The Warrens convinced America that demonic possession was real—until a particularly violent case called their legend into question

The couple married in 1945 after meeting in their youth. Despite their age, their long marriage became a central part of their public image, and it was often portrayed as a union based on shared religious beliefs and activities related to the paranormal.

After serving in the military, Ed enrolled at Yale’s Perry Art School, where he studied painting for two years. It is interesting to note that it was precisely this discipline that drew him to the occult. Not only did he devote his talent to haunted houses, but, according to widely circulated accounts, he also drew people’s homes in order to get to know their occupants.

Lorraine described herself as a clairvoyant and a medium who practiced light trance. It was precisely because of these beliefs that she thought she could perceive spiritual forces that others could not sense. Ed also claimed to have had paranormal experiences as a child, which only served to further pique her curiosity.

The Warrens founded the New England Society for Psychic Research in 1952. This organization was long regarded as the official framework for their investigations. Nor should one assume that this was a short-lived initiative of the time; the organization still exists today.

The Smurl case involved a family from Pennsylvania who claimed that their home was plagued by terrifying phenomena, which they attributed to a demonic presence. The Warrens investigated the case in 1986, publicly supported the family’s claims, and stated that they had found evidence of the existence of a powerful entity. Their involvement propelled the story into the national spotlight through media coverage and the publication of books, notably The Haunted.

For the Warrens, their religious convictions went far beyond simply attending church. Their investigations were also strongly influenced by Catholic beliefs regarding demons and exorcisms. Ed, in particular, described himself as a demonologist, and the couple often collaborated with the clergy.

The Warrens have stated that they have investigated more than 10,000 cases over the course of their careers. It is difficult to put an exact number on it, but the couple has said they have handled all kinds of cases, ranging from simple home visits to paranormal phenomena on an international scale.

Ed has conducted several investigations into the “White Lady” of Union Cemetery, claiming to have seen her with his own eyes and captured her on film. This ghost story was so close to his heart that he and Lorraine later devoted a large portion of their book, Graveyard: True Hauntings from an Old New England Cemetery, to it.

By now, we’ve all heard of Annabelle, one of the objects most closely associated with the Warrens. According to some sources, this doll was allegedly linked to demonic activities and was later placed in safekeeping along with other occult objects in their museum.

In this regard, the Warrens maintained a collection of objects said to be haunted or cursed in what was dubbed their “Museum of the Occult” in Monroe, Connecticut. Although this collection drew crowds of curious onlookers, critics viewed it as both a room full of evidence and a spectacle, which only fueled the controversy.

In 1977, the Warrens traveled to Enfield, England, to investigate reports from the Hodgson family. The family claimed that their home was the scene of all sorts of strange phenomena, such as furniture moving on its own and voices speaking through the children. To this day, it remains one of the best-documented and most controversial poltergeist cases in history (and ultimately inspired the movie The Conjuring 2).

The Warrens were among the first paranormal investigators to examine the Amityville house. However, although they and their supporters insisted that these paranormal phenomena were real, the truth came to light in 1979: attorney William Weber admitted that he, author Jay Anson, and the Lutz family had made it all up.

As part of an investigation conducted in 1997 by the New England Skeptical Society, researchers Steve Novella and Perry DeAngelis examined the evidence provided by the Warrens for themselves. The verdict? They concluded that the Warrens were, at best, ghost storytellers and, at worst, dangerous con artists. Author Ray Garton, who wrote a book inspired by one of the Warrens’ cases, also publicly stated that Ed had encouraged him to embellish his stories.

Lorraine served as a consultant on the film The Conjuring, and information that later came to light revealed that her film contracts included specific restrictions on how she and Ed could be portrayed, including a prohibition against depicting them as involved in extramarital affairs. These clauses raised some questions, as they closely mirrored the allegations made by Judith Penney. Lorraine’s family and the Warren estate deny these claims.

In this regard, film adaptations are generally more heroic than historical records would suggest. Journalistic and critical analyses have pointed out that cinematic portrayals often downplay controversies in order to emphasize courage and supernatural dangers.

Ed Warren died in 2006, and Lorraine Warren died in 2019 at the age of ninety-two. That said, their passing did not put an end to the public’s interest in them, as films, museum exhibits, and discussions about their cases continued to keep them in the spotlight.

The Arne Cheyenne Johnson case, often referred to as the “It Was the Devil Who Made Me Do It” case, linked the Warrens to an actual homicide—as well as to an allegation of demonic possession that was rejected by the court. Johnson’s defense attempted to invoke demonic possession, but the judge rejected it, and he was ultimately convicted of a lesser charge.

In 1983, The Devil in Connecticut was published with Lorraine’s help, and according to later reports, the Glatzel family received only $2,000 from the publisher. Years later, Carl Glatzel stated that the family had been led to believe that this story would make them rich, and he accused the Warrens of exploiting his brother’s condition and profiting from the ordeal the family had endured.

Judy, the Warrens’ only daughter, and her husband, Tony Spera, now run the NESPR. Tony has been quick to defend the Warrens’ reputation against critics and skeptics, asserting that the cases were genuine and that any inaccuracies in the films were simply the product of Hollywood’s imagination.

What keeps Ed and Lorraine in the public eye is that their story has never really been settled. They are remembered as famous paranormal investigators, as sources of inspiration for the entertainment world, but also as figures who have sparked deep skepticism. Whatever one’s opinion of them may be, it is difficult to erase their legacy.