Demonic Entities

In January 1949, a 13-year-old boy referred to as "Roland Doe" (a pseudonym) began exhibiting phenomena that would become one of the most thoroughly documented demonic possession cases in American history. The case was observed by multiple Jesuit priests and physicians and directly inspired William Peter Blatty's novel "The Exorcist" (1971).

The phenomena began after the boy used an Ouija board to attempt contact with a recently deceased aunt. Objects in his room began moving. Scratching sounds emerged from the walls. His mattress levitated and moved across the room while he sat on it. His body produced words and symbols that appeared to claw themselves out from beneath the skin — observed by medical personnel who had no explanation. He exhibited violent reactions to holy water that could not be explained by suggestion, as the water was substituted without his knowledge in tests.

Multiple Jesuit priests from Georgetown University and later St. Louis University participated in the exorcism rites over a period of weeks. A diary of the exorcism was kept by attending priest Father Raymond J. Bishop and later described by author Thomas B. Allen. The diary records over 30 exorcism sessions, during which the boy spoke in a guttural voice in Latin phrases he could not have known, displayed knowledge of private information about those present, and on one occasion broke free from restraints and tore a bedspring loose, inflicting a wound on one of the priests that required stitches.

The exorcism was declared complete in April 1949 after the boy reported a vision of St. Michael driving the possessing entity away. He subsequently had no memory of the events and went on to live a normal life. The attending priests maintained their accounts to the end of their lives. Bowdern said of the case: "I am convinced that the boy was truly possessed by the devil."

The family moved into the house in November 2011. Their physician, Geoffrey Onyeukwu, visited in April 2012 and described their behaviour as "delusional"; after police were called, the children were taken to hospital. The Department of Child Services became involved and believed the children were performing for their mother.^[4]

Police captain Charles Austin said he believed paranormal activity had occurred in the house. The story received national attention when it was published in 2014. That year paranormal TV presenter Zak Bagans bought the house; he demolished it in January 2016 after filming the documentary Demon House.^[4]

The Earling case is one of the most extensively documented demonic possession cases in Catholic records. In 1928, a 40-year-old woman referred to as "Emma" was brought to the Franciscan Convent in Earling, Iowa by Father Theophilus Riesinger, who had already performed a prior unsuccessful exorcism on her in her home diocese.

The exorcism at Earling lasted for 23 days spread over two sessions in 1928. Father Riesinger maintained detailed notes, later published as "Begone Satan" by Father Carl Vogl in 1935. Witnesses included the convent's pastor, Father Joseph Steiger, and multiple nuns. Their accounts describe Emma displaying knowledge of private sins and biographical details of those present that she could not have known. She reportedly spoke simultaneously in multiple voices with distinct personalities, one identifying itself as a historical figure and describing events in 16th-century Latin.

Physical manifestations documented by witnesses included Emma's body becoming rigid and rising off the bed without support, her face distorting into unrecognisable shapes, and her body emitting a foul odour that permeated the building. She reportedly consumed no food or water for the duration of the sessions without any physical deterioration. When sprinkled with holy water that was secretly substituted with plain water, she reportedly showed no reaction — but reacted violently to the genuine article.

The case was treated as authentic by the Catholic Church, which used it in training materials for exorcists for decades. Father Riesinger performed the case as an officially sanctioned exorcism under diocesan authority. Father Steiger later broke down during an interview about the events, stating he had seen things no person should have to see.