anyone remember this case about a boy being visited by demons?

[JannTosh]

I'm trying to remember this supposed Unsolved Mysteries case about a boy who claimed he was attacked by demons and gets visits from a "shadow man" or something like that. Does anyone remember this case and what did you think about it?

[Corkys-Place]

Can't say I remember this case but it sounds mighty creepy!

Maybe one of our other posters can shed some light on this?

[TracyLynnS]

Originally Posted by ShriekoftheVultu

I'm trying to remember this supposed Unsolved Mysteries case about a boy who claimed he was attacked by demons and gets visits from a "shadow man" or something like that. Does anyone remember this case and what did you think about it?

Is it definitely a boy and not a girl (Heidi Wyrick)? Her dad and baby sister were allegedly attacked by some kind of (demonic?) spirit and she was visited by a dead man name Lon, frequently.

However, I did find this info about a boy named Michael Jones that seems to fit the circumstances you mentioned, including the Shadow Man. I don't remember seeing this one, but here's what this site has to say: http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Michael_Jones (I edited the article's info here to shorten it up a bit.)

Michael claimed to be haunted by several different entities in his house.

His mother Denise, once heard him screaming, went to his room and found him curled up, frightened, and shaking.

He told her that he saw the face of a strange-looking man that smiled at him, touched his shoulder and then disappeared. He was 5 when he saw his first ghost, and claims that they continue to invade his home and terrorize his family.

Shortly after that, while at his grandparent's house, he began yelling again. He told his mother and grandparents that a man in a picture on the wall was the man in his room. The man was Denise's grandfather, who had died seventeen years earlier. Michael had never met him.

Michael soon felt better because he felt that his great-grandfather was watching over him. Then, Michael claimed that evil spirits were in the house and that they want to take him to their side.

His mother Denise called John Zaffis, a paranormal investigator, to investigate Michael and their home. He believes that Michael's ghost sightings are genuine.

Another ghost that Michael claims to see is an evil spirit that he calls the "Shadow Man", a dark colored man that looks like a shadow that Michael sees everyday.

The family realized that the evil spirits were becoming more dangerous. One night, Michael's mother and stepfather heard strange thumping noises. They discovered Michael's bed shaking violently. Denise then saw this shadow of a six foot tall black colored man that walked across the wall, the same shadow that Michael saw.

Michael claimed that the spirits were physically tormenting him, with hitting, scratching, and biting. John Zaffis believed that the spirits were about to posess Michael, so Denise decided to move the family to a new home.

Michael soon began being attacked there just like he was at the old house. His mother decided that Michael needed an exorcism and called a bishop to perform it.

Michael saw the shadow man at church and had him drink holy water. However, Michael still is being attacked and still sees spirits, but his family believes that one day, the spirits will leave.

The investigator, John Zaffis, spent hundreds of hours with the Jones family, and documented Michael's sightings and tried to determine if Michael was neurollogically sound and to make sure that the ghost sightings are not medical-related. They determined that Michael's sightings were not medical or psychological.

Zaffis uncovered through his research that Michael was very ill at birth and his heart stopped over twenty times. Zaffis believes that Michael had a near-death experience, which helped open the door to the spirit world. Zaffis believes that Michael is in a state before possession and that the spirits are attempting to take over him.

The UM episode was part of the July 25, 2001 airing.

[TheCars1986]

I remember this case and I've always thought this was the most obvious fake ghost story UM ever profiled. Haven't watched it in awhile so I can't go into detail, but IIRC they kept commenting about the spirits "trying to take over his body", etc. Everything seemed like a load of crap.

[1990 UM fan]

Originally Posted by TracyLynnS

Is it definitely a boy and not a girl (Heidi Wyrick)? Her dad and baby sister were allegedly attacked by some kind of (demonic?) spirit and she was visited by a dead man name Lon, frequently.

However, I did find this info about a boy named Michael Jones that seems to fit the circumstances you mentioned, including the Shadow Man. I don't remember seeing this one, but here's what this site has to say: http://unsolvedmysteries.wikia.com/wiki/Michael_Jones (I edited the article's info here to shorten it up a bit.)

