GHOSTS, HAUNTINGS, POLTERGEISTS:

Paranormal Investigators Document Activity In South Texas

One Texas State alumnus spends his days documenting mysterious disembodied voices, ghostly shadows and other paranormal phenomena in south Texas.

The investigator heads out to areas of alleged paranormal activity with camcorders, audio recorders and an open mind. Many cases are debunked, but a marginal number of them have no known scientific explanation. Roger Escobar, founder of Shadow Light Paranormal and a 2008 Texas State graduate, said he has been investigating alleged paranormal cases for two years.

Escobar said he has documented about eight potentially paranormal events. He said paranormal means something out of the ordinary, not necessarily anything to do with ghosts, hauntings or spirits.  

One notable and recurring phenomena was documented at the Gonzales County Jail, where Escobar said disembodied voices were recorded. He said his girlfriend heard a voice, and he did not hear it until he reviewed the audio recording.

“When I went to her voice recorder, right next to her, clear as day, in a very loud whisper you can hear ‘here they come,’” Escobar said.

Escobar said this occurrence happened outside of the jail at 10 p.m. when the courthouse bells tolled across from the jail.

Escobar and other investigators came back to the jail on a different night. This time, all of their recording equipment malfunctioned when the courthouse bells tolled at 10 p.m.

Jay Villarreal, a freelance paranormal investigator, will sometimes team with Escobar to document different phenomena.

 Villarreal does not have a definite answer for what happened on the night he and a team of investigators visited a 100-year-old house in Hondo, Texas six years ago.

Villarreal said he and the investigative team were sitting in the attic of the old house, waiting, until they heard scratching on the floor.

The team ran downstairs with their audio recorders.

“We heard it right under the stairs and we looked up and it sounded like  huge-ass claws, like lion claws, coming down the stairs,” Villarreal said. “All we felt was cold air go through us. When I heard that huge growl coming through us, my heart was in my throat.”

Alejandro Dominguez, a freelance filmmaker, said he has traveled across the country for about two years investigating paranormal events for his online YouTube series “Dead Explorer.” From the numerous cases he has investigated with Villarreal and Escobar in south Texas, Dominguez said at least six are potentially paranormal.

Dominguez said he has recorded unexplained disembodied voices and video recorded Villarreal being scratched slowly by something unseen.

“I try to figure out what has caused a scratch to form slowly,” Dominguez said. “Does it prove there’s ghosts? Not 100 percent.”

These investigators said they are not looking for ghosts, poltergeists or demons, but seek to document potentially paranormal activity. Escobar said most cases he investigates could be explained scientifically. He said most people who report a haunting are actually stressed, depressed or dealing with drama in their life.

Each investigator said they have their own theory what potential paranormal activity could be caused by.

Escobar said disembodied voices could be imprinted energy from intense past emotions. Dominguez said he wonders if it has to do with the afterlife.

Dominguez said investigating should be handled with skepticism to ensure credibility, keep a thorough observation process and not alarm or cause additional emotional harm to people dealing with the phenomena.