The House of Flying Objects: The Popper Poltergeist

Morbid

10/24/24

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65m

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On the afternoon of February 9, 1958, a complaint was called into Long Island’s seventh police precinct regarding a series of “strange occurrences” taking place in the caller’s home. According to the caller, Lucille Herrmann, for nearly a week the caps and lids of bottles in the basement had been popping off inexplicably, while other bottles and containers were tipping over and spilling their contents for no obvious reason. Elsewhere in the house, items were flying off shelves without the aid of human hands, and toys were breaking without explanation. Not only were the disturbances destructive to the Herrmann’s home and property, but they were also psychologically upsetting, since they seemed to be happening on their own.

Lucille Herrmann’s call to the Seaford Police Department kicked off a two-month-long fascination with what many came to believe was genuine poltergeist activity in the Herrmann’s Long Island, NY home. What began as a simple call to the police for assistance quickly escalated into near daily media coverage and interest from a variety of paranormal investigators and skeptics, all determined to identify and explain the cause of the ostensibly supernatural occurrences in what became known as “the house of flying objects.”

The Herrmann’s case of poltergeist activity is considered by many to be the first modern investigation into poltergeist disturbances and would serve as the inspiration for Stephen Spielberg’s 1982 horror film, Poltergeist. Despite the considerable attention, however, the case remains unexplained to this day.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Allen, Tom. 1958. "A haunted house is not a home." Daily News (New York, NY), March 9: 30.

Aronson, Harvey. 1958. "Expert sees no hoax in bottle-popping." Newsday, March 7: 3.

Associated Press. 1958. "Bottles--all kind--flip their tops." Democrat and Chronicle , February 11: 1.

—. 1958. "Bottle tops rout pop." Elmira Star-Gazette, February 23: 1.

—. 1958. "Bottles pop, Davy falls for angel." Press and Sun-Bulletin, February 17: 11.

Dorman, Michael. 1987. "Ghost stories." Newsday, October 25: 9.

Elmira Advertiser. 1958. "Herrmanns' house quiet." Elmira Advertiser, March 27: 4.

Kahn, Dave. 1958. "Bottle-popping force shakes our reporter." Newsday, February 24: 3.

—. 1958. "Bottle-popping report points to Jimmy." Newsday, May 15: 5.

—. 1958. "Experts are working, bottle-pop force isn't." Newsday, February 27: 4.

—. 1958. "Flying figurines drive family out of Seaford home." Newsday, February 22: 5.

—. 1958. "Has the LI bottle-popping force popped its last." Newsday, March 17: 7.

—. 1958. "Jimmy a bottle-popper? No, sasy father." Newsday, February 28: 5.

—. 1958. "Our bottle-proper's decision: he's baffled." Newsday, February 25: 5.

—. 1958. "'Spirit' gets rough, starts hurling things." Newsday, February 21: 5.

—. 1958. "Two more bottles blow tops at LI house." Newsday, February 12: 4.

Newsday. 1958. "All's quiet on the bottle front." Newsday, March 3: 5.

—. 1958. "Clues remnmain cold in bottle mystery, but bottles get hot." Newsday, February 17: 5.

—. 1958. "Expert ponders bottle popping." Newsday, February 15: 10.

—. 1958. "Look out! Things are popping again." Newsday, March 4: 5.

Nickell, Joe. 2012. The Science of Ghosts: Searching for Spirits of the Dead. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.

Roll, William G. 1976. The Poltergeist. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow Press.

United Press. 1958. "Boy likely was spook, says expert." Press and Sun-Bulletin (Binghamton, NY), May 15: 25.

Ziaman, Ronald. 1958. "Teen interviews." Brooklyn Daily, June 26: 14.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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Previous Episode

Preston Murr and the Boise Murder Mansion

October 21, 2024

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50m

In the early hours of June 30, 1987, Boise resident Clinton Sparks was awoken by someone pounding frantically on his storm door. A moment later, Sparks heard a loud scream in the distance, and he went inside to call 911.

Although he didn’t know it at the time, what Clinton Sparks heard was the last desperate cry of twenty-one-year-old Preston Murr, Two of Murr’s associates, Daniel Rodgers and Daron Cox, were arrested and tried and convicted for the murder.

The trial and conviction should have been where the story ended, but for the house on Linden Street where the murder occurred, it was only the beginning. Since Murr’s tragic death more than thirty-five years ago, the house has become a source of local legends, with claims ranging from the appearance of ghostly apparitions to blood inexplicably dripping down the walls. As a result, Boise’s “Murder Mansion” has become known as one of the most haunted houses in America.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!!

References

Ensunsa, David. 1987. "Boisean held on drug charges has prison record." Idaho Statesman , July 2: 1.

—. 1987. "Murder suspect cared for foster teens." Idaho Statesman, July 8: 1.

