A Haunting (2005–…): Season 4, Episode 11 - Casa de los Muertos - full transcript
The ghost of a racist haunts the house of a jazz guitarist and takes possession of his son.
Narrator: In this
world, there is real evil
in the darkest shadows and
in the most ordinary places.
These are the true stories
of the innocent and
the unimaginable.
Latin guitarist Eddie
benitez moves out west,
hoping to resurrect
his music career.
But his optimism soon fades
as his new life is shattered
by the vicious attacks
of a deadly force.
Now he must confront
his ultimate fears
to protect his
family from the evil
that is determined
to destroy them all.
[ Screams ]
Between the world we
see and the things we fear,
there are doors.
When they are opened,
nightmares become reality.
captions paid for by
discovery communications
there are those
who walk this earth
that possess the ability to
see the dead amongst the living.
For many, this special gift
gives hope of life after death.
But the spirit world
can be deadly,
creating a living nightmare...
for those who can never escape.
[ Slow music plays ]
The year is 1976.
Carmen benitez and her son Eddie
enjoy a beautiful
day in Brooklyn.
[ Screaming ]
Narrator: The
ranting of a madman
suddenly shatters
the afternoon calm.
[ Screaming continues ]
Eddie: This man
was very hostile,
physically violent with
other people around him.
Go in the house.
Go in the house.
I knew that there was
something wrong with him
beyond the human norm.
[ Growls ]
Narrator: Carmen is known
throughout the neighborhood
as a spiritual healer.
Eddie: Everybody would go to
my mother for some type of help.
Narrator: But Eddie is shocked.
He never fully realized
the strength of
his mother's gift.
Eddie: To see a woman
have control over this man
was an amazement in itself.
Señora Carmen, De favor.
Man: I think our friend's
possessed by a demon.
You got to help us out.
He ain't got nowhere to go.
[ Screaming ]
Bring him into the house.
Narrator: Carmen orders them to bring
the possessed man inside her home.
[ Screaming continues ]
No!!
In here. In here.
Narrator: Using holy water,
Carmen prepares to
perform an exorcism.
This ritual originated
in Puerto Rico
and has been passed down through
many generations of her family.
Padre nuestro que
estás en los cielos...
Santificado sea tu nombre...
Narrator: As she
repeats the lord's prayer,
Carmen places the man's
hands over a goblet of water,
which weakens the evil spirit
and prevents its escape
from the man's body.
Quickly, Eddie... a plate
and a glass of water now.
Nos perdona nuestras ofensas
como así nosotros perdonamos
los que nos ofenden...
Narrator: To
complete the exorcism,
she holds a glass of water
and plate over the man's head.
Then she taps the
glass three times...
[ Screams ]
Narrator: And expels
the demonic spirit
from the man's body,
trapping it between the
plate and glass of water.
Eddie: You could see that
there was an immediate change
not only in the way
he looked physically,
but in everything
else in the room.
You could feel it.
Gracias, señora. You saved me.
After viewing what
my mother did,
that led me to ask a lot of
questions about my mother,
the power she possessed,
and who gave her that power.
[ Mid-tempo
acoustic-guitar music plays ]
Narrator: Eddie's
considered a musical prodigy
and already has made
a name for himself
as one of the industry's
hottest Latin jazz guitarists.
Eddie: When I was 14, I
was signed to a record deal
by one of the largest
Latin labels in the world.
My first album, "night life,"
was out and became gold.
Fantastic, Eddie. That
was great. It's a wrap.
Eddie: All right, thanks.
Thank you.
Ahh.
So, what do you think so far?
About what?
The album.
Look, it sounds great.
You're doing fantastic.
Don't worry about that.
Can you come by tomorrow,
cut some more tracks with me?
Yeah, absolutely...
Right after school.
Sounds good. Sounds good.
You ready to go?
Yeah.
Okay, let's go.
Straight home, okay?
No stops anywhere
else, all right?
Man: Got it.
Hey, you have a great day, man.
See ya. You take care.
Thanks.
Where you going?
Brooklyn... 128 hayslip.
You got it.
[ Light jazz music playing ]
Hey, um, b-Brooklyn's that way.
Hey, man, where are you going?
Hey. Hey, why are
we stopping, man?
Hey, he said no stops.
I'm talking to you, man.
Why are we stopping?
Carmen: Estoy
preocupada por tí, mi amor.
Perdóname, madre,
I got into a cab...
Narrator: Eddie tries to
explain what just happened.
Eddie: You could see the
transformation in this man.
He took on this
appearance of evil.
It's okay, Eddie. Oh, Eddie.
Narrator: Carmen believes that
he was confronted by a demon
for the first time.
I need to talk to you.
She tells Eddie that
he has the ability
to interact with
the spirit world...
You have a special gift.
A gift that runs
in their family.
For the rest of his life,
Eddie will have encounters
with the supernatural,
but that there is no
reason to be afraid.
The spirit world
is just part of life.
The dead cannot harm you.
Although he is uncertain
of his newfound gift,
Eddie finds comfort
in his mother's words.
Eddie: The moment
had a big impact on me
because it started what I
call my search for the truth,
seeking more about religion
and understanding
the spirit world.
Narrator: And over the years,
Eddie eventually accepts
this ability as a part of his life.
In the 1970s, Eddie
tours the world,
playing with some of the
biggest names in music.
Eddie: I've toured
with tito puente,
Larry Harlow, mongo santamaria,
Barry white, George
Benson... You name it.
Narrator: At the age of 23,
Eddie takes a break
from the music scene.
He gets married,
goes to college,
and starts a family of his own.
