What Happened To David Glatzel From Netflix's The Devil On Trial?
The story of Arne Johnson and the Glatzel family may be familiar to some due to the third film in The Conjuring Universe story. The story of "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" is a fascinating one where paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) try to prove that Arne is innocent of murder because a demon was influencing his actions. James Wan's successful horror franchise may be inspired by a true story, but the real events are much more complicated.
The Netflix documentary, "The Devil on Trial," explores the experience of David Glatzel, the alleged possession that started it all. At only 11 years old, the Warrens came to investigate Glatzel, who showed symptoms of demonic possession. Though he underwent a seemingly successful exorcism, the malevolent spirit possessed the fiancee of Glatzel's sister, Debbie, and Arne Johnson. Decades later, Glatzel still maintains the possession occurred.
"He's a really lovely man," documentary director Christopher Holt told Newsweek. "He doesn't remember as much as Alan [Glatzel, David's brother] does, because of all the blackouts, [but] he does think still to this day that he was possessed." But while he believes his possession is authentic, that doesn't mean everyone has pure intentions. Insider reported that the Glatzel brothers sued the Warrens and the writer of "Devil In Connecticut" for libel. The Glatzel family accused the Warrens of profiting off them for a book deal, which is not the first time controversy has followed the investigators.
The Warrens have a history of fraud
Unlike the caring and empathetic paranormal experts depicted in the prolific Conjuring Universe, real life paints a different perspective. Ed and Lorraine Warren initially garnered widespread attention for their investigation into the Amityville house. The Lutz family famously moved into a Long Island home where a mass murder had occurred. These alleged demonic occurrences led to one of the highest-grossing horror movies of all time. However, the Lutzes' experiences are widely accepted as fabrications. The same goes for the Glatzel family story. Though David and Alan believe the possession was authentic, their oldest brother, Carl, voiced his skepticism. From the beginning, he doubted the Warrens' intentions. They described what demon possession would look like right in front of David. Days later, he exhibited the same behavior. Carl also called his mother into question.
"We found out [Judy Glatzel] was putting Sominex in our food. And she's been giving it to the whole family for quite a long time," Carl reflected in the documentary. He believed that side effects from being drugged resulted in hallucinations. It was also clear to the family that the Warrens were intent on profiting from a book deal.
"Lorraine [Warren] told me I was going to be a rich little boy from having this book deal," David remarked. He may not have believed the Warrens were con artists like his brother, but believed they were in it for the money. He concluded, "If they can profit off you, they will."