—. 1987. "Sister says Rodgers, slaying victim fought over drugs, money." Idaho Statesman, July 8: 1.

Fiorentino, Alyssa. 2022. The True Story of the Boise Murder House Is Straight Out of a Horror Movie.September 7. Accessed September 7, 2024. https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/a41059891/boise-murder-house/.

Heart, Michelle. 2021. 7 chillding and real stories from Boise's infamous murder house. September 15. Accessed September 06, 2024. https://liteonline.com/7-chilling-and-real-stories-from-boises-infamous-murder-house/.

—. 2024. Dare to enter? Boise's fascinating Murder House will open for public tours soon. May 23. Accessed September 7, 2024. https://liteonline.com/murder-house-tours/.

—. 2017. Nightmare on my street: Boise's Murder House. October 5. Accessed September 5, 2024. https://liteonline.com/nightmare-on-my-street-boises-murder-house-video-2/.

Idaho Statesman. 1988. "Fingerprints tied to murder victim." Idaho Statesman, March 10: 7.

KBOI News. 2012. The Murder House: Is site of decades-old murder haunted? June 27. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/nation-world/the-murder-house-is-site-of-decades-old-murder-haunted-11-17-2015.

Lamay, Colleen. 1988. "Court told gun bore Rodgers' prints." Idaho Statesman, March 15: 10.

McFarland, Kelsey. 2016. Murder house: Is site of decades old crime scene haunted. October 27. Accessed September 6, 2024. https://idahonews.com/news/local/murder-house-is-site-of-decades-old-crime-scene-haunted.

Peterson, Anne, and Julie Stutts. 1987. "Police discover blood on street in southeast Boise." Idaho Statesman, July 1: 26.

Pewitt, Jana. 1988. "Deal frees Cox of murder charge." Idaho Statesman, March 22: 13.

—. 1988. "Nampa man says he found body parts." Idaho Statesman, March 11: 19.

—. 1987. "Police: disposal of body recounted." Idaho Statesman, September 5: 15.

—. 1988. "Rodgers' lawyer asks for mistrial." Idaho Statesman, March 8: 7.

—. 1988. "Rodgers says blood sickens him." Idaho Statesman, March 18: 21.

—. 1987. "Screams prompted call to police." Idaho Statesman, September 4: 9.

—. 1988. "Crime lab expert testifies bullet in skull belonged to Rodgers' gun." Idahome Statesman, March 17: 19.

Romine, Dannye. 1989. "She led two lives." Parade Magazine, June 25: 4-6.

State of Idaho v. Daniel Rodgers. 1990. 17785 (Court of Appeals of Idaho, November 13).

Stutts, Julie. 1987. "Ada to suspend 2 dispatchers over call." Idaho Statesman, July 16: 1.

Stutts, Julie, and Jana Pewitt. 1988. "Verdict: Rodgers guilty of murder, dismemberment ." Idaho Statesman, March 19: 1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Next Episode

Latoya Ammons and the Demon house

October 28, 2024

•

67m

In January 2014, a strange article appeared in the Indianapolis Star about Latoya Ammons, an Indiana single mother of three who claimed that for more than a year, she and her children were besieged by demons in their rented home. Ammons claimed, among other things, that the house was constantly infested with black flies, the children were levitated from their beds, and her nine-year-son became possessed and walked up a wall backwards. And that was only the beginning; by the end of just one year in the house, the Ammons family claim they were terrorized by all manner of supernatural assaults, from ghostly apparitions to demonic entities.

Latoya Ammons’ story might well have gone unnoticed, had it not been for the surprising number of witnesses to the paranormal events, from family and friends to police officers and social workers. Still, Latoya was not without her critics or skeptics—some accused her of fabricating the story to get out of her lease, while others assumed she was simply delusional. Regardless of the explanation for the cause of the events, there’s no denying that Latoya Ammons story is one of the most terrifying paranormal experiences heard in decades.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Biddle, Kenny. 2018. Demon House Deconstructed. May 21. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://skepticalinquirer.org/exclusive/demon-house-deconstructed/.

Dawn, Randee. 2024. Is 'The Deliverance' based on a true story? August 30. Accessed September 30, 2024. https://www.today.com/popculture/movies/the-deliverance-true-story-latoya-ammons-rcna167984.

Kwiatkowski, Marisa. 2014. "The exorcisms of Latoya Ammons." Indianapolis Star, January 26: A1.

Maginot, Mike. 2012. "Report seeking permission of bishop for exorcism." Indianapolis Star. May 21. Accessed September 27, 2024. https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1005721-report-to-bishop.html.

Nickell, Joe. 2014. "The '200 demons' house: a skeptical demonologist's report." Skeptical Inquirer 20-24.

Washington, Valerie. 2012. Intake officer's report of preliminary inquiry and investigation. Intake report, Indianapolis, IN: Indiana Department of Children's Services.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.