What Happened to the Smurl Family After Their Horrifying Paranormal Encounters?

**The Haunting of the Smurl Family: A Pennsylvania Mystery That Inspired a Film Franchise**

In the calm suburban neighbourhood of West Pittston, Pennsylvania, the Smurl family once led an ordinary life. Consisting of Jack and Janet Smurl and their four daughters—Heather, Dawn, Shannon, and Carin—the family experienced a drastic shift in their existence during the 1980s when they began reporting unsettling paranormal activity in their home.

The Smurls moved into their duplex in October 1973, but it was not until 1985 that their normalcy was disrupted. Janet Smurl has recounted a particularly terrifying incident that occurred on the night of their daughter Heather’s confirmation. While preparing for the ceremony, the family was startled when a ceiling light fixture suddenly crashed onto the kitchen table, allegedly striking Shannon in the forehead and leaving an indelible mark on the refrigerator.

In the weeks and months following that calamitous event, the Smurl household became a hotbed of strange occurrences. Family members reported doors opening and shutting on their own, unexplained noises, and items mysteriously disappearing. One unsettling feature was a closet door in Jack and Janet’s bedroom that appeared to operate independently, opening and closing rapidly without any apparent cause.

Further investigations revealed even more disturbing phenomena. According to reports, the Smurl family claimed to have witnessed their bed shaking, heard ghastly noises, and even observed dark shadows lurking in their home. In the most alarming incidents, both Jack and Janet alleged they experienced physical assaults from what they described as a malevolent spirit. Janet noted that on several occasions, she felt herself being pulled from her bed, while Jack claimed he was even subject to sexual advances from a supernatural entity identified by demonologist Ed Warren as a succubus.

The couple’s desperate plea for help led them to the renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who had a reputation for tackling some of the country’s most notorious hauntings. After initial consultations with the local Catholic Church yielded no results—despite the priest blessing their home—the Smurls reached out to the Warrens for assistance.

The Warrens conducted various rituals in an attempt to exorcise the supposed demon haunting the Smurls. Ed Warren famously stated that he was physically thrown back during one of these spiritual confrontations, indicating the strength of the entity they were battling. Their case garnered considerable media attention, engendering public sympathy that eventually prompted Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger—who would later become Pope Benedict XVI—to take action.

An exorcism was carried out in the Smurl home, leading the family to claim that they felt a sense of relief and protection afterwards. The spirit allegedly became less aggressive, bringing a degree of peace back to their lives.

The Smurls departed their infamous residence in 1988, moving to nearby Wilkes-Barre. The duplex, however, continued to attract attention. It changed hands several times, with a subsequent owner, Richard Bridle, noting the difficulties he faced in renting out the property due to its notorious history. In contrast, one tenant, Debra Owens, moved in several years later and reported no unusual incidents.

As for the Smurl family, their lives have continued along varied paths since the haunting. Jack Smurl maintained a low profile following the ordeal, working for over thirty years at the Topps Chewing Gum company until his death in 2017. Janet later remarried and passed away in January 2026.

Their children have also chosen to live primarily out of the public eye, with some of them raising families of their own. Heather is now a teacher in Wilkes-Barre, while Dawn has a son who has made a name for himself in the NFL. The twins, Carin and Shannon, have pursued careers in healthcare and social work, respectively.

Despite the passage of time, the Smurls have consistently refuted claims that their experiences were fabricated for fame or financial gain. In various interviews, they have expressed frustration at the sensationalism surrounding their story, maintaining that they are simply a family who endured a traumatic experience.

The eerie legacy of the Smurl family’s haunting has continued to resonate, inspiring the upcoming film *The Conjuring: Last Rites*, which explores their experience of demonic possession. As new audiences engage with their story through film, the Smuls’ hope remains that their account provides not just entertainment but an honest reflection of the battles they faced in both their home and the court of public opinion.