In this episode, I’ll share a story of an alleged demonic possession of a young boy in the 1940s. While you may be skeptical of such a claim, several sources officially documented the case, including first-person eyewitnesses, making it difficult to dismiss these claims as mere superstition.

You’ll also hear how this case inspired a best-selling novel and blockbuster movie that helped to usher in an era of “Satanic Panic,” a phenomenon that would lead to accusations and criminal charges leveled against innocent people, some of whom were falsely convicted.

Sources:

https://www.thescottsmithblog.com/2023/08/the-real-story-behind-exorcist-movie.html

https://allthatsinteresting.com/roland-doe-the-exorcist-true-story

https://play.max.com/video/watch/ec95d53c-2050-4361-afca-db7f96836670/94f26393-35be-4945-9fbf-b99b005674a0

https://www.slu.edu/universitas/archive/2014/exorcism.php

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/20/the-exorcist-boy-named-magazine

Sponsors:

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Links:

Season 6: Episode 248: Final Curtain Call - Paul Bateson and The Exorcist - https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/s6-ep248-final-curtain-call-paul-bateson-and-the-exorcist/

Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime

Our website: www.truecrimepodcast.com