Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren have become synonymous with ghost-hunting and exorcisms thanks to big-screen adaptations of their cases like The Conjuring and Annabelle.
But what few people know is that the couple's legacy is being continued in the real-world too through the Warren Legacy Foundation, which was founded by their grandson, Chris McKinnell.
Now a paranormal researcher and exorcist himself, McKinnell established the foundation to respond to cases of suspected hauntings worldwide, giving people the ability to treat exorcisms and ridding homes and objects of demonic forces as a career - something which, he said, is more important than ever because of Hollywood misinformation.
"It's not about seeing things go bump in the night, it's about making sure that it stops," McKinnell explained.
This Halloween, VT caught up with the foundation to discuss their continued work in light of the ongoing pandemic, speaking to medium Sarah James and Joe Franke, the Warren Legacy Foundation's Regional Director of Services for New England and the Northeastern United States.
"Lockdown has been terrible for people's mental health, [particularly] those who already have conditions like depression and anxiety or addiction problems," Sarah said.
"I have noticed loved ones are coming through concerned for some of their family members, but that is not necessarily a new thing."
Sarah said she gives people proof of life after death by providing them with information that she could not otherwise know.
"My ethics are very strong around what you can share and what you should not," she said. "Any nasty messages I would not say. Negative things are almost always from a lower frequency being, and I shut them out with the help and protection of my main spirit guide, Chief Kaniakin."
VT: Joe, how has the foundation responded to hauntings in light of the restrictions implemented as a result of the ongoing pandemic? Can you conduct an exorcism over Zoom?"Well, unfortunately, because of the pandemic we are not really able to visit people in person. We do a lot of work remotely. I do a lot of work over the phone and email and other forms of communication, which is really hard for me as I'm an old-fashioned guy: when people need help, I like to be there with them."
However, despite the foundation's inability to help people in person, Joe said that they are able to conduct some physic readings on what is going on, and some people are willing to wait until the pandemic is over until foundation members are able to visit them in person.
In the video below, Ed explains articles from the Warren Occult Museum:VT: On the subject of technology, how has it affected ghosthunting and exorcisms, Joe. Does it make it easier or harder to establish whether paranormal activity is genuine?
"It could go either way. It all depends on how willing the person is to help you. A lot of the time I get contacted by folks, and it sounds like they are desperate for help, and I ask them to give me a call or for me to them, and I never hear back, so you don't know if it's genuine or not.
"Many times I'll make the first contact. I do a lot of investigation before I decide to take a case. My time and my fellow colleague's time at the foundation is very valuable to us as well.
"When you're doing this remotely, through the phone, especially through email, it is hard to get a read on folks. One of the first things that I'll ask them to do is to send me a detailed timeline of events. It doesn't have to be a novel. We have a questionnaire that we send out to people.
"In that regard, you can leverage technology. Photographic evidence, video evidence. I say send me as many files as you can. But some people watch too much television.
"I was trained by the Warrens, and I don't use a lot of technology in my investigative practices as it's not proven. A lot of stuff that you see on TV with the voices boxes and things like that. If you have an intelligent spirit, if it wants to communicate with you, it will.
"Technology is definitely a plus. It depends on the situation."
VT: People have had to stay at home more across the board in 2020. Has this had an effect on the number of hauntings being reported to the foundation?"There has been an uptake in numbers, as people are noticing more around their homes as they are at home more. We are always busy all over the world. I would say that [with] the conscious collective of the world right now being in such a state of unrest, [it] has given negative charge to some of these situations. We are all one. When we are in turmoil it affects most things in our lives, including paranormal activity."
"I did my training with the Spiritualist Church both in the UK and now where I live in Canada. Chris interviews new members and there is a three-month probationary period.
"The foundation is very inclusive of all faiths and backgrounds and encourages continuous education. My team has been hand-picked by me and I have trained them a lot.
"Chris and the other many members around the world will support each other during an investigation and a full and rigorous intake process ensures that help is given in a safe manner for both the investigators involved and those we help both living and in spirit.
"The ethics of the foundation are that if you are not there to help, you should not be there."
VT: The Warren Legacy Foundation is the second organization you have worked for, Sarah. How does it differ from your previous position?"I have always worked independently until now [so] I can be in control of what I feel is acceptable behavior and safety. When I saw what Chris was doing and his ethics behind it, I knew it was the place to be.
"We want to help those in need without charge and with understanding. When people come forward with these things, they can feel like they may not be believed or made fun of, [and] this will never happen with the foundation."
"I have always spoken to spirits, but when I was younger feared ridicule, so I did not truly begin to use my gifts until my early thirties.
"Up until that point, I would help out friends that I felt comfortable sharing my gifts with. I met my head spirit guide at that time, and he explained to me what my work should be and to have faith that all would be OK.
"I suppose that experience and the fact that I was older and more willing to take a chance with showing my gifts was when I started the work more often.
Sarah, pictured below, said that her purpose in life is to "help to resolve the pain of a lost spirit or to give help and advice to even debunk apparent hauntings for the living."
