In 1986, the Smurl family—consisting of Jack, his wife Janet, their daughters Dawn and Heather, and Jack's parents Mary and John—purchased a two-story home on Chase Street in a quiet Pennsylvania town of about 4,000 residents. The house was divided into two sections to accommodate the extended family, which later grew to include twin infant girls, Shannon and Carin.Shortly after moving in, strange phenomena began, starting with unexplained noises like shuffling and knocking coming from seemingly empty rooms. The disturbances quickly escalated into physical manifestations, including a mysterious stain on the living room rug that repeatedly reappeared after being scrubbed clean. A foul odor permeated the home, and despite hiring plumbers, no rational cause was found, even as sewer pipes inexplicably began to burst. Other bizarre events included a newly purchased television spontaneously catching fire and deep claw marks appearing overnight on a bathtub. Neighbors also complained of loud disturbances coming from the house when the family was not home.The psychological and physical torment worsened over time. Voices were heard speaking in an unidentifiable language, and the children became direct targets; a mysterious force pushed one of the infants out of her crib, and the older children felt they were pushed down the stairs. Dawn claimed to see floating figures in her room that were trying to communicate with her. Jack and Janet also suffered terrifying nocturnal attacks. Jack was visited by a succubus that appeared as a beautiful woman before turning into a horrifying hag, while Janet experienced similar encounters with an incubus.Seeking help, the family initially brought in a cleric, but the entities reportedly hid during his visit. They then turned to demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, who arrived with a team of mediums and specialized equipment. The Warrens recorded strange vibrations and voices, diagnosing the presence of four entities: the spirit of an older woman, a jealous husband, an unidentified spirit, and a powerful demon. Exorcisms and rituals provided peace for about three months before the activity returned with greater violence. Strange marks appeared on Janet and Mary, objects flew around the house, and young Carin fell severely ill with an unrelenting fever. The Warrens warned that the haunting had entered a dangerous phase of oppression, which could eventually lead to possession and death.The family shared their story on a talk show, which drew intense media attention and led to prayer groups holding vigils outside their home. In late 1988 or 1989, after an apparition of a woman in black demanded Jack's submission, the family finally relocated to another city. Upon moving, all paranormal activity immediately ceased, and Carin fully recovered from her illness.The case's heavy media exposure attracted significant skepticism. Professor Paul Kurtz from a New York university investigated and suggested the events were entirely fabricated. He noted that Jack had suffered from short-term memory loss and had water removed from his brain in 1983, implying the phenomena might have stemmed from psychological issues and mass hysteria among the family. Furthermore, the woman who subsequently purchased the house reported no strange occurrences whatsoever, giving the home a positive review. Despite the skepticism, the family's experiences were quickly adapted into a book and a 1991 film titled "The Haunted". Jack Smurl later passed away in 2017 at the age of 65.

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