Following Lorraine Warren's death in 2019, the physical artifacts in Monroe became the subject of intense local controversy and regulatory scrutiny. For decades, curious fans and horror tourists had descended upon Knollwood Street, creating severe gridlock in what is otherwise a quiet residential neighborhood. The town of Monroe intervened with strict zoning ordinances, permanently barring the museum from operating as a commercial tourist attraction.
Today, the collection remains under the legal ownership of the Spera family and NESPR, though the physical basement museum is closed to the public. Periodically, internet rumors claim that the Annabelle doll escaped her enclosure or was sold at private auction. Each time, Tony Spera releases video documentation showing the doll securely intact inside its custom preservation case. While Tony occasionally transports the artifact under heavy security to vetted horror conventions or private ticketed events, Judy maintains her distance.
Her focus remains on preserving her parents' personal estate while dismantling sensationalist gossip. When interviewers ask her about the financial windfalls of the Hollywood films, Judy points out that her parents signed away life rights decades earlier when independent film deals offered modest upfront payments rather than massive backend participation points. She lives unostentatiously, grounded in Christian faith, quietly managing the complex reality of being the sole heir to America's most polarized ghost-hunting dynasty.
