Lafayette Pioneer Cemetery, Dayton
Lafayette Pioneer Cemetery in Dayton, Oregon is believed to be haunted by a woman wrongly accused of witchcraft who was hanged, and some reports include her apparitions wandering the graves, unexplained laughter, disembodied voices saying "Run Home!", and visitors leaving with deep cuts on their backs. Though the witch legend is prevalent, other theories suggest the haunting could be connected to other spirits or different individuals such as Lena, who committed suicide nearby and may haunt the cemetery as well. The most common story describes a woman who was accused of being a witch and subsequently hanged after the conviction. Her spirit is said to be seen standing or wandering through the graveyard. Some witnesses claim to have heard her cackling or even captured her voice saying "Run Home!" on audio recordings. Visitors have reported being chased out of the cemetery and later discovering deep cuts on their backs, as if attacked by the vengeful spirit. A different story involves Anna Marple, a woman considered a gypsy who cursed the town after her son's execution. Another account suggests the presence of Lena, a woman who committed suicide in a nearby home and whose ghost is seen in the cemetery, though her connection is unclear. Some believe the cemetery may simply be a haunted location with several spirits rather than one specific entity.