Tag: Ed and Lorraine Warren

A Paranormal Investigator’s Review of Netflix’s 28 Days Haunted

Alex Matsuo3 Comments

On Friday, October 21st, 2022, Netflix released their newest paranormal reality series, 28 Days Haunted. Based on a theory by the late Ed and Lorraine Warren that it takes about 28 days to pierce the veil into the other side, three teams take residence in three different haunted locations for that duration.

As a paranormal researcher and investigator (or even ghost hunter), I’m not the biggest fan of paranormal reality television. It’s unrealistic, and it’s become stagnant in the past 10 years with the same people on TV and nearly identical formatting that’s being replicated all over the media. So when I found out about 28 Days Haunted, I wanted to give it a chance. Especially since I’ve interacted with a few of the cast members previously.

Initial Thoughts: Ed and Lorraine Warren

I didn’t expect Ed and Lorraine Warren to be a part of this show. In full transparency, I’ve read all of their books as well as any books approved by them because I loved the Warrens growing up. My opinion has since become more complicated, which I’ll share another time. Also, I’ve known and worked with people who know or worked with the Warrens.

I’ve never heard of this theory coming from them, even from my colleagues who worked with them. But that’s not to say that the Warrens didn’t come up with it. I would love to see a primary source confirming this. I’ve actually heard of the theory from multiple people over the last few years who have claimed it as their own. I also can’t find anything before 2022 to trace this theory back to the Warrens. Again, if anyone has it, please let me know!

One of my friends did mention that maybe it came from the Amityville Horror. This is due to the Lutz family being in the Amityville house for 28 days. I could see that. But again, at the time of writing this, there’s nothing on paper or video pre-2022 that ties the Warrens as the creators of this theory.

Also, there are quite a few gaps with this theory that the show didn’t address. Does the 28 days theory apply to only a certain type of haunting? What about the dynamic of the group? Could the 28 days take even less depending on the people in the group? Does this include knowing the history of the location and the haunting or going in blind? I have so many questions.

Finally, I found the alignment with the Warrens to be a risky move for the show. Lately, the Warrens are coming under fire as of late for alleged fraud, as well as predatory behaviors, including the story of Ed Warren and Judith Penney. Granted, when the show was in production, these issues didn’t quite have the spotlight as they do now.

A Note About Paranormal Reality TV

Before diving into my first reactions, I want to say that paranormal reality television is a genre of its own. It’s not reality in most cases. It’s dramatized, it’s staged, and sometimes it’s even scripted. I would align most paranormal reality shows as “found footage.” Some shows do more or less of that than others. But keep in mind that these shows have to tell a story to keep their audiences interested. This is a result from research on the side of the production companies. While most of us in the paranormal community want something different, we’re not the target audience of these shows. I can’t watch these shows as a serious paranormal researcher. But I can watch it as someone looking to be entertained. I also doubt that we will get a TV show that’s more representative of real-life paranormal investigation because it’s pretty boring 90% of the time.

These shows are for entertainment purposes only, even if their audiences take them as reality. That’s the nature of the beast.

A Note About My Bias

Because I want to expose my bias right now, I have had conversations with a few of the cast members and we’re connected on social media. Dare I say that I even consider them friends? With this in mind, know that I will support my friends. It is possible to be critical and still support your friends. Also, from my own experience of being on TV, I know how little control cast members typically have over the editing and presentation of the television shows they’re on. Well, unless you’re Zak Bagans or Jason Hawes. Most of my notes is about the production side.

If there are certain things that the cast members did that I liked or didn’t like, I’m looking at it through how the producers edited it and presented it to us. The situations we saw on screen may have been completely different from real-life. As the audience, we were presented with an altered version of the events. I know this and sympathize with the cast on this.

Netflix

First Reaction

On that note, after watching the six 30-40 minute episodes, my initial reaction was that I didn’t hate it. I found the format of the show refreshing, as it’s different from the other mainstream ghost hunting shows you would find on networks like Travel Channel, Discovery, SyFy, A&E, etc. I liked the visuals when they introduced the equipment, even if the descriptions weren’t always accurate. It was evident that the producers were trying to do something different with 28 Days Haunted since it didn’t necessarily follow the same formula as the other shows.

Were there moments of cringe? Definitely. It was not the fault of the cast. That was on the editing and on the producers.

Lack of Gender Representation

After processing through my first reaction, I started to dive deeper on what I liked and didn’t like about the show. The first glaring flaw (yes, I’m calling this a flaw) of the show is that there was a gross lack of diversity. Out of the three groups, there were only two women. There was only two genders on the show, when we know that gender identity is much more diverse. The two women were utilized as psychic mediums, or sensitives. Women are very capable paranormal investigators, researchers, and technicians. Also, there was an all-male team, and I think it did the show a great disservice to not have an all-female team to balance it out. 

This brings me into the situation in Episode 3, titled, “I’m Done”, that has put the Colorado team in a negative light, particular with a tense moment between Shane Pittman, Ray Causey and Amy Parks. The team was investigating Captain Grant’s Inn in Colorado. Amy, who has abilities, had set boundaries on her comfort levels and didn’t want to do any mirror scrying. The way the show presented the situation, to me it looked like Shane and Ray ganged up on her a bit. I don’t know if this happened in reality, but it was concerning nonetheless. It looks like Shane, Ray, and Amy have a positive friendship now so it’s quite possible the show skewed the situation.

How the Women Were Treated

A few things Ray said during the confrontations greatly disturbed me. This is because it seemed that Amy’s value only came from her abilities and not as a paranormal investigator. Her contributions up to the point of the confrontation seemed to be ignored. Again, I’m sure the editing of the show made the situation something different from real life. But the fact that the show was comfortable presenting this to the audience is a bit disturbing.

Also, if you’re not able to do a proper paranormal investigation or spirit communication without a medium, then you’re limiting yourself on resources and your capabilities. A paranormal investigation should not be dependent on the presence of someone with abilities.

