Jack Janet Smurl · Genuine

Then, things escalated.

The haunting became a national sensation. In 1988, author Robert Curran published The Haunted: The True Story of One Family’s Nightmare , which detailed the Smurls’ ordeal and was later adapted into a TV movie.

The story of is a microcosm of America’s fascination with the supernatural. While the empirical record—lacking reproducible, verifiable evidence—leans heavily toward psychological and sociocultural explanations, the haunting’s power lies in its narrative potency. It reveals how personal trauma, religious belief, media sensationalism, and commercial interests can intertwine to create a modern myth that persists long after the original house has been painted over.