Beth Ann Pingel awoke unnaturally early.
It felt like someone was at the edge of my bed, shaking it, trying to wake me up,"" Pingel, a UW-Madison senior, said.
This was not her last encounter.
""Just the other day, it sounded like someone was running down the third-story stairs into the bedroom corner,"" Pingel said. ""I ran up there to see if it was one of my roommates, but no one was there. All I saw was a black figure, a shadow.""
These are just a few of the strange phenomena occurring at Pingel's house, which she shares with five other women on West Dayton Street. Pingel's roommates have also witnessed bizarre events, such as wispy apparitions walking through windows, heavy breathing at all hours of the night and doors and windows slamming shut for seemingly no reason.
These phenomena may appear unexplainable, but here in Madison, a confidential, non-profit paranormal investigation group - the Madison Researchers Into the Paranormal - actively inspects the ""haunted"" homes, properties and businesses of Wisconsin residents.
Since July 2006, MRIP founder Wayne Hackler and 14 other members have helped numerous people seek concrete explanations for bizarre sounds and visions. However, many of MRIP's clients have high expectations of the prospective investigation.
""You have some people that want it to be haunted so badly,"" Hackler said. ""They feel like you failed because there was no evidence of the fact.""
Realistically, in 90 to 95 percent of the locations MRIP has studied, strange occurences have been attributed to natural causes and were declared not paranormal.
""It's this last 5 to 10 percent we really take a hard look at and are truly, truly interested in,"" Hackler said. ""With these cases, we follow up a number of times until we obtain conclusive evidence.""
Pingel hopes her house on West Dayton is one of this small percentage. On a recent Saturday evening, MRIP was determined to find out.
Arriving in a blue vehicle, they immediately opened the trunk, unveiling stacks of wires and equipment. As they entered the house, Hackler examined a side window adjacent to a neighboring home.
""One of the roommates disclosed to me that the blinds of this window have been blowing consistently throughout the night,"" he said.
""Normally we would attribute this to a draft; however, this window is facing a house, making a draft almost entirely implausible.""
Minutes later, equipped with three still cameras, two audio recorders, one video camera, two temperature sensors and two electromagnetic field meters, the group was prepared to investigate. First, however, several preliminary procedures had to be completed.
""When we arrive at a place, we immediately record the baseline EMF numbers and the temperatures of the various rooms,"" said Abbie Tippit, a member of MRIP since August 2006. ""As the night progresses, we continue to measure these numbers so that, if there are any disturbances captured on the video cameras, we can see if they correlate with our measurements at that same time.""
Tippit, like each of the other 14 members, has a specific role.
""I mainly study electronic voice phenomenon,"" she said. ""With the help of our audio recorders, I catch the voices that aren't supposed to be there.""
In addition to filling distinctive roles, group members are selected based on how well their skill level and personal qualities complement the group.
""Each one of us possesses a certain skill and personality that meshes well together,"" Hackler said. ""It is this successful combining of skills and qualities that helps us do our best job.""
Tippit agreed that personality is a fundamental element of each member, since investigations can take up to five hours depending on the size of the location. In addition, the visits can be surprisingly stagnant.
""Too many people have these illusions that it is going to be exciting, like what they see on TV,"" Hackler said. ""But, apart from taking periodic measurements, a majority of the time it is sitting in the dark, giving the equipment the time to record.""
At the West Dayton house, the group kept vigil in the den. With temperature sensors attached to their sides, the members quietly sat in the dark of the house while the audio recorders and cameras silently rolled, recording every movement and sound undetectable by human senses.
Hackler's wife Evie, an MRIP member since September 2007, frequently walked the flight of stairs with an audio recorder to capture any unnatural sounds while fellow member Jessica Zeier watched.
Zeier, a UW-Madison senior and the newest addition to MRIP, was on her first investigation.
""As a trainee, I'm still learning about the process and the equipment,"" she said.
According to Zeier, joining MRIP was completely incidental.
""I ran across the website, thought it was really interesting, and e-mailed Wayne Hackler to see what it was all about,"" she said.
A few days later, she was being interviewed by the founder.
""He asked me what my interests were in the paranormal, why I would be a good fit for the group, if I had any past experiences."" Zeier said. ""It wasn't terribly complicated, but everything has been so fun ever since.""
Although the process of becoming a member may not be ""terribly complicated,"" obtaining investigational approval can be.
""We have all of our prospective clients fill out a questionnaire, asking for such details as, 'What is the age of the site?,' 'Have there been any sounds or have you seen any voices?' and 'Do the occupants feel that the phenomena is threatening?'"" Wayne Hackler said. ""Based upon the answers of questions such as these, and usually a telephone interview, we decide whether we feel the information is reliable and credible. If we feel that it is, then we take the next step and investigate.""
After approving a client, each member must fill out a Paranormal Researcher's Log during the investigation. In the log, the members specify which pieces of equipment are being used, their model and function and the phenomenon they are observing.
""Here, we record exactly what we have heard or seen throughout the course of the investigation,"" Evie Hackler said.
The last page of the log is an overall summation of the investigation with a member's impressions. It is not a corroborative statement, however.
""We only reach a conclusion after multiple sources of equipment and several visits have verified it,"" Wayne Hackler said.
At the West Dayton house, Tippit was the first to log any unusual phenomena.
While the other members were outside getting some fresh air, Tippit was at the top of the steps, descending to the dark living room.
At 6:40 p.m. Tippit reported hearing whispering at the bottom of the stairs. No one else was in the house at the time.
""Now, we can go back and see what was detected on the equipment, specifically the EMF, at 6:40 [p.m.],"" Wayne Hackler said.
With almost three hours of investigative material and recordings, MRIP felt they were ready to leave the house and begin the exhausting task of reviewing the footage.
""Reviewing takes hours and hours, days and days,"" Tippit said. ""You don't have the chance to even blink when you're watching those videos.""
Conclusive results may take over a week.
Despite all of the hard work that goes into planning an investigation, carrying it out and determining whether the events are truly paranormal or not, the members of MRIP still manage to have a relentlessly humorous attitude.
""All of us are able to sit in the dark for hours during investigations primarily because we are insomniacs who can't respond to sleeping medication,"" Hackler said jokingly. ""We don't pull up in a 'ghost buster' car; we drive an Explorer.""
As Halloween approaches, people become more fascinated with the unknown and the unexplainable. According to Wayne Hackler, this is the busiet time of year for the MRIP.
""Humanity's search for answers is unquenchable,"" he said. ""We're just trying to prove what may or may not exist.""
As for Pingel, she certainly hopes something exists.
""Honestly, I want them to find something so I don't think I'm going insane,"" she said. ""Then maybe I can sleep at night.""
Visit www.dailycardinal.com for updates on the MRIP findings at the West Dayton Street home.