In 2003, Eddie
returns to the stage,
playing a private concert
for 200 of his closest fans.
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
He's ready to relaunch
his solo career.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Eddie: Before, I was
more commercial,
and now my music
has matured a lot.
I made it more spiritual because of a lot
of the things that have happened in my life.
Narrator: Always
there to support him
are his wife, Myrna,
and son, Eddie Jr.
Myrna: Being married
for so many years,
it's been quite exciting.
You meet a lot of
different, interesting people
in the music world.
Eddie Jr.: Me and my
dad are really close.
He'd say we're like brothers.
We've always been a
close, tight-knit family.
Narrator: In 2004,
Eddie's beloved
mother passes away.
Nearly a year later,
he and his family
decide to leave New York
and start a new life elsewhere.
Eddie: We figured Arizona
would be a nice spot
because it's close to
California, close to Vegas,
where I could still
be able to do my thing
in the music industry.
[ Sighs ] I'm really
going to miss this place.
You okay, dad?
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Guys, I think that's everything.
We are ready to go. Ready, huh?
Yes, but I've made some lunch.
You want to grab
some lunch first?
Food, food. Let's
start with that.
Go.
Narrator: Eddie is suddenly
reminded of his unique gift.
Narrator: A week later,
the benitez family
arrives at their new home
in tempe, Arizona.
How you doing?
Ahh!
[ Smooches ]
[ Laughs ]
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
Narrator: Although they are
miles away from New York,
they welcome this
new phase in their lives.
Myrna: We just loved the house.
We were like, "this is a
fabulous place to be at."
Eddie: We were happy.
We were content.
Everything was
there that we needed.
And we would be even
more united as a family.
Myrna: It was a house that
we would be able to stay in
for a very long time.
♪ I dream of
holding you so tight ♪
♪ I dream of loving you
all through the night ♪
Narrator: Weeks
after they move in,
Eddie begins working
on his new album.
He prefers to
record late at night
when the house is quiet
and there are
fewer distractions.
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
[ Bang ]
[ Music stops ]
Myrna?
Eddie?
[ Music resumes ]
[ Banging ]
[ Music stops ]
Eddie: Being from New York,
you start to speculate
maybe an intruder.
Narrator: Eddie finds
no sign of a break-in.
Eddie: There was nobody around.
Narrator: Over the next month,
while Eddie works on his album,
the rest of the family
settle into their new lives.
Myrna gets a job as an
elementary-school teacher.
Well, well, well. Buenos días.
How's it going?
What?
The album.
[ Chuckles ] It's
coming. It's coming.
Yes, I know. You
kept me up all night.
Well, I was working
very hard all night long.
I'm very glad.
Narrator: Eddie
Jr. also finds work
as a manager at a
large drugstore chain.
Help yourself,
honey. [ Chuckles ]
Ooh, more sugar.
Where are you going?
Off to work.
Eddie: With a ball?
Oh, yeah, that reminds me...
I met some friends at the gym,
so we're gonna play
basketball after work.
Have a good day.
Okay. Uh... buena suerte, chico.
He says so.
[ Both chuckle ]
He looks happy.
Me too. Yes, he does.
Narrator: That night...
[ Charge plays ]
All: Charge!
[ Charge plays ]
Charge!
[ Breathing heavily ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
Eddie Jr.: I had no
idea what was going on.
I could just feel my heart
just beating out of my chest.
It felt like I was
having a heart attack.
Eddie?
Eddie, what's wrong?
My chest. I can't breathe.
It's my chest. I can't...
Calm down. Calm down.
I can't breathe!
[ Telephone dialing ]
Myrna: It's my son.
I-I don't know what's
wrong with him.
Please hurry and
come. Thank you.
[ Siren wailing ]
Narrator: Doctors run a
series of tests on Eddie Jr.
Well, I've gone over his chart.
Blood pressure's
fine. His heart's fine.
Looks like he probably
just had a panic attack.
Panic attack?
I'd never had any
problems healthwise.
It just didn't
make sense at all.
Yeah, he's normally
calm and relaxed.
That cannot be right.
Well, you know, it
could be anything.
It could be the stress of the
move, could be a new job.
Anything can set
off a panic attack.
Look, I'm gonna
write you a prescription
for a mild sedative.
I think it'll help calm you down
if you have any of these
attacks in the future, okay?
The doctor told me that there
doesn't seem to be anything
medically wrong with him.
Oh, by the way,
when you experience one
of these anxiety attacks,
think about writing
it down in a journal.
Try to think of what's on
your mind, what's going on.
Just keep a record
of what happened.
Give us a call if you
have any problems.
Hmm. Panic attack.
[ Chuckles ]
Narrator: Over the next month,
Eddie Jr. continues to suffer
from these inexplicable attacks.
His doctors are baffled,
unable to remedy his
mysterious condition.
[ Indistinct voices ]
[ Gasps ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
Eddie Jr.: There had to
be something causing this,
and it's just very frustrating
not knowing what to do about it
or not having some
kind of answer for it.
Narrator: Eddie Jr.'s health
continues to rapidly deteriorate.
Eddie Jr.: It just
physically beat me down.
I wasn't able to work.
I wasn't able to
leave the house.
[ Knock on door ]
Eddie?
Eddie Jr. would basically
lock himself in the room
and just keep to himself.
He didn't want
to talk to anyone.
Would you just shut those
curtains and get out of here?!
It was very hard seeing
him seclude himself.
Eddie, come on, please.
You've been in
your room for days.
Get out of my room!
Don't talk to your
mother like that again.
