Episode Recap: Ghost Mission

A woman buried alive, two thousand dead bodies and a faceless monk?  Whoa.  That's not the kind of California dreaming most people think about!

This episode of Ghost Hunters takes the team to the 236-year-old San Juan Capistrano Mission in Southern California. The park service, led by Megan Dukett, is constantly bombarded by questions from the public about the ghosts on this sacred ground.  Hopefully, TAPS can finally answer that question! Thankfully, Josh Gates is on hand to help out!

The history of the church lends credibility to the claims. An 1800s earthquake killed over 40 people in the building, particularly a young woman named Magdelena. Locals believe her spirit has been seen in the church window. Also, a hooded, faceless monk has been seen walking the halls.  Locals believe to see his face would mean sudden death! Other claims include a vaporous apparition and footsteps of soldier by the soldier's barracks.

Jason, Steve and Josh start in the area of the earthquake ruins, where they hear strange voices they can't track. Britt and KJ spy movement by the fountain and a shadow moves down the hallway, and they hear a great rattling noise! Whoa! What was THAT? By the Great Stone Church, Steve gets startled by a dead animal!  Oh, wait, it's a towel on the ground.  Jason is jokingly concerned that Steve's phobias are going to land him in an institution!  They recreate the banging noise Britt and KJ heard by banging on a gate- but that means something had to have been there before to create the racket.  Who was it?

Josh examines the cemetery, noting that there are over 2,000 graves, which is an incredible concentration of death.  Jason realizes that perhaps Magdelena would be more likely to admit her sins to Michelle so they pull her in.  As she talks about Magdelena's boyfriend, the temperature drops.
 
Just as they get a response, all the batteries and mics go dead at the same time! Could it be electrical interference? In the courtyard, Josh and Tango follow the sound of footsteps, then they see a figure moving!  They chase it and when they arrive they smell a strong aroma of perfume. Michelle and Tango get creeped out in the soldier's barracks, and hear an odd knocking sound.  Dave and Steve throw out some rusty Spanish in an attempt to lure out the spirits

During the analysis, the team presents audio of footsteps scraping, odd breathing and voices. Of course, the KJ and Britt's experience with the voice evidence, which could be in Spanish, is the clincher!  

Ultimately, Jason believes the activity at the mission is definitely out of the norm, but there is nothing for any visitors to this historic site to fear.