Similar thing happened with Brandy Miller and Jereme Leonard, the team investigating the Madison Dry Goods store in North Carolina. Jereme is a demonologist and Brandy was the one with abilities. She had her limitations and what she was comfortable with as well, and Jereme tried to push her further. Then it ended up being Jereme who got the brunt of the negative energy from the spirits.

It was clear when Brandy and Amy were carrying the weight of their respective investigations. Especially Brandy when she was going in with the spirit communication and Jereme’s main contribution was to walk around sprinkling holy water. And instead of supporting Brandy when things got intense, Jereme continued to provoke the spirits.

Lack of Diversity

There was a gross lack of ethnic diversity in the case. Every cast member was white presenting. Personally, I find that unacceptable given how diverse the paranormal community is. This was a huge miss on the production company and even Netflix. That’s all I’ll say about that.

There was also no representation in different religions. This was evident with the Christian approach to investigating. It’s an old and outdated approach in paranormal television that won’t go away. But if the main demographic of these shows are white Christian people, then perhaps I shouldn’t be surprised. The assumption that if a spirit doesn’t like Biblical scripture, it must mean it’s evil, was evident. Not everyone is a fan of the Christian church and they’re not demons. 

Also, it’s 2022. Can we start having a more diverse cast? Pandering to an audience that only wants to see white/Christian men is only going to work against the networks eventually.

The beautiful thing about the paranormal community is that there is diversity. Some of the most interesting things to come out of paranormal experiences and research is the diversity. If you don’t have a team with diverse backgrounds, you’re likely doomed to only see the paranormal through a particular lens that may or may not be correct.

But there was a note of neutrality. In regards to the the Connecticut team, consisting of Nick Simons, Sean Austin, and Aaron Thompson, I found a bit more balance. When Nick dug up the pentagram from the ground, I actually thought it was a sheriff’s badge or even a Christmas ornament. But I did appreciate Nick clarifying that a pentagram isn’t evil, but that mainstream Christian mindset painted it as so. Those are the moments that had me loving the show.

Othering of Spirits

There was a strong sense of “othering” the spirits with one of the teams. Meaning, they weren’t being treated as humans. Instead, they were treated like demonic entities or trapped spirits who were absolutely miserable. The spirits were presented as something to be terrified of. What I never understand with investigators on TV is that they run when activity starts picking up. You’re there to investigate, and you’re getting a response, that’s prime time to stay! Because of this, I feel like there were a lot of missed opportunities. Nick Simons from the Connecticut team did call this out in one of the episodes, which I appreciated.

Netflix

The Liberal Use of Provocation

I’m not a big fan of provoking, nor do I like using trauma to elicit a response out of spirits. So when Jereme and Brandy took this approach in the first episode of 28 Days Haunted, I was surprised that they were surprised that they would have a negative reaction. I did appreciate the Colorado and Connecticut teams having a bit more compassion for the spirits. Given the awful history of the Lawson family, I would have expected more compassion to come from Brandy and Jereme in the beginning instead of exploiting the family’s trauma.

Perfect Predictions

This is the one area I found the least believable in the show. The psychic mediums on the show had near perfect readings of the stories behind each location, even down to the names. Perhaps the producers struck gold with the cast members with abilities, but I rarely run into this, even with the more skilled psychics I’ve worked with. 

Not Enough Content

I do find it weird that even though each team spent 28 days at their respective location, which would total to about 672 hours per team, we didn’t get a lot of content. Combine the hours of the three teams, that means they were there for 2,016 hours. And yet, we only got six 30-40 minute episodes. So, maybe 4 hours of content total? If my math is right, this means we saw less than .2% of the footage from all of the investigations. Granted, we didn’t see meal times, personal time, etc. But still, this is a gaping hole.

Of course, this might mean that the teams didn’t get a lot of activity other than what we saw on screen. But, it would have been nice to see those moments where there wasn’t activity, just to show there was more of a balance in the investigation process and that it’s normal to not get activity every time.

Strong Bias

Something else I noticed in the first episode was that there was a huge bias towards, “Yes this place is haunted.” There wasn’t any, “Let’s investigate and see if we can figure out whether or not this place is haunted.” Perhaps this stage happened and the show chose to skip it, which is a very real possibility. The show moves pretty fast.

Speaking of bias, I did see a few comments about the lack of a historian in the teams. To be fair, there was a historian working somewhere. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have been given the information on the locations. Also, Brandy did speak to a historian about the Lawson murders. 

Did the Show Need a Historian?

I also don’t believe that the hauntings in a location are always due to the historical context of a location. So, I’m not sure if having an on-site historian in each team would have made things better or complicated. Would going in with someone knowing the history and having them direct the team to the history hinder the investigation? If the historian was hands-off and didn’t influence the path of the investigation, that would be fine. I’ve always liked having one person on-site who knows the history because they can help continue the conversation. 

But I’ve also worked with historians who greatly influenced the path of the investigation to fit a certain agenda. Like, if the investigator heard the name “Paul” and the historian knew there was a Paul who lived in the house in the 1700s, they go in hard on 1700’s Paul while neglecting that there was someone named Paul who lived in the house in the 1980s but they aren’t as well documented. True story by the way. I still feel bad about assuming that 1980s Paul was 1700s Paul. I don’t blame him for ditching our conversation after five minutes. 

Netflix

Why I Ultimately Liked the Show

After all of these criticisms I mentioned, it may be surprising to hear me say that I liked the show. Ultimately, I had several favorite moments in the show. These are the moments that I think made the show stronger than the mainstream shows on the other networks and it gives me some hope that something different may be coming down the pipeline in mainstream TV.

One of which was Amy calling out the culture of toxic masculinity in the paranormal when Shane and Ray were trying to get her to do mirror scrying. Amy did not hold back and I actually applauded after she finished.

