Final Report and Analysis
Black Diamond Paranormal Society©
“We are the light that cuts the darkness. Therefore, when you see… truth must be honored.”
Final Report and Analysis
Case 038
Ramsey School Building
April 8, 2013
Bluefield, West Virginia
Investigators
Rodney Shortridge, Michele Crigger, Robyn Dalton, Aaron Shortridge, Scott Osmundson, Olivia Compton
&
Jeff Dalton
On April 8, 2013 the BDPS team investigated the Ramsey School Building. I would like to take this moment to thank the client Mr. Tony Szabo for giving us permission to investigate this wonderful piece of history. We decided because of the size of the building we would do the investigation with three teams I would investigate alone and later throughout the night I would float around to work with each team. We started our investigation around 7:00 p.m. BDPS was given a walking tour of the building by the client a few weeks before the investigation to Dave Horn, Michele Crigger, Aaron Shortridge and myself while interviewing for the pre-investigating. The client gave BDPS a walkthrough of the building to update us on any new claims. We started our set up around 7:30 p.m. We then proceeded to our investigation after dividing up into three teams. Team one was Robyn and Jeff, team two consisted of Michele and BDPS’s new trainee Olivia, team three consisted of Aaron and Scott. I investigated alone and experimented with taking long exposed time photos throughout the investigation while each team was investigating. We worked on a rotation changing our locations about every 2 hours. We finished our investigation around 3:00 a.m. the following morning. This was a great experience and very helpful in our constant training.
EQUIPMENT USED AT THIS INVESTIGATION:
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(4) DVR’s (Digital Voice Recorders)
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(0) Zero Lux low lever IR (infra-red) cameras
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(1) Sony handheld camcorder
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(2) Kodak digital cameras
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(1) Canon digital camera
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(0) Motion diction IR (infra-red) Field video/camera
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(1) K2 Meters
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(1) EMF (Electro Magnetic Field) Meter
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(1) Laser Thermometers
We placed (1) DVR (Digital Voice Recorder) in each of the areas of the building with reports or claims of paranormal activity; which included the second floor bar. Each team carried on their person a digital recorder to record any experiences or EVP’s they encountered during the investigation. Due to the size of the building and four floors to cover we thought it would be best for each team to carry a DVR. Also due to the complex size and distances to cover within the building it was decided that our IR Camera’s would be ineffective, but we did use the Sony handheld camera along with our digital cameras to film during the investigation.
Also, we carried along with us during the investigation one of the following: K2 Meter, EMF (Electro Magnetic Field) Meter, and Laser Thermometer.
Reports & Claims
Client says he hasn’t had any paranormal experiences within the building but has been told of stories of paranormal activity by patrons and people within the community of unexplained sounds and unexplained voices within the building.
History
Ramsey School has at least one claim to fame. Many years ago it was featured in "Ripley's Believe It or Not" because it has entrances on seven different levels. The school was built at the corner of two streets, each of which is quite steep. So, the two roads wrap around it in an ever increasing incline, it is truly beloved in its neighborhood.
With classes closing in 1987, it has recently been brought back to life by developer, Tony Szabo, from Seattle.
Personal Experiences
Olivia Compton Personal Experience:
Olivia Compton
My experiences at the Ramsey School building investigation in Bluefield, West Virginia was unforgettable. Michele and I started in the auditorium. We both experienced chills and sick feelings. I personally felt cold chills one my right side as we were sitting there trying to communication with the spirits and I held out my hand and asked if whoever it was to touch me. That's when I felt my whole arm go completely cold. Plus Michele took pictures the whole night. Then we heard this loud bang that came from the corner of the auditorium. I cannot explain its source. Nor can Michele. As the night went on, we still experienced on and off chills and creepy feelings, but it wasn't anything compared to the feelings we got on the top fourth floor of the school building. I remember walking up the stairs and specifically telling Michele that I was having a bad vibe about the floor. That's when we both starting having a hard time breathing. I asked Michele if I was just feeling this way from the excitement but she agreed that she was having a hard time breathing as well. We ventured into one of the classrooms and saw a dead black bird. The weird thing was, that it was only two feet away from the toy guitar that we placed there earlier...how did we miss that?? The atmosphere started getting thicker which started to become a little uncomfortable for both of us. And I remember Michele's heavy breathing. As we walked out to the stairwell again, I told Michele that I just don't feel like we should go up to the old band room. I don't know how to explain it, but it was like something was telling me, in my gut feeling, that we shouldn't go up there. But Michele insisted, so we headed up for a couple of minutes. That's when things got real. Our breathing patterns were so abnormal, that was effecting our health. Michele became unstable and started swaying. I started having lung spasms and felt pressure on my chest. Michele moved toward the window and asked for me to come join to try and get some fresh air. A few seconds later I told Michele that it wasn't working and that we should leave as soon as I turned around, Michele stated that her back was on fire! I took a look and found out that she had been scratched on her back in three places. I was frozen in my tracks and confirmed to Michele that she had a huge scratch in the middle of her back and two smaller ones on each side of the main scratch. I took a picture of the scratches and showed Michele, that’s when Michele about fainted. I managed to get Michele back down the stairs to where we met up with Aaron and Scott and they took over with the help and getting Michele back down to the main lobby. As I said before, it was one of the most unforgettable nights I've ever experienced.
