A short summary
When Janet and Jack Smurl first moved into their family home on Chase Street in West Pittson, Pennsylvania, they knew it was a fixer-upper. The property needed repainting and refixing, but what they didn’t know was that the renovations would be the least of their problems.
Over a period of 13 years, they were tormented by the ghosts that haunted the place. Janet also believed she was molested in her sleep by a demon, and Jack said he was sexually attacked by an unknown force as he watched a baseball game on TV. They also witnessed the family dog being thrown violently against the wall.
Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren identified four ghosts at the property—a harmless old lady, a violent young girl, a man who had died in the home, and a demon who controlled the other three spirits. In 1987, the Smurl family had had enough of the attacks, and they fled their home with no intention to return
The Smurl family become famous for their terrifying story.
They went through hell and pure torture that no human being should have to endure.
After flood damage forced them from their Wilkes-Barre home, Janet and Jack Smurl, along with their young daughters and Jack’s parents, moved into a Chase Street duplex in West Pittson, Pennsylvania. A bit of a fixer-upper, they put their efforts into repainting, retooling, and repairs. It was at this time that the eerie activity began.
The strange mystery begins
The beginning of 1974 was like any other until strange noises disrupted the calm. Odd things like the television, water pipes, and renovations got destroyed. The family had no explanation for this. But apparitions started to make themselves known to many family members.
This continued for the next 11 years with each week getting worse and worse. Disturbing voices and noises were always being heard, and temperatures began to drop to below freezing.
The next stage; oppression was starting with the mother being targeted by the apparitions. She was being psychologically bound to the fact that she would always hear the voices calling her.
But they weren’t done there because the final attempt of infestation was going to leave a mark on the family. An apparition showed itself to two people within seconds of each other. The family couldn’t imagine anything worse, but they were in for a horrifying surprise.
Could you imagine your house becoming a scary place to live in? It’s supposed to be a place that you felt safe in, but your environment was about to become more inhospitable.
The demons
It was now time for the demon and the other spirits to break the faith of the family and leave them a crumbling heap of a mess. Nobody was spared in the violent attacks. All of the family members had targets on their backs. The evil presence wanted to see who would break first.
Their first attempt was trying to kill one of the daughters. But it would look like an accident to outside parties, but those living in the house would know the truth. Hoping to break the family from the first try, they hoped that the family would give up. But luckily for the daughter the heavy ceiling light missed her by inches. She was saved by her faith that day.
The parents, daughters and even the dog experienced terrible things. If being levitated and thrown wasn’t enough then the final step into possession would be the damaging attempt. Both parents were attacked by a terrible beast named a Succubus.
The horror continues
After a decade of psychological torture, the family finally called in Ed and Lorraine Warren. By then the Warren’s were already known for their work. Their investigation led to an obvious conclusion. There were lots of evil presences but one demon in control. But what was most frightening was the fact that a passageway between two dimensions was located in the house. This could be the reason for the haunting… The Warren’s tried everything from exorcisms to antagonizing whatever was there, but nothing seemed to work.
The house was now under full possession. With people being constantly attacked in a violent manner. Intensifying each and every time. The family was starting to lose hope and thought they were doomed to live in torment.
But fortunately, this story has a positive end to it. After moving out of the residence and after the fourth and final exorcism, the family had complete relief in 1986. The peace and quiet they had experienced so long ago had finally returned to them. However, the family would never be the same again.
When we watch a scary movie, we enjoy being scared on some level. In the back of our mind, some of us know that the evil that the film contains will never inflict itself on you. But for some unfortunate people, those scary movies you enjoy are a reality. The Smurl family had to live with presences who wanted to hurt them in the most unexpected moments. The next time you see a scary movie based on true events just remember that actual people as real as you and I really went through that hell.