The locations were different as well. Given the nature of the show, it wouldn’t have made sense to send the cast members to popular locations like Waverly Hills or Trans-Allegheny. It was nice to see different locations this time around. Because I lived in North Carolina for about 8.5 years, I was already familiar with Madison Dry Goods. I’ll write a blog about that location and why I think it’s haunted.

I mentioned this before, but Nick Simons defended the pentagram. We don’t see this often on mainstream paranormal TV. I loved that moment.

Also, one more thing I loved about the show was that the cast consisted of mostly new faces. We’ve seen Shane Pittman on The Holzer Files and Sean Austin in other programs. But overall, we saw new faces to the paranormal entertainment field and I found them way more engaging that the same faces we’ve been seeing for the past 15 years.

Spotlighting Imperfections

My other favorite moment was when Sean Austin saw “CU” written on the mirror and how it was handled. Nick Simons didn’t hold back on his skepticism. We need more of that on paranormal television. The fact that the show even showed us that it may have been Sean that wrote the letters on the mirror is pretty groundbreaking. How often do we see one of Zak’s team members call him out on “Ghost Adventures”? Never. 

The cherry on top though was when Sean, Aaron, and Nick were doing a communication session later, did the spirits start calling out Sean for writing “CU” on the mirror as well. That moment was pure chef’s kiss and something we rarely see on paranormal television.

Also, this show did not present the paranormal investigators as perfect people, or even heroes of the show. Although many of them tried to be the hero, it didn’t work out as such. This is a refreshing approach since the mainstream TV shows remind me of bad LARPing where the cast members are trying to be the hero of the situation. In 28 Days Haunted, we saw the flaws of each cast member because the show took a risk and showed them to us.

How the Show Can Improved for Future Seasons

If 28 Days Haunted has future seasons, here’s what I suggest in making the show even better.

  • Have a more diverse cast
  • Balance out the teams
  • Longer episodes
  • Let us see the moments where there’s no activity
  • Rotate the groups to see if each group gets the same activity, or if it changes based on the dynamic of the team
  • Have a historian available to the team to validate information but not influence the path of the investigation
  • Continue to bring in new faces

Final Thoughts

Was this show perfect? Definitely not. Expecting perfection, especially from a show that’s experimenting with a different approach, is only going to set one up for disappointment. I want to celebrate what made this show different from the rest of the shows in hopes that this inspires some sort of change from the paranormal entertainment industry. There’s a lot of work needs to be done. But I’m hopeful that this show means that maybe producers are finally listening to the needs of its audience instead of assuming what they want.

If we want something different from paranormal reality television, we should be a bit more supportive when someone tries to do that “something different.” Otherwise, producers will continue to rely on that stagnant format, with the same cast members from the past 15 years, and nothing will change.

Finally, I want to applaud the cast for their work on the show. It must have been really difficult to separate yourself from your families, your job, and even social media for 28 days to film the show. Also, putting yourself out there in front of millions of people to get judged and criticized is not easy. You took a risk by being a part of this show, and I do think you did something great here. This show is a game-changer in the genre of paranormal reality entertainment. It laid a foundation that will hopefully continue to encourage a different approach to this stagnant genre.

6 Times the Paranormal Made It to Court

Alex Matsuo

Can you put a ghost on trial? Apparently, you can! It’s always really interesting when the paranormal makes its way to the courtroom. Considering that we can’t really prove that the paranormal exists in the first place, it’s always compelling when a judge allows a supernatural-based testimony to come through. But one has to wonder, if the paranormal can be allowed in testimony and opening/closing arguments, could a lawyer be arguing for a case of insanity? Or could the paranormal be used to show that a witness can’t be trusted?

In this article, we’ll explore six court cases that involved paranormal incidents and testimonies. As you read, think about whether you would believe these witnesses if you were part of the jury. If you don’t feel like reading, check out the video below!

Jury Uses a Ouija Board

This first one is wild. Jurors used a Ouija board to help determine whether or not someone was guilty. In 1994 in the UK, a man named Stephen Young was arrested for the murder of Harry and Nicola Fuller. 

Nicola had been shot three times and Harry had been shot in close range. It was truly a gruesome crime that shocked the community. Stephen Young’s trial lasted for five weeks, and he was ultimately found guilty. But about a month after the trial, a newspaper headline was released that said, “Murder Jury’s Ouija Board Verdict.”

One of the jury members came forward to the media. They claimed that four people from the jury used a makeshift Ouija board to contact the spirits of Harry and Nicola Fuller. The jury members put their hands on the glass and asked for the spirit of Harry. The glass went to Yes. Another juror asked, “Who killed you?” The glass spelled out “Stephen Young Done It”. When the juror asked how, the glass spelled out, “Shot.” A new trial was ordered, and another five weeks later, Stephen Young was found guilty once again.

The Devil Made Me Do It

I covered this story in greater detail in a previous post, so I’ll keep this brief. In 1981, Arne Cheyenne Johnson was arrested for the murder of his landlord, Alan Bono. Before the murder happened, the little brother of his fiance, David Glatzel, had reportedly been possessed by over 60 demons. Arne told the demons to come into him…meaning that Arne was possessed at the time he murdered Alan Bono. Ed and Lorraine Warren were also involved in the situation. Arne’s lawyer tried to use the argument of possession for the defense, which the judge refused. Arne pleaded not guilty by reason of self-defense. He was found guilty and served five years of his 10-20 year sentence. This story was recently featured in the movie, The Conjuring 3: The Devil Made Me Do It.

Ghostbusters Ruling

When it comes to paranormal cases, this one is the one that created the famous Ghostbusters Ruling. This case is also known as Stambovsky v. Ackley. It’s not uncommon for house sellers to disclose unpleasant information, like whether a murder, suicide, death happened in the house. Some states also require sellers to report whether or not the house is haunted, which is pretty wild. The Ghostbusters Ruling was about a home at 1 LaVeta Place in Nyack, New York. It’s a historic house that was a boarding house turned private residence in the 1900s that was purchased by George and Helen Ackley in the 1960s.

