The Conjuring True Events: 5 Shocking Real-Life Cases That Inspired The Franchise (Updated 2025)

The enduring mystery surrounding The Conjuring true events continues to captivate horror fans across the globe, especially with new installments continually drawing from the controversial case files of Ed and Lorraine Warren. As of December 10, 2025, the franchise is not only defined by the original Perron family haunting but is also expanding its lore with the highly anticipated release of The Conjuring: Last Rites, which focuses on a new, terrifying real-life account: the Smurl family haunting. This in-depth look separates the Hollywood fiction from the alleged facts, exploring the most shocking and debated cases that form the bedrock of the entire cinematic universe, including the latest updates on the families involved.

The core of The Conjuring Universe is built upon the careers of self-proclaimed demonologists and paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren, who claimed to have investigated over 10,000 cases during their lifetime. While their work has been the source of monumental cinematic success, it has also been met with intense skepticism, accusations of fraud, and even recent claims of exploitation. Understanding the "true events" requires diving into the specific cases, the people involved, and the significant controversies that shadow the Warrens’ legacy.

The Central Figures: A Profile of Ed and Lorraine Warren and the Families

The foundation of every Conjuring film rests on the shoulders of the investigators and the families they assisted. Their biographies provide essential context for the events depicted on screen.

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• Edward "Ed" Warren Miney (September 7, 1926 – August 23, 2006): A self-taught demonologist, author, and lecturer. Ed was the only non-ordained exorcist recognized by the Catholic Church (though this recognition is widely disputed).
• Lorraine Rita Warren (née Moran; January 31, 1927 – April 18, 2019): A professional clairvoyant and medium who claimed to possess the ability to communicate with spirits. She was the primary source of the "evidence" in many of their cases.
• The Perron Family: The subjects of the first film, The Conjuring (2013). Roger and Carolyn Perron, along with their five daughters (Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and April), moved into the now-infamous Harrisville, Rhode Island farmhouse in 1971. They claimed to be terrorized by a spirit named Bathsheba Sherman.
• The Smurl Family: The focus of the 2025 film, The Conjuring: Last Rites. Jack and Janet Smurl, along with their family, alleged that their home in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, was afflicted by a demonic presence between 1974 and 1987. Their claims included physical and sexual assault by a succubus and an incubus.

The 5 Most Shocking "True Events" That Inspired The Conjuring Universe

While the movies take significant creative license, these five cases are the documented "true events" that underpin the entire franchise, each with its own unique and chilling set of claims.

1. The Perron Family Haunting (The Original Conjuring)

The first film is based on the Warrens’ 1971 investigation of the Perron family’s farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island. The family lived in the home for nearly a decade, experiencing escalating paranormal phenomena.

• The Alleged Demon: The primary antagonist was claimed to be the spirit of Bathsheba Sherman, a woman who lived on the property in the 19th century and was allegedly a Satan worshipper who cursed the land.
• The Real Events vs. The Film: Andrea Perron, the eldest daughter, has stated that the movie is "about 95 percent fiction and about five percent hard truth." The film's climactic exorcism scene, where Carolyn Perron is possessed, is a dramatic exaggeration. In reality, the Warrens performed a séance, not an exorcism, which Carolyn claimed caused her to levitate and speak in tongues before she collapsed.
• Latest Update: The original farmhouse, now a major tourist attraction for paranormal investigators, was recently up for auction.

2. The Smurl Family Haunting (The Conjuring: Last Rites, 2025)

The latest addition to the cinematic universe, The Conjuring: Last Rites, is based on the Smurl family’s ordeal in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. This case is considered one of the Warrens’ most controversial and extreme investigations, allegedly forcing them into a temporary retirement.

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• Extreme Claims: The Smurls reported a wide range of phenomena, including strange odors, levitating objects, and growling noises. However, the most shocking claims were the alleged sexual assaults of both Jack and Janet Smurl by a demonic entity, often described as a succubus.
• The Warrens' Involvement: Ed and Lorraine Warren became deeply involved, concluding that four distinct demonic entities were present in the home. They claimed the case was one of the most severe they had ever encountered, leading to widespread media attention in the 1980s.
• The Controversy: Skeptics and local priests questioned the validity of the claims, suggesting that the media circus surrounding the Smurls and the Warrens was a form of mass hysteria or a deliberate hoax.

3. The Annabelle Doll (Annabelle Franchise)

The terrifying doll seen in the films is based on a real object held in the Warrens' Occult Museum in Monroe, Connecticut. The true story is significantly different from the cinematic version.

• The Real Annabelle: The actual doll is not a porcelain antique but a large, Raggedy Ann doll. It was given to a nursing student in 1970, who claimed the doll was acting strangely, including moving on its own.
• The Warrens' Conclusion: The Warrens were called in and concluded that the doll was not possessed by a spirit, but rather being manipulated by an inhuman demonic entity. Ed Warren placed the doll in a locked glass case, where it remains today, with a sign warning visitors not to open it.

4. The Enfield Poltergeist (The Conjuring 2)

The Conjuring 2 centers on the notorious Enfield Poltergeist case in North London between 1977 and 1979, involving the Hodgson family.

• The Phenomenon: The family, particularly 11-year-old Janet Hodgson, claimed to be plagued by moving furniture, strange noises, and levitation. The case generated massive media coverage and was investigated by multiple paranormal research groups.
• Skepticism: The case remains highly contested. Many investigators, including some who were present, believed the children, especially Janet, were faking some of the phenomena. A famous photograph of Janet levitating is often cited as a clear example of her jumping from the bed.
• The Warrens' Role: The Warrens' involvement was brief, but the film heavily amplifies their role, making them the central figures in resolving the haunting.

5. The Trial of Arne Johnson (The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It)

The third main Conjuring film is based on the 1981 murder trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson, who claimed "The Devil Made Me Do It" as a defense.

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• The Crime: Johnson, after an alleged demonic possession, stabbed his landlord, Alan Bono, to death in Brookfield, Connecticut.
• The Defense: Ed and Lorraine Warren were involved from the beginning, supporting the defense that Johnson was possessed by a demon that had transferred from the younger brother of his girlfriend. This marked the first time in U.S. history that a defense attorney attempted to use demonic possession as a legal defense in a murder trial.
• The Outcome: The judge ultimately rejected the defense, ruling that a claim of demonic possession could not be proven in a court of law. Johnson was convicted of first-degree manslaughter.

The Ongoing Debate: Facts, Fiction, and the Warrens' Controversies

The biggest update to the "true events" of The Conjuring is the growing critical examination of the Warrens’ methods and credibility. The stories are powerful, but the evidence remains elusive, fueling a decades-long debate between believers and skeptics.

Many critics argue that the Warrens were master storytellers and showmen who capitalized on vulnerable families and sensationalized events for financial gain and fame.

The Perron family case, the foundation of the cinematic universe, is itself a study in subjectivity. While Andrea Perron believes the events were real, she admits the film is mostly fiction. This sentiment is echoed across nearly all the Warrens' major cases, where the dramatic movie versions often overshadow the ambiguous, and often debunked, real-life events.

Ultimately, the "true events" of The Conjuring are less about verifiable proof of ghosts and demons and more about the enduring power of belief, fear, and the compelling, if controversial, legacy of Ed and Lorraine Warren.