If you thought that ‘American Horror Story: Hotel’ was freaky, chances are that you haven’t heard of The Cecil Hotel.
Recently rebranded as Stay on Main, the hotel is a budget accommodation in Downtown Los Angeles that originally had 700 rooms (now 600).
Since 1927, the hotel’s history has been riddled with suicides, murders, disappearances, and serial killers.
Photo Credits: ihorror.com
What Happened to Elisa Lam at The Cecil Hotel?
Updated 2/10/2020 – Another victim was added to the Cecil Hotel’s list in 2013, one whose story still baffles paranormal enthusiasts and those who take pride in being ‘realistic’: Elisa Lam.
In February 2013, guests started complaining about low water pressure in faucets as well as “a very funny… disgusting taste.
It’s a very strange taste.
I can barely describe it.”
Maintenance workers were sent to the rooftop water tanks where they discovered Elisa’s nude decomposed body inside one of them.
Elisa had gone missing on January 26, 2013.
On January 31, her parents contacted the Los Angeles police because their daughter didn’t check out of the Cecil or leave for Santa Cruz.
The Mystery of Elisa Lam’s Death
“The unusual part is she was in contact with her parents every day,” a police spokesperson said.
“The contact just stopped.”
The investigation which ensued uncovered that she was alone on the day she was last seen.
Inquiring at nearby shops outside the hotel, the police found out that she shopped for gifts to take home to her family.
Katie Orphan, the manager of a bookstore near the hotel, described her as “outgoing, very lively, very friendly”.
Using dogs to track her scent, they couldn’t detect a trace of her in the corridors or empty rooms.
Based on their investigation, authorities ruled her death as accidental drowning.
However, the following video proves that there may be a paranormal hand that pushed her to her death.
Elisa Lam Elevator Video
As you can see from the surveillance footage, Elisa was acting strangely.
She continuously pressed buttons, hid in a corner and waved her arms wildly while carrying out a conversation with an unseen entity.
After stepping out of the elevator, Elisa was never seen.
The Top Three Theories on Her ‘Death’
Several theories surfaced to justify what happened to Elisa, but three have stirred the most controversy.
With the Cecil’s dark history, many believe that she was possessed during her stay or while she was on the elevator.
Another theory is that she was trying to escape an unseen entity, reasoning with them when she stepped out.
The third theory materialized when the victim’s bipolar disorder became known, driving many to believe that she was having a psychotic episode.
However, the last one is strongly opposed as there’s no way she could have gotten to the roof on her own or lifted the heavy lids of the tanks to slip in.
With the lack of evidence, what happened to Elisa Lam continues to be a mystery.
The question is: will the Cecil Hotel take another life before this mystery is solved?