When there’s something strange on Staten Island ... who ya gonna call?

by Michael Rundle / metro new york

OCT 29, 2007

INTERVIEW. Arthur Matos, 37, is one of Staten Island’s ghost-hunting elite. Loaded with an array of radiation detectors, video cameras and microphones, Matos and his four-person team (the Eastern Paranormal Investigation Center, or EPIC) have since 2006 investigated homes, museums, restaurants and cafes — free-of-charge — looking for spectral signs. Halloween is, unsurprisingly, one of their busiest times of the year.

When did you see your first ghost?

It was in my parents’ house. I was 11. It happened in the basement. I walked downstairs and, as I always did, I opened up a closet where I had all my toys. I was grabbing for something out of the toy chest and then, all of a sudden, I felt as if there was something there. I felt someone put their hands on my shoulder. It was pure fear. I went to my mother — I ran — and I told her what happened. And she just brushed it off.

When did you begin investigating the paranormal?

When I was 18 it started revealing itself, coming back to the memory of what happened to me, from watching movies. So I started delving — I should say studying — demonology and pagan religions and the aspects of spirits. It intrigued me to the point that I was almost obsessed. But I really wasn’t getting anywhere. When I was 31, I decided to delve into the more scientific realm.

How did this lead to EPIC?

In 2006, I decided to get help — other people that were interested, and who wanted to find a science-based group. No psychics, mediums, clairvoyants or anything like that.

When you do an investigation, what are you looking for?

I need proof. Video-wise I look for shadows, movement, mists. We go in there and debunk the situation. We don’t try to find things. We go in there and try to disprove that there is paranormal activity.

Are there a lot of groups that do this?

We have very advanced equipment that other groups haven’t even heard of ... such as ion generators, ion detectors — radiation detectors.

Are people more relieved if you find nothing there?

Absolutely. I’ve had many cases where people didn’t know they had squirrels or raccoons in their attic and they thought it was scratching in the walls.

What are ghosts?

When you have activity, it is made up of individuals that have died sudden or tragic deaths, they have had unfinished business. These are just theories. These are not facts. But they pretty much pan out.

How do you control your own fear?

When you see something, you are startled, but it happens so fast. You don’t really have the fear that you think you’re going to have.

The ghosts of S.I.

Staten Island is reputedly New York’s most haunted borough. Resident apparitions are said to include the spirit of Antonio Meucci, an Italian inventor who haunts the Garibaldi-Meucci museum, the ghosts of former patients at the old Seaview insane asylum, and several revolution-era British soldiers.

Click here for the original article on Metro.us

Follow-up article on EPIC