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56 Ed & Lorraine Warren Exposed as Frauds
Every Time Ed & true, despite numerous investigations and an exorcism, man is cured.
accounts that seem to indicate otherwise. The But it's real! Because the Warrens are
Lorraine Warren Were events in question took place during the 1980s, awesome and they don't lie! Say it with me now:
roughly speaking, and feature all the trademarks "The Warrens tell the truth, this I know / For the
Exposed As Total Frauds of a classic, Amityville-style demonic haunting, Warrens told me so."
in which the supernatural baddie made "loud
Continued from Page 55 noises and bad odors" and "pig grunts"; it also Union Cemetery 'White Lady' Video
threw the Smurls']dog into a wall, shook their
mattresses, pushed one of their daughters down One of the ghosts purported to haunt the grounds
This case centered mostly around Janet a flight of stairs, and physically and sexually of Union Cemetery in Easton, CT is a White
Hodgson, at the time 11 years old, who was assaulted Jack on several occasions, as stated in Lady, otherwise known as a Lady in White, a
a 2008 Times-Leader article by Sheena Delazio. tortured spirit generally sprung from grave
alternately tormented and possibly even
Ed Warren - who came to the Smurls' aid along misfortunes - usually the victim of betrayal by a
possessed by a poltergeist. The evil spirit was
with his wife Lorraine in 1986 - even claimed husband or boyfriend, who died either by
responsible for throwing random items across
that he saw a dripping message on a mirror that
the room, knocking sounds, strange voices, and suicide or murder. Given that the cemetery is
told him to 'Get out.'
growling noises, and even causing young Janet near Ed and Lorraine's stomping grounds,
Paul Kurtz, a philosophy professor at the
to levitate in midair. The story became a media they've been all over this legend, claiming to
sensation, and led to numerous investigations of State University of New York, Buffalo, drew have actually captured the Union White Lady
Janet, her 13-year-old sister Peggy (who also connections between the Smurls and the Lutzes and a few "shadow ghosts" on video. Watch Ed
seemed to be affected by the poltergeist's around the same time the story (with full Warren describe his encounter here, though note
backing from the Warrens, of course) was that the footage itself is never actually shown.
presence), and the entire house.
exploding in the media. He said of the
What most of the investigators took
demonologists, "They have no credentials in the (Continued on Page 57)
away was that the girls were playing pranks. Joe
scientific or parapsychological communities,"
Nickell wrote a detailed piece for Skeptical
and further added, "There is no explanation for
Inquirer in July/August 2012, referencing
the Smurl house, but I wouldn't simply assume it
numerous sources that reveal how most of the
paranormal happenings in the Hodgson house is a haunting... It seems to us that a great-to-do
occurred when no one was actually looking at has been made about it, and we wonder if it s
either Janet or Peggy, such as instances of like the Amityville horror hoax, which was
based on imagination rather than an actual
objects being flung across the room. An audio
haunting." Even members of the clergy, brought
recording of a dresser falling to the floor
in for the usual blessings and exorcisms,
seemingly of its own accord reveals what could
reported "nothing unusual" happening there.
very likely be footsteps creeping up to the
Despite the quick skepticism, the Smurls tale
dresser just prior to its collapse. Instances in
was turned in to a paperback "true story" titled
which the poltergeist seemed to converse with
Janet happened mostly when Janet and/or Peggy The Haunted, with Ed and Lorraine's name
were behind a closed door, and when the voice emblazoned on the cover right next to journalist
would manifest in the presence of others, it was turned author Robert Curran's credit. A TV CONNECTING
movie of the same name followed in 1991.
painfully obvious Janet had learned to throw her
WITH
voice - i.e., she was practicing ventriloquism.
