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Paranormal
investigators set up shop at Catfish Plantation - 20081107
By JOANN LIVINGSTON
Daily Light Managing Editor
Texas Spirit Seekers paid another
visit to Catfish Plantation restaurant in Waxahachie on Halloween
night, hoping to recover additional evidence to back up the
restaurant’s claim of being haunted by three ghosts.
The not-for-profit investigative group utilizes
a scientific approach with any site it reviews for paranormal
activity. Investigators set up various cameras, including
thermal and infrared, as well as digital recorders. Working
in small groups, they do walk-throughs, carrying video cameras
while verbally requesting that any entity present make itself
known.
Friday night’s visit to Catfish Plantation
saw several guests involved with the setup, walk-through and
documentation. As part of a fundraiser for Court Appointed
Special Advocates set up by the restaurant’s owners,
nine people were allowed to participate in the investigation
by Texas Spirit Seekers. Each had won a slot via a special
raffle conducted by the restaurant.
“I’m excited about this,” restaurant
co-owner Ryan Rodriguez said as Texas Spirit Seekers was setting
up. “I’ve been waiting for this all month.”
Co-owners Jim Ensinia and Richard Landis also
were on hand for event.
All said they welcomed the return visit by
Texas Spirit Seekers, whose findings from the first visit
include several recordings and a photograph. The recordings
include responses given to investigators’ questions and
a woman’s scream, while the photograph has a reflected
image of what appears to be a woman’s face.
Ensinia said he was hopeful additional evidence
could be captured – saying odd occurrences just that
day had included a drop of water hitting his arm from no known
source – and a set of silverware was found to have crossed
itself when no one had been around it.
“They’re pretty serious about their
work and come prepared,” Ensinia said of Texas Spirit
Seekers, which has investigated numerous sites throughout
the state.
Rebecca Gentry of Ovilla was among the winners
whose ticket was drawn. She happens to also be a volunteer
supervisor for CASA, which works with children who are involved
in Child Protective Services cases.
She said the fundraiser was deeply appreciated
by the nonprofit organization.
“I’m so excited that Catfish Plantation
did this for CASA,’ she said. “Whatever they’ve
raised for us, we’re grateful.”
Joining her as guests for the evening were
fellow raffle winners Waxahachie residents Heather Croy, Kim
Boyd, Kay Wenzel and Judy McRight; Boyd Konkle of Red Oak;
Chad Teer of Nacogdoches; Jim Reason of Mart; and Robert Marburger
of Corpus Christi.
Among the investigators present with the Texas
Spirit Seekers team was John Pinney of Lewisville, who captured
the image of a woman’s face during the last visit.
“I remember taking the photo,” he
said, noting no one was around at the time he caught the image
on a digital camera – and no explanation has been found
for the image.
The main purpose of the investigative group
is to debunk any claims of paranormal activity.
“We look for reasons the place is not
haunted,” Pinney said. “It’s not that we disbelieve
there is paranormal activity – we want to disprove it
if it’s not there.”
Because of its scientific approach, the group
has determined there is no paranormal activity at about 80
percent of the sites it has investigated. In those cases,
Texas Spirit Seekers has found a reason and explanation for
the reported incidents, lead investigator and co-founder Lance
Brooks said.
With the other 20 percent or so, however,
the group has found what it believes to be paranormal activity,
Brooks said, saying, that a place is considered haunted only
after repeated documentation is acquired through several visits
to a site.
Co-founder and lead investigator Teresa Allen
said the group takes what it gathers in the way of video,
photographs and recordings and analyzes it all over the course
of a few days, typically compiling its report within about
two weeks.
“We meet with the owner and tell them
what we have found,” she said.
At this point, Brooks said there is documentation
of paranormal activity at Catfish Plantation. For Texas Spirit
Seekers to say it’s haunted, additional evidence is being
sought through the course of several visits.
“We need to go in and investigate more
than one time to say it’s haunted,” he said. “We
really do try to rule out any possible explanation.”
The investigative group averages about one
site visit a month, with Allen saying its top priority cases
are those where people need help, especially if children are
involved.
All of Texas Spirit Seekers’ work is
done for free.
“We fund everything ourselves,”
Brooks said of the group, which has about 18 members and supports
itself through membership dues.
Texas Spirit Seekers has grown enough that
it is forming chapters in different areas of the state –
and those who are interested in joining its team are encouraged
to visit its Web site at www.txspiritseekers.com for more
information.
Landis said the restaurant plans to continue
hosting special community-oriented events, such as the CASA
fundraiser and a recent MDA fundraiser, on at least a quarterly
basis.
Next year also will see the restaurant celebrate
its 25th anniversary, he said.
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