The True Stories Behind Two Real-Life Exorcisms

The idea of demonic possession may sound like something out of a horror movie, but for some families, communities, and even entire nations, it has been a very real and terrifying experience. Two of the most notorious exorcism cases in modern history—the exorcism of Roland Doe in 1949 and the tragic case of Maricica Irina Cornici in 2005—continue to haunt the edges of religious belief, mental health, and cultural responsibility.

Let’s begin with Roland Doe. His story was the inspiration for The Exorcist, but what really happened was far stranger than fiction. In the late 1940s, a boy referred to as Roland Doe, sometimes known as Robbie Mannheim, began to experience strange phenomena after his beloved Aunt Harriet died. Harriet had been a spiritualist who introduced Roland to the Ouija board. Soon after her death, unexplained noises began—dripping, scratching, and footsteps—followed by more violent occurrences like shaking beds, flying objects, levitating furniture, and deep scratches appearing on Roland's body. Witnesses included family members, Lutheran ministers, and eventually Catholic priests.

The family first turned to Father Edward Hughes, who attempted an exorcism at Georgetown University Hospital. It ended abruptly when Roland broke free from his restraints and slashed the priest with a bedspring. The activity escalated until the word "Louis" appeared scratched into Roland's skin, prompting the family to travel to St. Louis. There, priests from St. Louis University, including Fathers Bishop, Bowdern, and Halloran, conducted what became a six-week exorcism. Roland would thrash, scream, curse, sing in high-pitched voices, bark like a dog, and physically attack the priests. At times, symbols like "hell" and demonic faces would appear on his skin. Finally, after intense prayers, Roland shouted that the demon was gone. He later claimed to see a vision of St. Michael casting the devil back into Hell. After that, he lived a normal life, eventually working as a NASA engineer. In 2021, his true identity was revealed as Ronald Hunkeler.

Now contrast that with the chilling and deeply tragic case of Irina Cornici in Romania. Irina grew up in a troubled home, eventually landing in an orphanage after the loss of her parents. As an adult, she tried to find purpose through work and eventually became a novice at a small Orthodox convent in Tanacu. But in 2005, she began to exhibit signs of mental illness, giggling during mass and hearing accusatory voices. Doctors diagnosed her with schizophrenia, but the convent saw something more sinister.

Instead of returning to psychiatric care, Irina was subjected to an archaic exorcism ritual by Father Daniel Corogeanu and four nuns. They bound her wrists and ankles, gagged her with a towel, and strapped her to a wooden cross for three days, only occasionally wetting her lips with holy water. They believed she was possessed and that this would save her. When she was finally untied, she fainted. An ambulance was called, but it was too late. She died on the way to the hospital. The autopsy cited dehydration, exhaustion, and oxygen deprivation. The priest and nuns were convicted, though the case still divides opinion in Romania. Some believe Irina was possessed and needed spiritual help. Others argue it was a preventable death brought on by neglect and misguided faith.

These stories are haunting in different ways. Roland Doe's case suggests that something unexplainable might have occurred, witnessed by dozens of people over weeks of escalating terror. Irina’s death reminds us how dangerous it can be when religious belief replaces proper medical care. Whether you believe in possession or not, both cases offer sobering insight into what happens when fear, faith, and desperation collide.

So what do you think? Was Roland Doe truly possessed by something evil, or was he a troubled teenager caught in the spotlight of religious frenzy? And what about Irina Cornici—was she a young woman failed by mental health systems, or did her community genuinely try to save her from something they could not understand?

Either way, the question remains: when the unexplainable happens, who decides what is real—and what is a matter of belief?