Flagstaff's own Crystal Magic will be featured on the Travel Channel's "The Dead Files."
And so will the Downtown Diner, the Weatherford Hotel, the Orpheum Theater, and, well, basically the whole city.
Paranormal expert Amy Allan and former New York City homicide detective Steve DiSchiavi of "The Dead Files" visited late last year to discover what's plaguing the family-owned crystal shop only to discover that in the words of DiSchiavi, "the entire frickin' town is haunted." They work separately to keep their findings hidden from each other before coming together at the end of the episode to reveal their discoveries.
Crystal Magic owner Jessica Garnello apparently contacted the folks at "The Dead Files" with concerns that whatever is inhabiting the downtown staple may not have the best intentions. She recounts seeing apparitions, hearing footsteps, products flying off the shelf and pulsing migraines when she comes into the store.
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"I really want to know what's here, why they're here and, essentially, how to either get rid of them or appease them so they're not harassing my staff on a daily basis," Garnello tells DiSchiavi.
But their investigation soon expands out of Crystal Magic and into the streets of downtown where the dark entity moves throughout the city, hoping to get back what was once his.
The two-hour season finale is full of familiar faces. NAU professor Karen Renner makes an appearance, while Dapper Dre fills DiSchiavi in on Flagstaff's grisly history. Freaky Foot Tours owner Nick Jones undergoes some paranormal testing and local author Susan Johnson shares the story of the 1937 Walkup family murders. We also hear from Victorian Moon Antiques owner Sharon Lynne, Orpheum general manager Susan Walter, Joshua Hudlow of the Visitor's Center and more.
"When people come here and visit we want them to be safe," Hudlow explains in a conversation with DiSchiavi. "We want to be able to send them to these places and know nothing is going to attach and go home with them."
Appearing on the show helped the Weatherford Hotel better embrace its haunted history. The nearly 125-year-old hotel is home to a number of spirits ranging from a lingering bride to a bar patron that just won't leave. Weatherford manager Drew Purcell said it's about balancing the hauntings with the hotel's rich historical history
"I think we all agree it's important and we're all interested in it, but we don't want it to overshadow the cool historical stuff and the stories about how the hotel exemplifies our area and the era it was built in," Purcell said.
"This TV show helped us look at the situation and proved to us that this sort of haunted tourism is an interesting and big deal that's growing every year," he added.
The Weatherford Hotel will be screening the episode live in the bar at Charly’s Pub & Grill on April 2. The free event is open to the public and anyone involved in the taping on a first-come, first-serve basis.
"The Dead Files" will air 9 p.m. ET/PT, but the local air time will differ based on the cable provider. The episode will also be available for streaming on Discovery+ that day.
