In the summer of 1980, the Glatzel family of Brookfield, Connecticut, became the centre of one of the most controversial and widely publicised paranormal cases in American history. Known as the “Devil Made Me Do It” case, it culminated in a homicide trial that challenged the boundaries of legal responsibility and belief in the supernatural.
The story began when 11-year-old David Glatzel accompanied his sister Debbie and her boyfriend, Arne Cheyenne Johnson, to clean a rental property in Newtown. David claimed he encountered a terrifying presence at the house. He described seeing an old man with burnt-looking skin, hooved feet, and torn clothing, who shoved him and warned him to “beware.” He later said the figure transformed into a demonic beast with black eyes, jagged teeth, and horns, and that it muttered in Latin and threatened to steal his soul.
At first, the family believed David was trying to avoid helping with the move. However, his fear appeared genuine and his descriptions remained consistent. After returning home, David began experiencing violent night terrors, hallucinations, and episodes of aggression. He would speak in strange voices, growl, and quote religious texts such as the Bible and Paradise Lost, despite having limited reading ability. The family reported hearing scratching noises in the attic and seeing furniture move on its own. David insisted the entity had followed him and was now tormenting him at home.
The Glatzels, who were devout Catholics, sought help from both medical professionals and the Church. Doctors considered possible neurological or psychological conditions, including Tourette’s syndrome and schizophrenia, but no definitive diagnosis was made. A local priest attempted to bless the house, but the disturbances continued. 12 days later and desperate for answers, the family contacted Ed and Lorraine Warren, well-known paranormal investigators with a reputation for handling cases of alleged demonic activity.
The Warrens’ involvement marked a turning point in the case. Lorraine Warren, a self-described clairvoyant, claimed to have seen a black mist materialise near David, which she interpreted as a sign of a malevolent presence. Ed Warren, a demonologist, believed the boy was under attack by a powerful demonic force. After observing David over several days, the Warrens concluded that he was possessed by not one, but dozens of demons—eventually claiming the number reached 43. They began documenting his behaviour meticulously, using audio recordings, photographs, and written notes. According to their accounts, David exhibited unnatural strength, required multiple adults to restrain him, and entered prolonged trance-like states. He spoke in languages he had never learned, including Latin, and bore scratches and bruises that appeared spontaneously. Lorraine described the atmosphere in the Glatzel home as oppressive and dangerous, warning that the situation was escalating rapidly.
David underwent three exorcisms, which were described as “lesser” rites sanctioned by the Catholic Church. These were not full solemn exorcisms, but they were nonetheless intense and deeply disturbing. The sessions were conducted in secret and attended by several priests, the Warrens, and close family members. During the rites, David was said to have levitated off the bed, stopped breathing for short periods, and spoken in guttural voices. He would thrash violently, scream blasphemies, and at times appear to lose consciousness entirely. Witnesses claimed that objects in the room moved on their own, and that the temperature would drop suddenly. Lorraine Warren reported seeing shadowy figures and hearing disembodied voices during the sessions. The family, exhausted and terrified, took turns staying awake with David each night, fearing what might happen if he were left alone. The psychological toll on the Glatzels was immense. They lived in a constant state of fear, their home transformed into a battleground between good and evil. Lorraine also claimed that David demonstrated precognitive abilities during the possession, including a chilling prediction of a violent death, which the family later associated with the murder of Alan Bono.
In addition to the physical and psychological manifestations, David’s mother and sister Debbie claimed to have witnessed him being physically attacked by invisible forces. They described seeing him thrown to the ground, choked, and scratched by unseen hands. On several occasions, red marks and bruises appeared on his body immediately after these episodes, with no visible cause. These incidents were among the most terrifying for the family, reinforcing their belief that David was under siege by something truly malevolent.
During one of the exorcisms, Arne Johnson, overwhelmed by David’s suffering and desperate to help, challenged the demon to leave the boy and enter him instead. Lorraine warned him not to provoke the entity, but those present described a sudden drop in temperature and a chilling silence that followed. Days later, Arne claimed to have encountered the same presence near a well on the rental property. He said he made eye contact with it and believed from that moment that he had become possessed.
Arne’s behaviour began to change. Debbie, who was now living with him in a nearby apartment, noticed that he would fall into trances, growl, and later have no memory of his actions. On 16 February 1981, Arne called in sick to work and joined Debbie, her sister Wanda, and her nine-year-old cousin Mary at the dog kennel where Debbie worked. Their landlord and Debbie’s employer, Alan Bono, took them out for lunch and drank heavily. Later that day, Bono became agitated and grabbed Mary. Arne intervened, growled like an animal, and stabbed Bono multiple times with a pocket knife. Bono died from his injuries shortly after.
Arne was arrested two miles from the scene. He told police he did not mean to hurt anyone and could not remember the incident. At the station, he admitted to having a drinking problem and fell asleep shortly after being informed of Bono’s death.
The case gained national attention when Lorraine Warren informed police that Arne had been possessed at the time of the killing. Arne’s lawyer, Martin Minnella, attempted to enter a plea of not guilty by reason of demonic possession. “The courts have dealt with the existence of God,” said Johnson’s attorney. “Now they’re going to have to deal with the existence of the Devil.” This was the first time such a defence had been attempted in a United States court. Minnella travelled to the United Kingdom to consult with lawyers involved in similar cases and threatened to subpoena the priests who had participated in David’s exorcisms.
However, Judge Robert Callahan rejected the defence, ruling that demonic possession could not be proven in a court of law and was therefore inadmissible. The defence shifted to arguing self-defence, claiming that Bono had been intoxicated and aggressive. The jury deliberated for 15 hours before convicting Arne of first-degree manslaughter. He was sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison but served only five for good behaviour.
The case became a cultural phenomenon. It was chronicled in Gerald Brittle’s book The Devil in Connecticut, adapted into the 2021 film The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, and featured in the 2023 Netflix documentary The Devil on Trial. The documentary included interviews with David, Arne, and other family members, as well as audio recordings from the exorcisms.
While Debbie and David Glatzel maintained their belief in the possession, David’s older brother Carl publicly disputed the claims. He suggested that David had been mentally ill and that the Warrens had manipulated the family for publicity. He also alleged that their mother had been administering sleep aids to the family, which may have contributed to hallucinations and erratic behaviour.
Witnesses to the events included multiple family members, neighbours, and clergy. Debbie and her mother claimed to have seen David being attacked by invisible forces. Arne’s sister Wanda witnessed the stabbing and described his behaviour as animalistic. The Warrens documented their experiences with audio recordings and notes, although critics argue that these were selectively presented.
Despite the conflicting accounts, the Glatzel case remains one of the most debated paranormal incidents in modern history. It continues to raise questions about belief, mental health, and the limits of legal responsibility in cases involving alleged supernatural influence.
