The Devil Made Me Do It’ case

Ed and Lorraine Warren are back with their “based on a true story” business in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It. So, how much of what audiences saw actually happened? 

Well, as with any account of supernatural activity, whether demons walk the Earth is between you and your therapist. That said, maybe more than any other title in The Conjuring Universe, The Devil Made Me Do It pulls liberally from real criminal cases and news stories you can actually fact check. 

Set in 1981 Brookfield, Connecticut, the third movie in The Conjuring storyline pulls mainly from the infamous murder trial of Arne Cheyenne Johnson — the third man in modern criminal history to attempt a defense by demonic possession. Here’s what does and doesn’t check out. 

Note: Asterisks (*) denote a victim or witness name that was changed for or left out of the film. Out of respect, this article uses only names that were included, although the real ones are available.

The exorcism of David Glatzel

Yes, there were numerous attempts to exorcise supposed demons from 12-year-old David Glatzel. But in a recent interview with the Hartford Courant, David’s older brother Carl once again contended — as he’s done for many years now — that no such possession ever took place. 

According to Carl, David began having hallucinations and delusions in late 1979. His apparent mental condition worsened over a number of years, and the Glatzels eventually brought in priests and demonologists, like the Warrens, to intervene. However, Carl later brought suit against Lorraine, as well as other related parties, arguing their false claims ruined his and his brother’s life. 

Both Ed and Lorraine Warren maintained their belief in the possession until their deaths in 2006 and 2019, respectively. What Lorraine described about the possession in a series of interviews isn’t nearly as elaborate as what we see in the film, but she did report David levitating and speaking in tongues, as well as having unidentified markings across his body. Brother to David Debbie Glatzel also described seeing her brother physically attacked by demons, in a featurette made for the film. 

The audio recording at the end of the film, which includes David screaming and growling, is real, but has never been released in its entirety to the public. It’s also noteworthy that while the Warrens speak about David having one demon possess his body in the film, Lorraine repeatedly said it could have been as many as 40 demons possessing David throughout the real investigation of the case.

The murder of Bruno Sauls* 

Yes, the then-boyfriend of Debbie Glatzel Arne Johnson was present for at least one of David’s exorcisms, and witnesses say he did “invite” the demon into his body. And yes, these two facts would form the basis of Johnson’s defense when charged with murder some weeks later.

On February 16, 1981, Johnson, Debbie, Johnson’s sister*, and Debbie’s young cousin* joined their landlord, known in the film as Bruno Sauls, at a popular Brookfield pub where he and Johnson drank heavily. Upon returning to the Brookfield Dog Kennels, which Sauls owned and where Debbie worked as a groomer, the men clashed in an intense moment of apparent intoxication.

Image: getty images/warner bros.

In the film, Johnson is depicted chasing Sauls through the kennels and stabbing him with only Debbie watching. In reality, Johnson murdered Sauls on the front lawn, after Sauls reportedly violently grabbed and refused to let go of Debbie’s then 9-year-old cousin. Debbie, Johnson’s sister, and the cousin were all interviewed by detectives, and would go on to provide evidence in the trial. As the movie states, this was the first murder recorded in Brookfield’s 193-year history.

Notably, the scene showing Johnson wandering down the street, covered in blood, and telling police, “I think I hurt someone” actually happened. He was just two miles from the crime scene.

“The Disciples of the Ram” and the murders of Jessica Louise Strong and Katie Lincoln

OK, so as is tradition in the Conjuring Universe, the middle third of The Devil Made Do It absolutely did not happen. Any connection to the Disciples of the Ram — a fictitious cult introduced in the Annabelle series, which FWIW seems largely based on the Manson family — or an organization like it does not exist. There were no reports of hexed totems, dark bibles, witches, none of it.

What’s more, the additional murders of characters Jessica Louise Strong and Katie Lincoln as part of some broader curse involving Johnson’s case aren’t based in fact. While plenty of young women went missing in Connecticut during that time period, nearly all cases that claimed connections to devil worship were later revealed to be part of a widespread phenomenon known as Satanic Panic. And, of course, none of them were ever connected to Johnson’s case.

The trial of Arne Johnson

Now, here’s the real kicker. For as much as The Devil Made Me Do It promises a highly-publicized trial that will finally decide if Satan exists, no such event ever took place. 

Certainly, Johnson’s trial received a fair amount of coverage because of his flashy defense attempt. But it remained just that: an attempt. 

Johnson’s defense attorney*, who is unnamed in the film, wanted to go forward with the argument that Johnson could not be found guilty by reason of possession. But the judge assigned to the case refused to hear the argument, stating per the Hartford Courant, “I’m not going to allow the defense of demon possession, period.” 

So, the trial went forward with a bigger focus on the circumstances of the stabbing, rather than any demonic forces. Johnson was ultimately convicted of manslaughter, and sentenced to the maximum of 10 to 20 years. With good behavior, Johnson was released in just over four. 

Per the film’s final slate, Debbie and Arne wed while he was in prison and stayed married for more than 30 years. Debbie, according to Carl Glatzel, died recently, however. Her death is not acknowledged in the film, nor in any online obituary. A documentary focused on the case, titled Shock Docs: The Devil Made Me Do It, is expected on Discovery+ June 11.

The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It is now in theaters and on HBO Max.