Is 'The Conjuring: Last Rites' Based on a True Story? Real-Life Smurl Haunting, Explained

The horror movies in The Conjuring franchise are inspired by the real-life cases of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, portrayed by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga.

The plot of the fourth and final chapter, Last Rites, is based on the story of the Smurl family, who claimed that their house was inhabited by evil spirits from 1974 to 1989.

Here's what really happened to the Smurls and how their story differs from the one depicted in the film.

What Happened in the Smurl House in Real Life?

In August 1973, the Smurl family moved into a new home on Chase Street in West Pittston, Pennsylvania. They claimed supernatural phenomena began occurring in the house, including doors opening on their own and toilets flushing. Over time, the activity increased.

The family reported experiencing physical and sexual attacks by a demon, as well as frightening screams and a foul odor.

One of the daughters was pushed down the stairs, and their dog was thrown into a wall. These events were depicted in the movie, in which Mary is thrown down the stairs.

What Kind of Ghosts Lived in the Real Smurls' House?

Following a series of supernatural incidents, the Smurl family sought an exorcism from a priest, but it was unsuccessful.

Their story attracted a great deal of attention after it was reported in the press, including a visit from Jason Miller, star of The Exorcist. Many skeptics declared the story a hoax, linking the family's experiences to Jack's brain surgery.

However, renowned demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren believed the Smurls and began investigating their home in January 1986. Ed reported a sharp drop in temperature, the appearance of a black substance, and a poltergeist.

The Warrens concluded that the house was inhabited by four entities: a harmless elderly woman, a cruel girl, a suffering man, and a demon who manipulated the others to destroy the family.

This story was adapted into The Conjuring: Last Rites. In the film, the mirror demon manipulates the ghosts of a family who were murdered for adultery – the axeman, his wife, and his mother-in-law – to torment the Smurls and attract the Warrens.

His ultimate target was the Warrens' daughter, Judy. In reality, however, there were no such ghostly intrigues, nor was there a specific goal of revenge for adultery.

Who Was Responsible for Clearing the Smurl House of Ghosts?

In October 1986, the Smurls announced that the paranormal activity in their home had ceased. However, they attributed this change not to the Warrens' intervention, but rather to the power of their own prayers and those of their supporters.

Although the family still occasionally heard knocking and saw shadows in 1987, they moved in 1988. The new owner of the house, Debra Owens, did not report any supernatural phenomena.

Was There Really a Cursed Mirror?

In The Conjuring: Last Rites, the demon is tied to a cursed mirror that the Warrens encountered in 1964. The mirror's target is the soul of their daughter, Judy.

However, the real Smurl case did not involve a mirror. Although the Warrens had a mirror like this in their collection, it was used to summon spirits and had no special significance.

The demon's connection to the Warrens is also fictional, and the Warrens did not retire after the case.