Do executions still haunt these abandoned prisons

Abandoned prisons once used for executions now draw ghost hunters and true crime fans looking for signs that the condemned never left. Reports of voices, footsteps, and cold spots cluster around former death rows and execution chambers at sites on both sides of the Atlantic. The pattern keeps tourism alive and fuels new investigations each Halloween season.

Shepton Mallet’s White Lady

Shepton Mallet in Somerset opened in 1610 and closed in 2013. Seventeen people were hanged on the grounds, including a woman whose ghost is still described as the White Lady. Overnight visitors now pay for ghost hunts that focus on the old execution yard and the former women’s wing.

Staff log knocks and sudden temperature drops near the gallows beam. A December 2025 TripAdvisor review described an EMF meter spiking while a spirit box produced the phrase “get out.” The same reviewer noted a female voice answering direct questions about her name and date of death.

Local operators market the prison as England’s oldest former jail still open to the public. Bookings spike in autumn when paranormal shows rerun episodes filmed on site. Guides point to the American servicemen’s wing as another hotspot, citing reports of boots marching after midnight.

Nevada’s gas chamber recordings

Nevada State Prison carried out the first U.S. gas chamber execution in 1924. Forty-one men died there before the facility closed in 2012. Recent teams have returned with digital recorders aimed at the sealed chamber door.

Footage aired on Travel Channel’s Destination Fear in 2026 captured a male voice saying “David Blackwell.” Blackwell was executed by lethal injection in 1979. Investigators noted the same phrase on two separate nights and documented a door slamming without visible cause.

Preservation groups are raising funds to open the chamber for limited tours. Planners cite rising interest in capital punishment history as the reason for the push. Paranormal investigators argue the room should stay sealed until more baseline readings are collected.

Missouri’s divided activity

Missouri State Penitentiary earned the nickname “bloodiest 47 acres” during its 168-year run. Thirty-nine inmates died in the gas chamber between 1937 and 1989. Guides now separate tours into cell blocks and the execution suite based on differing reports.

Tour director Marianne Thies told Missouri Life in 2025 that the chamber itself is quieter. She said executed inmates “knew they were going to die,” unlike prisoners murdered in the yard or hallways. Groups still record footsteps and a male voice answering to the name Walter Lee Donnell on death row.

Ghost Hunters filmed an episode there in 2008 that remains a reference point for new teams. Visitors compare notes on a shadow figure nicknamed “Big Boy” that appears near the old death row entrance. The site hosts ticketed overnight stays through the winter months.

Wandsworth’s Grey Lady

HMP Wandsworth opened in 1851 and carried out its last hanging in 1961. The gallows remained in place for testing into the 1980s. Former inmates and staff describe a woman in grey walking the landing near the former execution suite.

Reports collected by Inside Time in 2026 include the sound of a trapdoor releasing and sudden cold patches on G-wing. One contributor said the figure appears only when the wing is nearly empty. Electrical devices lose charge in the same corridor during evening counts.

The prison still operates, so access is limited to approved researchers and staff. Retired officers compare notes on forums, noting that sightings dropped after the gallows hardware was removed. Historians keep the stories alive through walking tours of the Victorian perimeter wall.

West Virginia’s Red Snyder

West Virginia Penitentiary in Moundsville closed in 1995 after 119 years. Eighty-five men were hanged and nine were electrocuted on the grounds. William “Red” Snyder, an Aryan Brotherhood leader killed by inmates in 1977, is the spirit most often named in current reports.

Guides say visitors hear their own names whispered in the shower room where Snyder died. Some describe being pinched or grabbed when they stand on the chalk outline marking the murder site. Handheld recorders have captured a voice answering to “Red” during October events.

The prison now runs seasonal ghost hunts that sell out months ahead. Revenue supports basic maintenance on the Gothic stone buildings. Organizers added extra dates in 2026 after social media clips of a slamming cell door reached two million views.

Idaho’s Gallows Room

Old Idaho Penitentiary operated from 1872 to 1973. Raymond Snowden was the last man hanged there in 1957. The gallows room and an isolation area called Siberia draw the strongest responses during public events.

October 2026 Fright Nights sold out after local news aired visitor audio of a voice saying “get out” inside the old infirmary. Guides note that the gallows trapdoor, though removed, still produces reported vibrations when groups stand on the recreated platform.

The site offers daytime history tours and separate nighttime investigations. Staff limit group size to protect fragile brickwork. Recent reviews praise the balance between documented executions and reported hauntings without theatrical staging.

Media keeps the stories alive

Paranormal programming and short-form video have increased bookings across these locations. Destination Fear and Ghost Hunters remain reference points for new teams planning chamber investigations. Clips posted from Missouri and Nevada circulate each fall and prompt fresh reservations.

Podcasts focused on capital punishment often close episodes with listener accounts from these prisons. Historians appear as guests to separate verified execution records from later ghost stories. The combination keeps the subject in rotation without requiring new physical evidence.

Operators track which episodes trigger reservation spikes. A single viral clip of slamming doors at Nevada State Prison sold fifty additional overnight spots within a week last spring. Marketing calendars now align with scheduled air dates rather than traditional holidays.

Chamber versus row distinctions

Guides at multiple sites observe that activity reports differ between execution chambers and nearby death row cells. Thies in Missouri argued that inmates who received formal sentences may have accepted their fate, reducing the emotional charge left behind. Investigators still log more knocks and voices on the row itself.

Nevada teams note similar patterns, with temperature drops inside the chamber but fuller audio responses in the holding cells. They record names and dates that match documented executions, though no scientific body has verified the source. Groups treat the distinction as a working hypothesis for planning future visits.

The pattern influences ticket pricing. Tours that include the chamber cost more and sell faster. Operators justify the premium by pointing to limited access and higher reported activity in adjacent corridors.

Preservation funding questions

Closed prisons require ongoing money for roofs, security, and basic utilities. Ghost hunt revenue now covers a measurable share of those costs at Missouri, Idaho, and West Virginia sites. Nevada’s preservation group lists paranormal tourism as a line item in its current capital campaign.

Critics question whether overnight stays accelerate wear on fragile structures. Staff counter that controlled access prevents vandalism that occurred when the buildings sat empty. Revenue figures are not public, but operators say the model has kept several sites from demolition.

State historic offices have begun formal discussions about long-term leases that would lock in event income. The talks coincide with renewed attention to execution history in state legislatures. Any policy change would affect which rooms remain open to investigators.

Next season outlook

Halloween 2027 bookings already show early movement at three of the featured sites. Operators plan to add weekday slots if current demand holds. New camera and audio equipment will be tested in Missouri’s chamber to compare readings with 2026 data.

Streaming platforms have renewed two series that feature prison investigations, ensuring continued exposure. Historians are preparing updated timelines that separate verified executions from later claims. The combination of scheduled media and steady tourism suggests the stories attached to these executions will remain part of the itinerary for years ahead.