Michele Crigger Personal Experience:
Walking up to the last floor I felt a bit uneasy and kind of tight chested once Livy and I got in there and we both walked to window for air for a minute as she was walking away I told her my back was on fire, she came over and helped me get the back pack and layers of shirts up to look and seen the scratches, I don't remember really going back down...
Evidence
Photo evidence: Unexplained blue light streak captured on a still shot camera.
Video evidence: No video evidence.
K-2 evidence: Aaron and Scott found anomalies high electromagnetic K-2 readings on the second floor balcony which was determined to be from the wiring, we suggest that the owner have an electrician to check the wiring due to such high readings.
Note: BDPS does not support the idea of orbs as evidence of the paranormal because most orbs can be explained away as dust, bugs, rain, mist, fog, etc. There are cases that the orbs we photograph seem to move with some type of intelligent intent. We post these photos because we feel that there needs to be more investigation into the Orb Phenomenon and we shouldn’t be so quick to dismiss this phenomenon without further investigation and explanation. So we show these photos in an attempt to add another piece to the puzzle and leave this decision up to you to accept or dismiss orbs as evidence. It is also my opinion to show all evidence so we all can learn from what might be an area of the paranormal that may be getting over looked by researchers.
EVP’s (Electronic Voice Phenomenon)
We heard the following EVP’s (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) and unexplained noises on our DVR’s (Digital Voice Recorders) & Microcassette Recorder:
2nd Floor Bar Room on the Bar:
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Unexplained Female voice inaudible after Michele speaks
Recorder on Aaron Shortridge & Scott Osmundson:
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(2) Unexplained whispers (Yeah Yeah) while Scott and Aaron talking)
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Unexplained Childs voice Inaudible
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Unexplained male whisper (Cocky Cocky) while Scott speaking
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Unexplained voice (Was) and unexplained knock
Recorder on Michele Crigger & Olivia Compton:
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Unexplained noise
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Unexplained Faint Moan Olivia heard it
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Unexplained Female voice whisper (Get Back Up)
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Unexplained Moan while Olivia talking
Recorder on Rodney Shortridge:
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Unexplained Loud Giggle
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Unexplained Voice (Don’t Stop)
CONCLUSION
We have come to the conclusion that the building seems to have a very small amount of paranormal activity. We were able to capture a few EVP’s, and photographic evidence which helped us to determine our conclusion. We feel that our findings are too inconclusive and more research and investigation over a longer period of time may help with the understanding of the evidence we collected.
I look forward to our next investigation. If anyone would like for us to do a paranormal investigation of their home, business, church, property or a family cemetery please contact us. If you would just like to speak with us about any paranormal activity you may be having we would love to hear from you. No problem is too small. We would be honored to help and we do not charge for our services. Contact BDPS to set up a time and place for us to discuss your paranormal questions and or problems.
I feel honored to be working with such a great team. Without the team’s hard work and professionalism BDPS would not be what it has become today.
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I would like to thank all of the BDPS members for all their hard work. To all of our clients, a special ‘thank you’ for giving us the opportunity to be able to come in and help to the best of our abilities. I know with the team that I have formed we will have exciting investigations in the future. I would like to let everyone know that our members have become more to me than just investigators, they have become my family. Without them BDPS would not be possible. Just like a family we sometimes agree and sometimes we don’t agree but each and every member of BDPS is very special to me. Thanks guys, you all are the best!!!
I hope everyone enjoys the photos and the analysis sheet along with the new video we are providing. Also we will have our EVP’s, photos and any video evidence on the website for everyone to view and listen to. You can judge for yourself. If anyone has any questions or comments we would love to hear from you. Let us know what you think.
Thank you,
Rodney Shortridge
Founder/Lead Investigator
Black Diamond Paranormal Society
276-988-6690
Michele Crigger
Case Manager
276-245-8174
Robyn Dalton
Case Manager Assistant
304-308-8685