He wasn't himself, like there
was somebody else in his body.
You don't look so good.
You're really pale, and
you need some fresh air.
Just get the hell out of my
room and don't bother me again!
Narrator: One night, Eddie prepares
a special dinner for his family,
hoping to distract them
from the problem at hand.
♪ If it's love you want,
then love you're given ♪
♪ I'll give that to you ♪
Eddie Jr.: Under the doctor's
advice, I'd started keeping a journal
and just writing
down the thoughts
that was going through my
head or whatever I was feeling
or whatever happened
to me that day.
Narrator: Eddie Jr. hopes that
it will help end these attacks.
♪ Chevere ♪
♪ que chevere ♪
♪ I dream about... ♪
[ Radio tuning, static ]
Male voice: Get out.
[ Tuning, static continue ]
[ Tuning, static continue ]
Get out.
Narrator: Eddie is stunned.
He is beginning to believe that
they are not alone in the house.
Eddie: At this point,
I'm realizing that it's
paranormal what's going on.
[ Indistinct voices ]
Male voice: Get out.
Dad!
I don't know what happened.
I was writing in my journal,
and... i must have
blacked out or something.
The next thing I know,
"Rick, Rick, Rick."
Eddie Jr.: I didn't know what
to think or what to make of it.
I just was baffled.
It's all over the pages.
That's not even my handwriting.
What's running through my
mind is that there's an entity
or spirit who's around
who is being harmful.
Narrator: Eddie suspects
that it could be the cause
of his son's
mysterious condition.
He now wonders if anybody
else who has lived in the home
has been affected
by this presence.
Eddie invites his neighbor over
in hopes that he can tell him
anything about the previous owners.
Good.
Good, good.
I see you're getting some
work done to the house.
We've been having some
issues with the house... minor stuff.
Oh, man, sorry
to hear about that.
Anything I can do to help?
You know...
Do you know how
to get in contact
with the previous owners?
Maybe they can help us fix
whatever's wrong with the house.
I don't think that's gonna
work, there, partner.
You know, the guy that
used to live here... he's dead.
The rumor is is
that he killed himself.
The hairs on my arms and my
back just started standing up,
and I knew that there
was something more to this.
[ Cellphone rings ]
Oh, listen, I got
to take this call.
Listen, you're in luck.
The guy that
used to live here...
His daughter, she lives
down on the corner,
and if you talk to her, she can
probably help you out, okay?
Thanks.
My pleasure. Take care.
The only lead we had was
her father had died there,
and he had to be
the cause of this.
Narrator: Eddie believes that
Rick could be this woman's father
and decides to pay her a visit.
Eddie: I was hoping to
learn the circumstances
of her father's death...
[ Doorbell rings ]
the type of person he was,
and maybe make some sense as
to what was going on in my house.
Hi. Can I help you?
Joan? Yes.
Hi. I am Eddie benitez.
I just moved a few
houses from you. Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I think where
your father used to live.
Yes, he did.
Is that all?
Listen, I don't want to intrude,
but I need to speak to you.
It's about your father, Rick.
Listen, please.
There's many strange
things happening in my house.
My son is getting sick.
I believe it's your
father causing this.
Look, I have no idea
what you're talking about.
My father's name
was Christopher.
Now, if you don't mind,
I've got things to do!
Listen, please...
Narrator: Eddie is more
confused than ever,
and now he has absolutely
no leads as to who Rick is
and why he is hurting his son.
I had to try to
find out other ways
of figuring the situation out
and what was going on with him.
So I'm at the beginning
of the road again.
Narrator: That night, Eddie
tries to work on his album,
but is unable to concentrate.
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
Although he has
never been harmed,
he now believes
that the spirit world
is far more powerful
than he ever imagined,
and he fears that he may
not be able to help his son.
[ Music stops ]
[ Sighs ]
L-Listen, take it.
Take whatever you want.
Just don't hurt my family.
[ Speaking indistinctly ]
Narrator: Eddie realizes
that the man is not an intruder,
but the ghost that is
haunting their house.
[ Breathing heavily ]
So now I become at a point
where I'm more desperate,
and this is where
I say to myself,
"okay, I need outside help."
Narrator: He begins
scouring the Internet.
Eddie: One organization
that caught my eye
was the Arizona
desert ghost hunters.
Narrator: He immediately
sends them an e-mail,
hoping that they can remove
the entity from his home.
That weekend, a
team of investigators
arrives at the benitez home.
Anne Martin is the founder
of the Arizona
desert ghost hunters.
We decided to go and
see if we can help him
because he was
having so much activity
that we felt it was
warranted to go and look.
Narrator: Also a part of
the team is Debbie Bennett,
an intuitive who
reads tarot cards,
which give insight into the
past, present, and future.
The images on the cards
trigger psychic visions,
providing her with
a deeper knowledge
of what's going on in the house.
It opens up psychic responses
to where all cards
have different meanings,
but whatever the
question is, it's gonna apply
and give you the answer
for that specific question.
When I got the hanged man,
I felt the impression of
the entity taking his own life.
The 10 of swords
represents somebody
who chose not to move on.
What does it all mean?
I'm sensing pain.
Debbie: I could feel the
presence of a very angry man.
He didn't want me there.
I could feel the energy of
the entity getting angrier.
Who is it? What's its name?
I only see the letter "r."
Male voice: Get out.
Get out.
He wants you to
get out of this house,
and he'll do anything in
his power to get you out.
I'd like to perform a ritual
to help you remove the
evil spirit from your home.
Whatever you can do.
