Written by: Darren Dedo
Case Filed: 06/20/19 - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Executive Producer: Rick Garner
Battlefields, homes, pubs, and restaurants. Almost anywhere you go in Gettysburg you will come across a place that is supposedly haunted. It is very easy to understand why. Tens of thousands of men lost their lives here in this small Pennsylvania town in July of 1863.
We visited one unassuming and haunted location that was here during the Battle of Gettysburg and was a casualty collection point just like many buildings were used for back then. It would make sense that the spirit who sets off ghost hunting gadgets in this Baltimore Street home fought and died in the Civil War. But, this resident spirit has no connection to the Battle of Gettysburg. Our guide for the evening, Paranormal Investigator Robert "Night Monkey" Simmons with Gettysburg Paranormal Association / Gettysburg Ghost Tours. He shares with everyone the details. “The morning of August 31, 1985, between the hours of 1 and 2 AM this young lady was murdered in this apartment. Her name, Debra Harmon. This is the picture of her right off of her tombstone at the Evergreen Cemetery the same place where Jennie Wade is buried at right up the road.”
Police say Harmon was shot and killed while trying to stop her live-in boyfriend, Donald Painter, from leaving their home with a shotgun to go and kill the men who hit on her at a local bar. Sadly, she was fatally shot twice while trying to grab the gun.
“Debbie dropped right here in the kitchen. She was able to drag herself from the kitchen into the dining room. That is where her body was found when police and EMT’s arrived."
Painter told the police it was an accident. He was later sent to prison for her death. Now, Harmon’s spirit is said to reach out from the dead every night to connect with people who visit her home during ghost tours.
“When we first got this location, we talked with Debra and we’d call her Debra," continues Night Monkey. "She corrected us to tell us here name is not Debra it’s Debbie. When we found her tombstone we noticed at the bottom of it said "Our Dear Beloved Debbie." So, that’s clearly the name she likes to go by.”
The Unexplained Cases team worked with Night Monkey and a crew of amateur ghost hunters to investigate the Baltimore Street Murder House.
We used cameras, digital audio recorders, spirit boxes, and meters that measured changes in the electromagnetic field. It didn’t take that long before – Debbie made her presence known.
In one clip of video, Night Monkey says, “We’ve got a couple of new people here with us who haven’t introduced themselves." Over the spirit box there's a quick, "Say, hi!”
A quick hello on the spirit box but not much else that was clear. However, a much longer conversation was held via our EMF Meters. Several questions were asked of Debbie including if she thought her boyfriend should've had more prison time, if she can leave the house, and if she knew Stevie Nix of Fleetwood Mac had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was an intelligent haunting for sure. Questions were asked of Debbie, and she responded with her energy lighting up the meters.
“As far as the Murder House went I think we had a lot longer communications in the dining room that we usually have," said Night Monkey. "Usually, it lasts 15 or 20 minutes. Tonight, a good 40 minutes to an hour. So, it was more decent night."
But was out group really talking to Debbie? Or was this some other spirit? To find out, we asked our newest Unexplained Cases team member, Medium Maryam Faresh, to connect with Debbie and to ask her what happened the night she was killed.
“Yes, it was an accident. I didn’t have a strong will to live. I probably could have fought harder to escape. But, I was in a very bad situation. A situation I didn’t want to be in. And I was ready to check out. It was an accident but at the same time the level of anger in that relationship was going to escalate at some point and it was inevitable.”
What about all the EMF meters that apparently go off nightly during ghost tours in the house? Is Debbie responsible for all that paranormal activity?
“People want to believe what they want to believe. I’m not at that house! But there are spirits haunting that house. Spirits that have not passed over that are messing with people that are happy to do it. I am not at that house! I have moved on. I am no longer a part of that experience. I am in a new body. I am not in that house! Yes, there are spirits there that are messing with people. It’s not me.”
So, it appears Debbie as found peace. But for the ghosts that make a nightly appearance in her old home...their identity remains unexplained.
Case Filed: 06/20/19 - Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Executive Producer: Rick Garner
Battlefields, homes, pubs, and restaurants. Almost anywhere you go in Gettysburg you will come across a place that is supposedly haunted. It is very easy to understand why. Tens of thousands of men lost their lives here in this small Pennsylvania town in July of 1863.
