Smurls, A "Haunting" in Pennsylvania

Warrens Invesitgate West Pittson Alleged Demonic Activity

Oct 22, 2007

Strange things happened in the duplex. The family contacted Ed and Lorraine Warren. Déjà vu Amityville! CSICOP was not allowed to investigate. The Church sent an exorcist

In 1974, the Smurl family, according too their words, began to experience paranormal incidents in the Scranton area of Pennsylvania. A TV burst into flames, water pipes leaked, scratches appeared on walls, toilets flushed by themselves, footsteps were heard, unplugged radios played, empty rocking chairs swayed, sour odors permeated and drawers opened and closed by themselves. There were more, including an incubus and a ghostly pig-like creature also featured in Amityville!

The Smurls further wote they tried to get help from the Roman Catholic Scranton Diocese and were told it would consult with experts. Janet Smurl alleged she thought a Father O’Leary was assisting, but, according to her, he turned out to be a demon in the guise of a priest.

Warrens "Investigate" Smurl Case

Lorraine and the late Ed Warren proclaimed themselves to be parapsychologists. They aren’t.

In 1998, Ed claimed he investigated 3,000 cases of demonic activity and found 200 cases involving evil entities, a .4% record of “success.” Father Henri Gesland, French priest and exorcist, between 1968 and 1974, documented only four cases of what he believed to be demonic possession in 3,000 investigations, .0133%.

The second stage of possession is obsession, not “oppression” as Ed maintained. Ed declared the final stage of possession is always death. Catholic exorcists Fathers Martin, Nicola and Trabold and other experts agree that the demon doesn’t kill the possessed.

The Warrens’ major claim to fame is their “investigation” of Amityville “phenomena,” which they averred was real. They didn’t visit the house while the Lutzes lived there. Amityville was debunked by the American Society for Psychical Research and other prestigious parapsychological organizations. Fraud perpetuator, George Weber, confessed to the media that it was a hoax.

Without investigating possible scientific, including psychological, causes of the alleged phenomena, the Warrens proclaimed the house was haunted by three spirits and a demon. They asked Father McKenna, whose order isn’t recognized by the Catholic Church, to perform an exorcism. Two unsuccessful ones ensued.

The Smurls contacted the media. It was around this time they also contacted a book publisher.

Smurls, CSICOP and the Scranton Diocese Involvement

CSICOP is an acronym for the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal. The organization states it critically investigates fringe science and paranormal phenomena. The has since been changed to CSI.

Chairman Paul Kurtz offered to investigate. The Warrens and Smurls refused. Despite this, Kurtz wrote about the “haunting.” He noted, among other discrepancies, that Janet claimed she called the police about the incidents. No evidence supports this.

Ed, in attempt to defend his stance, called a press conference, claiming he had tapes of terrifying sounds and a videotape of the dark form. When asked for them, he couldn’t remember the name of the TV company he gave the tapes to. He also said the Church had the “evidence.” The Church didn’t.

The Scranton Diocese asked the late Father Alphonsus Trabold, exorcist and paranormal expert from St. Bonaventure University, to investigate. Conclusion: he believed the Smurls were sincere and something happened, but couldn’t say it was demonic.

The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, (Facts on File, Inc., 1992)

The copyright of the article Smurls, A "Haunting" in Pennsylvania in Ghosts & Hauntings is owned by Jill Stefko . Permission to republish Smurls, A "Haunting" in Pennsylvania in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

May 7, 2008 1:10 PM

Guest :

reading quran is the answer

May 7, 2008 4:20 PM

Jill Stefko :

Thank you for your comment. I've read Mr. Curran's book and the other sources listed. Rosemary Ellen Guiley wrote about the Smurl case. In her article, (pages 308 – 310), she wrote that Father Alphonsus Trabold of St. Bonaventure's University was asked by the Scranton Diocese to investigate as an exorcist. He believed that the Smurls were earnest about what took place and were troubled, but he couldn’t say if the happenings were demonic. In the course of doing further research about the case, I became curious, so I called the university and had the honor of talking to him in 1998. I received the same answer from him.

What actually happened is open to speculation. Father Alphonsus died on April 5, 2005. Ed Warren died on August 23, 2006.

Sep 1, 2009 8:06 PM

Guest :

I browsed this site because this particular case was interesting to me at the time it came out in 1986. I was in a Christian school in Dallas where they showed the news broadcast on the case in Pennsylvania. It was shown to instill in the students the idea that the demonic indeed exists.