7 Terrifying Facts About The Smurl Haunting: The Real 'Conjuring: Last Rites' True Story

The Conjuring Universe is set to conclude the main storyline of its most iconic investigators with the highly anticipated film, The Conjuring: Last Rites. As of December 2025, the latest updates confirm this fourth and final installment will focus on one of the most controversial and terrifying cases in the files of Ed and Lorraine Warren: the alleged demonic possession and haunting of the Smurl family in Pennsylvania. This article dives deep into the unsettling true story, the key players, and the fresh details surrounding what is being billed as the Warrens’ ultimate paranormal investigation.

The film, which sees Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga return as the legendary paranormal duo, is expected to deliver a definitive end to their cinematic journey. The inspiration is drawn directly from the Smurl haunting, a case that spanned over a decade and involved claims of a relentless, violent demonic entity. Prepare to uncover the real-life timeline, the shocking phenomena reported by the family, and the intense skepticism that surrounded the case, which makes it a perfect, complex subject for the final chapter of The Conjuring franchise.

The Definitive Profile of Ed and Lorraine Warren

The entire Conjuring film series, including The Conjuring: Last Rites, is built upon the real-life investigations of Edward "Ed" Warren Miney and Lorraine Rita Warren (née Moran). Their profile is crucial to understanding the gravity of their "last rites" case.

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• Ed Warren (Edward Warren Miney):
• Born: September 7, 1926, in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
• Died: August 23, 2006.
• Role: Professed demonologist, author, and lecturer. He was the only non-clergyman demonologist officially recognized by the Catholic Church.
• Background: Claimed to have lived in a haunted house from the ages of five to twelve. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II.
• Lorraine Warren (Lorraine Rita Moran):
• Born: January 31, 1927.
• Died: April 18, 2019.
• Role: Clairvoyant and a trance medium. She claimed to be able to see and communicate with entities.
• Affiliation: Co-founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) in 1952 with her husband.
• Partnership:
• Met: In 1944. They married while Ed was on leave from the Navy.
• Legacy: They investigated over 10,000 cases, with the most famous including the Amityville Horror, the Perron family haunting (The Conjuring), and the Enfield Poltergeist (The Conjuring 2). The Smurl case is reportedly their cinematic "final case."

The Smurl Haunting: The Real Story Behind 'Last Rites'

The terrifying true story that provides the foundation for The Conjuring: Last Rites is the Smurl family haunting, which took place in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. This case is infamous not only for the severity of the alleged phenomena but also for the media frenzy and the intense scrutiny it received from skeptics.

1. A Haunting That Began with a Flood

The haunting began after Jack and Janet Smurl moved their family into the West Pittston home. They had been displaced from their previous residence due to the devastating Hurricane Agnes flood in 1972. The phenomena allegedly started shortly after they moved in, around 1973 or 1974, and persisted for over a decade.

2. Escalation from Minor to Malevolent

The family initially reported minor unexplained events, such as strange noises, moving objects, and foul odors. However, the activity quickly escalated. The Smurls claimed they were subjected to increasingly violent and sexual assaults by a demonic presence. These claims included physical attacks, levitation, and the manifestation of dark, shadowy figures.

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3. The Alleged Entities: A Demon and Three Spirits

According to the Smurls and later the Warrens, the house was plagued by not just one, but four entities. The most powerful was a malevolent demon, which was allegedly responsible for the sexual assaults and physical violence. The other three were described as less powerful, non-demonic spirits. This complexity of multiple entities is a key feature that sets the Smurl case apart from other Warren investigations.

4. The Warrens’ Involvement and the Exorcisms

The Smurl family contacted the Warrens for help in 1986, after years of torment. Ed and Lorraine Warren visited the home and, after their investigation, declared the house was indeed plagued by a powerful demon. They claimed to have recorded evidence of the demonic entity. The Warrens subsequently brought in priests to perform multiple exorcisms in an attempt to cleanse the home.

5. Media Frenzy and Public Scrutiny

Unlike some of their earlier, more private cases, the Smurl haunting became a national media sensation. The family appeared on television and in newspapers, which led to a massive public debate over the validity of their claims. The intense media exposure is a crucial element that The Conjuring: Last Rites will likely explore, showcasing the pressure the Warrens and the Smurls faced.

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The Skeptical Side: Why the Smurl Case Remains Controversial

For every believer in the Smurl haunting, there was a vocal skeptic. This controversy is a vital part of the real story and provides a layer of complexity that the film will need to address to maintain its dramatic tension.

6. The Lack of Scientific Proof

One of the main arguments from critics was the lack of verifiable, physical evidence. Skeptics pointed out that while the family reported extreme phenomena, there were no enduring tapes, photos, or physical remnants of the alleged demonic activity after the family eventually left the house. This absence of hard proof led many to question the claims.

7. The Role of Paul Kurtz and the Committee

Prominent journalist and philosophical skeptic Paul Kurtz, who chaired the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal (CSICOP), was a major voice of doubt. Kurtz and other skeptics suggested that the Smurls' experiences could be explained by psychological factors, such as mass hysteria or a shared delusion, rather than a supernatural entity. This scientific challenge to the Warrens' findings is a major historical conflict in the case.

The Conjuring: Last Rites - The Cinematic Farewell

The film is directed by Michael Chaves, who previously helmed The Curse of La Llorona and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. The screenplay is credited to Ian Goldberg and Richard Naing, with a story contribution from franchise creator James Wan and David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick.

By choosing the Smurl case, which is widely considered one of the Warrens’ most challenging and public investigations, the filmmakers are setting the stage for a dramatic and emotional conclusion. The case's themes of enduring faith against overwhelming evil, coupled with the real-world controversy and media scrutiny, will allow Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga to bring a deep, nuanced final performance to their beloved characters. The movie is not just a horror film; it is a cinematic last rites for the investigators, aiming to provide a positive, definitive, and terrifying conclusion to the story of Ed and Lorraine Warren.