| El Campo Santo Cemetery (02-15-03) |
Case #: HI021503-02
Name of Reporting Investigator: Chad Patterson
Date: 02/15/03
Name and address of site: El Campo Santo Cemetery
2400 Block of San Diego Ave.
San Diego, CA 92110
Time began: 5:50 PM
Time End: 7:15 PM
Other CSGR Investigators present: Tracy Austin-officer, Dede Miller-officer, Nancy
Richling,Alma Englesman, Virginia Marco-CSGR Psychic Investigator
Others present: Guests Jose Marco, and George Austin
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 58 degrees F Barometer Readings: N/A
Relative Humidity: Unknown
High Temperature: 65 degrees F Low Temperature: 54 degrees F
Wind Speed: calm
Description of weather conditions: Mostly clear with a few clouds
Other Data
Lunar Phase: Waxing Gibbous (Full on 2/16/03)
Geomagnetic Storm Conditions: N/A
Equipment Used
EMF Detectors: Field Tester 200A, and Trifield Natural EMF Detector
IR Thermometer
Sony Video Camera w/ Night Shot
2 Digital Cameras
35 MM Instant Camera w/ 400 SP Film
Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 80 QD 35 MM Camera
Type of Film Used
Photo: 400 and 800 SP Kodak Film
Video: Sony 8MM
Other investigative methods used: A psychic evaluation by Virginia Marco
Description of Investigation:
On February 15, 2003, CSGR went to Old Town San Diego to investigate two sites. One of
those sites was El Campo Santo Cemetery on San Diego Ave. El Campo Santo Cemetery is
just a two minute stroll from the Whaley House, and once upon a time was said to be a very
haunted location.
El Campo Santo means The Holy Field. It was a Catholic cemetery founded in 1849, and is
number sixty-eight of California's historical landmarks. The boundaries of this now small
cemetery, once reached out as far as Old Town Ave. and covered much of Old Town San
Diego's small business district. Surrounding homes and businesses were said, at one time,
to have reported poltergeist-like activity including appliances, and lights turning
themselves on and off. According to reports some witnesses saw apparitions of people
standing near the brick wall of the cemetery.
When we began the investigation I walked the cemetery taking EMF readings. For the most
part the readings were next to none. There was an electrical power source at the rear of
the cemetery, just past the brick wall which produced explainable readings. The only
questionable reading I picked up was in an area toward the middle of the cemetery. This
was an area I had a mild, but unexplainable reading with the Trifield once before. It was in
an area where Psychic Virginia Marco reported the spirit of a young boy to be. She had
mentioned this same spirit on one of her and I's previous visits here, before our time with
CSGR. She explained "this young boy was still the only resident ghost here." Marco said "he
is trapped here for some reason. Confused." According to Virginia the spirit of the young
child had not moved from the fenced unmarked grave since our last visit. Shortly after she
sent him to the light at 6:10 PM. I saw nothing with my own eyes, but members, including
myself could feel a tingling sensation at our finger tips where Marco said the boy was. It is
true, most ghosts are not seen. They must materialize to be seen with the naked eye.
Materialization takes a tremendous amount of energy. The haunting must be extremely
active for this to occur.
Marco explained to me that "there is a spirit of a grave digger who does visit the cemetery
from time to time." She had mentioned this grave digger on our previous trip to the
cemetery. It is possible that this could be the spirit of grave digger Rafael Mumudes, that is
buried in the cemetery? He certainly was a grave digger for the area for a period of time.
There are several historical names buried in this cemetery. One of them is the famous
James W. Robinson, a.k.a. Santiago Robinson, also known as Yankee Jim. Yankee Jim was
hanged on the Whaley property 3 years before the house was built. Thomas Whaley was
present for his hanging. According to Virginia, "Yankee Jim does not haunt El Campo Santo
Cemetery, nor the Whaley House. There are only residual images of him that exist in the
Whaley House itself." The cemetery also contains a few members of the Estudillo family that
once lived in the rumored to be haunted La Casa De Estudillo. Overall, according to Virginia,
"there was a time when the cemetery was more active, but that time is past." She said, that
the cemetery has a few spirits that visit from time to time, such as "the grave digger."