"Those in spirit I see as clearly as I would see you in a room. Spirits can get stuck on this earth plain for many reasons [such as a] traumatic death.
"Children who are lost and seeking out their parents. Spirits who have something that needs to be told before they can be at peace.
"I also have helped with forensic mediumship to help find those who have passed through their own hands or at the hands of others.
"These are still people. The work I do to help them is no different than the help I give to the living.
"One of my pet peeves are the shows that go and investigate and say "Yeah, your house is haunted" and want to get proof for the ratings, but then walk away without helping at all sometimes even making things worse.
"This is not a hobby. Unfortunately, Hollywood makes it cool, and people do not see the dangers or the ethics needed. Spirits are not playthings."
"I do worry when I come upon lower-level entities. I will not work with anyone (train them) who uses Ouija boards as these are not playthings.
"Like all forms of divination, including spirit boxes etc., connecting with the dead can be dangerous. You do not know who you are talking tom and these things can have a terrible effect on your life if they can take hold.
"My spirit team and my years of training help, but nobody is invincible, I am therefore very careful when I go into a situation ensuring that both myself and my team and the homeowner are protected.
"I have dealt with demons (although I prefer low-level entity as the word demon strikes fear into many and feeds the negativity of the situation). I have faith and the help of my spirit team and my team members and so far that has not steered me wrong."
"That's a very good question. Usually for me at least, and I'm speaking only for myself, and when people call me frightened out of their minds, I say to them: "If you're dealing with a demon, it will make itself known."
"Demonic spirits have never walked the Earth before. They go after you financially, your family. They try to attack you in every way that they can. They wait for you to be at your most vulnerable.
"I'm just a mortal man, but they know I'm not afraid of them. They go after easy targets.
"If you've just got a spirit in your house, you might have some playful activity - doors opening and closing, objects might get moved, but smaller objects like a pencil or book.
"Demonic spirits have the wisdom of the ages and have untold strength. They can move refrigerators. I was almost hit with a refrigerator many years ago.
"Although you can have positive and negative Earthbound spirits, they don't really have the strength to do things like that. However, they can be controlled by more sinister, demonic spirits. There is a big difference and usually, I can tell.
"If it's a demon, you're going to have foul odors, you're going to see dark figures, it's going to try and scare you because it gains strength off that fear."
"I cannot watch horror movies! I can talk to spirit and deal with demons but you can't get me to watch horror! I did not watch them as a child as I was plagued with a demonic spirit in my childhood house, and I suppose watching horror was just not realistic for me!
"I think that Hollywood has made the paranormal [seem] cool and everyone wants to try it. This is a slippery slope. Things can get very real very fast and negatively affect lives."
"A lot of people judge by what they saw on television. Once television and the movies get a hold of a story like that, they put their own spin on things.
"I wasn't there, but what people need to understand that this isn't real. When I do lectures, a lot of people get scared from just being there. 'Am I going to get target just for being at this lecture,' they ask. 'And I say no.' However, if you're dabbling with the occult and playing with ouija boards, you are playing with things that you can't possibly comprehend.
"Going back to the original question about Amityville, people only understand what they see on TV or what they've read in a book, but that's not always the truth. A lot of the stuff in the movie and the book were factual. The family fled that house with all of their belongings 28 days after moving in.
"As Ed and Lorraine told me, when they went back into that house, all that family asked for it were the deeds from it. They fled their home with just the clothes on their backs.
A lot of people need to understand that this stuff only happens to certain types of people, however, it could happen to anyone. If you take a stick and poke a tiger in the face and met with it, it's going to take a swipe at you.
"I know the Devil knows who I am and probably doesn't like me, but I'm not afraid to do battle with him."
"That's very difficult. If someone calls me up, I'd want to know if that person has a medical condition. If you're reaching out to us for help, you need to be as honest as you can with us.
"With a lot of investigative work, you have to start where you are and work backward. It had to start somewhere. Maybe the person was diagnosed with a certain condition, so I'd ask them what kind of drug they are on and research it, and see if that medication causes hallucinations.
"If someone has scratches or cuts on their body, you want to make sure whether they are consciously or subconsciously doing this to themselves.
"It is not black and white. It's a grey area. It's very deep, methodic investigative work before you make a decision moving forward."
Sarah and Joe's experiences suggest that Hollywood could learn a thing or two from the exorcists who are continuing the world of its most famous paranormal couple.
As Chris told VT today: "The Warren Legacy Foundation is a dedicated global network of professional investigators that help people all over the world with their paranormal problems.
"Our goals are to teach the next generation of researchers, help psychics with their abilities, educate the public so they don’t get hurt, raise the ethical standards of this work, and help our clients with their problems.
"We continue the ministry of my grandparents, Ed and Lorraine Warren.
"If you are in trouble, contact us at [email protected]. Our services are free and anonymous."
But regardless of whether you're a believer or not, one thing is for sure: both Hollywood and the professionals do not recommend inviting anything that could be malevolent into your home.
Additional information about the Warren Legacy Foundation can be found on their Facebook page.