Ed Warren’s lifelong career began as a child, when he felt that his home in Bridgeport was haunted. He was a firm believer in ghosts, demons and other supernatural creatures. Ed and his wife, Lorraine, would receive frantic phonecalls from homeowners across the country, seeking advice about how to deal with the spirits that wreaked havoc on their lives. One such case spawned the Amityville Horror classic.

The Warrens investigated more than 10,000 alleged hauntings worldwide. They didn’t make their money with their ghost hunting, but with the lectures they gave about the supernatural at various colleges. The Amityville haunting was the most requested lecture.

While he regularly confronted dark forces, he considered it a duty to warn the public about the dangers of playing with the occult, Spera said.

“Seven out of eight of their cases would start with people playing with a Ouija board,” Spera said. “The spirit does not have to come right away. It can come after dark to get you.”

Poor health kept Ed housebound for the past five years. On Wednesday, August 23, he succumbed. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, his daughter, two grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.