Smurl Family Members

When we talk about famous haunted houses, names like Amityville or the Conjuring house usually spring to mind. But in the late 1980s, a quiet duplex in West Pittston, Pennsylvania, became the center of a media storm that terrified the nation.

Ed and Lorraine WarrenWhile not family members by blood, the famed demonologists became an extension of the Smurl family’s life for several years. They were the ones who officially "classified" the entity as a demon. Lorraine, a medium, claimed to sense a dark presence that used the family’s proximity and shared walls to gain strength.

The Smurl family gained international notoriety in the mid-1980s for claims of a violent demonic haunting in their West Pittston, Pennsylvania, duplex. Their experiences served as the inspiration for the book The Haunted , a 1991 TV movie, and the 2025 film The Conjuring: Last Rites . The primary household consisted of Janet Smurl and their four daughters:

The Smurl haunting remains one of the most famous and chilling cases of alleged paranormal activity in American history. Between 1974 and 1989, the Smurl family claimed to be the targets of a relentless demonic entity in their duplex on Chase Street in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. While the supernatural events gained national attention through books and television movies, the heart of the story lies with the individuals who lived through the ordeal. smurl family members

Jack SmurlJack was the patriarch of the family and a veteran of the Navy. As the primary protector of the household, he was often the most vocal about the physical and psychological toll the haunting took on his family. Jack claimed to have been physically assaulted by the entity on numerous occasions, reporting instances of being thrown across rooms and even being sexually assaulted by a succubus. His struggle to maintain his faith and protect his daughters while being tormented by an invisible force became a focal point of the family's public testimony.

Today, we are taking a closer look at the Smurl family members who lived through the terror and the roles they played in this chilling piece of paranormal history.

The Smurl family members eventually moved out of the Chase Street home in 1988. They relocated to a new home in Wilkes-Barre, hoping to leave the nightmare behind. While reports state that the activity followed them briefly, it eventually subsided. When we talk about famous haunted houses, names

John and Mary SmurlThe Smurl family lived in a double-block house (a duplex). While Jack and Janet lived in one half, Jack’s parents, John and Mary, lived in the adjoining unit. The haunting was not confined to one side of the wall. John and Mary reported hearing loud banging, scratching, and the sound of heavy furniture moving in the other unit when they knew Jack and Janet were away. Mary Smurl, in particular, was a witness to several manifestations and shared the family’s deep Catholic faith, which they used as their primary defense against the entity through prayer and house blessings. Key Figures in the Smurl Case

Regardless of one's stance on the supernatural, the story of the Smurl family members is a compelling look at how a single household stayed united in the face of what they believed to be pure evil.

Since "Smurl" is a relatively uncommon surname, it is most famously associated with the , one of the most well-documented and terrifying alleged paranormal cases in American history. They were the ones who officially "classified" the

eight members living in a double-block (duplex) house: Jack Smurl : The father and head of the household who first reported many of the intense physical and sexual assaults by a demonic entity. Janet Smurl : The mother who also experienced numerous hauntings; she is currently reported to be living in Laporte, Pennsylvania. Heather Smurl : One of the daughters; she is now a teacher in Wilkes-Barre and a mother of two. Dawn Smurl : One of the daughters who lives a private life today. Carin and

Living in the duplex with their son and his family were Jack’s parents, Jack Sr. and Mary. They occupied the other side of the duplex structure. While the haunting was concentrated heavily on Jack and Janet’s side, the grandparents were not immune. Mary Smurl reported seeing shadowy figures and hearing strange noises, though they often tried to rationalize the events to avoid frightening the children further. Their presence added a layer of generational fear to the home.

The Smurl family eventually moved out of the West Pittston home in the late 1980s, seeking peace in a new location. Jack Smurl passed away in 2017, but the legacy of the family's experiences lives on. The case remains a cornerstone of paranormal research, often debated between those who believe the family was truly besieged by a demon and skeptics who suggest the events were the result of mass hysteria or environmental factors.