Roland Doe: The Case That Inspired The Exorcist

In January 1949, a thirteen-year-old boy from Cottage City, Maryland, began experiencing strange phenomena that his family interpreted as demonic possession. The case would involve multiple exorcisms, hospitalization, and eventually inspire one of the most successful horror novels and films ever made. The boy’s identity was protected under the pseudonym “Roland Doe” (later revealed as Ronald Hunkeler), and his story became the foundation for “The Exorcist.”

The Beginning

The disturbances reportedly began after the death of Roland’s Aunt Harriet, a spiritualist who had introduced him to the Ouija board. According to the family, they began hearing scratching sounds in the walls, furniture moved without cause, and objects flew across rooms. The activity seemed to center on Roland.

The family first consulted their Lutheran minister, Reverend Luther Miles Schulze, who witnessed scratching sounds and vibrating furniture. Unable to help, he suggested the family seek assistance from a Catholic priest, as the Catholic Church had formal protocols for dealing with such cases.

Escalation

The phenomena reportedly intensified. Words appeared scratched into Roland’s skin. He spoke in languages he had never learned. His voice changed to deep, guttural tones. He exhibited violent behavior and superhuman strength when restrained. Religious objects caused him to react with rage.

The family consulted Father E. Albert Hughes at St. James Catholic Church in Mount Rainier, Maryland. Father Hughes conducted an exorcism that reportedly ended when Roland slipped a loose bed spring from his restraints and slashed Hughes’s arm from shoulder to wrist. The priest required over one hundred stitches.

St. Louis

The family relocated to St. Louis, Missouri, hoping a change of environment might help. Instead, the phenomena continued. They contacted Father Raymond Bishop, who in turn involved Father William Bowdern and other Jesuits from St. Louis University.

Over the following months, the Jesuits conducted approximately thirty exorcism sessions with Roland, many documented in a diary kept by Father Bishop. The diary describes violent episodes, including Roland breaking one priest’s nose and spitting in another’s face. It records words appearing on Roland’s body, including “HELL” and “GO TO ST. LOUIS.” It details Roland speaking in foreign languages and demonstrating knowledge he should not have possessed.

Resolution

The exorcism climaxed on April 18, 1949. According to the priests’ accounts, Roland suddenly declared that the demon was departing. He experienced a final violent episode, then became calm. He reportedly saw a vision of Saint Michael the Archangel defeating the demon. The possession was over.

Roland Hunkeler went on to live a normal life. He married, raised children, and worked for NASA. He rarely spoke of the events of 1949. He died in 2020.

The Exorcist

In 1971, William Peter Blatty published “The Exorcist,” a novel inspired by the Roland Doe case. Blatty had learned of the story while a student at Georgetown University and had researched it extensively. His novel changed the gender of the possessed child and relocated the story to Georgetown but retained many elements from the original accounts.

The 1973 film adaptation, directed by William Friedkin, became a cultural phenomenon. It was the first horror film nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. It spawned sequels, prequels, and countless imitations. The film terrified audiences and revived popular interest in demonic possession.

Skepticism

The historical record of the Roland Doe case is problematic. The documentation comes primarily from the priests involved, who were believers seeking to validate the reality of demonic possession. No independent observers were present during the most dramatic incidents.

Subsequent investigation has suggested that Roland may have been a disturbed adolescent engaging in tricks to frighten his family, rather than a genuine possession victim. The phenomena could have been produced by a clever teenager combined with credulous witnesses primed to see supernatural causation.

The psychiatrist who evaluated Roland found no evidence of mental illness but also found no evidence of possession—only a scared boy caught up in events beyond his control.

Assessment

The Roland Doe case represents a significant event in the cultural history of possession. Whether genuine demonic possession, adolescent acting out, mass hysteria, or some combination, the events of 1949 inspired a novel and film that reshaped horror entertainment and renewed public fascination with exorcism.

Roland Hunkeler carried the secret of his identity for decades. He never confirmed or denied the possession narrative. He lived quietly and died quietly, leaving the mystery of what actually happened in 1949 unresolved.

The truth of the Roland Doe case may never be known. What is certain is that something happened in 1949 that the witnesses interpreted as demonic possession, and that interpretation changed American culture forever.