Paranormal 215 Finds Real Life Spooks

You're walking slowly in a pitch black room at night, a stranger in a house that you've never been in before. You're there because the home is supposedly haunted, and as you head toward the basement, you begin to ask questions to provoke a so called "ghost."

Suddenly, something heavy crashes from the adjacent hallway, and the noise is so loud it sounds as if a cabinet was thrown to the ground. You look at your investigating partner, the only other person in the house, and are sure that it wasn't her that caused the bang.

Not only do you both agree that you heard the crash, but also the mumbled whimpering of a female voice.

This is a common occurrence for members of Paranormal 215, one of the region's leading paranormal investigation teams.

The group's membership is comprised of individuals who want to explore the other side of our world, the unexplained side. According to its website, everyone involved “shares the same curious interest in the paranormal, spiritual, and mysterious elements in the world we share.” They have investigated throughout the Philadelphia area, from City Hall to small residential homes.

Recently they were featured in Philly Beer Scene magazine, investigating supposedly haunted bars in the area.

Christopher Martin is the leader and founder of Paranormal 215. He started the group in 2008, and enlisted the help of his son, CJ Martin, to handle the technical aspects of the investigations. The group consists of several other members who are committed to discovering the truth of the paranormal.

“The scariest experience I've had is tough to nail down. It's always extremely eerie whenever you feel the presence of something around you. It's a very distinct feeling that you grow to feel and recognize," said CJ. Several members of our team are very good at detecting some sort of presence and we are often in sync with these recognitions. Sometimes it feels like a very negative presence, sometimes even comforting."

The team attempts to capture hard evidence of the haunts, using digital voice recorders to capture EVPs, or electronic voice phenomenon. These are noises that could not be heard with the human ear during the time of the recording.

“We catch a lot of evidence through EVP recordings. A good, clear EVP recording will give me the chills every time. It's very rewarding as a paranormal researcher,” said CJ Martin.

The team sets up cameras around the location, as well as carries them around in hopes of catching a ghost on film.

“We haven't caught the highly coveted full body apparition on film yet, but we're working on it. That would be my favorite,” said CJ.

During a typical investigation, members of Paranormal 215 will set up their equipment in a house or location and turn off all the lights. The members will then try to communicate with the supposed haunting, either by having something happen to them during the moment or catching evidence with their equipment.

Investigation isn’t all fun and games. Sometimes a haunting can be negative and the situation can become dangerous.

“I've seen some members actually experience scratches, rashes or marks during investigations,” said CJ. “That's pretty freakish.”

For more information of Paranormal 215 visit their website www.paranormal215.com.