Narrator: That night Debbie
performs a smudging on the house,
a native American ritual
where sage is burned
to cleanse the house
of negative energy.
Smudging is used for
protection from the spirit world.
Narrator: Immediately
after the ritual,
Debbie no longer senses
the ominous presence,
believing that the spirit
has gone to the other side.
Over the next few days,
there are no signs of
any paranormal activity
in the house,
and Eddie Jr.'s health
appears to be getting better.
Eddie: The question was,
would this return or not?
Because you usually don't
get rid of these things that easy.
Narrator: Then one night...
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
Myrna: I only want
what's best for you, Eddie.
Eddie Jr.: Shut up! Shut up!
[ Shouting indistinctly ]
Eat, Eddie! Sleep, Eddie!
Take your bath, Eddie!
What the hell is
wrong with you?!
Are you stupid or just deaf?!
I want you to get off my
back and leave me alone!!
Eddie, Eddie! [ Crying ]
He just looked at me
with this scary,
awful look on his face
and just lashing out
at me, cursing at me.
I was in shock.
Tell her to stay off my back!
Get off of me.
Don't you touch me.
Eddie!
Eddie, Eddie! [ Crying ]
Tell her to stay off my back!
Eddie: Ed, what's
wrong with you?!
There was a darkness in him...
Don't you touch me!
Something of evil,
and I could feel it.
Get me the holy water... now.
There.
Open it up.
I'm trying.
Ien El nombre del padre,
del hijo y del espíritu santo!
I threw holy water on him.
He's screaming, "I'm
burning! I'm burning!"
Yeah, bring that chair.
Grab my mother's
goblet... My mother's goblet.
This? Yes!
I was gonna perform the ritual
that I had seen my mother
perform many years ago.
En El nombre del padre...
del hijo...
Y del espíritu santo.
Amén. Dios todopoderoso.
Quickly, Eddie... a plate
and a glass of water now.
What?
A glass of water and a plate!
Hurry!
En El nombre del padre,
del hijo y del espíritu santo.
Padre nuestro que
estás en los cielos...
Hágase tu voluntad,
aquí en tierra,
como en El cielo nosotros
perdonamos a los que nos ofenden
y no nos dejes caer en
tentación y líbranos del mal. Amén.
Dios todopoderoso.
What's going on, Eddie?
Narrator: Like his mother,
Eddie places the glass and
plate over his son's head,
hoping to trap the evil
spirit infesting his body.
Hágase tu voluntad aquí
en la tierra, como en El cielo.
Ien El reino!
Hágase tu voluntad aquí
en la tierra, como en El cielo.
Ipor siempre, señor!
Ila Gloria!
[ Roaring ]
Ipor siempre, señor!
Iespíritu santo!
Toma... toma.
[ Crying ]
Eddie. Eddie.
Eddie.
Right here, Eddie.
What happened?
We're here. We're here, Eddie.
[ Crying ]
Narrator: Soon after,
life returns to normal
for the benitez family.
Eddie: The house was at peace.
We were very hopeful
that it would continue.
Narrator: Several days later,
Eddie receives a
surprise visit from Joan,
the daughter of
the previous owner.
I'm sorry about the other day.
You really caught me off guard.
I understand.
God, it's been so long
since I've been in this house.
It really brings back
a lot of memories.
Look, when I told you my
dad's name was Christopher,
that wasn't entirely true.
His middle name was Richard.
Only his closest friends
and family called him "Rick."
It was like the puzzle
was starting to fall in place.
It's just really hard
to talk about my dad.
He went to prison
for a long time,
but when he got back,
he just had a really
hard time adjusting.
Of course, I wanted
to help, you know?
Sure.
So I rented him this house.
Would you mind if I took
a look around upstairs?
Oh, no. Sure.
Just for a minute.
Sure.
Narrator: Joan asks to
see her father's old room.
Everything's in the same place.
Eddie: Rick had the bed in
the same position my son did,
the dresser, and the flag on
the wall in the exact same area.
Dad! Dad, wake up!
Wake up, please.
Wake up.
He went to prison
for a long time,
but when he got back,
he just had a really
hard time adjusting.
Dad! Dad, wake up!
I think I know why my
father's trying to hurt your son.
Why?
Why would he want to hurt him?
If my father were
still alive today,
he would be doing
everything in his power
to harm you and your family.
Narrator: Eddie now understands
that Rick was a violent racist,
carrying on in death
as he did in life,
that he and his family were
just targets of his hatred.
Eddie: We were
basically in his house.
My son was still in his room,
and he wanted to get
rid of us no matter what.
Narrator: Weeks later...
Eddie: I started feeling weird.
My breathing became distressed.
My body was trembling.
And, uh, I don't know.
I just felt like I was dying.
Male voice: Get out.
Get out!
[ Siren wailing ]
Narrator: Eddie lapses
into a deep coma...
And doctors are
unable to determine why.
Three days later,
he mysteriously and miraculously
regains consciousness.
He's opening his eyes!
[ Crying ] Eddie.
It's me... Myrna.
Mm. [ Laughs ]
Oh, my god.
Eddie: I believe that maybe Rick
was trying to make one
final attempt to take a life
and he wanted mine.
[ Myrna sobs ]
Narrator: Eddie fears for
the safety of his family...
Scared of who Rick
will target next...
And decides to
move out of the house.
Because of this experience,
Eddie's views on
the supernatural
have completely changed.
Although he cherishes
his unique gift,
he now believes that the
spirit world can be dangerous.
