posted on Jun, 21 2009 @ 08:40 PM
I recently had the opportunity to visit my family, who live in Joplin Missouri. While there I heard the story of the haunted cemetery known as peace
church. Being an investigator of the paranormal I felt the need to look up the stories and investigate for myself as to what might be paranormal and
what is pure fancy. The story I’m about to tell you is absolutely true.
In 1950 a man named Billy Cook went on a murdering rampage. His killing spree went through several states until he was finally captured in Mexico. He
was returned to the United States and in December of 1952 he was put to death in the gas chamber of San Quentin prison.
His body was returned to Joplin but no one wanted anything to do with it. It was agreed that he would be buried at Peace Church cemetery, but he had
to be buried outside of the cemetery proper and in an unmarked grave.
From that time forward the stories began of shadowy figures that vanished when approached. Strange lights that circulated through the cemetery and
noises and voices that had no origin. Many believed that Billy Cook was trying to make it into the cemetery, and finally find some peace.
Since I was in town I decided to check it out and see if there was any truth to the story. I assembled my team, which would consist of my little
sister Daisy, three lesbians with a pink ouija board (Who have asked not to be named) and myself. Hey, you work with what you have at the time.
During my research I had read that the cemetery was now marked off limits. “No trespassing,” signs were up and you would be arrested for entering
the grounds. A daylight visit was in order to find out the truth of these claims. The claims were false, but the cemetery was depressing.
I suppose the only thing worse than being dead is being the forgotten dead. Grass was knee high and stones were toppled. No one had cared for this
place in a very long time. No one would be coming to care for it anytime soon.
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I waited for nightfall to begin the investigation. Things were shaping up nicely. Storms were in the area and lightning screamed from cloud to cloud
as the atmosphere charged with energy. I love cloud-to-cloud lightning, all the beauty of the heavens with little chance of getting zapped into
eternity. This would be a night to remember.
Shortly after 10 PM we set off for the cemetery. I had an IR DVD camcorder, a digital camera and a digital voice recorder to catch any signs of the
paranormal. If anything were to happen that night, I had no doubt I’d be prepared to bring the evidence to ATS.
I had checked the weather channel; Storms were in the area but not where we were heading. There was also a tornado watch in effect but I wasn’t
worried. We had a good team. My little sister beside me, the three lesbians in the back seat and myself, headed for a haunted cemetery on a full moon
night with a tornado watch in effect.
What could possibly go wrong?
The drive was uneventful right up until we turned onto the road that led to Peace Church Cemetery. At that exact moment all hell broke loose. The
heavens opened up and rain began to pour in quantities not seen since the days of Noah. I couldn’t see the road, accept for those brief moments when
the lightning struck a few feet away from my car and I was blinded by both the light and the shear terror of the moment.
When I finally found a place to turn around we were actually passed the cemetery. I just hadn’t been able to see a safe place before we were well
passed it. Heading back towards town I had the eerie feeling that the paranormal was sending me a message. This may not have been the night to go
ghost hunting.
As we drove back towards Joplin on that desolate road, the lightning picked up it’s pace. Crashing on first one side of the car and then the other,
as if we were being chased away. The rain had not let up for even a second as the explosive thunder grew louder and louder with every nearby flash.
I did the only thing a sane man could do at the time. I began to pray. Not just the prayer’s of the scared but also the prayers of the soon to be
dead. I was making deals with God.
“LORD!!!!! Get me through this! I beseech you! I’ll kick these lesbians out right here if you want me to! I’ve heard you don’t like’em Lord,
but their friends of mine. Just give me a sign though and I’ll send them to you!”
At that point we had made it onto 7th St. in Joplin and it didn’t look like a street. I’ve seen whitewater rapids that were more calm and
peaceful. I had to take this street for a few miles before I could turn for home so I kept up the praying.
“Just give me a sign LAWD!!!! I wasn’t trying to tempt you or question you tonight, but if you demand a sacrifice, I GOT THREE!!!!!”
At that point the back end of my car began to rise up and float away. Fortunately I have front wheel drive and the weight of the motor kept the front
wheels on the ground. As I pulled away and onto higher ground I knew I’d gotten the sign I had asked for. The lesbians were ballast. Without them
we’d have been washed away for sure.
Turning to my sister I asked, “Does it ALWAYS rain like this in Joplin?”
“I’ve never seen rain like this in my life.” She answered back.
It was slow going, but we eventually made it back to her house. Everybody was shaken from the experience. I honestly believed Mother Nature herself
had chased me away from a paranormal investigation. I’m almost 50 years old and I’ve never seen anything like that.
Fortunately all my prayers had been kept quietly inside my own head so no feelings were hurt that night. I still have several crazy friends in
Joplin, not to mention some even crazier family. None of them visit ATS so my secrets are safe.
It was a paranormal investigation gone totally wrong. These things happen when you search for the truth, regardless of what the truth might be.
It’s the only investigation I’ve gone on that tried to kill me, even if what tried to kill me resides only in my own overactive imagination.
I’ll be going back to Joplin before long, and perhaps then Mother Nature will not be so angry.
I will complete this investigation.