We visited one unassuming and haunted location that was here during the Battle of Gettysburg and was a casualty collection point just like many buildings were used for back then. It would make sense that the spirit who sets off ghost hunting gadgets in this Baltimore Street home fought and died in the Civil War. But, this resident spirit has no connection to the Battle of Gettysburg. Our guide for the evening, Paranormal Investigator Robert "Night Monkey" Simmons with Gettysburg Paranormal Association / Gettysburg Ghost Tours. He shares with everyone the details. “The morning of August 31, 1985, between the hours of 1 and 2 AM this young lady was murdered in this apartment. Her name, Debra Harmon. This is the picture of her right off of her tombstone at the Evergreen Cemetery the same place where Jennie Wade is buried at right up the road.”
Police say Harmon was shot and killed while trying to stop her live-in boyfriend, Donald Painter, from leaving their home with a shotgun to go and kill the men who hit on her at a local bar. Sadly, she was fatally shot twice while trying to grab the gun.
“Debbie dropped right here in the kitchen. She was able to drag herself from the kitchen into the dining room. That is where her body was found when police and EMT’s arrived."
Painter told the police it was an accident. He was later sent to prison for her death. Now, Harmon’s spirit is said to reach out from the dead every night to connect with people who visit her home during ghost tours.
“When we first got this location, we talked with Debra and we’d call her Debra," continues Night Monkey. "She corrected us to tell us here name is not Debra it’s Debbie. When we found her tombstone we noticed at the bottom of it said "Our Dear Beloved Debbie." So, that’s clearly the name she likes to go by.”
The Unexplained Cases team worked with Night Monkey and a crew of amateur ghost hunters to investigate the Baltimore Street Murder House.
We used cameras, digital audio recorders, spirit boxes, and meters that measured changes in the electromagnetic field. It didn’t take that long before – Debbie made her presence known.
In one clip of video, Night Monkey says, “We’ve got a couple of new people here with us who haven’t introduced themselves." Over the spirit box there's a quick, "Say, hi!”
A quick hello on the spirit box but not much else that was clear. However, a much longer conversation was held via our EMF Meters. Several questions were asked of Debbie including if she thought her boyfriend should've had more prison time, if she can leave the house, and if she knew Stevie Nix of Fleetwood Mac had been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This was an intelligent haunting for sure. Questions were asked of Debbie, and she responded with her energy lighting up the meters.
It seemed like Debbie’s spirit got very comfortable with guest investigator Cindy Altland. "It’s almost like interviewing. It’s just asking questions to try and find out about the person.”The activity jumped to a fever pitch when the group was told that Debbie was a big Fleetwood Mac fan. Her favorite song, "Landslide." She showed her appreciation for playing the tune through these EMF meters. Everyone in the room was captivated by what we were witnessing. Apparently, Debbie was more engaged than usual with her house guests.
“As far as the Murder House went I think we had a lot longer communications in the dining room that we usually have," said Night Monkey. "Usually, it lasts 15 or 20 minutes. Tonight, a good 40 minutes to an hour. So, it was more decent night."
But was out group really talking to Debbie? Or was this some other spirit? To find out, we asked our newest Unexplained Cases team member, Medium Maryam Faresh, to connect with Debbie and to ask her what happened the night she was killed.
“Yes, it was an accident. I didn’t have a strong will to live. I probably could have fought harder to escape. But, I was in a very bad situation. A situation I didn’t want to be in. And I was ready to check out. It was an accident but at the same time the level of anger in that relationship was going to escalate at some point and it was inevitable.”
What about all the EMF meters that apparently go off nightly during ghost tours in the house? Is Debbie responsible for all that paranormal activity?
“People want to believe what they want to believe. I’m not at that house! But there are spirits haunting that house. Spirits that have not passed over that are messing with people that are happy to do it. I am not at that house! I have moved on. I am no longer a part of that experience. I am in a new body. I am not in that house! Yes, there are spirits there that are messing with people. It’s not me.”
So, it appears Debbie as found peace. But for the ghosts that make a nightly appearance in her old home...their identity remains unexplained.
This video made me cry. Debbie was a great and loving person. The best aunt you could ask for. I can still invision the blood stain that we had to look at as we moved all her stuff out. I don't know that I believe she is still there but I would love to go in and see what might happen with her music box I have and the original picture that is on her headstone. Thanks for doing the video!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing! If you ever wish to share your thoughts about her on camera, please send a note to rick@unexplainedcases.com We could do a video call or interview you in person.
DeleteThank you for visiting and for sharing your thoughts. I can appreciate your feelings on this. This case is the only we've documented in 20 plus years where the alleged haunting is from a recent death. If you are interested in sharing your memories and opinions about this on camera, we could record you via a video call or in person. Just reach out to rick@unexplainedcases.com
ReplyDelete