Criticized for being skilled con artists, Ed and Lorraine Warren had successful careers as paranormal investigators for some of the most notorious haunting incidents, like the Perron Family, Annabelle, and Amityville, to name a few. These supernatural incidents garnered international media attention, bringing the Warrens fame and fortune. There were books, movies, and television appearances centered on recounting these events. To this day, Lorraine Warren profits from her alleged experiences as The Conjuring franchise continues to generate revenue for Warner Bros. Studios.
In the latest franchise installment, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, Ed (played by Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) once again gained worldwide attention, this time for their involvement in the Arne Johnson case. They famously pushed demonic possession as a legal defense in Arne’s murder trial, and he ended up serving five years for first-degree manslaughter. Hence, the phrase “the devil made me do it” was popularized. Considering the high-profile couple earned notoriety from previous encounters, did they put forth this defense knowing it would attract media buzz and give them publicity? While there is no doubt that the horrendous event resulted in financial gain for Ed and Lorraine, it also gave them the opportunity to push their Christian agenda.
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The Conjuring 3: Real Demonic Possession Case
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After Arne Johnson murdered his landlord in 1981, Ed and Lorraine Warren convinced him to pull an unprecedented move — claim demonic possession as a legal defense. They held that during the possession of 11-year-old David Glatzel at his family home, the demon jumped into Johnson’s body. When the court refused to accept that defense on account that it couldn’t be proven with evidence, Johnson argued self-defense instead.
Although the Glatzels accused the Warrens of lying about the incident, their daughter Debbie Glatzel and Arne Johson stood by the Warrens. Of course, supporting Ed and Lorraine would work in Johnson’s favor. After deliberating for three days, somehow the jury returned a verdict of guilt on a first-degree manslaughter charge and Johnson only served five out of a 10-20 year sentence.
Ed and Lorraine Warren in a Media Storm
This trial wasn’t the couple’s first foray into the spotlight due to their encounters with the supernatural. In fact, their association with other high-profile hauntings and notorious reputation frequently stirred public interest. Surely a defendant charged with murder who pleads not guilty by virtue of possession would attract media attention, but having the Warrens attached to the case would stoke that frenzy.
This was their family business, and they figured that their association with a real murder case involving demonic possession would be great for business; it undoubtedly was. They had their agents hard at work during the duration of the trial, announcing plans for both a movie and a book documenting the incident. Despite their reputation for being frauds, this case ushered in fame and fortune for them that Lorraine Warren still benefits from to this day.
Lorraine Warren Profited from Possession Story
For decades, Lorraine profited from lectures and a video detailing David Glatzel’s possession without the family’s permission. Lorraine eventually co-authored the book The Devil in Connecticut about the incident as well. Talks of a movie followed, which was put on hold when David and his brother Carl filed suit against Lorraine, claiming Lorraine made false accusations against them in the book. According to Carl, the Warrens took advantage of the Glatzels and fabricated the entire paranormal event. He stated:
The fact that Lorraine continued to rake in profits from a little boy’s trauma and a murder trial throws her morality into question. Even after the suit, she managed to get The Conjuring 3 produced years later anyway.
The Conjuring 3 Pushes Christian Propaganda
In discussing their experiences with demonic forces and possessions, Ed and Lorraine asserted that those who strayed from traditional family values were vulnerable to possessions. To them, Johnson’s possession and ultimate act of murder were a byproduct of a woman who rejected the Catholic Church. In fact, all of their stories of hauntings were linked to women who rejected patriarchy and the punishment they faced in doing so.
By alleging that Arne Johnson was possessed when he committed murder, Ed and Lorraine Warren thrust themselves into the public eye. Having already made a name for themselves from their involvement in other well-known cases, the free publicity was good for business. Hiring agents to tell the public to anticipate more details on the story after the trial shows the Warrens had a strategy in place. These hauntings gave the deeply Christian couple a platform to propagandize the notion that immorality opens the door to evil.
It’s unlikely that The Conjuring 3 is the last of the Warrens and their “true accounts” of hauntings, and fans are already speculating which supposedly ’true’ supernatural case The Conjuring 4 will take on. These films may be very well-made and fun horror cinema, but it’s important to remember the actual truth. The Conjuring 3 made heroes out of the Warrens, a couple who helped a murderer look like a victim and have since enjoyed the monetary success as a result.
