Twisted Tales with Heidi Wong

Episode: HORROR: True Events That Inspired The Conjuring

Release Date: October 6, 2025

Overview

In this chilling episode, host, poet, and lifelong horror aficionado Heidi Wong pulls back the veil on the terrifying true stories behind The Conjuring universe. Diving into the real events that inspired the hauntings of the Perron family’s farmhouse and the infamous Annabelle doll, Wong recounts the original incidents with her characteristic blend of engrossing narrative, skepticism, and wry humor. Listeners are taken step by step through the true horrors that went on to fuel one of horror cinema’s most successful and frightening franchises.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Perron Family Haunting (The True Story Behind The Conjuring)

[01:48 - 14:16]

• Setting the Scene

  • The Conjuring (2013) is based on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren’s 1970s visit to the Perron family farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island.
  • Wong details that the Perrons (Roger, Carolyn, and five daughters) moved into the 250-year-old house in January 1971.
  • The real haunting lasted for nine years, far longer than the movie’s compressed timeline.

• Early Paranormal Signs

  • Ominous warning from former owner: "For the sake of your family, leave the lights on at night." (03:15)
  • Odd sounds, chilling whispers, inexplicable heaviness, and, unexpectedly, a winter infestation of flies.
  • “Within a few days of moving in, the house was infested with them, even though it was the middle of winter. And that is when I would have left.” – Heidi Wong [04:25]

• Escalation: Direct Attacks & Apparitions

  • Carolyn experiences a possible murder attempt in the barn, as a scythe falls near her.
  • The appearance of a terrifying female apparition: "A sweet, swirling, rancid mass of rotting flesh, resembling a desiccated hornet's nest covered in what appeared to be a mesh of blackened cobwebs." (Quote from Andrea Perron's description as recited by Wong) [06:40]
  • The entity appears both to Carolyn and her eight-year-old daughter Cindy.

• Research and Revelation

  • Carolyn’s investigation reveals the spirit’s identity as Bathsheba Sherman, accused of witchcraft and child murder in the 1800s.

• Physical Injury & Ongoing Terror

  • Carolyn is stabbed in the leg, seemingly by an invisible needle—mirroring Bathsheba’s alleged crime. [09:26]

• The Arrival of the Warrens

  • Ed and Lorraine Warren enter the story in October 1973.
  • Lorraine senses a demonic presence immediately, and the family reveals the full extent of their haunting.

• The Séance

  • A dramatic attempt to cleanse the house involves a medium, a priest, and observers.
  • Wong’s evocative retelling: “Carolyn's chair lifted into the air, rocketing back into the parlor and slamming her to the ground...” [12:45]
  • After the séance, Carolyn recovers and the activity quiets, but the family is left fractured.

• Lingering Effects

  • Emotional and marital fallout: The Perrons eventually divorce and move away.
  • “The ordeal had put a huge strain on their relationship. It became totally joyless, and in time their house did too.” [13:40]

2. The Annabelle Doll (Haunting Origins of a Horror Icon)

[15:13 - 22:35]

• Annabelle’s Movie vs. Reality

  • In films, Annabelle is a porcelain doll possessed by a demon; in real life, she’s a Raggedy Ann gifted to nursing student Donna in 1970.

• Early Signs of Possession

  • The doll repeatedly moves to different locations and even leaves notes reading “Help me” written in childish handwriting on parchment paper—when neither housemate owns parchment.
  • Wong commentary: “I don’t know about you, but that's when I’d be getting this thing out of my place asap.” [17:35]

• Escalation: Physical Harm

  • Angie’s boyfriend Lou experiences a terrifying nightmare of Annabelle strangling him—punctuated by blood appearing on the doll days later.
  • Lou receives mysterious claw-like wounds that heal quickly.

• Seeking Help: The Medium & Warrens

  • A medium is called in, revealing the supposed spirit of a child, Annabelle Higgins, possessing the doll.
  • The housemates give Annabelle “permission” to stay, a decision quickly regretted after Lou’s attack.
  • Finally, Ed and Lorraine Warren intervene, identifying Annabelle as a demon, not a ghost, and attempt an exorcism.

• Continuing Legacy & Deaths

  • Annabelle remains in the Warrens’ Occult Museum, her containment believed to be necessary to prevent further supernatural harm.
  • Wong references the July 2025 death of Dan Rivera, a Warrens Institute investigator, during an Annabelle museum tour: “...given his proximity to Annabelle, it’s become another dark chapter in her terrifying legacy...” [16:15] and [22:12]

3. Interrogating the Truth Behind the Legends

[21:28 - 22:35]

• Skepticism and Legacy

  • Both Perron and Annabelle stories have skeptics and believers.
  • "Ed and Lorraine... have been called frauds who profited off of people’s fear of the supernatural, or made up these stories altogether. But there are just as many people who back up the Warrens’ accounts." – Heidi Wong [21:32]

• Ongoing Activity

  • The Perron farmhouse is now open for guests; visitors continue to report unsettling encounters.
  • The Annabelle narrative endures, with many—both Warrens’ visitors and TV ghost hunters—attesting to the doll’s dark aura.

• Final Reflection

  • “How much of this is real? How much of it is legend? It’s hard to say. All I know is, there’s so much out there that we can’t explain and I can’t wait to explore it all together.” [22:20]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "For the sake of your family, leave the lights on at night."
  — Warning from Perrons’ home's previous owner (recounted by Heidi Wong) [03:15]

• "A sweet, swirling, rancid mass of rotting flesh, resembling a desiccated hornet's nest covered in what appeared to be a mesh of blackened cobwebs."
  — Andrea Perron's description of Bathsheba (read by Wong) [06:40]

• "I don’t know about you, but that's when I’d be getting this thing out of my place asap."
  — Heidi Wong, on discovering blood on Annabelle [17:35]

• "All he saw was Annabelle. Can you imagine the fear? Fear? The horror."
  — Heidi Wong, relaying Lou's nightmare [19:05]

• "Ed and Lorraine... have been called frauds... But there are just as many people who back up the Warrens accounts."
  — Heidi Wong, reflecting on the controversy [21:32]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:48] – Recap of The Conjuring plot & Perron family’s real story begins
• [04:25] – Flies infestation and escalating paranormal activity
• [06:40] – Bathsheba’s apparition and history
• [12:45] – Details of the séance at the Perron farmhouse
• [15:13] – The true story of Annabelle begins
• [17:35] – Annabelle starts to display alarming supernatural power (moving, notes, blood)
• [19:05] – Lou’s terrifying encounter with Annabelle
• [21:32] – Skepticism around the Warren case files addressed
• [22:20] – Wong’s closing reflection on belief and the unexplained

Tone & Style

Heidi Wong’s narration is vivid, immersive, and laced with her unique combination of poetic dread and pop-culture savvy. She never loses sight of skeptical inquiry, even as she leans into horror, inviting listeners to explore the boundary between legend and dark reality—always in her conversational, slightly sardonic style.

Conclusion

This episode offers a gripping, unsettling journey behind the Conjuring’s biggest movie monsters, grounding their jumpscares in the real paranormal events that first sparked fear. With richly painted details, skeptical asides, and an open invitation to listeners to share their own stories or opinions, Heidi Wong’s Twisted Tales continues to blur the line between horror fiction and the uncanny true events that inspired it.