Myrtle Hill Cemetery

Posted: 05.07.2025 | Updated: 05.07.2025

Cemeteries are known for being exceptionally active with spirits. There are several theories for why this is, including that some spirits don’t accept they’ve died and refuse to move on, while others are simply confused about their presence in the afterlife. Strong emotions like grief and regret can also tie a ghost to a location, and those feelings are often experienced in a place like Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Tampa, Florida. 

Myrtle Hill Cemetery has become especially well-known for its ghostly behavior after many people have spotted shadowy figures and heard strange voices in the burial grounds after dark. 

From a spooky cemetery and haunted mausoleum to a ghost-filled theater, Tampa has all kinds of spirited dwellings. To view some of the most active locations for yourself, book a ghost tour with Tampa Terrors. 

Who haunts Myrtle Hill Cemetery?

From a Barbie-loving teen to fallen police officers, there are plenty of spirits who roam Myrtle Hill Cemetery. People have experienced all kinds of strange things late at night among the tombstones, including eerie music playing in the distance, and the feeling of being watched when there’s not another soul around. 

The History of the Myrtle Hill Cemetery

For over a hundred years, the Myrtle Hill Cemetery has been serving Tampa. It was established in 1917 by a group of three men: Daniel S. Wells, T.O. Wilson, and Clifton Benson. The men decided to turn their 105-acre plot into a cemetery for the growing city. 

The cemetery has undergone renovations and updates throughout the years as different owners have taken over. In 1926, a Catholic garden was opened when a nearby Catholic graveyard shuttered its gates. When the graveyard stopped operating, it transferred 100 bodies to the Myrtle Hill Cemetery. 

As ghosts don’t often like to be moved, this could be the foundation for some of the displaced spirits who roam the cemetery to this day. 

Several decades later, a mausoleum was built in the 1960s, which is the focal point for much of the spectral activity within the cemetery.

The cemetery is continually kept up to this day, which requires a lot of work. Many people describe getting lost in the labyrinth of different paths and roads throughout the cemetery’s three main sections.

The cemetery is even patrolled at night by police, as a great deal of vandalism has occurred recently. However, it’s said that the events taking place at the cemetery after dark go far beyond the scope of “vandalism.” Some claim that people have taken to performing satanic rituals on specific graves in the cemetery. 

Who Haunts Myrtle Hill Cemetery?

There are several spirits said to haunt different areas of the massive cemetery. Many people who go to pay their respects to loved ones near dusk say they often feel like someone is watching them, though they are alone in that section of the cemetery. 

While some spirits appear friendly, others seem to want to scare people away from their stomping grounds. 

The Ghost of Stephanie

One of the most well-known spirits in Myrtle Hill Cemetery is Stephanie. 

Stephanie was just 16 years old when she was driving home on a rainy night. She lost control on the slick road and slammed into a group of trees. When EMTs arrived on the scene, they discovered that her gear shift had impaled her liver. This caused the teen to bleed out before anyone arrived. 

Due to her death at such a young age, Stephanie’s ghost is restless. She has a crypt at Myrtle Hill Cemetery because her mother used to work there, selling plots. Stephanie is often heard or seen around her crypt. 

As she liked Barbie dolls, some people try to provoke a reaction out of her spirit by bringing Barbies with them.

Ghosts of Police Officers 

It’s common to see cops scattered around the cemetery, patrolling the ground for any vandals or grave desecrators. 

Yet, while walking around the cemetery at night, you may spot a shadowy police officer in the distance. Don’t be surprised if they don’t acknowledge your presence — this could be one of several phantom police officers that have been seen around Myrtle Hill Cemetery. 

The Haunted Mausoleum

Paranormal investigators have described strange experiences in and around the mausoleum specifically. One said that as soon as they walked up to the door, they experienced a wave of intense dread, like they’d never felt before. When they did open the door, an overpowering smell of decaying flesh poured out of the building. 

Inside, the person saw shadows moving on the walls and heard whispers from two distinct voices: a man and a young girl. 

The metal staircase used to place cards on different crypt faces is also an active area. People will hear what sounds like someone walking on the creaking metal when no one is on the stairs. Some have even seen the stairs shake as if they’re moving under the weight of a body.

Reports of a baby crying have been recorded within the mausoleum, close to a crypt that holds the remains of a mother and baby buried together.

The Sound of Church Bells and Music

Another observation people have noted at Myrtle Hill Cemetery is hearing what sounds like church bells in the distance. The only problem is that these bells are often heard at 1 or 2 a.m. 

Some have also heard music, as if it’s coming out of a music box from somewhere in the cemetery. 

Paranormal Investigation Tools Being Triggered

Many paranormal investigators come to Myrtle Hill Cemetery late at night, hoping to capture some data about the hauntings that have been reported here. One ghost hunter had their temperature recorder pick up cooling zones that were 15 degrees colder than the rest of the sealed room. 

The investigator’s tape recorder also picked up the sounds of thuds and the metal staircase from the mausoleum creaking on its own. The video camera that they had set up was suddenly drained of all its battery, despite having a full battery mere minutes before. 

Haunted Tampa

While Myrtle Hill Cemetery is one of the most haunted sites in Tampa, there are several other locations in town that will send shivers down anyone’s spine. 

The friendly Fink is often seen around the Old Tampa Theatre, continuing to hang out at his beloved workplace long after he took his last breath in the projection room. More ominous are the black-eyed children spotted around the Kress Building, attempting to lure people in by crying for help from the higher stories. 

If you want to get a break from the hot sun and learn about the more mysterious side of Tampa after dark, book a ghost tour with Tampa Terrors tonight. 

Want to learn about other haunted cemeteries and graveyards around the U.S.? Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to discover some of the most haunted and cursed boneyards in the country. To read up on more local Florida ghost stories, check out our blog. 

Sources:

• https://tampaterrors.com/
• https://www.dignitymemorial.com/funeral-homes/florida/tampa/myrtle-hill-memorial-park/9750
• https://psiresearcher.wordpress.com/2011/03/29/the-haunted-mausoleum-of-myrtle-hill-cemetery/
• https://books.google.com/books?id=6icr8PSno5MC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q=myrtle&f=false
• https://www.tiktok.com/@deathbecomesher/video/7021527324776582405?lang=en