Fact Vs. Fiction: 7 Shocking Truths About The Conjuring's 'True Story' That The Movie Left Out

The question of whether *The Conjuring* is based on a true story is complex, but the short answer is yes—it is loosely based on the real-life experiences of the Perron family and the investigation by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. However, as of this current date in December 2025, the narrative has been heavily scrutinized and many of the film's most terrifying elements have been proven to be dramatic fictionalizations. While the Perron family maintains that the haunting of their Rhode Island farmhouse was absolutely real, recent historical research has cast serious doubt on the film’s central villain and the overall accuracy of the Warrens’ involvement.

The 2013 film, directed by James Wan, launched a massive cinematic universe based on the real-life cases of the famous, and often controversial, demonologists. To truly understand the story, one must separate the cinematic horror from the alleged historical events and the compelling, yet disputed, accounts of the family who lived through it.

The Real Life of the Perron Family and the Harrisville Haunting

The core of *The Conjuring* is the story of Roger and Carolyn Perron, who moved into a secluded, 14-room farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, in 1971 with their five daughters: Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and April. The house, known historically as The Old Arnold Estate, was built in 1736 and had a long, dark history of tragedy, including multiple suicides, mysterious deaths, and the tragic drowning of a young girl.

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• The Perron's Experience: The family claims the paranormal phenomena began almost immediately. The daughters, particularly Cindy and Christine Perron, reported seeing full-bodied apparitions. The events ranged from benign occurrences like the smell of rotting flesh and objects moving, to more terrifying physical attacks. Carolyn Perron claimed to have been physically attacked on several occasions, including being pinched and slapped by a spirit.
• The Warrens' Involvement: The Perrons invited Ed and Lorraine Warren, self-proclaimed demonologists and paranormal investigators, to their home in 1973. The Warrens spent about ten days at the house. According to the Perron family, the Warrens' presence escalated the activity, leading to what they believed was a demonic possession of Carolyn Perron, culminating in a dramatic, unauthorized exorcism attempt. This event is depicted in the film's climax.
• The Aftermath: The Perron family did not leave the house immediately after the Warrens' investigation. They remained in the farmhouse for nearly a decade, finally moving out in 1980 due to financial strain and the continued psychological toll of the haunting. The eldest daughter, Andrea Perron, has since become the primary voice for the family, writing a three-book memoir series, *House of Darkness, House of Light*, detailing their experiences.

The Debunking of Bathsheba Sherman: The Fictionalized Witch

One of the most terrifying and central figures in *The Conjuring* is the malevolent spirit of Bathsheba Sherman, a suspected witch who allegedly cursed the land and possessed Carolyn Perron. The film portrays her as a 19th-century Satan worshipper who sacrificed her child and died by suicide after cursing anyone who dared to take her land. This narrative, however, is one of the most significant fictionalizations.

The Historical Record vs. The Movie Myth:

Recent historical and genealogical research has largely exonerated the real Bathsheba Sherman, who was a resident of the area in the 1800s. She was married to Judson Sherman and died in 1885 at the age of 73.

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• Not a Witch: There is no documented evidence, historical record, or legal conviction that proves Bathsheba Sherman was a witch or practiced witchcraft. The rumors appear to have been local folklore or gossip that the Warrens and, later, the filmmakers latched onto.
• Death By Natural Causes: Contrary to the film's dramatic suicide scene, the real Bathsheba Sherman died of natural causes. Her death certificate confirms this. Furthermore, even Andrea Perron has acknowledged that subsequent investigations, including her own, suggest the stories about Sherman being a child-killing witch are likely untrue.
• The Real Entity: Andrea Perron has stated that the entity that tormented her mother was not necessarily Bathsheba, but a spirit of pure evil that simply identified with the house's tragic history. The filmmakers chose to focus on the Bathsheba myth for dramatic effect.

The Warrens' Legacy: Skepticism and the Conjuring Universe

The claim that *The Conjuring* is a "true story" is inextricably linked to the credibility of Ed and Lorraine Warren. The real-life couple, who founded the New England Society for Psychic Research, built a career on investigating high-profile cases of paranormal phenomena, including the Amityville Horror and the Enfield Poltergeist (which inspired *The Conjuring 2*).

The Controversy Surrounding the Investigators

While the Warrens are celebrated in the *Conjuring* universe, they remain incredibly divisive figures in the paranormal community, with many skeptics and historians questioning the accuracy of their investigations.

• Amityville Debunked: The Warrens' most famous case, the Amityville Horror, has been widely debunked as a hoax, with the family involved later admitting that much of the story was fabricated for book sales. Critics argue that the Warrens were more interested in sensationalizing cases than in objective investigation.
• Financial Motive: Some critics argue that the Warrens' "higher power" was money, suggesting they profited heavily from exaggerating or fabricating details of their cases, including the Perron case, which they used for lectures and books.
• The Unauthorized Exorcism: The most traumatic event for the Perron family, the attempted exorcism of Carolyn Perron, was performed without the proper authority of the Catholic Church and caused significant distress, leading Roger Perron to eventually ask the Warrens to leave their property.

Despite the controversy, the *Conjuring* film series continues to draw from the Warrens' case files. The upcoming film, *The Conjuring: Last Rites* (scheduled for 2025), is reportedly based on the real-life 1986 haunting of the Smurl family in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, further cementing the Warrens' case history as the foundation of the horror franchise.

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Conclusion: The True Story is a Blend of Fact and Fear

The movie *The Conjuring* is not a documentary. It is a highly effective piece of horror cinema that takes a handful of real-life claims and historical settings—the Perron family, the Rhode Island farmhouse, and the involvement of Ed and Lorraine Warren—and dramatically fictionalizes them for maximum terror.

The real Perron family truly believed they were tormented by paranormal phenomena and a demonic entity, and their accounts are consistent. However, the film's villain, Bathsheba Sherman, is a historical figure who was unfairly maligned and turned into a fictional witch. Ultimately, the "true story" is a chilling reminder that sometimes, the most terrifying thing is the fine line between personal belief and cinematic invention.