Eddie: You know, I
learned that evil can come in
and take control of your
life if you don't put a stop to it
and deteriorate your body,
your mind, and your spirit.
world, there is real evil
in the darkest shadows and
in the most ordinary places.
These are the true stories
of the innocent and
the unimaginable.
Latin guitarist Eddie
benitez moves out west,
hoping to resurrect
his music career.
But his optimism soon fades
as his new life is shattered
by the vicious attacks
of a deadly force.
Now he must confront
his ultimate fears
to protect his
family from the evil
that is determined
to destroy them all.
[ Screams ]
Between the world we
see and the things we fear,
there are doors.
When they are opened,
nightmares become reality.
captions paid for by
discovery communications
there are those
who walk this earth
that possess the ability to
see the dead amongst the living.
For many, this special gift
gives hope of life after death.
But the spirit world
can be deadly,
creating a living nightmare...
for those who can never escape.
[ Slow music plays ]
The year is 1976.
Carmen benitez and her son Eddie
enjoy a beautiful
day in Brooklyn.
[ Screaming ]
Narrator: The
ranting of a madman
suddenly shatters
the afternoon calm.
[ Screaming continues ]
Eddie: This man
was very hostile,
physically violent with
other people around him.
Go in the house.
Go in the house.
I knew that there was
something wrong with him
beyond the human norm.
[ Growls ]
Narrator: Carmen is known
throughout the neighborhood
as a spiritual healer.
Eddie: Everybody would go to
my mother for some type of help.
Narrator: But Eddie is shocked.
He never fully realized
the strength of
his mother's gift.
Eddie: To see a woman
have control over this man
was an amazement in itself.
Señora Carmen, De favor.
Man: I think our friend's
possessed by a demon.
You got to help us out.
He ain't got nowhere to go.
[ Screaming ]
Bring him into the house.
Narrator: Carmen orders them to bring
the possessed man inside her home.
[ Screaming continues ]
No!!
In here. In here.
Narrator: Using holy water,
Carmen prepares to
perform an exorcism.
This ritual originated
in Puerto Rico
and has been passed down through
many generations of her family.
Padre nuestro que
estás en los cielos...
Santificado sea tu nombre...
Narrator: As she
repeats the lord's prayer,
Carmen places the man's
hands over a goblet of water,
which weakens the evil spirit
and prevents its escape
from the man's body.
Quickly, Eddie... a plate
and a glass of water now.
Nos perdona nuestras ofensas
como así nosotros perdonamos
los que nos ofenden...
Narrator: To
complete the exorcism,
she holds a glass of water
and plate over the man's head.
Then she taps the
glass three times...
[ Screams ]
Narrator: And expels
the demonic spirit
from the man's body,
trapping it between the
plate and glass of water.
Eddie: You could see that
there was an immediate change
not only in the way
he looked physically,
but in everything
else in the room.
You could feel it.
Gracias, señora. You saved me.
After viewing what
my mother did,
that led me to ask a lot of
questions about my mother,
the power she possessed,
and who gave her that power.
[ Mid-tempo
acoustic-guitar music plays ]
Narrator: Eddie's
considered a musical prodigy
and already has made
a name for himself
as one of the industry's
hottest Latin jazz guitarists.
Eddie: When I was 14, I
was signed to a record deal
by one of the largest
Latin labels in the world.
My first album, "night life,"
was out and became gold.
Fantastic, Eddie. That
was great. It's a wrap.
Eddie: All right, thanks.
Thank you.
Ahh.
So, what do you think so far?
About what?
The album.
Look, it sounds great.
You're doing fantastic.
Don't worry about that.
Can you come by tomorrow,
cut some more tracks with me?
Yeah, absolutely...
Right after school.
Sounds good. Sounds good.
You ready to go?
Yeah.
Okay, let's go.
Straight home, okay?
No stops anywhere
else, all right?
Man: Got it.
Hey, you have a great day, man.
See ya. You take care.
Thanks.
Where you going?
Brooklyn... 128 hayslip.
You got it.
[ Light jazz music playing ]
Hey, um, b-Brooklyn's that way.
Hey, man, where are you going?
Hey. Hey, why are
we stopping, man?
Hey, he said no stops.
I'm talking to you, man.
Why are we stopping?
Carmen: Estoy
preocupada por tí, mi amor.
Perdóname, madre,
I got into a cab...
Narrator: Eddie tries to
explain what just happened.
Eddie: You could see the
transformation in this man.
He took on this
appearance of evil.
It's okay, Eddie. Oh, Eddie.
Narrator: Carmen believes that
he was confronted by a demon
for the first time.
I need to talk to you.
She tells Eddie that
he has the ability
to interact with
the spirit world...
You have a special gift.
A gift that runs
in their family.
For the rest of his life,
Eddie will have encounters
with the supernatural,
but that there is no
reason to be afraid.
The spirit world
is just part of life.
The dead cannot harm you.
Although he is uncertain
of his newfound gift,
Eddie finds comfort
in his mother's words.
Eddie: The moment
had a big impact on me
because it started what I
call my search for the truth,
seeking more about religion
and understanding
the spirit world.
Narrator: And over the years,
Eddie eventually accepts
this ability as a part of his life.
In the 1970s, Eddie
tours the world,
playing with some of the
biggest names in music.
Eddie: I've toured
with tito puente,
Larry Harlow, mongo santamaria,
Barry white, George
Benson... You name it.
Narrator: At the age of 23,
Eddie takes a break
from the music scene.
He gets married,
goes to college,
and starts a family of his own.
In 2003, Eddie
returns to the stage,
playing a private concert
for 200 of his closest fans.
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
He's ready to relaunch
his solo career.