It wasn’t long before the Ackleys started to experience paranormal activity. Helen even wrote a piece about it called “Our Haunted House on the Hudson.” The piece was featured in the May 1977 issue of Reader’s Digest. The Ackleys believed the house was haunted by a ghost named Sir George, who lived in the area in the 1700s. George Ackley passed away, and Helen wanted to retire in Florida. She put the house up for sale, and a man named Jeffrey Stambovsky bought the house. But once Stambovsky found out about the alleged haunting, he filed an action requesting rescission of the contract of sale for damages for fraudulent misrepresentation. Initially, the case was dismissed. But he appealed, and he won. Did I mention that he never moved in?

Helen Ackley sold the house to someone else, and she moved to Florida and passed away in 1991. Her son-in-law believes that she now haunts the house.

Florida Ghost Lease

This next case took place in Orlando, Florida in 2005 when a building owner filed a lawsuit against one of his renters because they refused to pay rent. The restauranteurs had refused to move in and claim they couldn’t honor their lease because the property was haunted. Christopher and Yoko Chung, who were also Jehovah’s Witnesses, claimed that there were ghostly apparitions and because of their religious beliefs couldn’t fulfill the obligations to their lease. The building itself has had a history of ghosts, and paranormal experts believe that the ghosts are those of children who were kids of prostitutes who were killed. I wasn’t able to find what happened with the ruling, but if their lawyer cited the Ghostbusters Ruling, I bet they might have won.

Haunted Ohio Farm

This next case is crazy because it means that even writing about a haunted location can get you sued. The owners of Staley Farm sued the authors of the book, “Weird Ohio”, because their property became overrun by ghost hunters. The farm had been featured in the book because the family patriarch, Old Man Staley, murdered his entire family with an axe.

The ghost story goes that if you drive down Staley Road at night, it will feel like someone else has taken control of your car, horns honking by themselves, and headlights dying. Also, the ghost of Old Man Staley has supposedly been seen in the woods. The plaintiffs claimed that the authors of the book were responsible for the influx of trespassers. However, what saved the authors was the disclaimer at the beginning of the book that says, “The reader should be advised that many of the sites described in Weird Ohio are located on private property and should not be visited, or you may face prosecution for trespassing.”

Gamble’s Ghost

My good friend Michelle Hamilton told me about this story, which actually inspired this video. So thanks, Michelle! Check out her work on Amazon. It’s good stuff. In 1854, in Wetzel County, VA (now WV) Leban Mercer was tried for the murder of John Gamble. Gamble owed Mercer $2 for the purchase of a calf. When they spoke, he only had large bills on him totaling to about $200. Apparently, Gamble and Mercer agreed to meet later. And Mercer was the last person to see Gamble alive.

Gamble’s boat was later seen floating down the river. Mercer returned at 2am that morning all wet and muddy with a bunch of cash in his pocket. Gamble’s body was still missing. One night, a man named John Hindman claimed that Gamble’s ghost appeared to him. The spirit told him that he was murdered by Mercer.  Mercer was acquitted due to lack of sufficient testimony.

The Reality Behind ‘The Conjuring: The Devil Made Do It’

Alex Matsuo

Ed and Lorraine Warren were some of the most famous paranormal investigators of their time. Their legacy and career have now been preserved in film format with the “The Conjuring” series. While the Warrens are well known, their careers are controversial. Yes, the movies are entertaining, but are they true? Let’s take a deeper dive into the true story behind “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It.”

“Based on a True Story”

Truth time: The Conjuring movies are some of my favorite horror movies.  What makes them exceptionally compelling is that they’re “based on a true story.”

Why the quotation marks? Movies that are “based on a true story” are usually LOOSELY based on a true story. Producers and screenwriters often have to take artistic liberties in order to make the story more interesting.

For example, in “The Conjuring 2”, the movie was centered around how Ed and Lorraine Warren helped the Hodgson family with what is now called the Enfield Poltergeist. But Ed and Lorraine weren’t the only investigators working on the case.Maurice Grosse and Guy Lyon Playfair from the Society of Psychical Research were actually the main investigators. 

In fact, according to Maurice Grosse, Ed and Lorraine showed up for a very short time.Ed apparently pulled Grosse aside and said he could make a lot of money off the case, and Ed was sent away. There’s a lot more to the story, maybe I’ll tell you more in the future.

With this in mind, we should expect some things to be exaggerated with movies that are “based on a true story.” What’s the true story behind the murder trial that became known as the “Devil Made Me Do It” case? Let’s find out.

First, a disclaimer: Spoiler Alert! If you don’t want to be spoiled, stop reading right now. I’ll break down some of the more obvious differences between the movie and real-life, and then take a deeper dive into the actual story.

The Town of Brookfield

Before we can talk about the murder trial, we have to start at the beginning. This all started in a small town called Brookfield, Connecticut. It was a sleepy little town with not much going on. In  fact, until “The Devil Made Me Do It” case, there hadn’t even been a murder. The town is located northeast of New York City, and is technically part of the New York Metropolitan area. The town was established in 1788. So, not much was going on.

David Glatzel Was 11-Years Old

Warner Bros.

One of the most notable changes I saw in the movie was that they made David Glatzel younger. Of course, it’s more disturbing to see a young child get possessed by a demon. The choice obviously made David seem more innocent and more baby-like, which is meant to tug at our heartstrings. In real life, David was 11-years old.

Arne and Debbie Lived with Arne’s Family

Arne and Debbie actually lived with Arne’s mom and siblings. At the time, Arne’s mother was gravely ill with cancer. The couple were the main providers for Arne’s family and they were looking for a larger place to live to accommodate everyone.

