What Really Happened With the Smurl Family: Where Are They Now?

If you grew up in the late '80s or early '90s, the name Smurl probably sends a little shiver down your spine. They were the family from West Pittston, Pennsylvania, who claimed their duplex was a playground for a demon. We’re talking shadow figures, physical assaults, and smells that supposedly reeked of rotting meat. It was a media circus. Then came the 1991 TV movie The Haunted, and more recently, the Conjuring franchise brought the whole mess back into the spotlight.

People always ask: where is the Smurl family now? Did they find peace? Did the "demon" follow them? Honestly, the answer is a mix of tragic loss and a very intentional retreat into a normal, quiet life.

The Quiet After the Storm: Life in Wilkes-Barre

By 1988, Jack and Janet Smurl had finally had enough. They packed up their four daughters—Dawn, Heather, and twins Carin and Shannon—and left the infamous Chase Street duplex behind. They didn't move across the country, though. They just moved a few towns over to Wilkes-Barre.

You’d think moving would be the end of the story, but the Smurls claimed for about a year that the activity followed them. They said things were "milder," but still weird. Eventually, though, the headlines faded. The cameras stopped showing up on their lawn. The family basically made a pact to live as normally as possible.

Jack Smurl went back to his job at Topps Chewing Gum in Duryea. He worked there for over 30 years. People who knew him said he was just a regular guy who was active in his church and loved his grandkids. He wasn't some guy trying to get famous; he actually seemed kinda exhausted by the whole thing.

The Passing of Jack and Janet Smurl

It’s sad to report that the heads of the household are no longer with us. Jack Smurl died on June 22, 2017, at the age of 75. He had been battling diabetes for a long time, and his passing was reportedly quite sudden. His daughter Carin mentioned in an interview that his big regret was not making it to his 50th wedding anniversary with Janet.

Then, more recently, Janet Smurl passed away in early 2026. Before her death, she had been living in Laporte, Pennsylvania. She stayed out of the public eye for the most part, though she never once recanted her story. To her dying day, she maintained that what happened in that duplex was 100% real.

Where Are the Smurl Daughters Today?

The four girls who grew up in that house are all adults now with their own lives. They’ve mostly avoided the "paranormal celebrity" circuit, which is probably smart given how much their family was mocked in the '80s.

• Dawn Smurl: She stayed local to the Wilkes-Barre area. You might actually recognize her son’s name if you follow football. Her son is Mark Glowinski, a professional offensive lineman who has played for the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts, and New York Giants.
• Heather Smurl: She also stayed in the area and became a teacher in the Wilkes-Barre school district. She has two adult children of her own.
• Carin Smurl: Out of all the siblings, Carin is the one who has spoken out the most. She became a social worker, but she also spent some time as a part-time paranormal investigator. She’s been the most vocal about the "human" cost of the haunting—reminding people that while they were being "haunted," neighbors were throwing bricks at their house and calling them frauds.
• Shannon Smurl: Like her sisters, she lives a private life. She works in the healthcare field, though she’s hinted on social media that she still has an interest in the "other side."

What Most People Get Wrong About the Smurl House

There’s a common myth that the house at 328-330 Chase Street is still some kind of portal to hell.

Actually? Not really.

The person who bought the house after the Smurls, a man named Richard Bridle, said he never experienced a single weird thing. A subsequent tenant, Debra Owens, lived there for years and told reporters that the house was perfectly fine. She actually found the "haunted" reputation annoying because tourists would constantly linger outside.

If you drive by it today, it looks like any other Pennsylvania duplex. The "demon" seemingly left when the Smurls did, which led skeptics to argue that the "haunting" was either a psychological phenomenon tied to the family or, as some nastier critics claimed, a complete hoax.

The Legacy of the Case

Why does this story still matter? It’s because it was one of the few cases where the Catholic Church actually got involved in a public way. Even if the Church didn't officially grant a full-blown exorcism, they sent priests to perform "blessings" that were caught on tape.

Whether you believe the Smurls were terrorized by a succubus or just a family under extreme stress (Jack had undergone brain surgery shortly before the major activity started), the human element is what's left. They lost their privacy, their reputation, and for a while, their sanity.

Current Status as of 2026:

1. Jack Smurl: Deceased (2017).
2. Janet Smurl: Deceased (2026).
3. The House: Still standing in West Pittston; currently occupied by private residents who report no activity.
4. The Daughters: Living private lives in Pennsylvania, focusing on careers in education, healthcare, and social work.

If you’re looking for more info on the Smurl case, you can find the original 1986 Times Leader archives or watch the 1991 movie The Haunted. Just keep in mind that the real people involved have spent the last 30 years trying to move past it.

Next Steps for Research:
If you want to dig deeper into the actual evidence, look for the Robert Curran book The Haunted. It’s the "official" account the family collaborated on. You can also look up the 1986 news clips on YouTube to see the original interviews with Jack and Janet before the Hollywood polish was added. Don't bother visiting the house; it's a private residence and the current owners aren't looking for ghost hunters on their porch.

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