Paranormal investigators host ghost hunt lecture

By: Kirk Cooper

Posted: 1/25/07

Michelle DePaul and Kira Connally have a passion for apparitions, an ardor for apports and a thing for ectomorphs. In short, they're ghost hunters.
NT's Esoteric Mysteries Society gave students and community members a chance to rub shoulders with the two spirited aficionados Tuesday in the Environmental Education, Science and Technology Building.
The society, which meets at 7 p.m. every Tuesday in EESAT room 110, decided to include the pair's presentation on ghost hunting in its eclectic array of monthly programs. Past lectures have covered the study of tarot, astrology and Kabbalah. The society plans to have presentations on Hawaiian Kahuna magic and the esoteric symbolism of "Lord of the Rings" in the future.
"A lot of it is curiosity," said Lance Hill, Lewisville alumnus and co-founder of the society. "People have always wondered about stuff like this and want to come see what it's all about."
DePaul and Connally founded Mystic Ghost Paranormal Investigations, a Fort Worth-based ghost hunting firm, in 2001. Since then, both have toured sites across the country, including a haunted diner, a converted insane asylum and even a few private area homes.
"It's like walking through water," said Connally, describing the experience of encountering paranormal phenomena. "You feel weird, and you don't know why."
DePaul and Connally said they consider Mystic Ghost more of a hobby than a job. Their Web site, www.mysticghost.com, chronicles their finds and lists publications in which their first-hand accounts have appeared. Personal funds have been used to purchase sophisticated tracking equipment such as motion detectors, video and audio recorders and 12 infrared cameras.
"One theory says that ghosts can be seen easily in the IR spectrum," DePaul said. "But you can really use any type of camera to find them."
DePaul and Connally encouraged investigators to be objective, know their equipment and go in with an open mind. Also, if investigators are intent on catching electronic voice phenomena (EVP), analog tape recorders work better than digital ones.
"In theory, ghosts can communicate in frequencies too high or too low to hear," Connally said. "With the right technology, you can hear answers to the questions you ask."
Several video and audio clips were played during the presentation. In one, an alleged ghost depresses comforters on a bed with accompanying EVP.
In another, a shadow appears to run across a room bathed in an eerie, green, night vision glow.
"That one really stood out to me," said Emily Bly, Wilkes-Barre, Pa., graduate student. "The two women are very professional about what they do and they have a very technical way of going about their business."
The investigators said even if nothing is found people can still feel ill at ease enough to affect them psychologically.
Connally said she has been spooked several times. In one incident, she opened a door only to find what she said was the apparition of a man hanging from the ceiling by a noose.
"We do get scared," said DePaul. "But if I see something and I get spooked, I go to my equipment and say, 'I'm going to capture this [on film].'"
The investigators said they are met with a fair amount of skepticism. In spite of this, they still continue their endeavors.
"It's our passion to find that one piece of evidence that proves everything," DePaul said.