Members of NW Paranormal take a team photo outside of a prison while on a case.
If there’s something strange in your neighborhood, “who you gonna call?” How about Clark County’s own Ghostbusters group? Well, actually they prefer to be called NW Paranormal.
NW Paranormal is a team of eight members, founded and directed by Gavin Sprenger and his wife Cathy Sprenger. Their goal is to explore, understand, experience and document “the paranormal.” But just as equally ambitious as they are to learn, the group also loves helping people who believe they’re in a haunted setting and are scared or confused by it.
“We do it for fun and because we have a passion for it, but also we’re trying to figure things out for ourselves and help people,” Gavin said.
Several years ago Gavin was a member of a different local group involved in the same kind of activity. He met Cathy in that group, and eventually the two decided to break off and form their own organization.
“Most all of the members of our team have had ‘experiences’ before, and that’s what sort of drives us,” said Gavin.
For him, the experience came when he was in a nearly fatal car crash. In the hospital he said he saw images that are hard to describe. For other members like Cathy, seeing visible ghosts are an example of where the pursuit of the paranormal began.
“So much of it is hard to explain,” Gavin said.
People who suspect mystical activities going on and want answers are typical of who contacts NW Paranomral. Usually the group works two or three cases a month — each one without charge.
“I don’t want to profit off people being afraid,” Gavin said. “We just want to help and learn.”
In a typical case, Gavin said his crew will listen to the claims, ask questions and evaluate the possibilities. The team will then come out to the the client's property and do a walk through.
“We know people see this stuff on TV and one of the things is we want to make sure they’re not just calling us because they think it might be something like that,” said Gavin.
If NW Paranormal decides to work the case the next step they’ll do is set up a day in which they can come to the place usually from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Once on site and ready to go the team will spend about an hour to an hour and a half setting up all sorts of equipment such as cameras and sound recorders. When everything is ready to go the team then spends the night exploring and trying to lure out the supernatural activity.
Gavin said the team members all have their different strengths and roles. Some may be able to spot better, some “attract” better. In the end they’re usually able to come away with something substantial.
“Most of what we catch is audio,” Gavin said. “Voices, kids laughing in the background, that kind of thing.”
Once a case is complete NW Paranormal gathers all their findings and puts it on DVD copies, which are given to the clients. From there the team explains what they think is going on, and what they suggest the person do about it. He said follow up suggestions range from “house cleanses” to simply “it won’t harm you,” or “there’s nothing to be afraid of.”
“I’m very fortunate to have the team I have,” Gavin said. “No experience is needed to be part of our team, just passion.”
Likewise, nothing much more than a simple request is needed to have NW Paranormal look into all your un-earthly issues.
