5 Shocking Ways The Conjuring's 'True Story' Differs From The Real-Life Perron Family Haunting

Is The Conjuring really based on a true story? This question has haunted audiences since the film’s 2013 release, which launched one of the most successful horror franchises in history. The short answer, as of December 18, 2025, is complex: the film is undoubtedly *inspired* by a real family’s claims, but the terrifying events depicted on screen are largely fictionalized, sensationalized, and dramatized for cinematic horror. The real story of the Perron family and the Harrisville, Rhode Island, farmhouse is a decade-long saga of alleged paranormal activity, which is often far stranger—and in some ways, much scarier—than the movie.

The core of the story rests on the reputations of the self-proclaimed demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren, and the harrowing accounts of the Perron family, who lived in the now-famous farmhouse from 1971 to 1980. To understand the truth, one must separate the Hollywood blockbuster from the historical record, the family's testimony, and the controversial legacy of the Warrens themselves. The true events offer a deeper, more unsettling look into a haunting that lasted not weeks, but years.

The Central Figures: A Biographical Profile of the Perrons and the Warrens

The story of The Conjuring centers on two distinct groups of people: the family who endured the alleged haunting and the paranormal investigators who claimed to help them. Understanding their background is crucial to evaluating the claims.

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The Perron Family: The Residents of the Old Arnold Estate

• Roger Perron (Father): Moved his family to the Harrisville, Rhode Island, farmhouse in 1971. He was reportedly skeptical at first but became convinced of the haunting over time.
• Carolyn Perron (Mother): The primary victim of the most intense alleged attacks, as depicted in the film. Andrea Perron has stated that her mother was the target of the spirit, Bathsheba Sherman.
• Andrea Perron (Eldest Daughter): The most vocal and public member of the family, she authored the book series House of Darkness, House of Light, which details the family's experiences and served as the primary source material for the film. Her recent interviews continue to confirm the family’s belief in the haunting.
• Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and April Perron: The four younger daughters who also experienced various forms of paranormal activity, including being thrown from their beds, seeing apparitions, and interacting with what they called "friendly" spirits.
• Duration in House: The family lived in the farmhouse for nearly ten years, from 1971 to 1980, before they could afford to move out.

Ed and Lorraine Warren: Self-Proclaimed Demonologists

• Edward "Ed" Warren Miney (1926–2006): A self-taught demonologist and author. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy during World War II.
• Lorraine Rita Warren (née Moran) (1927–2019): A self-proclaimed clairvoyant and light trance medium who claimed to be able to communicate with the spirits. She was the last surviving member of the duo and continued to consult on the films before her death.
• Key Cases: The Perron haunting (1971), the Amityville Horror (1976), the Annabelle doll case, and the Enfield Poltergeist (featured in The Conjuring 2).
• Legacy: They founded the New England Society for Psychic Research (NESPR) in 1952 and maintained the infamous Warren's Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut.

The Real-Life Haunting: What Actually Happened in Harrisville, Rhode Island

The 2013 movie takes the core premise—a family moves into a haunted farmhouse and calls the Warrens—but compresses a decade's worth of alleged events into a single, terrifying climax. The differences between the movie and the Perron family's recollections are substantial.

1. The Ten-Year Haunting vs. The Movie's Short Timeline

In the film, the haunting appears to take place over a few chaotic weeks, ending with a dramatic exorcism attempt and the family's immediate departure. The reality is far more drawn out. The Perron family lived with the alleged spirits for a full ten years, from 1971 to 1980. They were not wealthy and could not afford to leave immediately, forcing them to coexist with the paranormal activity. This long, slow burn of terror is arguably more unsettling than the movie's quick resolution.

2. The "Friendly" Ghosts and Non-Stop Activity

While the film focuses almost exclusively on the malevolent spirit of Bathsheba, the Perron family claimed to have encountered multiple entities. Andrea Perron has stated that there were many spirits in the house, some of whom were benign and even playful. The activity wasn't a sudden escalation but a constant presence: beds levitated, objects moved, and the girls would often see hazy figures or hear strange noises. The most intense focus was on the mother, Carolyn, who reported being pinched, slapped, and eventually possessed, leading to the Warrens' involvement.

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3. The Real Bathsheba Sherman: Not a Satanic Witch

The movie's villain is Bathsheba Sherman, a 19th-century woman who supposedly sacrificed her child to Satan, cursed the land, and died by suicide hanging from a tree. This dramatic backstory is largely fictional.

• Historical Record: Bathsheba Thayer was a real person who married Judson Sherman in 1844 and lived in the area in the mid-1800s.
• Cause of Death: She did not die by suicide or as a witch. Historical records show Bathsheba Sherman died of natural causes in 1885 at the age of 73.
• The Myth: The legend of Bathsheba being an evil witch who killed a child appears to be a local myth that was later adopted and popularized by the Warrens and the film's writers.

The Enduring Controversy: Ed and Lorraine Warren's Legacy

No discussion of The Conjuring is complete without addressing the significant controversy that has long surrounded Ed and Lorraine Warren. While the film portrays them as heroic, devout Catholic investigators, their methods and claims have been heavily scrutinized by skeptics and former associates.

Skepticism and Accusations of Fraud

The Warrens’ entire career, from the Amityville Horror to the Perron case, has been a lightning rod for criticism. Many critics, including some journalists and paranormal researchers, have accused the couple of sensationalizing stories, fabricating evidence, and profiting heavily from the suffering of vulnerable families.

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In the Perron case specifically, the Warrens' involvement was brief and ultimately detrimental. The family claims that Ed and Lorraine were asked to leave after their attempted séance and exorcism only made the activity worse and put Carolyn Perron's health at risk. Roger Perron, the father, reportedly grew suspicious of the Warrens’ sensationalist approach and their desire to profit from the haunting, leading him to demand their departure.

The Real "Exorcism" and The Aftermath

The movie's climax, featuring the dramatic exorcism, is a major fabrication. In reality, the Warrens performed a séance in the house, which Andrea Perron describes as a terrifying event where her mother, Carolyn, appeared to be possessed, speaking in a foreign language and levitating. Roger Perron was so horrified by the spectacle and the danger it posed to his wife that he ordered the Warrens to leave the house immediately. The family did not receive a cinematic "cure" but had to endure the remaining years of the haunting until they could finally afford to move out in 1980.

Ultimately, the question of whether The Conjuring is "real" depends on your definition. The movie is a piece of Hollywood entertainment, taking the names, location, and core claim of a haunting from the real-life experiences of the Perron family. The family, particularly Andrea Perron, continues to stand by their story of a decade-long supernatural ordeal in the Harrisville farmhouse. However, the film's most dramatic and terrifying elements—the short timeline, the demonic witch, and the heroic exorcism—are purely fictional additions, designed to sell tickets and cement the controversial legacy of Ed and Lorraine Warren.