Conclusion:
I feel that this cemetery, like many other cemeteries, is a place where the dead actually
rest, but have been known for unexplainable events. It is very possible, that at one time it
was an active haunt. It has been written that certain citizens did have plans to exorcise
the cemetery at one time. I would be most interested to see if this was actually done. That
is something I am currently unsure of at this time. I do have a valid reason to believe that
before 1993, it may have been active. The area in front of the cemetery, that is now San
Diego Ave, has over 20 bodies of men, women, and children beneath it. The area behind the
cemetery also has the remains of 13 people, which are mostly children. According to two
plaques, which now memorialize these unmarked graves in both the front and the rear of
the outer cemetery walls, these bodies where discovered with ground penetrating radar in
1993. If accounts of previous activity are true, could it be that these individuals caused
much of the activity? Many have said "that once an individual dies, their spirit no longer
cares what happens to their body." I believe this true in many cases depending on the
individual, but there are many cases where disturbing or desecrating a grave has been
reported to cause strange phenomena. The mere act of disrespect, unintentional or
intentional, has been thought to be the reason for activity in other cases. Also, who defines
disrespect? Many agree that something is disrespectful, while others might think it is not.
That is human nature to have a difference of opinion. And for example, what about those
who may have grieved and perhaps suffered over the loss of a loved one buried in the
cemetery? The grave, marked or not, may perhaps have meant something to them. When
one thinks about it, in most cases, marked graves are more for the living then they are the
dead. There are many scenarios that can play into this situation that have been known to
constitute hauntings in similar cases. Regardless of what caused the reports of
phenomena, at one time, it is my belief there are more remains of bodies unaccounted for
where the boundaries of El Campo Santo Cemetery once were. Buried and forgotten.
Name of Reporting Investigator: Chad Patterson
Date: 02/15/03
Name and address of site: El Campo Santo Cemetery
2400 Block of San Diego Ave.
San Diego, CA 92110
Time began: 5:50 PM
Time End: 7:15 PM
Other CSGR Investigators present: Tracy Austin-officer, Dede Miller-officer, Nancy
Richling,Alma Englesman, Virginia Marco-CSGR Psychic Investigator
Others present: Guests Jose Marco, and George Austin
Weather Conditions
Temperature: 58 degrees F Barometer Readings: N/A
Relative Humidity: Unknown
High Temperature: 65 degrees F Low Temperature: 54 degrees F
Wind Speed: calm
Description of weather conditions: Mostly clear with a few clouds
Other Data
Lunar Phase: Waxing Gibbous (Full on 2/16/03)
Geomagnetic Storm Conditions: N/A
Equipment Used
EMF Detectors: Field Tester 200A, and Trifield Natural EMF Detector
IR Thermometer
Sony Video Camera w/ Night Shot
2 Digital Cameras
35 MM Instant Camera w/ 400 SP Film
Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom 80 QD 35 MM Camera
Type of Film Used
Photo: 400 and 800 SP Kodak Film
Video: Sony 8MM
Other investigative methods used: A psychic evaluation by Virginia Marco
Description of Investigation:
On February 15, 2003, CSGR went to Old Town San Diego to investigate two sites. One of
those sites was El Campo Santo Cemetery on San Diego Ave. El Campo Santo Cemetery is
just a two minute stroll from the Whaley House, and once upon a time was said to be a very
haunted location.
El Campo Santo means The Holy Field. It was a Catholic cemetery founded in 1849, and is
number sixty-eight of California's historical landmarks. The boundaries of this now small
cemetery, once reached out as far as Old Town Ave. and covered much of Old Town San
Diego's small business district. Surrounding homes and businesses were said, at one time,
to have reported poltergeist-like activity including appliances, and lights turning
themselves on and off. According to reports some witnesses saw apparitions of people
standing near the brick wall of the cemetery.