Werewolf Demon COINCIDENCE
There are a series of photographs that
staunch believers of the paranormal insist show
Janet levitating. Click here to see a collection of This is perhaps the most ludicrous case in the MAESTRO MELODY, SONGWRITER. Francesco
gifs of these photos, but just be aware that if Warren roster: the couple, alongside Catholic "Maestro Melody" Ronchetti is a Composer, Vocalist
and Musicologist. His stage name is self-explanatory: a
you're hoping to see an exorcist or Dana- bishops and retired police officers, exorcized the lifetime at the service of H.R.M. the...'Queen' Melody.
possessed-by-Zuul-style levitation, you'll be angry spirit of a werewolf from a man's body. Founding member of the experimental a cappella trio
sadly disappointed. The photos depict nothing Sounds like a great episode of Supernatural, but “Trinovox" (Jaro, Germany; EMI, France; Alula,
more than a girl jumping off her bed. And yet, it's apparently one hundred percent true, at least USA), M.M. holds a Doctor of Music from the oldest
Ed Warren swears up and down in The according to the famous demonologists and their university in the Western World: Bologna (Italy),
founded in 1083. For his Doctorate M.M. wrote the
Demonologist that he witnessed the girl levitate book (there's always a book), Werewolf: A True first ever thesis based on the teaching of Pop-Rock
in midair. Did he? Story of Demonic Possession. This tome is Singing, another of his great passions. Currently M.M.
But perhaps most damning of all is the wonderfully summed-up by Kirkus Reviews, in is busy performing with “Monster Songster", a unique
admission by Janet in 2015, then 45 years old, which the unnamed writer states, "Skeptics, duo that specializes in turning its audience's 'on-the-
"that she and her sister faked some of the please note the Warrens' assurance that this is a spot' poems into finished songs in real time.
phenomena," about "two percent," to be precise. 'carefully documented' case (they forgot to DOCTOR COINCIDENCE, LYRICIST. Bernard
Though Nickell insists the evidence suggests include the documentation, though)." "Dr. Coincidence" Beitman is an Author, Researcher
one hundred percent fakery, perhaps this is again You can read an overview of this case in and University Professor. A psychotherapist and
a case of the truth lying somewhere in between. a blog post by Ritoban Mukherjee at psychiatrist, Dr. C. decided to dedicate his life to the
Perhaps Janet and Peggy did encounter a Unexplained Mysteries, if you so choose. What study of...’Everything Coincidence' as a consequence
of a very dramatic and unforgettable occurrence
supernatural being, but began to fabricate much is most interesting about this post, however, is connected to his father's death, when he was 31, as
of their interactions with "The Thing" once they that it both demonstrates the Warrens' fraudulent reflected in the song "Karl Bled Into His Throat". We
realized how much attention it garnered them. nature and shows how blindly faithful and could say that Dr. Coincidence is to Coincidence as M°
Perhaps the affair was, as Nickell states, a total devoted believers of their work can be. Consider Melody is to Melody (although this might seem almost
fabrication, through and through. One thing is this passage: "The Warrens haven't been able to too...coincidental to be true). With prestigious
academic titles from the top U.S. Ivy League
certain: Ed Warren likely didn't see Janet produce any photos or material evidences. But universities under his belt, Dr. C. has increasingly
levitating. the very presence of the famous demonologist turned his attention to developing a mystical
couple, paranormal collector John Zaffis, and relationship with Nature, a tendency probably started
The Smurl Haunting famous exorcist Bishop McKenna greatly many years ago, as a child, with his first puppy, as
increases the credibility." Moreover, most described in the song “Snapper”.
The details of this case feel more like something resources touting the truthfulness of this case are
blogs that love to gush on the Warrens. There are
out of a William Peter Blatty novel (or a Jay Visit
no articles devoted to debunking this one
Anson "True Story" horror tale) than actual
because it really debunks itself: man gets violent store.cdbaby.com/cd/drcoincidencemaestromelody
events, but like many families on this list, the
with some cops, blames a werewolf demon, has
Smurls of West Pittston, PA swear their story is