Smurl Hauntings [2021] Link

The Smurl haunting began, as many such legends do, with subtle disturbances. Jack and Janet Smurl, along with their four children and Jack’s parents, reported the standard tropes of poltergeist activity: footsteps in empty rooms, doors opening and closing of their own accord, and unexplained odors. However, the narrative quickly escalated beyond creaking floorboards. The family claimed the entity—identified as a demon rather than a ghost—possessed a malicious intelligence. Reports included physical assaults on Jack Smurl, levitating furniture, and even the apparition of a half-human, half-animal creature. This escalation from nuisance to malevolence is crucial to the case's cultural staying power; it transformed a haunted house story into a battle for the soul of the American family.

The Smurl family moved into their home on DeFeo Drive in 1974, unaware of the terror that awaited them. Initially, the family reported experiencing strange noises, such as knocking sounds, creaks, and unexplained drafts. However, the events quickly escalated to include physical attacks on family members, furniture moving on its own, and apparitions. smurl hauntings

The sign above the door read SMURL REALTY – “Homes with Character” in chipped gold leaf. Frank Smurl, third-generation broker, believed it. He’d sold houses with crooked floors, houses with bats, even a house where the previous owner had walled up his coin collection. But the house on Vicker’s Lane was different. It didn’t just have character. It had a cast . The Smurl haunting began, as many such legends

The first night in their new home, Mrs. Barlow found her tea towels folded into little origami crows. Charming, she thought. The second night, the crows had migrated to the refrigerator, and one had been dipped in something that looked disconcertingly like rust. “Art project,” Mr. Barlow said, yawning. The family claimed the entity—identified as a demon

“Charming fixer-upper,” Frank told the young couple, the Barlows, as they stood on the porch. The doorbell, a tarnished brass cherub, suddenly played a perfect, mournful chord of “Auld Lang Syne” by itself. “See? Original details.”

In 1973, following the devastation of Hurricane Agnes, moved into a double-block duplex at 328–330 Chase Street in West Pittston. They shared the home with Jack’s parents, John and Mary, who lived in the adjoining unit. Initially, the disturbances were minor: tools disappearing, strange odors, and toilets flushing on their own.