Who was Tommy? Inside Netflix’s chilling ‘True Haunting’ of eerie hall and the student who survived it
With Halloween season approaching, Netflix is ensuring viewers get the right dose of scares and spooks, all thanks to its new horror docuseries, 'True Haunting.' Executive produced by the man behind the 'Saw' franchise, James Wan, the series consists of 5 episodes where experts are seen detailing the horrors of paranormal activities. However, it’s the story of Eerie Hall's Chris DiCesare that is grabbing major attention, where the real Ed and Lorraine Warren also share a connection.
Chronicled in the first three episodes of the show, the story begins in fall 1984, when DiCesare moved into the Erie Hall dorms at Geneseo College in upstate New York. DiCesare began hearing his name called by an unseen presence and eventually saw an indescribable shape in his room. Soon, Ed and Lorraine Warren visited the campus to investigate the incident. However, Lorraine refused to shake his hand, suggesting the presence was truly malevolent, as per The Mary Sue.
Soon, DiCesare became known on campus as the 'Ghost Boy.' Despite struggling with his reputation and the haunting, he named the ghost Tommy. The hauntings grew violent, affecting his sleep and mental stability. Eventually, he confided in Father Charles Manning, a campus religious representative, who performed a ritual in the dorm room. While the ritual eased DiCesare's fears, Manning admitted he still felt Tommy in the room and doubted the ghost would be easy to banish. Other people on campus, including friends, acquaintances, and even the janitor, began seeing Tommy as well.
The hauntings turned physical, with DiCesare claiming Tommy touched him in the shower and left marks on his back. His father, Vito, was called to stand guard while DiCesare slept and eventually felt Tommy's presence too. After a run with his father, Vito, Chris discovered a campus plaque with 'Parker Boyd Memorial' written on it. Research revealed the site was a former Revolutionary War battleground, commemorating two soldiers, Michael Parker and Thomas Boyd. Boyd had been tortured and tied to a tree, which happened to be on Chris' running route. Chris and his amateur photographer friend, Jeff Unger, recorded a conversation with Tommy, hearing him pleading for help.
Chris eventually ran to the tree and asked Tommy to stop, and remarkably, he was left alone for the rest of his college years. Notably, the show blends immersive reenactments and present-day interviews, exploring paranormal encounters from the perspective of those who experienced them, as per UNILAD. The final two episodes, titled 'This House Murdered Me,' follow a classic horror premise set in 2004. In this story, a Utah couple, April Miller and Matt Wilson, move into their dream home in Salt Lake, only to confront its haunted history, forcing the family to fight to keep their home.