10 Chilling True Story Secrets Behind The Conjuring Franchise (Updated 2025)

The Conjuring Universe, a cinematic powerhouse that has generated billions at the box office, is famously based on the "case files" of real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. However, as of December 15, 2025, the true story behind the films is far more complex, controversial, and often darker than anything portrayed on screen.

This article dives deep into the original 1971 Perron family haunting—the basis for the first film—and the serious allegations and new updates, including the latest 2025 film, *The Conjuring: Last Rites*, which focuses on the infamous Smurl Haunting. Prepare to separate cinematic fiction from the unsettling reality of the Warrens’ legacy and the families they documented.

The Perron Family: The Real-Life Victims of The Conjuring

The first and most iconic film in the franchise, 2013's *The Conjuring*, centers on the terrifying experiences of the Perron family in a secluded farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island. The family’s story is the foundation of the entire cinematic universe.

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Biography of Key Figures in the Perron Case

• Roger Perron: Father of the family. He and his wife, Carolyn, purchased the property in 1971.
• Carolyn Perron: Mother of the family, who was allegedly the primary target of the demonic entity. She was reportedly subjected to a possession attempt.
• Andrea Perron: The eldest of the five daughters and the most vocal member of the family, she has since authored the book series *House of Darkness, House of Light*, detailing their nine years in the house.
• Nancy Perron: One of the five daughters.
• Christine Perron: One of the five daughters.
• Cynthia Perron: One of the five daughters.
• April Perron: The youngest of the five daughters.
• Bathsheba Sherman: The alleged witch and primary demonic entity in the film. The real Bathsheba Sherman was a woman who lived on the property in the 19th century, though historical records do not support the claims of her being a Satanic witch.

5 Chilling Facts the Movie Got Wrong About the Perron Haunting

1. The Haunting Lasted Nine Years, Not Weeks: The movie compresses the traumatic events into a short, intense period. In reality, the Perron family lived in the Harrisville farmhouse from 1971 to 1980, enduring the escalating phenomena for almost a decade.
2. The Warrens’ Involvement Was Brief: Ed and Lorraine Warren only visited the house a handful of times. The majority of the haunting occurred before and after their involvement. The film greatly exaggerates their presence and role as the family's savior.
3. The Possession Scene Was Different: The film's climactic exorcism attempt on Carolyn Perron is highly dramatized. While Andrea Perron claims her mother was possessed, the real event was reportedly so traumatic that Roger Perron, the father, eventually demanded the Warrens leave the property due to the emotional toll their methods were taking on his family.
4. The Entity Was Not Just Bathsheba: According to Andrea Perron, the house was inhabited by numerous spirits—some benevolent, some malevolent—not just the singular, powerful entity of Bathsheba Sherman. The family referred to the spirit of Bathsheba as the "most powerful and dangerous."
5. The Family is Divided on the "Truth": While Andrea Perron staunchly defends the reality of the haunting, other members of the family have expressed conflicting views, suggesting that the "facts" of the events are debated even within the Perron family itself.

The Latest Case: The Smurl Haunting and 'The Conjuring: Last Rites' (2025)

To keep the franchise fresh and current, the latest installment, *The Conjuring: Last Rites*, which is set for release in 2025, shifts focus entirely from the Perrons to a different, equally infamous case from the Warrens' files: the Smurl Haunting.

The Terrifying True Story of Jack and Janet Smurl

The Smurl case refers to the claims made by Jack and Janet Smurl of West Pittston, Pennsylvania. They alleged that a demonic entity inhabited their home between 1974 and 1987.

The phenomena reported by the Smurl family were extreme and escalated over time. They initially experienced minor unexplained events, such as strange odors and scratches on the walls. Over a decade, these events allegedly grew into full-blown demonic-driven terror, involving physical assaults, levitation, and even sexual assault by the alleged entity.

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The Warrens became involved and concluded that the Smurl home was infested by four distinct spirits, including a demon. This case became a media sensation in the mid-1980s, forcing the family to move multiple times to escape the alleged demonic oppression. The intensity and duration of the Smurl Haunting are reportedly what pushed Ed and Lorraine Warren to consider retiring from their paranormal investigation work, making it a fitting "Last Rites" case for the film franchise.

The Darker Side: Controversies and Allegations Against Ed and Lorraine Warren

No discussion of the "true story" is complete without addressing the significant controversies that surround the legacy of Ed and Lorraine Warren. While celebrated in the films, the real-life couple faced numerous allegations of fabrication and exploitation throughout their careers, adding a layer of ethical complexity to the entire *Conjuring* universe.

3 Major Controversies That Tarnish the Warrens' Legacy

1. The Amityville Horror Lawsuit: The Warrens were central to the famous Amityville Horror case, which became one of their most well-known investigations. However, the true story of Amityville is widely disputed, and the family who owned the house, the Lutz family, was later sued for fraud. Critics and skeptics often point to the Amityville case as evidence of the Warrens' willingness to sensationalize stories for media attention and financial gain.
2. Allegations of Abuse and Exploitation: Legal filings from lawsuits against the studio and the Warrens themselves contain disturbing allegations. Most notably, there were claims that Ed Warren engaged in a relationship with an underage girl, Judith Penney, who lived with the couple. These serious allegations paint a much darker picture of the "demonologist" and his personal life than the heroic figure seen on screen.
3. Skepticism and Fabricated Evidence: Many critics, including some within the paranormal community, have long accused the Warrens of being "frauds and grifters." They argue that the Warrens, while investigating over 10,000 cases, often lacked credible, scientific evidence to support their claims of demonic possession and haunting, instead relying on theatrics and media manipulation to sell their stories and books.

The true story of *The Conjuring* is not just about ghosts and demons; it's a tangled web of alleged supernatural events, the enduring trauma of families like the Perrons and the Smurls, and the highly debated, and sometimes scandalous, legacy of the most famous paranormal investigators in history.

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As the franchise continues with *The Conjuring: Last Rites* in 2025, the debate between faith, fact, and fabrication will only intensify, forcing audiences to question how much of the "true story" is terrifying reality and how much is masterful marketing.