The San Pedro Haunting

In 1989, Jackie Hernandez, a single mother living in San Pedro, California, began experiencing violent poltergeist activity in her small home. The case was investigated by researchers Barry Conrad and cameraman Jeff Wheatcraft, who documented the phenomena and were themselves subjected to attacks by the apparent entity.

The Activity Begins

Jackie Hernandez moved into a small bungalow in San Pedro with her infant daughter in 1989. Almost immediately, she began experiencing strange phenomena. Lights flickered. Objects moved. Strange sounds emerged from the attic. Most disturbingly, Jackie reported seeing an apparition of a disembodied head hovering in the hallway.

The activity escalated rapidly. Objects flew across rooms. Jackie was pushed by invisible forces. Her neighbors witnessed some of the phenomena and became frightened.

Investigation

Researcher Barry Taff, known for his investigation of the Entity case, initially looked into the San Pedro haunting but found the phenomena difficult to document. A team including Barry Conrad and cameraman Jeff Wheatcraft continued the investigation.

During their investigation, the team experienced dramatic events. Wheatcraft was reportedly attacked in the attic by an unseen force that wrapped a clothesline around his neck, nearly hanging him. The incident was witnessed by other team members, who pulled him down.

On another occasion, two lights were seen floating in the house by the entire investigation team. These lights were described as intelligent, responding to commands to move in specific directions.

The Entity

During the investigation, phenomena intensified. A misty figure was photographed in the attic. Voices were recorded. A full apparition of a man was seen by multiple witnesses.

Research into the property’s history revealed that a sailor had allegedly died on or near the location many years earlier. Whether this death was connected to the haunting could not be established.

Jackie’s Experience

Jackie Hernandez was physically and psychologically tormented throughout the haunting. She reported being held down by invisible forces, hearing threatening voices, and seeing apparitions throughout the house. The stress contributed to health problems.

Jackie eventually moved out of the San Pedro house, but reported that the activity followed her to subsequent residences, though with less intensity.

Documentation

The San Pedro case is notable for the amount of documentation gathered. The team captured photographs showing anomalous lights and misty figures. Video footage showed objects moving. Multiple witnesses observed the same phenomena simultaneously.

The case was featured in the television series “Sightings” and other paranormal programming, bringing it to wider attention.

Assessment

The San Pedro haunting presents a compelling case with multiple witnesses, physical evidence, and investigators who were themselves targeted by the phenomena. The attack on Jeff Wheatcraft in the attic was witnessed by others and left him traumatized.

Skeptics have questioned the reliability of the evidence and suggested that some phenomena could have been staged. However, the witnesses maintain their accounts, and the documentation remains difficult to explain through conventional means.

Whether Jackie Hernandez attracted poltergeist activity through psychic ability, encountered a genuine haunting, or was involved in some more complex situation, the San Pedro case remains one of the better-documented American poltergeist investigations.