Michael claimed to be haunted by several different entities in his house.

His mother Denise, once heard him screaming, went to his room and found him curled up, frightened, and shaking.

He told her that he saw the face of a strange-looking man that smiled at him, touched his shoulder and then disappeared. He was 5 when he saw his first ghost, and claims that they continue to invade his home and terrorize his family.

Shortly after that, while at his grandparent's house, he began yelling again. He told his mother and grandparents that a man in a picture on the wall was the man in his room. The man was Denise's grandfather, who had died seventeen years earlier. Michael had never met him.

Michael soon felt better because he felt that his great-grandfather was watching over him. Then, Michael claimed that evil spirits were in the house and that they want to take him to their side.

His mother Denise called John Zaffis, a paranormal investigator, to investigate Michael and their home. He believes that Michael's ghost sightings are genuine.

Another ghost that Michael claims to see is an evil spirit that he calls the "Shadow Man", a dark colored man that looks like a shadow that Michael sees everyday.

The family realized that the evil spirits were becoming more dangerous. One night, Michael's mother and stepfather heard strange thumping noises. They discovered Michael's bed shaking violently. Denise then saw this shadow of a six foot tall black colored man that walked across the wall, the same shadow that Michael saw.

Michael claimed that the spirits were physically tormenting him, with hitting, scratching, and biting. John Zaffis believed that the spirits were about to posess Michael, so Denise decided to move the family to a new home.

Michael soon began being attacked there just like he was at the old house. His mother decided that Michael needed an exorcism and called a bishop to perform it.

Michael saw the shadow man at church and had him drink holy water. However, Michael still is being attacked and still sees spirits, but his family believes that one day, the spirits will leave.

The investigator, John Zaffis, spent hundreds of hours with the Jones family, and documented Michael's sightings and tried to determine if Michael was neurollogically sound and to make sure that the ghost sightings are not medical-related. They determined that Michael's sightings were not medical or psychological.

Zaffis uncovered through his research that Michael was very ill at birth and his heart stopped over twenty times. Zaffis believes that Michael had a near-death experience, which helped open the door to the spirit world. Zaffis believes that Michael is in a state before possession and that the spirits are attempting to take over him.

The UM episode was part of the July 25, 2001 airing.

yep, this is the case he/she is referring to. I watched it a few days ago. I wonder if Michael is still tormented by demons?

[justins5256]

I saw this again recently thanks to a trade. One thing that struck me right off the bat was that he seemed to have a history of medical problems. I seem to recall that Stack mentioned the boy's heart stopped 26 times shortly after he was born. I wonder if these problems caused some sort of undiagnosed medical and/or psychological condition(s) where he hallucinates and self injures. That was my gut feeling anyway. IDK otherwise.

[scc1222]

Originally Posted by justins5256

I saw this again recently thanks to a trade. One thing that struck me right off the bat was that he seemed to have a history of medical problems. I seem to recall that Stack mentioned the boy's heart stopped 26 times shortly after he was born. I wonder if these problems caused some sort of undiagnosed medical and/or psychological condition(s) where he hallucinates and self injures. That was my gut feeling anyway. IDK otherwise.

that's what I think,too.I think he's actually the one scratching himself and hallucinating,and the family is all too quick to write it off as being supernatural.

[1990 UM fan]

It's been awhile since this case has been discussed, but I found this interesting article about Michael Jones: http://www.theness.com/index.php/demonic-possessions/

Looks like someone put all of this in their heads.

[TracyLynnS]

Originally Posted by 1990 UM fan

It's been awhile since this case has been discussed, but I found this interesting article about Michael Jones: http://www.theness.com/index.php/demonic-possessions/

Looks like someone put all of this in their heads.

Nifty info at that link. Thanks for sharing it!

[James T]

Originally Posted by 1990 UM fan

It's been awhile since this case has been discussed, but I found this interesting article about Michael Jones: http://www.theness.com/index.php/demonic-possessions/

Looks like someone put all of this in their heads.

You could see he was making it up from his facial features. Those parents are a disgrace for encouraging this nonsense & getting exorcisms performed on him.