Paranormal Investigator Lorraine Warren, CT Resident, Dies At 92

Lorraine and Ed Warren investigated hauntings for decades — from The Amityville Horror to The Conjuring and Annabelle.

Lorraine and Ed Warren investigated hauntings for decades-- from The Amityville Horror, to The Conjuring and Annabelle. (Wendy Mitchell )

MONROE, CT — The legendary Lorraine Warren, 92, who traveled the country with her late husband Ed Warren, lecturing about demons, the supernatural and psychic phenomena, passed away Thursday night, according to her son-in-law, Tony Spera.

The Warrens were paranormal investigators who are linked to some of the most prominent haunting cases. Thousands of movie-goers have been scared stiff when seeing films such as "The Amityville Horror," "Anabelle," "The Conjuring," and "The Conjuring II," based upon the life-long work of the Warrens.

Spera announced the passing of Lorraine in a statement Friday morning. "It is with deep sadness that I must announce that Lorraine Warren has passed away. She died peacefully in her sleep at home last night. The family requests that you respect their privacy at this time. Lorraine touched many lives and was loved by so many. She was a remarkable, loving, compassionate and giving soul. To quote Will Rogers, she never met a person she didn't like. She was an avid animal lover and contributed to many animal charities and rescues. She was wonderful and giving to her entire family. May God Bless her."

The Warrens held tours of their home and museum in Monroe where they lived. The Annabelle doll is the focal point for the Warren's Occult Museum located at their Monroe home. Legend has it that you don't want to touch or make Anabelle mad or she will put a curse on you.

Spera spoke at length with former Patch Editor Wendy Mitchellconcerning Lorraine Warren's legacy during a 2014 interview.

Lorraine Warren was born on Jan 31, 1927 in Bridgeport, Connecticut and attended the prestigious Lauralton Hall, a private Catholic school in Milford. It was there, at age nine, her son-in-law Tony Spera said, that she realized that she was different from others. She remarked to a fellow student, "Look, Sister Joseph's lights are brighter than Mother Superior's," which got her in trouble with Mother Superior, Spera said. Warren said she was seeing the human aura around Mother Superior, and thought that everyone could see it.

She and her husband have investigated thousands of hauntings, including Amityville, the West Point ghost, the Perron farmhouse ("The Conjuring") the Enfield Poltergeist ("Conjuring 2"), the case of Poltergeist activity at 966 Lindley Street, Bridgeport, and many others. She and her husband have written ten books and lectured throughout the world regarding their experiences.

"We felt it was time to celebrate the life of Lorraine Warren, a true pioneer of the Paranormal realm," Spera said in a 2014 interview with Patch, "and with the release of "The Conjuring," "Conjuring 2," and "Annabelle," the public is really thirsty to hear about her career and to honor her legacy."

Spera said in that interview his mother-in-law's faith is "her linchpin" and sets the foundation for her belief system. "It is her suit of armor against diabolical forces."

Spera said Lorraine received signs from Ed on several occasions after his death. "Once while investigating a case of demonic activity alone after Ed passed she felt his hand grab and hold her hand while she was in the house. It felt like electrical energy tingling throughout her hand and fingers," Spera told Patch in 2014.

"Another incident occurred at the Bluebird restaurant in Easton," Spera said. "Ed would always take her there for breakfast. Ed always used to whistle when he was happy and at peace, such as when he would paint his New England scenes and representations of haunted houses. On September 7, 2016, he died on Aug 23rd, 2006, she went to the Bluebird to honor his birthday. She walked in and asked for a table for two, but she was alone. Moments after sitting, the owner came out and said that the dishwasher had come into work early and while alone in the kitchen, heard someone whistling in the dining room. When he went into the dining area no one was there but he definitely heard a man whistling. When he went back into the kitchen, the whistling started again. The man was so spooked by this he called the owner and told her to come right down because he was going to leave. The owner asked that he not leave and that she would be right there. The owner brought the dishwasher into the dining room to relay what happened to him to Mrs.Warren. Lorraine remarked, "Well, I guess Ed got here before I did."

Spera said of all their accomplishments in helping families with supernatural hauntings that Amityville was the most memorable case she and Ed have ever been involved in. "I hope this is as close to hell as I ever get," Lorraine said at a lecture in Shelton regarding the case.

Spera said Warren's proudest moment in her life doesn't involve the paranormal realm.

"It was when she learned that Ed Warren had saved the life of a fellow sailor during World War II, when he and his shipmates had to abandon ship after colliding with a tanker in the North Atlantic on Feb 5, 1945. He was granted a 3 day survivor's leave in May of 1945. During those 3 days he married Lorraine," Spera said.

Spera said in that 2014 interview that Warren wishes to be remembered for "perhaps making a difference in people's lives. In helping to resolve their problems, and in some cases brought families closer to their faith."