The Smurl Haunting

For fifteen years, the Smurl family of West Pittston, Pennsylvania endured what they described as a demonic haunting that began with minor disturbances and escalated to physical attacks, demonic manifestations, and events that followed them even when they fled their home. Their case, investigated by Ed and Lorraine Warren and publicized in a book and television movie, remains one of the most dramatic haunting claims of the twentieth century—and one of the most controversial.

The Family and the House

Jack and Janet Smurl moved into a duplex in West Pittston in 1973. Jack’s parents, John and Mary Smurl, occupied the other half of the duplex. The families shared the house harmoniously for years before anything unusual occurred.

The Smurls were a devout Catholic family with four daughters. They were respected members of their community with no interest in the paranormal and no reason to fabricate sensational stories.

Early Disturbances

Strange events began in 1974, initially so minor they were dismissed. A stain appeared on a carpet that could not be cleaned. A new television burst into flames. Pipes leaked despite being newly installed. The disturbances were annoying but seemed explicable—just bad luck with a new house.

Through the late 1970s, the problems continued intermittently. The Smurls heard footsteps when no one was walking. Doors opened and closed on their own. The toilet flushed without anyone using it. Still, the family tried to rationalize the events.

By the early 1980s, the disturbances became harder to dismiss. Temperature drops occurred in specific areas. Foul odors materialized without source. The family began to sense they were not alone.

Escalation

In 1985, the haunting intensified dramatically. The family began seeing apparitions. Janet Smurl reported encountering a dark figure in the basement. Jack saw a woman in a white dress who vanished when approached. The daughters reported being touched by invisible hands.

Physical attacks began. Janet was thrown across a room. Jack was assaulted by an unseen presence. The family dog was found levitating off the ground. Scratch marks appeared on family members.

Most disturbing, both Jack and Janet reported sexual assaults by an unseen entity—Janet by what felt like a human form, Jack by an apparently female presence. These incubus and succubus attacks, traditionally associated with demonic activity, terrified the family.

Seeking Help

The Smurls first turned to their Catholic faith. Local priests blessed the house, but the activity continued. They sought psychiatric evaluation to ensure the events weren’t psychological—the evaluations found them mentally healthy.

In 1986, the family contacted Ed and Lorraine Warren, the famous paranormal investigators. The Warrens concluded that the house was infested with multiple demonic entities, including a powerful demon they identified as a force of great evil.

The Warrens arranged for exorcisms to be performed. Multiple ceremonies were conducted, some by Father Robert McKenna, a traditionalist Catholic priest. The ceremonies brought temporary relief, but the activity always resumed.

Going Public

In 1986, frustrated that private efforts had failed, the Smurls went public with their story. They hoped media attention would bring them help and warn others about demonic forces. The decision was controversial—some felt they were seeking attention; others believed they were desperate.

The publicity brought both support and criticism. Skeptics investigated and found no evidence of supernatural activity. Supporters pointed to the family’s obvious sincerity and the physical evidence—scratches, displaced objects—as proof of genuine phenomena.

The attention did not stop the haunting. If anything, the entities seemed angered by the exposure. Activity increased. The family fled to a relative’s home, but the phenomena followed them.

The Warrens’ Assessment

Ed and Lorraine Warren documented their investigation in detail. They concluded that at least four entities inhabited the house: a human spirit (possibly the woman in white), a dark, powerful demon, and two lesser demonic entities.

The Warrens believed the demons had been attracted by some unknown circumstance—perhaps activity in the house before the Smurls arrived, or vulnerabilities in the family that attracted evil. They recommended continued spiritual warfare and eventual relocation.

The Book and Movie

In 1988, “The Haunted,” a book about the case by Robert Curran with Jack and Janet Smurl and the Warrens, was published. A television movie followed in 1991. The publicity kept the case in public awareness but also increased scrutiny.

Critics noted inconsistencies in the accounts and questioned why the family remained in the house so long if the haunting was as severe as claimed. Supporters responded that the family had limited resources and initially hoped the problem could be resolved.

Resolution

The Smurls eventually moved from the West Pittston duplex. They reported that while some minor phenomena followed them, the intensity decreased dramatically. The move, combined with continued religious intervention, apparently ended the worst of the haunting.

The family has maintained their account for decades. They have never retracted their claims and have expressed no indication of hoax. Jack Smurl died in 2019, still affirming that the haunting was real.

Analysis

The Smurl case divides opinion. Believers point to the family’s sincerity, the physical evidence witnessed by multiple people, and the involvement of credible investigators. The consistency of their story over decades suggests they believe what they experienced.

Skeptics note the lack of independent verification, the commercial involvement (book, movie), and the association with the Warrens, whose other cases have been challenged. The claim of sexual assault by demons in particular strains credibility for many observers.

The case remains significant in paranormal research as an example of a long-term haunting that involved multiple types of phenomena—apparitions, physical attacks, demonic elements—all affecting a single family over many years.

Legacy

The Smurl haunting continues to be discussed and debated. The house in West Pittston still stands, now occupied by others who reportedly experience no unusual activity. Whatever tormented the Smurls appears to have been connected to them rather than the location.

The case stands as a reminder of how haunting claims can escalate from minor annoyances to life-altering terror, and of how difficult it is to verify or disprove such experiences.