[ Cheers and applause ]
Eddie: Before, I was
more commercial,
and now my music
has matured a lot.
I made it more spiritual because of a lot
of the things that have happened in my life.
Narrator: Always
there to support him
are his wife, Myrna,
and son, Eddie Jr.
Myrna: Being married
for so many years,
it's been quite exciting.
You meet a lot of
different, interesting people
in the music world.
Eddie Jr.: Me and my
dad are really close.
He'd say we're like brothers.
We've always been a
close, tight-knit family.
Narrator: In 2004,
Eddie's beloved
mother passes away.
Nearly a year later,
he and his family
decide to leave New York
and start a new life elsewhere.
Eddie: We figured Arizona
would be a nice spot
because it's close to
California, close to Vegas,
where I could still
be able to do my thing
in the music industry.
[ Sighs ] I'm really
going to miss this place.
You okay, dad?
Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Guys, I think that's everything.
We are ready to go. Ready, huh?
Yes, but I've made some lunch.
You want to grab
some lunch first?
Food, food. Let's
start with that.
Go.
Narrator: Eddie is suddenly
reminded of his unique gift.
Narrator: A week later,
the benitez family
arrives at their new home
in tempe, Arizona.
How you doing?
Ahh!
[ Smooches ]
[ Laughs ]
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
Narrator: Although they are
miles away from New York,
they welcome this
new phase in their lives.
Myrna: We just loved the house.
We were like, "this is a
fabulous place to be at."
Eddie: We were happy.
We were content.
Everything was
there that we needed.
And we would be even
more united as a family.
Myrna: It was a house that
we would be able to stay in
for a very long time.
♪ I dream of
holding you so tight ♪
♪ I dream of loving you
all through the night ♪
Narrator: Weeks
after they move in,
Eddie begins working
on his new album.
He prefers to
record late at night
when the house is quiet
and there are
fewer distractions.
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
[ Bang ]
[ Music stops ]
Myrna?
Eddie?
[ Music resumes ]
[ Banging ]
[ Music stops ]
Eddie: Being from New York,
you start to speculate
maybe an intruder.
Narrator: Eddie finds
no sign of a break-in.
Eddie: There was nobody around.
Narrator: Over the next month,
while Eddie works on his album,
the rest of the family
settle into their new lives.
Myrna gets a job as an
elementary-school teacher.
Well, well, well. Buenos días.
How's it going?
What?
The album.
[ Chuckles ] It's
coming. It's coming.
Yes, I know. You
kept me up all night.
Well, I was working
very hard all night long.
I'm very glad.
Narrator: Eddie
Jr. also finds work
as a manager at a
large drugstore chain.
Help yourself,
honey. [ Chuckles ]
Ooh, more sugar.
Where are you going?
Off to work.
Eddie: With a ball?
Oh, yeah, that reminds me...
I met some friends at the gym,
so we're gonna play
basketball after work.
Have a good day.
Okay. Uh... buena suerte, chico.
He says so.
[ Both chuckle ]
He looks happy.
Me too. Yes, he does.
Narrator: That night...
[ Charge plays ]
All: Charge!
[ Charge plays ]
Charge!
[ Breathing heavily ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
Eddie Jr.: I had no
idea what was going on.
I could just feel my heart
just beating out of my chest.
It felt like I was
having a heart attack.
Eddie?
Eddie, what's wrong?
My chest. I can't breathe.
It's my chest. I can't...
Calm down. Calm down.
I can't breathe!
[ Telephone dialing ]
Myrna: It's my son.
I-I don't know what's
wrong with him.
Please hurry and
come. Thank you.
[ Siren wailing ]
Narrator: Doctors run a
series of tests on Eddie Jr.
Well, I've gone over his chart.
Blood pressure's
fine. His heart's fine.
Looks like he probably
just had a panic attack.
Panic attack?
I'd never had any
problems healthwise.
It just didn't
make sense at all.
Yeah, he's normally
calm and relaxed.
That cannot be right.
Well, you know, it
could be anything.
It could be the stress of the
move, could be a new job.
Anything can set
off a panic attack.
Look, I'm gonna
write you a prescription
for a mild sedative.
I think it'll help calm you down
if you have any of these
attacks in the future, okay?
The doctor told me that there
doesn't seem to be anything
medically wrong with him.
Oh, by the way,
when you experience one
of these anxiety attacks,
think about writing
it down in a journal.
Try to think of what's on
your mind, what's going on.
Just keep a record
of what happened.
Give us a call if you
have any problems.
Hmm. Panic attack.
[ Chuckles ]
Narrator: Over the next month,
Eddie Jr. continues to suffer
from these inexplicable attacks.
His doctors are baffled,
unable to remedy his
mysterious condition.
[ Indistinct voices ]
[ Gasps ]
[ Breathing heavily ]
Eddie Jr.: There had to
be something causing this,
and it's just very frustrating
not knowing what to do about it
or not having some
kind of answer for it.
Narrator: Eddie Jr.'s health
continues to rapidly deteriorate.
Eddie Jr.: It just
physically beat me down.
I wasn't able to work.
I wasn't able to
leave the house.
[ Knock on door ]
Eddie?
Eddie Jr. would basically
lock himself in the room
and just keep to himself.
He didn't want
to talk to anyone.
Would you just shut those
curtains and get out of here?!
It was very hard seeing
him seclude himself.
Eddie, come on, please.
You've been in
your room for days.
Get out of my room!
Don't talk to your
mother like that again.
He wasn't himself, like there
was somebody else in his body.
You don't look so good.