Debbie Was Older Than Arne

Not that age is a big deal, but it’s worth it to take a look. Debbie was 26-years old and had been previously married and had a child from that marriage. Arne was 18-years old. For the time, an older woman living with a younger guy raised some eyebrows. When the couple first met, Arne was only 12-years old, which would have made Debbie around 20-years old.

Arne and Debbie Were Already Engaged

In the movie, Arne is about to ask Debbie to marry him, and even David is asking him when he’ll pop the question. In real life, the couple were already engaged by the time David was possessed.

David Met the Demon Somewhere Else

The movie makes it look like David became possessed in the Glatzel family home when everyone moved in. What is true is that the former tenants did leave a waterbed in the house. But the house that was the site where David met the demon was a different house. In July 1980, Arne and Debbie had just acquired rental property, and they went over to start cleaning it. 

David said that when they arrived on the property, there was an old man that started terrorizing him and pushing him. Initially, Arne and Debbie thought that David made up the story to avoid cleaning. But then David said that the old man promised to harm the Glatzel family if they moved into the rental.  The rental itself didn’t give Arne or Debbie much concern besides hearing footsteps above them.

What is troubling is when David saw the old man again, he had beast-like features, was uttering Latin, and threatened to steal his soul. But soon after, David started having night terrors, he had unexplained scratches and bruises, and he was starting to act strange.

There Was No Curse

One important detail to note is that there was no curse involved in “The Devil Made Me Do It” case. There were no occultists, there were no Disciples of the Ram, none of that is true. This was all created for the sake of the movie. If there is anything I want readers to get out of this blog, it’s that there was no curse…at all. However, the Warrens believed that the previous tenants of the house in question were into witchcraft and opened a door to the demonic and left it there when they moved. When David came into the house, he was the first to encounter the demon from the open portal.

David’s Behavior Was More Disturbing

Whatever had tormented David at the rental property followed him home. The Glatzel family decided to call a Catholic priest to bless the house. I know…it’s the 80s…mental health care back then isn’t what it is today. Anyway, the priest came to bless the house, but it didn’t work. The family told Debbie and Arne that their rental home was evil.

But the old man, now known as the Beast, followed them. David’s visions and odd behavior started happening in the day time as well. According to the Glatzels, David was being choked and beaten by unseen forces. 

David started hissing, growling, and reciting passages from the Bible and John Milton’s Paradise Lost. He was also speaking in other voices. Members of the family had to start taking shifts during the night to watch David because he would have spasms and convulsions. Debbie and Arne moved in with the family to help them with David.

About 12 days after the original incident, the family or a man named Father Dennis called Ed and Lorraine Warren to investigate. So the Warrens came into the scene, and learned the Glatzels story, they concluded that he was possessed by multiple demons. Ed concluded that about 63 demons had possessed David.

David Predicted the Murder

According to my research, David went through three exorcisms. Lorraine said that David levitated in the air, and even demonstrated precognition abilities and predicted the murder that Arne Johnson would commit.

During one of David’s exorcisms, Arne apparently coerced one of the demons to possess him. He told the demon to “Leave his little buddy alone.” At this point too, Arne was working all day and staying with the Glatzels and helping them with David.

When the story was covered by the show, “A Haunting”, Arne said that one of the demons attacked him by taking control of his car and running it into a tree.This happened a few days after Arne coerced the demon to possess him.

After the car accident, Arne went back to the old rental property and examined the well that supposedly housed the demon. Arne made eye contact with the demon in the well, and apparently became full on possessed. This was also Arne’s last completely lucid moment before the murder.

The Warrens were not happy with this and apparently even warned Arne to not make eye contact with the demon. In the midst of all this, David wasn’t getting better. In October of 1980, the Warrens contacted the Brookfield police and told them the situation was getting dangerous. 

Bruno Salls’ is Alan Bono in Real Life

Arne and Debbie decided it was time to move out of her mother’s house and into their own place. Debbie got a job at a dog groomer, which was owned by Alan Bono. He would also be Arne and Debbie’s landlord. Debbie and Arne got an apartment above her work. It didn’t take long for Debbie to notice that Arne was showing the same behavior as David.

Arne would also growl and hiss, go into a trance-like state, and then have no memory of it. So Debbie is thinking, “Crap, my man is possessed too.”

Multiple People Witnessed the Murder

Arne Johnson’s mother stands next to Lorraine Warren

On February 16, 1981, Arne called out sick from work. He was having stomach issues and not feeling well. He joined Debbie at the dog groomer, the kennel, with his sister Wanda and Debbie’s 9-year old cousin.

Alan Bono took the group to lunch, and he started drinking quite heavily. He insisted that Arne and Debbie drink too. After lunch, the group went to a pet shop to get supplies, and then went back to the kennel. Arne went up to the apartment to lay down.

Judy Glatzel, David’s and Debbie’s mom, called Debbie and told her something was wrong and to get to her house immediately.

Alan Bono was at the kennel and was still drinking. Debbie couldn’t leave work right away but assured she would take everyone over for dinner. But Bono wanted the group to stay for dinner.

Here’s where details get fuzzy. So Debbie took Mary and Wanda to get pizza, but she said she would be back quickly. It seemed that Debbie was sensing that something wasn’t right. When the girls got back from pizza, Bono was completely drunk and intoxicated at this point. Debbie wanted Bono to pass out in his apartment, so they set up the pizza in his kitchen.

The Murder Happened Outside

As Arne, Debbie, and the rest of the crew were getting ready to eat, Bono had become belligerent. The group was trying to leave and Bono wouldn’t let them leave. Debbie told everyone to leave the room.

But Bono was able to grab Mary and wouldn’t let her go. Arne ran into the room and told Bono to let Mary go. Mary gets away and runs to the car. At this point, this debacle had made its way outside of the kennel.

It was reported that Arne had two voices coming out of him, and at this point, he was no longer Arne. Wanda is trying to pull Arne away from Bono as Debbie is standing in the middle to try to mitigate the situation. 