When we began the investigation I walked the cemetery taking EMF readings. For the most
part the readings were next to none. There was an electrical power source at the rear of
the cemetery, just past the brick wall which produced explainable readings. The only
questionable reading I picked up was in an area toward the middle of the cemetery. This
was an area I had a mild, but unexplainable reading with the Trifield once before. It was in
an area where Psychic Virginia Marco reported the spirit of a young boy to be. She had
mentioned this same spirit on one of her and I's previous visits here, before our time with
CSGR. She explained "this young boy was still the only resident ghost here." Marco said "he
is trapped here for some reason. Confused." According to Virginia the spirit of the young
child had not moved from the fenced unmarked grave since our last visit. Shortly after she
sent him to the light at 6:10 PM. I saw nothing with my own eyes, but members, including
myself could feel a tingling sensation at our finger tips where Marco said the boy was. It is
true, most ghosts are not seen. They must materialize to be seen with the naked eye.
Materialization takes a tremendous amount of energy. The haunting must be extremely
active for this to occur.
Marco explained to me that "there is a spirit of a grave digger who does visit the cemetery
from time to time." She had mentioned this grave digger on our previous trip to the
cemetery. It is possible that this could be the spirit of grave digger Rafael Mumudes, that is
buried in the cemetery? He certainly was a grave digger for the area for a period of time.
There are several historical names buried in this cemetery. One of them is the famous
James W. Robinson, a.k.a. Santiago Robinson, also known as Yankee Jim. Yankee Jim was
hanged on the Whaley property 3 years before the house was built. Thomas Whaley was
present for his hanging. According to Virginia, "Yankee Jim does not haunt El Campo Santo
Cemetery, nor the Whaley House. There are only residual images of him that exist in the
Whaley House itself." The cemetery also contains a few members of the Estudillo family that
once lived in the rumored to be haunted La Casa De Estudillo. Overall, according to Virginia,
"there was a time when the cemetery was more active, but that time is past." She said, that
the cemetery has a few spirits that visit from time to time, such as "the grave digger."
Conclusion:
I feel that this cemetery, like many other cemeteries, is a place where the dead actually
rest, but have been known for unexplainable events. It is very possible, that at one time it
was an active haunt. It has been written that certain citizens did have plans to exorcise
the cemetery at one time. I would be most interested to see if this was actually done. That
is something I am currently unsure of at this time. I do have a valid reason to believe that
before 1993, it may have been active. The area in front of the cemetery, that is now San
Diego Ave, has over 20 bodies of men, women, and children beneath it. The area behind the
cemetery also has the remains of 13 people, which are mostly children. According to two
plaques, which now memorialize these unmarked graves in both the front and the rear of
the outer cemetery walls, these bodies where discovered with ground penetrating radar in
1993. If accounts of previous activity are true, could it be that these individuals caused
much of the activity? Many have said "that once an individual dies, their spirit no longer
cares what happens to their body." I believe this true in many cases depending on the
individual, but there are many cases where disturbing or desecrating a grave has been
reported to cause strange phenomena. The mere act of disrespect, unintentional or
intentional, has been thought to be the reason for activity in other cases. Also, who defines
disrespect? Many agree that something is disrespectful, while others might think it is not.
That is human nature to have a difference of opinion. And for example, what about those
who may have grieved and perhaps suffered over the loss of a loved one buried in the
cemetery? The grave, marked or not, may perhaps have meant something to them. When
one thinks about it, in most cases, marked graves are more for the living then they are the
dead. There are many scenarios that can play into this situation that have been known to
constitute hauntings in similar cases. Regardless of what caused the reports of
phenomena, at one time, it is my belief there are more remains of bodies unaccounted for
where the boundaries of El Campo Santo Cemetery once were. Buried and forgotten.
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