You're really pale, and
you need some fresh air.
Just get the hell out of my
room and don't bother me again!
Narrator: One night, Eddie prepares
a special dinner for his family,
hoping to distract them
from the problem at hand.
♪ If it's love you want,
then love you're given ♪
♪ I'll give that to you ♪
Eddie Jr.: Under the doctor's
advice, I'd started keeping a journal
and just writing
down the thoughts
that was going through my
head or whatever I was feeling
or whatever happened
to me that day.
Narrator: Eddie Jr. hopes that
it will help end these attacks.
♪ Chevere ♪
♪ que chevere ♪
♪ I dream about... ♪
[ Radio tuning, static ]
Male voice: Get out.
[ Tuning, static continue ]
[ Tuning, static continue ]
Get out.
Narrator: Eddie is stunned.
He is beginning to believe that
they are not alone in the house.
Eddie: At this point,
I'm realizing that it's
paranormal what's going on.
[ Indistinct voices ]
Male voice: Get out.
Dad!
I don't know what happened.
I was writing in my journal,
and... i must have
blacked out or something.
The next thing I know,
"Rick, Rick, Rick."
Eddie Jr.: I didn't know what
to think or what to make of it.
I just was baffled.
It's all over the pages.
That's not even my handwriting.
What's running through my
mind is that there's an entity
or spirit who's around
who is being harmful.
Narrator: Eddie suspects
that it could be the cause
of his son's
mysterious condition.
He now wonders if anybody
else who has lived in the home
has been affected
by this presence.
Eddie invites his neighbor over
in hopes that he can tell him
anything about the previous owners.
Good.
Good, good.
I see you're getting some
work done to the house.
We've been having some
issues with the house... minor stuff.
Oh, man, sorry
to hear about that.
Anything I can do to help?
You know...
Do you know how
to get in contact
with the previous owners?
Maybe they can help us fix
whatever's wrong with the house.
I don't think that's gonna
work, there, partner.
You know, the guy that
used to live here... he's dead.
The rumor is is
that he killed himself.
The hairs on my arms and my
back just started standing up,
and I knew that there
was something more to this.
[ Cellphone rings ]
Oh, listen, I got
to take this call.
Listen, you're in luck.
The guy that
used to live here...
His daughter, she lives
down on the corner,
and if you talk to her, she can
probably help you out, okay?
Thanks.
My pleasure. Take care.
The only lead we had was
her father had died there,
and he had to be
the cause of this.
Narrator: Eddie believes that
Rick could be this woman's father
and decides to pay her a visit.
Eddie: I was hoping to
learn the circumstances
of her father's death...
[ Doorbell rings ]
the type of person he was,
and maybe make some sense as
to what was going on in my house.
Hi. Can I help you?
Joan? Yes.
Hi. I am Eddie benitez.
I just moved a few
houses from you. Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I think where
your father used to live.
Yes, he did.
Is that all?
Listen, I don't want to intrude,
but I need to speak to you.
It's about your father, Rick.
Listen, please.
There's many strange
things happening in my house.
My son is getting sick.
I believe it's your
father causing this.
Look, I have no idea
what you're talking about.
My father's name
was Christopher.
Now, if you don't mind,
I've got things to do!
Listen, please...
Narrator: Eddie is more
confused than ever,
and now he has absolutely
no leads as to who Rick is
and why he is hurting his son.
I had to try to
find out other ways
of figuring the situation out
and what was going on with him.
So I'm at the beginning
of the road again.
Narrator: That night, Eddie
tries to work on his album,
but is unable to concentrate.
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
Although he has
never been harmed,
he now believes
that the spirit world
is far more powerful
than he ever imagined,
and he fears that he may
not be able to help his son.
[ Music stops ]
[ Sighs ]
L-Listen, take it.
Take whatever you want.
Just don't hurt my family.
[ Speaking indistinctly ]
Narrator: Eddie realizes
that the man is not an intruder,
but the ghost that is
haunting their house.
[ Breathing heavily ]
So now I become at a point
where I'm more desperate,
and this is where
I say to myself,
"okay, I need outside help."
Narrator: He begins
scouring the Internet.
Eddie: One organization
that caught my eye
was the Arizona
desert ghost hunters.
Narrator: He immediately
sends them an e-mail,
hoping that they can remove
the entity from his home.
That weekend, a
team of investigators
arrives at the benitez home.
Anne Martin is the founder
of the Arizona
desert ghost hunters.
We decided to go and
see if we can help him
because he was
having so much activity
that we felt it was
warranted to go and look.
Narrator: Also a part of
the team is Debbie Bennett,
an intuitive who
reads tarot cards,
which give insight into the
past, present, and future.
The images on the cards
trigger psychic visions,
providing her with
a deeper knowledge
of what's going on in the house.
It opens up psychic responses
to where all cards
have different meanings,
but whatever the
question is, it's gonna apply
and give you the answer
for that specific question.
When I got the hanged man,
I felt the impression of
the entity taking his own life.
The 10 of swords
represents somebody
who chose not to move on.
What does it all mean?
I'm sensing pain.
Debbie: I could feel the
presence of a very angry man.
He didn't want me there.
I could feel the energy of
the entity getting angrier.
Who is it? What's its name?
I only see the letter "r."
Male voice: Get out.
Get out.
He wants you to
get out of this house,
and he'll do anything in
his power to get you out.
I'd like to perform a ritual
to help you remove the
evil spirit from your home.
Whatever you can do.
Narrator: That night Debbie
performs a smudging on the house,
a native American ritual
where sage is burned
to cleanse the house
of negative energy.