Arne gets out a 5-inch pocket knife and stabs Alan Bono in the chest. Bono died a few hours later in the hospital. Arne managed to get away and was found about two miles away. Supposedly, Debbie and Wanda didn’t actually see Arne stab Bono.

Lorraine Contacted the Police the Day After the Murder

This was the first murder to happen in Brookfield, Connecticut. So, the day after the murder, Lorraine Warren contacts the police and tells them that this isn’t Arne’s fault.

She said that Arne was possessed at the time he committed the murder. The Warrens also fueled the media frenzy that surrounded this case. Even the agents for the Warrens promised movie deals, books, and interviews would soon follow. Basically, it became a media circus, thanks to the Warrens.

Arne’s Lawyer Wasn’t Allowed to Use the Demon Defense

The trial started October 28, 1981. Arne’s lawyer, Martin Minnella, decided to run with this possession idea. Minnella was getting calls from all over the world about this case.

He even went to England to talk to two lawyers who had similar cases, even though they didn’t go to trial. He also wanted to fly in exorcism specialists and even subpoena the priests who oversaw David’s exorcism. Arne entered a plea of not guilty by reason of demonic possession.

The judge, Robert Callaham, rejected Arne’s plea and defense, so his possession could not even be a factor in this trial. Callahan said that there’s no way that this defense could even be used because there’s no way to scientifically prove it and there was no evidence to support it. So, Minnella decided to say that Arne acted in self-defense.

The jury deliberated over three days for 15 hours, and Arne was found guilty of first-degree manslaughter on November 24, 1981. He was sentenced to 10-20 years in prison. Arne got himself out of prison thanks to his good behavior and being a model prisoner. He got his GED, took college classes, and he took the time to get his life together.  Arne married Debbie in 1984, and they remained married until her recent death from cancer.

But he only served five years. So, what happened to the demon that was possessing Arne?

The Demon Continued to Haunt Arne & David After

In Gerald Brittle’s book, “The Devil in Connecticut” he said that the Diocese in Canada intervened and did a proper exorcism on Arne.  I guess the priests that oversaw David’s exorcism didn’t do a thorough job. According to Brittle, the demon still haunted David and Arne. He alleges that the demon haunted Arne while he was in prison.

There Was a Lawsuit Years Later

When “The Devil in Connecticut” was republished in 2006, David Glatzel and his brother Carl, Jr. sued Brittle and the publishers for invasion of privacy, libel, and “intentional afflictions of emotional distress.”

Carl claims that David was mentally ill at the time.  Also, David’s father, Carl, Sr. claimed that he never said his son was possessed. Psychiatrists looking at David’s case at the time also said he wasn’t possessed, but instead, had a learning disability.

He also said that Ed and Lorraine Warren made up the story to exploit his family and profit from their pain and suffering. Here’s what’s really messed up, if it’s true. Carl also claims that the Warrens told the family that if they went along with this, they would make a ton of money. 

Lorraine stuck to her story and said that she, Ed, and six other priests agree that David was possessed. However, while the Diocese of Connecticut confirmed they were helping David through a difficult time, they did not confirm any exorcisms or anything about possession.

Carl said that the media circus, the books, the made-for-TV movie forced him to drop out of school, he lost friends and business opportunities. The book, “The Devil in Connecticut” also made him look like the bad guy. Gerald Brittle claims that he wrote the book because the family wanted the story told and was based on claims made by the Warrens. To this day, Carl claims the whole thing was a hoax.

Moving Forward

Arne Cheyenne Johnson on “A Haunting”, Episode: “Where Demons Dwell”

According to a few different sources, Debbie Glatzel was involved with the filming of The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It before her recent death. Arne and Debbie had other media opportunities after the court case. A made-for-TV movie called, “The Demon Murder Case”, starred Kevin Bacon as Arne. As mentioned earlier, the couple was also featured on an episode of “A Haunting” in the episode, “Where Demons Dwell.”

To put it bluntly, this is an incredible story with lots of layers.

Sources

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/25/nyregion/the-region-man-is-convicted-in-friend-s-death.html

https://web.archive.org/web/20080829012011/http://www.mmdnewswire.com/brors-sue-world-fmous-psychic-lorrine-wrren-for-flse-ccustis-in-devil-book-2347-2.html

https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/23/nyregion/defendant-in-a-murder-puts-the-devil-on-trial.html

https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-250-arne-johnson-20140412-story.html

https://apnews.com/article/c758c33ba4756f757e1dfec4f0abd39e

https://books.google.com/books?id=VsmvAAAACAAJ

https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a36529802/conjuring-3-true-story-arne-johnson-now/

Weird Things to Consider Before Buying a Haunted Doll

Alex Matsuo

When we hear about haunted dolls, visions of Annabelle immediately come to mind. It seems that all the rage right now is haunted dolls. Whether it’s YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or Facebook, having a haunted doll is the “thing” to do. I’ve read some really compelling journeys with haunted dolls, as well as fascinating videos with haunted dolls. I believe haunted dolls are great research tools and a way to study the paranormal without needing to go out for field work. In the age of COVID-19 and lockdowns, it’s an effective way to bring the paranormal home.

But there is more to buying a haunted doll than owning something spooky. I think there are things that one needs to consider before deciding to buy a haunted doll. While I haven’t owned a haunted doll myself, there is a specific reason for this. I’ve advised folks on dealing with their own haunted dolls and worked with other people with haunted dolls. Two of my favorite people on Instagram, Amanda Paulson and Cherise Williams, even conducted experiments with a haunted doll. You can check out one of the videos here.

Because I’m a skeptical believer, I must include this disclosure: There is no way to prove these considerations. This was written purely out of interviews and experiences with folks I know who own haunted dolls.

