7 Terrifying True Facts About The Conjuring That The Movie Left Out (Including The Latest Case)

The true story behind *The Conjuring* is a complex web of alleged paranormal terror, historical fact, and significant cinematic license. As of the current date, December 10, 2025, the narrative of the Perron family's haunting in their Rhode Island farmhouse remains one of the most famous and debated cases investigated by self-proclaimed demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren. While the 2013 film brought the 1970s events to a global audience, the real-life details—including the identities of the spirits, the family’s long-term trauma, and the controversy surrounding the Warrens—are far more nuanced and, for some, even more chilling. This deep dive separates the Hollywood fiction from the documented accounts, exploring the real people, the actual events, and the latest case files that continue to inspire the ever-expanding *Conjuring* universe.

The Real-Life Protagonists: The Perron Family and The Warrens

The first *The Conjuring* film is based on the experiences of the Perron family after they moved into a 14-room farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, in 1971. The family consisted of father Roger, mother Carolyn, and their five daughters.

• Roger Perron: Father, who struggled to protect his family from the alleged paranormal attacks.
• Carolyn Perron: Mother, who claimed to be the primary target of the most malevolent entity, leading to a spiritual possession depicted in the film.
• Andrea Perron: The eldest daughter, who later authored a three-volume book series, *House of Darkness, House of Light*, detailing the family's ten-year ordeal.
• Nancy Perron: One of the five daughters.
• Christine Perron: One of the five daughters.
• Cindy Perron: One of the five daughters.
• April Perron: The youngest of the five daughters.

The family reported experiencing a variety of phenomena, from minor disturbances like doors slamming and objects moving, to physical assaults and the terrifying smell of rotting flesh.

Fact vs. Fiction: The Perron Family’s Ten-Year Ordeal

The movie compresses the Perron family’s decade-long experience into a few frantic weeks, but the reality was a slow-burn of escalating terror that lasted until 1980.

1. The Haunting Lasted a Decade, Not a Month

In the movie, the haunting reaches a fever pitch and concludes relatively quickly. In real life, the Perron family lived in the Harrisville farmhouse from 1971 to 1980. They were unable to afford to move and endured the constant presence of spirits for nearly ten years. Andrea Perron, the eldest daughter, has confirmed the phenomena were a daily part of their lives, not a short-lived event.

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2. The Spirits Were Numerous, Not Just Bathsheba

The film focuses almost entirely on the malevolent spirit of Bathsheba Sherman. While the Perron family did believe a spirit named Bathsheba was present, they claimed the house was actually populated by as many as 20 different spirits, some benign and others highly aggressive. The children often played with the less threatening spirits, which included a young boy and an older woman. The aggressive spirit targeting Carolyn was the one the family believed to be Bathsheba.

3. The Real Bathsheba Sherman Was Not a Witch

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In the film, Bathsheba Sherman is depicted as a Satan-worshipping witch who sacrificed her child and cursed the land. Historical records show the real Bathsheba Thayer Sherman was a Harrisville resident born in 1812 who died in 1885. She was a real person whose property the Perron house was located on. While local folklore and rumors circulated that she was a witch, there is no historical evidence that she was a Satanist or that she murdered any of her children. The cause of her death was documented as paralysis.

4. Carolyn Perron’s Possession Was Far Less Dramatic

The movie culminates in a terrifying, violent exorcism attempt on Carolyn Perron. While the Perron family claims Carolyn was possessed, her daughter Andrea has stated that the real event was much less theatrical than the film’s climax. The Warrens did conduct a séance that resulted in Carolyn allegedly speaking in a different language and being lifted from her chair, but Roger Perron demanded the Warrens leave the property immediately afterward, fearing for his wife's mental health.

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The Role and Controversy of Ed and Lorraine Warren

Ed (a demonologist) and Lorraine Warren (a clairvoyant) were among the world’s most famous paranormal investigators, and their involvement is central to *The Conjuring* franchise. However, their account of the Perron haunting and their overall legacy has faced significant scrutiny and controversy over the years.

5. The Warrens’ Involvement Was Brief and Contentious

Contrary to the film, the Warrens' investigation of the Perron house in 1973 was relatively brief and did not resolve the haunting. Roger Perron was deeply skeptical of Ed Warren and eventually kicked the couple out of his home. Eldest daughter Andrea Perron has both defended the Warrens’ intentions and supported her father's decision, calling their intervention a "pivotal" moment that also caused significant distress.

6. Accusations of Exploitation and Abuse

A major point of controversy that the films avoid is the accusations leveled against the Warrens. In the decades following their most famous cases, critics and some individuals involved in the hauntings have accused the Warrens of sensationalizing stories for profit and notoriety. Furthermore, Ed Warren was accused of sexually and physically abusive behavior by a former associate, which remains a dark cloud over the legacy of the Warrens’ work.

The Latest True Story: The Conjuring: Last Rites and The Smurl Haunting

To keep the franchise fresh and the true-story narrative alive, the upcoming installment, *The Conjuring: Last Rites*, is reportedly based on another one of the Warrens' most disturbing case files: the Smurl Haunting. This case provides the latest look into the 'true' events that continue to feed the *Conjuring* universe.

7. The Smurl Haunting: A Demon-Driven Terror

The Smurl family—Jack and Janet Smurl—claimed their home in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, was terrorized by a demonic presence from the mid-1970s into the 1980s. The phenomena allegedly began with minor disturbances but escalated to extreme physical and sexual assaults, including claims that Janet Smurl was raped by a demon. The Smurls’ claims of demonic possession and attacks were so sensational that they gained national media attention, leading to the involvement of Ed and Lorraine Warren. The case is particularly notable because it allegedly forced the Warrens into a temporary retirement due to the perceived severity and intensity of the demonic activity.

The *Conjuring* franchise thrives on the blurry line between real-life testimony and cinematic horror. While the films offer a thrilling, polished narrative of good versus evil, the true stories are often messier, longer, and filled with personal trauma. Whether one believes in the paranormal or not, the experiences of the Perron and Smurl families—documented in books, interviews, and case files—remain a compelling, terrifying chapter in the history of paranormal investigation.