Jackie Hernandez experienced 3 years of horrifying supernatural activity in her San Pedro bungalow during the late 1980s. The San Pedro Poltergeist became one of the most extensively documented paranormal cases in history.
Jackie Hernandez was a single mother who recently left her husband, struggling to support her two young children by working multiple jobs and attending school. Her volatile background, marked by emotional distress and challenging life circumstances, seemingly made her susceptible to supernatural interference.
In November 1988, Jackie moved into a small bungalow at 593 West 11th Street, unaware of the extraordinary events that would soon unfold. Before the intense paranormal activity, she witnessed a violet mist floating through an open window – an early harbinger of supernatural presence.
Her neighbour Susan Castenada became an early witness to the strange occurrences. During one particularly aggressive incident, a painting was violently torn from the wall and strategically positioned with its mounting nails pointing upwards on the floor showing a clear demonstration of malevolent intent.
One night, Jackie encountered a terrifying apparition: a thin, gray-skinned old man wearing a red flannel shirt and high-water pants, sitting in her children’s bedroom. The figure stared back with glowing, emotionless eyes. In a state of panic, she ran to Susan’s house.
Respected parapsychologist Dr. Barry Taff theorized the spirit might be Henderson, a man murdered near the San Pedro docks in the early 1900s. Along with cameraman Barry Conrad, Jeff Wheatcraft, and Larry Brooks, he arrived to investigate the supernatural occurrences. Dr. Taff noted that Jackie fit the profile of a classic poltergeist victim – someone living in a volatile environment conducive to psychokinetic manifestations.
During the initial investigation, loud crashes echoed from the attic. Jeff Wheatcraft experienced a terrifying attack when an unseen force threw his camera and violently pushed him. The team discovered a strange liquid oozing from the walls. Laboratory analysis revealed an astonishing result – the liquid was confirmed to be human blood plasma containing heavy traces of copper and iodine. High concentrations of iodine could be detected around the home during intense paranormal activity.
On September 4th, the investigation took a dramatic turn. Jeff Wheatcraft was nearly strangled in the attic when a mysterious cord wrapped around his neck. Photographer Larry Brooks captured the moment and rushed to his rescue. During a subsequent séance, the team claimed to communicate with two spirits. One entity identified itself as a murder victim from the San Pedro harbour, explaining that Jeff resembled his original murderer. This revelation suggested a deeply personal vendetta driving the haunting.
Electronic equipment would mysteriously malfunction, with batteries draining and then inexplicably returning to full power. Even after leaving the San Pedro house, Jackie was not free from paranormal activity. One particularly horrifying incident involved a mysterious black mass appearing moments before her daughter Samantha’s bedspread spontaneously burst into flames.
The haunting took a significant psychological toll on Jackie and her family. Living under constant supernatural threat, she was forced to move multiple times, seeking respite from the relentless paranormal attacks. Unfortunately the spirit seemed attached to Jackie, manifesting in various locations.
The San Pedro haunting, which was later featured in a 1997 documentary, remains one of the most compelling supernatural cases in modern history. Its complexity, multiple witnesses, and extensive physical evidence continue to challenge our understanding of reality and supernatural phenomena. While definitive explanations remain elusive, the case of Jackie Hernandez stands as a landmark investigation in paranormal research.