The Demonic Possession of David Glatzel and Arne Johnson

Believing the Bizarre: Paranormal Conspiracies & Myths

The Demonic Possession of David Glatzel and Arne Johnson

This week we dive into one of the most terrifying possession cases in American history - the haunting of the Glatzel family in 1980s Connecticut.

When the family moved into what seemed like an innocent rental home in Brookfield, they had no idea they were stepping into a nightmare that would tear their lives apart. It all began when 11-year-old David was violently pushed by an unseen force while cleaning his new bedroom, coming face-to-face with a grotesque demonic entity with coal-black eyes and melting skin.

What followed were months of escalating supernatural terror - mysterious whispers, vanishing medicine bottles, unexplained scratches appearing on David's body, and the boy speaking in foreign tongues while contorting his body in impossible ways.

The situation reached a breaking point when renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren were called in, bringing multiple priests to perform what would become a series of harrowing exorcisms.

But during the final ritual, David's sister's boyfriend Arne Johnson made a fateful decision that would change everything - he challenged the demon to take him instead of the boy. Months later, this act of apparent heroism would lead to the first recorded homicide in Brookfield's history and result in the first-ever legal defense of "demonic possession" in an American courtroom - infamously becoming "the devil made me do it."

Patreon: Support Believing the Bizarre and get tons of extra content by joining our Patreon.

For updates, news, and extra content, follow Believing the Bizarre on social media:

Instagram

Facebook

Twitter

Discord

Shop Merch: You can rep Believing the Bizarre and buy some unique merch

Want to send BTB something? Ship it here: 3570 Executive Drive, Suite 218, Uniontown, Ohio 44685

Episode Keywords: demonic possession, exorcism, paranormal investigation, Ed and Lorraine Warren, Connecticut haunting, true crime paranormal, possessed child, supernatural murder case, Brookfield Connecticut, David Gatzell possession, Arne Johnson murder trial, demonic defense legal case, Catholic exorcism, poltergeist activity, supernatural phenomena, paranormal documentary, The Conjuring true story, levitation during exorcism, demonic oppression, transmigration spirits, devil made me do it, 1980s possession case, supernatural violence, paranormal evidence, ghost hunting investigation

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices