The Snedeker House: A Paranormal Landmark
The Snedeker House, located at 208 Meriden Avenue in Southington, Connecticut, is at the heart of one of the most notorious paranormal cases in the United States.
In 1986, the Snedeker family, including parents Carmen and Allen, moved into the house, formerly known as the Hallahan Funeral Home. Unbeknownst to them, the house’s grim past would soon manifest in terrifying ways.
Shortly after moving in, they discovered leftover mortuary equipment in the basement, such as coffin hoists and gurneys—remnants of the building’s time as a funeral home.
Early Paranormal Signs
The strange occurrences began with cold spots, odd noises, and lights flickering. Their son Phillip, who was battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma and had chosen to live in the basement, experienced severe personality changes, along with frightening apparitions.
These initial signs were soon followed by even more unsettling experiences, including reports of ghostly figures and strange sounds throughout the home. The house’s dark history seemed to unleash an otherworldly presence that the family couldn’t explain, and things soon escalated.
Escalation of Hauntings
As the family settled into the house, the paranormal activity intensified. Carmen reported being physically attacked by an unseen force in the shower, while her niece Tammy witnessed her blankets levitating and experienced disturbing visions. Objects moved on their own, and the home was filled with a constant sense of dread.
With fear mounting, the family sought help from Ed and Lorraine Warren, the famous paranormal investigators who had worked on the Amityville Horror case. They suspected a malevolent force had attached itself to the house.
Ed and Lorraine Warren’s Investigation
The Warrens determined that the Snedeker house was more than just haunted—it was possessed. Their investigation revealed that the funeral home may have been the site of necrophilic acts by a former worker, potentially triggering the dark energy within the house. This was believed to have invited demonic entities into the home, tormenting the Snedeker family.
Accompanied by their nephew, John Zaffis, the Warrens spent several nights at the house, and Zaffis himself experienced sleep paralysis, further cementing the Warrens’ belief in the house’s dark power.
The situation in the Snedeker house continued to worsen, with reports of blood appearing in mop water and the overwhelming stench of decaying flesh. These disturbing occurrences led the Warrens to seek help from the Catholic Church.
Two priests were sent to the house to bless it and perform a Mass, but the activity persisted. Ed Warren even suffered a mild heart attack during the proceedings, which he attributed to the malevolent spirits in the home.
Ultimately, the Warrens arranged for a full exorcism, which they believed successfully cleared the house of its dark presence.
Media Attention and Film Adaptation
After the exorcism, the Snedekers moved out of the house, and the case gained widespread media attention. The story of their experiences was turned into a film, *The Haunting in Connecticut*, released in 2009.
While the film dramatized many elements, it introduced the Snedeker haunting to a global audience.
Over time, some skepticism arose, particularly from Ray Garton, the author of *In a Dark Place*, who claimed that he was instructed to embellish the story by the Warrens.
Nevertheless, the Snedeker haunting remains one of the most famous cases of paranormal activity.
Despite the controversy surrounding the case, the Snedeker house has cemented its place in paranormal lore, often compared to the Amityville Horror. While subsequent owners of the house have reported no paranormal activity, the legend of the haunting endures.
The chilling events experienced by the Snedeker family, combined with the investigation by Ed and Lorraine Warren, have solidified the Snedeker house as one of America’s most infamous haunted locations. Today, it stands quietly, but its legacy continues to captivate those fascinated by the supernatural.