The Doll May Not Be Haunted

Depending on where you stand on the line between skeptic and believer, you may be making a risky purchase if you’re looking for a guaranteed haunted item. As you may know, we don’t have an exact science that can prove the existence of the paranormal. Therefore, “Buyer beware” resonates strongly in this area. Whether you pay $5 or $500 on a haunted object, the price is not a promise that you’re taking in a ghost.

Inviting Someone to Live with You

Okay, so let’s assume that the haunted IS indeed haunted. Have you ever had a roommate? Unless you’re in college and your roommate is assigned to you, usually you go through a process to choose your roommate. You interview people, do credit checks, and get to know the person as much as you can before they move in with you. There has to be a reassurance that there is some compatibility so that everyone who lives in the household can live in harmony. If you’ve ever been in a situation where you didn’t get to choose your roommate, then you know it’s like rolling dice. This is the situation that you will find yourself in when you purchase a haunted doll. It’s like inviting a roommate to come live with you and you don’t know whether or not you’ll get along.

It Might Not Be That Interesting

Once you have a haunted doll, it may not be haunted. Or, it might be haunted by an old woman who just wants to sit in silence. I’ve noticed a lot of people buy haunted dolls seem to want some adventure or something interesting in their lives.

Think About Your Why

You need to consider why you want to buy a haunted doll in the first place. Is it because you want to do some experiments? Are you looking for companionship? Are you simply wanting to add to your haunted collection? You need

You Have to Take Care of It

So, you have your haunted doll. Most people assume that it’s haunted child. So, let’s assume it’s a ghost child. If you have children, been a caregiver, or even just babysat kids, then you know they can be high maintenance. One of my friends who has a haunted doll treats her companion like a mother to a child. Sure, I guess you don’t have to be that intensively invested in your haunted doll as my friend. But at what cost? Is it possible that neglect might cause the spirit to feel restless and ignored? Who knows. But maintenance might be something to consider.

You Aren’t in Control

Anytime you are dealing with another person, conscious being, etc. you should understand that you’re not in control of the situation. It’s not a “master-squire” relationship where you are able to control the spirit that comes with your doll. Just like a parent isn’t in full control of their child, a friend with another friend, or a spouse with their partner, you aren’t in full control of the situation. Honestly, this is why I get skeptical of folks who say they can control the spirit in their own haunted doll. I don’t want to declare it’s not possible because this is very much a pseudoscience and nothing can be proven. But this is where my eyebrows raise.

Have a Plan

Finally, before you make your purchase, think about what your contingency plan will be. If you eventually want to part with your doll, what will you do? Will you give the doll away? Try to sell it? If you believe that the doll is causing unwanted supernatural activity, what will you do if the activity doesn’t stop once the call is gone? I don’t write this to scare anyone, but just some things to think about as you plan on making the purchase. Always have a plan.

Do you have a haunted doll? Do you want to obtain a haunted doll? What has your experience been like?

The Truth About Valak: Is the Demon from The Conjuring Real?

Alex Matsuo1 Comment

Valak may be one of the most terrifying demons in The Conjuring Universe, but this demonic entity’s roots lie in centuries-old lore. What’s the truth behind this infamous figure?

If you follow my team’s website, Association of Paranormal Study, you might recall the article I wrote titled, What is the True Story of Valak the Demon? on September 6, 2018. Since then, there’s some misformation about Valak’s involvement in the Enfield Poltergeist.

I saw the following meme floating around Facebook:

I get that it’s a meme and it has to keep things short and high level for the sake of keeping it short and sweet. After reading the comments, I saw that there a lot of assumptions made that could be harmful for people who don’t know what they’re doing. Granted, I think summoning an ancient demon might be a bad idea anyway.

I take issue with the statement, “who in actuality is a demon named Valak.” Anyone who has watched “The Conjuring 2” and “The Nun” knows that the demon’s name is Valak. It’s a major plot point in “The Conjuring 2.” Why is this being presented as new information?

The Real Enfield Poltergeist

First of all, there was no demonic activity with the Enfield Poltergeist. This means that the family was not tormented by a demon named Valak. If you want more info on the case, I highly recommend reading the book, “This House is Haunted” by Guy Lyon Playfair, to get a detailed account from the team involved in the case. There’s also “The Enfield Poltergeist Tapes” by Dr. Melvyn Willin. For anyone interested in the case, it’s considered an essential read.

The Warrens’ true involvement in the Enfield Poltergeist has been a center of controversy. There are conflicting reports. Many folks said they showed up on the front doorstep and were quickly sent away. Others claim they had time to interview the family. I recommend researching this on your own and come to your own conclusion, and you can also contact me personally to talk this out.

Boy with Angel Wings

Valak isn’t a nun at all. Valak wasn’t present at Enfield. There is no lore that has ever portrayed Valak as a nun. Instead, he is depicted as more of a cherubim-like creature, or, “a boy with angel wings, riding on a two-headed dragon.” But don’t let the angelic look fool you into thinking he isn’t fierce. He rides a two-headed dragon, which is a strong indication that he’s a bad*ss. Depending on which book you’re looking at, Valak has been spelled as Valac, Volac, Valu, Ualac, Volach, and even Coolor and Doolas.

Original Text

The first time we see Valak appear in written form is in “The False Monarchy of Demons” (or Pseudomonarchia Daemonum) which was an appendix in Johann Weyer’s “On the Tricks of Demons” (De praestigiis daemonum). It contains a list of 69 demons with the rituals needed to conjure them. In this text, he is referred to as President Volac. Weyer was a Dutch physician, occultist, and demonologist who was one of the first to speak out against the persecution of witches.

In “The Book of the Office of Spirits” (Liber Officiorum Spirituum), Valak is referred to as Coolor and Doolas. Why the drastic change in name? Well, it looks like Weyer used Liber Officiorum Spirituum as a reference. The traits of Valak/Coolor/Doolas and their rituals were the same. I have to wonder if Weyer is responsible for the sinister name we have now.

