In a quiet Connecticut suburb once stood a house with haunted objects, including a doll locked behind glass with the warning: “Positively Do Not Open.” The doll is Annabelle and she was just one artifact in the vast archive of supernatural cases investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren. They are the infamous demonologists of American history.
For decades, the Warrens traveled across the country and beyond investigating reports of haunting, possessions and demonic forces. To believers, they were spiritual warriors. To the skeptics, they were master storytellers and manipulators. But regardless of where you stand, there’s no denying that their legacy helped shape modern horror cinema. Some of their most famous cases have inspired the sprawling and terrifying film franchise known as The Conjuring Universe. Also, the Warren’s investigation of a house in Amityville, New York helped ignite a media frenzy that would go on to inspire the enduring Amityville Horror franchise.
This article explores the true stories behind some of the most chilling films inspired by the Warren’s Work.
The Perron Family Haunting
Inspiration for The Conjuring (2013)
In the early 1970s, the Perron family moved into a farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island. Almost immediately strange occurrences began to happen. Objects moved on their own, disembodied voices echoed through the hallways, and an oppressive presence seemed to stalk the family. The Perron children claimed to have seen spirits roaming the home at night, some benign and curious but others were angry and violent. One terrifying incident involved the mother, Carolyn, being physically attacked by an unseen force, leaving her bruised and shaken.
According to Ed and Lorraine, the house was cursed by a witch named Bathsheba Sherman. Who in the 1800s sacrificed her son to Satan. To confront the evil presence, the Warrens conducted a series of investigations and spiritual interventions. Including a seance that they hoped would drive the spirits out. It ultimately intensified the haunting and terrified the family even more. They tried a series of spiritual cleansings and religious blessings, though they never performed a full blown exorcism of the property. Despite their attempts to cleanse the house, the entity’s presence remained. It led the family to ultimately move out rather than endure more torment. One of the Perron daughters, Andrea, later wrote a book series about the experiences, House Of Darkness House Of Light, supporting the authenticity of the events. “Those who believe in the existence of the spirit world, require no convincing. Those who do not believe so will likely remain skeptical. It matters that this tale be told with honesty and integrity.” Andrea Perron, House Of Darkness House Of Light: The True Story Volume One
Annabelle The Doll
Inspiration for Annabelle (2014), Annabelle Creation (2017) and Annabelle Comes Home (2019)
Far from the porcelain doll seen in the films, the real Annabelle is a Raggedy Ann doll kept in a locked case at the Warren’s now closed Occult Museum. In the 1970s, two nurses claimed that the doll was possessed by the spirit of a deceased little girl named Annabelle Higgins. But the Warrens believed that something far more sinister, a demonic entity masquerading as an innocent child’s spirit, had attached itself to the toy.
The doll allegedly moved on its own, left disturbing notes and even attempted to strangle one of the nurses’ boyfriends. After investigating, the Warrens confiscated the doll and sealed it in their museum. They called it one of the most dangerous items they had ever encountered.
Annabelle remains in a sacred, sealed glass case, reinforced with prayers and warnings to never open it. The Warrens’ insisted that physical contact with the doll be forbidden, as even proximity could provoke the malevolent force said to be attached to it. According to Lorraine Warren, a man once mocked and taunted Annabelle and died in a motorcycle crash shortly after being asked to leave the museum.
The Amityville Haunting
Inspiration for The Amityville Horror (1979) and its universe
Perhaps the most famous haunting in American history, the Amityville case centered on George and Kathy Lutz. They, along with their children, moved into a Long Island home where a gruesome mass murder took place. They reported a slew of terrifying occurrences – foul odors, cold spots, bleeding walls, and even sights of a demonic pig-like creature with glowing red eyes.
The Lutz family was so overwhelmed by the escalating paranormal activity in the home that they abandoned the house after just 28 days. Terrified and shaken, they fled in the middle of the night, leaving behind their belongings and never returning.
The Warrens were among the first paranormal investigators to visit the property. Ed Warren described it as a site of a “diabolical infestation.” Lorraine described it as one of the most terrifying experiences of her life, saying the darkness she felt there never left her. While the case has faced considerable skepticism and accusations of fabrication, it remains a cultural touchstone in paranormal lore and a staple of horror cinema.
The Enfield Poltergeist
Inspiration for The Conjuring 2 (2016)
In 1977, a modest council house in Enfield, North London, became ground zero for one of Britain’s most controversial and debated hauntings. Furniture levitated, unexplained knocks reverberated through the walls, and 11 year old Janet Hodgson began speaking in a deep, guttural voice, claiming possession by the ghost of a deceased man. The Warrens encounter not only the spirit of the old man claiming to haunt the house but also a more sinister entity known as the demon Valak, disguised as a nun.
Lorraine begins having disturbing visions of a demonic nun, early in the film. It’s only later, during the climax of the film that the name Valak is discovered and is used to banish the demon. Valak was never an entity that Ed and Lorraine Warren ever encountered in their real investigations. While the name Valak does appear in ancient texts, like The Lesser Key Of Solomon, where he is described as a boy riding a two headed dragon, commanding legions, Valak the nun is a Hollywood invention.
Although the Warrens involvement in this case was far less extensive than what Hollywood would have you believe, they did visit the home. Some investigators dismissed the entire incident as an elaborate hoax, while others insisted the phenomena defied logical explanation. To this day, the Enfield case continues to divide believers and skeptics.
The Devil Made Me Do It Case
Inspiration for The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It (2021)
In 1981, Arne Cheyenne Johnson stood trial for the first degree murder of his landlord in Brookfield, Connecticut. He fatally stabbed him to death. What made the case unique was Arne’s defense. That he had been possessed by a demonic entity at the time of the murder. The Warrens had previously investigated the possession of 11 year old David Glatzel, the younger brother of Johsnon’s girlfriend. They claimed that during the violent exorcism, Arne challenged the demon to enter him instead. And it did.
The case marked the first time in United States history that demonic possession was used as a legal defense in a murder trial. The judge ultimately rejected the claim. Still, the media frenzy surrounding the trial brought the Warrens national attention once again. Lorraine testified in court that she had witnessed multiple supernatural events surrounding both Arne and David. The Warrens stood firm behind their claim of possession. Whether seen as a bold confrontation with demonic forces or a controversial legal tactic, the case became a chilling milestone in the intersection of the judicial system and the supernatural.
Controversy and Legacy
Not everyone accepted the Warrens’ accounts as the truth. Critics accused them of exaggeration, manipulation and exploiting vulnerable families. Some participants in their cases later disputed the details or motives behind the investigations. Nonetheless, Ed and Lorraine Warren insisted they never charged for their services and acted only out of the desire to help those plagued by unexplainable forces.
Whether seen as defenders against darkness or dramatic performers of the paranormal, the Warrens undeniably shaped the cultural landscape of the supernatural. Their work continues to inspire filmmakers, authors, and spiritual seekers from around the world.
Conclusion
The stories the Warrens told and the ones told about them, continue to haunt audiences even after the credits roll. As long as people fear what might be lurking beyond the veil, the names Ed and Lorraine Warren will echo through the haunted halls of cinema.
So the next time you see a film “based on a true story,”remember: some of those shadows might have stepped right out of the Warrens’ world and straight into ours.