Smudging is used for
protection from the spirit world.
Narrator: Immediately
after the ritual,
Debbie no longer senses
the ominous presence,
believing that the spirit
has gone to the other side.
Over the next few days,
there are no signs of
any paranormal activity
in the house,
and Eddie Jr.'s health
appears to be getting better.
Eddie: The question was,
would this return or not?
Because you usually don't
get rid of these things that easy.
Narrator: Then one night...
[ Mid-tempo jazz music plays ]
Myrna: I only want
what's best for you, Eddie.
Eddie Jr.: Shut up! Shut up!
[ Shouting indistinctly ]
Eat, Eddie! Sleep, Eddie!
Take your bath, Eddie!
What the hell is
wrong with you?!
Are you stupid or just deaf?!
I want you to get off my
back and leave me alone!!
Eddie, Eddie! [ Crying ]
He just looked at me
with this scary,
awful look on his face
and just lashing out
at me, cursing at me.
I was in shock.
Tell her to stay off my back!
Get off of me.
Don't you touch me.
Eddie!
Eddie, Eddie! [ Crying ]
Tell her to stay off my back!
Eddie: Ed, what's
wrong with you?!
There was a darkness in him...
Don't you touch me!
Something of evil,
and I could feel it.
Get me the holy water... now.
There.
Open it up.
I'm trying.
Ien El nombre del padre,
del hijo y del espíritu santo!
I threw holy water on him.
He's screaming, "I'm
burning! I'm burning!"
Yeah, bring that chair.
Grab my mother's
goblet... My mother's goblet.
This? Yes!
I was gonna perform the ritual
that I had seen my mother
perform many years ago.
En El nombre del padre...
del hijo...
Y del espíritu santo.
Amén. Dios todopoderoso.
Quickly, Eddie... a plate
and a glass of water now.
What?
A glass of water and a plate!
Hurry!
En El nombre del padre,
del hijo y del espíritu santo.
Padre nuestro que
estás en los cielos...
Hágase tu voluntad,
aquí en tierra,
como en El cielo nosotros
perdonamos a los que nos ofenden
y no nos dejes caer en
tentación y líbranos del mal. Amén.
Dios todopoderoso.
What's going on, Eddie?
Narrator: Like his mother,
Eddie places the glass and
plate over his son's head,
hoping to trap the evil
spirit infesting his body.
Hágase tu voluntad aquí
en la tierra, como en El cielo.
Ien El reino!
Hágase tu voluntad aquí
en la tierra, como en El cielo.
Ipor siempre, señor!
Ila Gloria!
[ Roaring ]
Ipor siempre, señor!
Iespíritu santo!
Toma... toma.
[ Crying ]
Eddie. Eddie.
Eddie.
Right here, Eddie.
What happened?
We're here. We're here, Eddie.
[ Crying ]
Narrator: Soon after,
life returns to normal
for the benitez family.
Eddie: The house was at peace.
We were very hopeful
that it would continue.
Narrator: Several days later,
Eddie receives a
surprise visit from Joan,
the daughter of
the previous owner.
I'm sorry about the other day.
You really caught me off guard.
I understand.
God, it's been so long
since I've been in this house.
It really brings back
a lot of memories.
Look, when I told you my
dad's name was Christopher,
that wasn't entirely true.
His middle name was Richard.
Only his closest friends
and family called him "Rick."
It was like the puzzle
was starting to fall in place.
It's just really hard
to talk about my dad.
He went to prison
for a long time,
but when he got back,
he just had a really
hard time adjusting.
Of course, I wanted
to help, you know?
Sure.
So I rented him this house.
Would you mind if I took
a look around upstairs?
Oh, no. Sure.
Just for a minute.
Sure.
Narrator: Joan asks to
see her father's old room.
Everything's in the same place.
Eddie: Rick had the bed in
the same position my son did,
the dresser, and the flag on
the wall in the exact same area.
Dad! Dad, wake up!
Wake up, please.
Wake up.
He went to prison
for a long time,
but when he got back,
he just had a really
hard time adjusting.
Dad! Dad, wake up!
I think I know why my
father's trying to hurt your son.
Why?
Why would he want to hurt him?
If my father were
still alive today,
he would be doing
everything in his power
to harm you and your family.
Narrator: Eddie now understands
that Rick was a violent racist,
carrying on in death
as he did in life,
that he and his family were
just targets of his hatred.
Eddie: We were
basically in his house.
My son was still in his room,
and he wanted to get
rid of us no matter what.
Narrator: Weeks later...
Eddie: I started feeling weird.
My breathing became distressed.
My body was trembling.
And, uh, I don't know.
I just felt like I was dying.
Male voice: Get out.
Get out!
[ Siren wailing ]
Narrator: Eddie lapses
into a deep coma...
And doctors are
unable to determine why.
Three days later,
he mysteriously and miraculously
regains consciousness.
He's opening his eyes!
[ Crying ] Eddie.
It's me... Myrna.
Mm. [ Laughs ]
Oh, my god.
Eddie: I believe that maybe Rick
was trying to make one
final attempt to take a life
and he wanted mine.
[ Myrna sobs ]
Narrator: Eddie fears for
the safety of his family...
Scared of who Rick
will target next...
And decides to
move out of the house.
Because of this experience,
Eddie's views on
the supernatural
have completely changed.
Although he cherishes
his unique gift,
he now believes that the
spirit world can be dangerous.
Eddie: You know, I
learned that evil can come in
and take control of your
life if you don't put a stop to it
and deteriorate your body,
your mind, and your spirit.