The Mount Rainier Possession

The events that would inspire the most famous horror film ever made began quietly in Mount Rainier, Maryland, in early 1949. A fourteen-year-old boy—protected by pseudonyms including “Robbie Mannheim,” “Roland Doe,” and others—began experiencing phenomena that would escalate into full-scale possession and require multiple exorcisms to resolve.

The Trigger

The boy lived with his parents in a modest home in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. His Aunt Harriet had introduced him to Spiritualism and taught him to use a Ouija board. When Aunt Harriet died in January 1949, the boy attempted to use the board to contact her.

Within days, strange phenomena began. The family heard scratching sounds in the walls—initially attributed to rats, though exterminators found nothing. The sounds followed the boy from room to room. Objects began moving on their own. The boy’s bed shook and moved while he lay in it.

Escalation

The activity intensified rapidly. Religious objects were particularly targeted—holy images flew from walls, a vase of holy water was knocked over repeatedly. The boy’s behavior changed. He became aggressive, especially when prayers were said. His voice sometimes changed, becoming deeper and more guttural.

Physical manifestations appeared on his body. Scratches and welts formed, sometimes appearing to spell out words. The word “EVIL” reportedly appeared on his chest. His strength increased abnormally—he could not be restrained by multiple adults.

Initial Attempts

The family’s Lutheran minister, Reverend Luther Miles Schulze, witnessed some of the phenomena and attempted to help. During one visit, a chair in which the boy sat slid across the floor on its own. The minister recommended contacting Catholic authorities, who had more experience with exorcism.

A Georgetown University Jesuit, Father E. Albert Hughes, attempted an exorcism in Washington. During the ritual, the boy allegedly freed himself from restraints and attacked the priest with a piece of bedspring, slashing his arm badly. Father Hughes was hospitalized and could not continue.

St. Louis

The family traveled to St. Louis, where relatives offered to help. Jesuit priests at Saint Louis University, including Father William Bowdern and Father Walter Halloran, took on the case.

The exorcism in St. Louis was prolonged and grueling. Sessions took place over several weeks at both the family’s relatives’ home and a hospital wing. The priests maintained a detailed diary, recording the phenomena they witnessed.

According to the diary, the boy exhibited classic possession symptoms: speaking in languages unknown to him, showing knowledge of hidden things, reacting violently to sacred objects and prayers, demonstrating supernatural strength, and uttering blasphemies.

The End

On April 18, 1949, the final session occurred. According to witnesses, the boy suddenly spoke in a voice not his own, announcing that the possession had ended. He asked what had happened and why he was in the hospital. He had no memory of the preceding weeks.

The boy recovered fully. He was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic Church. He went on to live a normal life, eventually working for NASA. He never spoke publicly about the events and was protected by Church secrecy throughout his life.

The Exorcist

William Peter Blatty, a Georgetown student in the late 1940s, heard about the case through campus rumors and his research revealed more details. His 1971 novel “The Exorcist” was loosely based on the events, though significantly fictionalized. The 1973 film adaptation became one of the highest-grossing and most influential horror films ever made.

Documentation

The case is unusually well-documented. Father Bowdern’s diary provides a detailed, contemporaneous account of the exorcism sessions. Hospital records confirm the boy’s treatment. Multiple priests and laypeople served as witnesses.

However, some researchers have questioned aspects of the story. Mark Opsasnick, a writer who investigated the case, found discrepancies in various accounts and suggested that psychological explanations might account for the phenomena.

Assessment

The Mount Rainier possession remains controversial. Believers point to the multiple witnesses, documented phenomena, and the boy’s complete recovery as evidence of genuine supernatural intervention. Skeptics suggest that the phenomena might be explained by adolescent psychology, family stress, or the power of belief.

Whatever the truth, the case became the foundation for one of the most influential supernatural narratives of the twentieth century, shaping cultural understanding of possession and exorcism for generations.