must manage my time wisely, Otherwise, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the different roles I must fill. My calendar is my best friend and I know I must always prioritize.
Rick Warner: Tech Guru and UFO Researcher
Rick Warner, the Lead Investigator and Tech Manager of Phantom Detectives, has a rich background in UFO research and paranormal investigations. He is also the Executive Director of the Extraterrestrial Research Center and a certified UFO Field Investigator through MUFON.
CB: Rick, as the Tech Manager, what would you say would be the best combination of equipment someone could have when visiting a location with paranormal activity, and why?
Rick: It depends on many factors: Is this a residence or business? Interior investigation or exterior? How large is the property? Is this a large venue or small venue? On a smaller investigation with only a few rooms you could get by with just a few pieces of equipment.
Starting Small: Basic Gear for Beginners
If you are just starting out in the field of paranormal investigating, you can get by with just a few pieces of equipment such as:
- Digital Camera: To possibly capture spirit entities.
- EMF Meter: To measure electromagnetic fields.
- Voice Recorder: To conduct an EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) session and capture audio responses from the spirit world.
- Thermal Camera: Uses infrared light to measure hot and cold spots in a room, and in many cases, spirits will use the infrared light spectrum to appear as a spirit entity on the thermal camera.
Advanced Tools for Larger Venues
Other pieces of equipment that can be helpful are REM Pods, which stands for Radiating Electromagnetism. These devices use a built-in or external antenna that creates its own energy field. When the antenna field is crossed by a spirit entity, it sets off the device, triggering flashing lights and sounds to let you know something paranormal has been picked up.
For larger venues, paranormal investigators may look at purchasing other pieces of equipment such as:
- Wireless Camera Systems with a DVR Recorder: To monitor multiple areas simultaneously.
- Motion Sensing Devices: To detect any movement within the area.
- SLS (Structured Light Sensor) Cameras: To try and capture spirit entities that can appear as stick figures on the screen.
Balancing Cost and Effectiveness
There are also many other pieces of equipment that can prove helpful, but make no mistake, buying equipment for investigations can get quite expensive. However, if you’re just starting out, you can do so with just a few pieces of equipment.
Integrating UFO Research with Paranormal Investigations
CB: You are also the Executive Director of the Extraterrestrial Research Center. How do you integrate UFO research with paranormal investigations?
Rick: As a certified UFO/UAP Field Investigator and Researcher, I’ve gained valuable skills in conducting investigations and interviewing clients. I use various software and tools to thoroughly investigate cases. I see myself as a detective, which aligns with the name Phantom Detectives. Also, I love investigating cases to uncover the truth and gather evidence to either prove or disprove claims. It’s crucial not to take every client’s word at face value. Instead, you listen carefully, then use your skills and tools to establish the facts and maintain credibility.
The term “Paranormal” encompasses both UFO/UAP sightings and investigating places for spirit entities. In some instances, ghostly paranormal and UFO type cases cross paths and as an investigator you try and separate the two to try to establish and differentiate your findings.
Dual Roles: Challenges and Rewards
CB: What are the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your dual role in both Phantom Detectives and ERC?
Rick: Both areas are a bit different from how things are investigated but have many similarities. What I find most rewarding is that I’m always growing and getting better at what I do and there’s always room for improvement. You are constantly learning, and you have all these great pieces of equipment at your disposal. Not only is it exciting investigating cases but I love helping people find answers when it comes to Paranormal activity.
Haunted Locations and Future Goals
CB: What are your future goals and aspirations for Phantom Detectives?
PD Team: Our short-term goals include getting our Wikipedia page live in the next few weeks. We also plan to find locations to host paranormal tours. We’re focused on growing our fanbase and expanding our social media presence across all major platforms. One of our main goals is to pitch a show to major television networks and get them interested in our work. Additionally, we aim to expand beyond Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, and Maryland to reach a broader service area.
The first long term goal we have is to get subscriptions to our Patreon/Udemy pages to help get us monetized to cover expenses that go along with running our business. Second, we would like to start doing speaking engagements at major Paracon events. Third would be to write our first book and eventually get it published for release on Amazon. Fourth we would like eventually to get our own team van that we can take around the country at various haunted locations to conduct paranormal investigations. This would save us time from having to move our equipment from airport to airport.
Follow Phantom Detectives on Facebook and check out their official website.
Starting Out: Tips for Aspiring Paranormal Investigators
CB: What piece of advice would you give to individuals or groups of friends who want to start paranormal investigations or even casual visits to allegedly haunted places?
PD Team: Start out with just a few pieces of equipment to get you started and no sense spending a ton of money when you are just starting out. First off, try to investigate just a few cases to see if investigating paranormal cases is for you and how well you enjoy it. Here’s some helpful tips: Never enter any property without the owner’s permission as you want to follow the law, not break it. Don’t enter any structures that you feel are unsafe. Make sure if you are investigating in the dark. Use a flashlight or other light source such as LED lighting or other forms of light. Keep all areas you walk on safe from obstructions. Some businesses will charge you to investigate their venue, however, you can find areas to investigate without paying a fee. As an example: A home residence.
We had an incredible time with the Phantom Detectives, diving deep into their world of paranormal investigations and uncovering some truly chilling stories. Their passion and dedication to seeking the truth in the unknown are truly inspiring. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to the Phantom Detectives team for sharing their experiences and insights with us. We can’t wait to see what they uncover next!
Until then, check out The Most Unexplained Phenomena Seen by Satellites and stay tuned for every day Horror & Mystery topics.
