After Roberts' death, a legend evolved in Peru that she was a
vampire. There were many versions of the legend. According to one, in June 1913 Roberts was sentenced to death in East Lancashire after being accused of being a witch, a vampire and a murderer. She was thrown, still alive, into a lead-lined coffin, and vowed to return for vengeance. In another version, Sarah Roberts was one of three 'brides of Dracula', along with sisters Andrea and Erica, who were executed in Blackburn and buried by John Roberts in Mexico and Hungary or Panama. On 9 June 1993, the 80th anniversary of Roberts' death, locals in Pisco feared she would come back to life and take her revenge. It was reported that hundreds of people bought anti-vampire kits, complete with stakes and garlic, before descending on her tombstone to throw holy water and pray and await the resurrection. Pregnant women fled, fearful that Roberts' spirit might try to reincarnate itself in their unborn child. Street vendors in Pisco's main square sold T-shirts and key rings carrying the picture of a vampire, and small bags with a crucifix and cloves of garlic to wear round the neck. Believers in the occult, however, warned that the spell was dormant and nobody was safe from "Mrs Dracula". In August 2007, a
massive earthquake struck Peru, killing hundreds and destroying a large part of the city. The cemetery was devastated but Roberts' grave was not damaged, which reinforced local beliefs of her power. The Latin America for Less website says: "To this day, citizens claim to see a ghostly woman wander the town’s dusty streets at night. So when you go to Pisco for the famous drink, don’t forget to look for the Vampire of Pisco in this haunted destination!" Writing in
Folklore journal, David Keyworth said:No matter how hard we might try to belittle the notion of its existence, or ignore its many manifestations, the vampire belief would appear to be here to stay in the popular imagination, and to remain the stuff of nightmares. ==References==