“The Lesser Key of Solomon” was written in the mid-1600s, and it is a grimoire on demonology. “The Lesser Key of Solomon” is compiled of older books. One could argue that the content is much older.

Who Was Valak?

“The Conjuring” franchise has made Valak the great connector between The Conjuring 2 and The Nun. This was purely for entertainment purposes, as Valak, let alone a demonic nun, has never appeared in the Warrens’ case files. From a filmmaking standpoint, I love Valak as a character. I have to admit that I’ve enjoyed all of the movies in the franchise. While I think the movies are very well done, we can’t look at them as true.

The majority of these historical texts refer to him as, “President Valak.” In “The Lesser Key of Solomon”, Valak is referred to as the Grand President of Hell who rules over legions of demons. He governs 38 legions of demons, and he can locate, summon, and control serpents.

If you try to summon Valak, it might not be worth your while, especially if you’re not worth HIS while. We don’t know how Valak measures worth, and all I can tell you is that he will ruin your life. As with most demon interactions, you’re at risk of getting possessed. I’m not going to tell you how to summon Valak. If you’re dying to know…it’s on the internet. Good luck with that.

Why a Nun?

James Wan completely owns that he made up Valak’s depiction as a nun. When he overheard Lorraine talking about how a dark entity was following her, and it was a swirling vortex of darkness, Wan realized that it would have to be CGI if he made it true to the story.

Here it in his words:

“I remember hearing that and my first thought was, ‘Oh crap, that’s going to be a CGI character.’ I didn’t want to do that,” said Wan. “And so, it kind of took me a while to cement in my head what this vision was. And it came across eventually in a very organic way. Because it is a demonic vision that haunts her, that only attacks her, I wanted something that would attack her faith. Something that would threaten the safety of her husband. And so that was eventually how the idea of this very iconographic image of a holy icon cemented in my head.”

The Monastery

The Cârța Monastery is the location where the movie, “The Nun”, takes place. Yes, this is a real place. It is located in Transylvania in Southern Romania. The monastery is considered to be haunted and is known as “The Haunted Abbey.”

You won’t find demons there. The abbey is a Cistercian monastery that was built in the 1200s. It was built in the shape of a cross. Sadly, the abbey was damaged because of the Mongol invasion of 1241. Since then, it has been restored numerous times throughout its life.

The abbey stopped running in the 1500s. This means it was not active when “The Nun” took place. Only the church building still stands today. If you were to visit the site now, it is a Lutheran Evangelical Church!

There have been reports of vibrating walls and moving chairs. There are reports apparitions of monks in white robes. Every day, the monks wore these white robes. These monks worked very hard every day, and their life expectancy was around 40 years old. Today, the monks are buried on the property along with soldiers from World War I.

What do you think of the true story of The Nun?

Sources

What is the True Story of Valak the Demon?

https://www.historyvshollywood.com/reelfaces/the-nun/

https://filmschoolrejects.com/the-real-story-behind-the-nun

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lesser_Key_of_Solomon

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liber_Officiorum_Spirituum#Demons_shared_by_this_and_other_grimoires

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudomonarchia_Daemonum

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valac

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_Manual_of_Demonic_Magic

https://allthatsinteresting.com/valak-the-nun

https://www.ranker.com/list/how-to-summon-valak/joesph-langdon

My Review of “Annabelle”

Alex Matsuo

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On Wednesday night, I had the chance to see a special preview of Annabelle before it opened this weekend. I sat on the idea of whether to write a review of the movie or not, and while it’s Sunday, I decided to just do it. It’s going to be short, especially since there are numerous people out there who don’t like spoilers, so I’ll give my initial thoughts. Keep in mind that I’m not a film critic.

If you’re looking for accuracy in terms of the real story of Annabelle, you best look elsewhere. Before even walking into the movie, you have to accept that this is a “Hollywood” film, so there will be embellishments, overly dramatized actions, and more. If you approach this as a fiction film, then you’ll probably enjoy it more.

On that note, you can probably tell that I walked into the movie with really low expectations, which might be why I didn’t hate the movie. In fact, I actually liked it.

In the “prologue” of the film, we get a glimpse of two nurses and a man being interviewed by who we assume is Ed and Lorraine Warren about the doll. Then there’s a quick cutaway to “One year earlier…” (and the poor girl next to me read it as “One year later” and proceeded to be really confused the rest of the movie).

The real Annabelle doll at the Warrens' museum in Connecticut
The real Annabelle doll at the Warrens’ museum in Connecticut

In terms of plot, even though the movie’s start was a bit slow, it quickly accelerated as the premise of WHY the doll became possessed or haunted in the first place was established. The movie starred (ironically) Annabelle Wallis and Ward Horton as a young couple expecting their first child, named Mia and John. Well, John (Horton) gifts the creepy doll to Mia. Even before the doll becomes possessed and evil, it is a creepy doll and makes you wonder why Mia wanted it in the first place, but it turns out the doll is a rare collector’s item that is part of a collection. While still a bit unbelievable when Mia called the doll “beautiful”, the sense of realism as to why the doll was there to begin with kind of makes sense.

Of course with any horror film, there are jump moments and plot twists just for the sake of shock value, along with moments where people were literally yelling at the screen to tell the characters to turn back or not go into the creepy basement. But as the film closed out, I was actually moved to near tears as one of the characters makes the ultimate sacrifice to bring peace to the young family and their baby. The movie also ends with a full circle with the interview in the very beginning with a blurb about the doll’s current whereabouts.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie and recommended my friends who are horror fans and/or into the paranormal to see it.

If you go in with the assumption that this sequel/prequel to “The Conjuring” is going to be an exaggeration of the real Annabelle story and understand that it’s just Hollywood, you might enjoy it. If you’re new to the whole thing and don’t know the story of Annabelle, you best check it out and learn where the story came from. I imagine that the movie will help drive interest in the Warrens and Annabelle, and more people than ever will want to see the doll.