By Kitty Wilder, Managing Editor
Thursday, March 15, 2007 5:06 PM EDT

Tony Losardo, Erika Reyes, Margaret Losardo and
Colleen Krason, members of Beyond the Grave paranormal
investigators search for evidence of ghosts in the
Rahway Cemetery.

They carry high-tech equipment and an open attitude, which they say helps attract ghosts. "If there's anyone here, can you talk to us please?" Krason asked as she, Reyes and the Losardos wandered among the graves surrounding the Unknown Woman. The foursome picked the site because of the legend surrounding the woman - an 1887 murder victim who has never been identified. Carefully stepping around headstones large and small, the group carried cameras, a voice-recording device and an Electromagnetic Field detector to capture evidence of their visit.

The recorder is used to capture non-human voices in a frequency out of normal range, Krason said. Video and digital cameras capture similar evidence - orbs of light not detected by the human eye. But beyond these measures, the investigators are able to provide what they say is further evidence that ghosts exist. The EMF detector records fluctuations in energy levels "that would indicate there's something going on," Krason said. When Krason and her crew first arrive at a new site, they take a base reading with the EMF detector and then watch for detector readings to jump. The best readings usually come at night, when human energy is down and ghosts have more room for their energy to expand, she said. Some of the best people to attract ghosts are kids, because ghosts seem to attracted specifically to their energy. Margaret Losardo agrees. "Most children can see spirits, they just don't know that's what they're seeing," she said.

Losardo also has a special connection with ghosts and is a crucial part of the investigation team, her colleagues said. She describes herself as a psychic medium who is able to draw the most evidence that ghosts exists. "I don't really know why, I just know that it's true," Reyes said. As Losardo visited individual graves in Rahway, she politely asked for ghosts to leave evidence for her on the cameras and voice recorder. "Sometimes you can ask them to come out, but you have to ask nicely," she said. "It takes a while for them to warm up to you." While their work may sound unusual to some, the investigators said they enjoy proving disbelievers wrong. "One thing we need is skeptics. We need to prove to people this exists," Krason said. Reyes admitted some of those closest to her have a hard time believing in what she does. "All my friends are skeptics, but they love my stories," she said.

To add further weight to their work, the group provides their evidence for the public at their Web site, www.beyondthegravepi.com. What started as a hobby for the ghost hunters is beginning to shift toward a professional service. With their Web site, Beyond the Grave hopes to attract clients searching for specific research and analysis. The group is eager to offer their help and will provide all service and research free. While they're based in New Jersey, the hunters have traveled throughout New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania and are willing to take on clients throughout the region. "We'll go any place we're needed," Krason said.

Kitty Wilder can be reached at 908-686-7700, ext. 127, or theprogress@thelocalsource.com.