What Ever Happened to Demonologist Ralph Sarchie? -

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Ralph Sarchie is a retired sergeant with the New York Police Department (NYPD) and a self-described traditionalist Catholic demonologist who investigates claims of demonic possession and assists in exorcisms. He assisted Ed and Lorraine Warren on cases involving alleged hauntings and possessions. He has participated in more than 20 exorcisms, often at no charge, and describes his work as “the Work,” focused on battling demonic forces through prayer and ritual. Notable cases include the 1991 exorcism of a haunted home in Westchester County, New York, and investigations into families affected by satanic rituals, as detailed in his writings. In his off-duty time, Sarchie began pursuing demonology in the early 1990s after becoming interested in paranormal investigations, mentored by exorcists including Bishop Robert McKenna and Father Malachi Martin, and assisting renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren on cases involving alleged hauntings and possessions.

Ralph Sarchie’s first brushes with the supernatural occurred during his NYPD patrols in the 1980s and 1990s, when he began noticing behaviors during calls that he later attributed to demonic influences. Amid a personal spiritual crisis in 1990, Sarchie turned to reading Satan’s Harvest by Ed and Lorraine Warren, a nonfiction account of a demonic possession case that reinforced his Catholic faith and opened his eyes to the possibility of genuine paranormal activity. This book marked a turning point, shifting his skepticism toward an emerging belief in spiritual warfare, and led to his initial collaboration with the Warrens on paranormal investigations. He remained cautious about attributing every anomaly to the demonic. The supernatural soon invaded his personal life, beginning in 1992 when his wife awoke to see a large, shadowy black figure standing in the doorway of their young child’s bedroom, an apparition that vanished upon closer inspection. Sarchie dismissed it at first as a trick of the light or fatigue from his demanding job, but the figure reappeared about a month later, and activity persisted, witnessed by family members. These events eroded his rational explanations. By the late 1990s, the cumulative weight of these professional and domestic experiences compelled Sarchie to confide in a trusted Catholic priest for spiritual counsel, initiating his tentative steps into unguided paranormal inquiry while still serving on the force. His Catholic upbringing influenced his interpretation of these phenomena as potential demonic oppression, prompting a deeper exploration beyond police protocols.

In the late 1990s, Ralph Sarchie met Father Malachi Martin, an Irish Jesuit priest, author, and experienced exorcist, who served as a key mentor in the study of demonology. Martin, known for his book Hostage to the Devil detailing five cases of possession, guided Sarchie through principles of Catholic spiritual warfare following Sarchie’s own encounters with the supernatural. Sarchie also received mentorship from Bishop Robert Fidelis McKenna, a Traditionalist Catholic bishop and exorcist based in Connecticut, assisting him in exorcisms. These cases often involved collaboration with ordained priests, such as Father Malachi Martin and Bishop Robert McKenna, where Sarchie provided physical restraint and support during the intense proceedings. The rituals Sarchie assisted in followed traditional Catholic protocols, incorporating sacramentals like holy water sprinkled on the afflicted, crucifixes pressed against the body, and prayers such as the Litany of the Saints recited to invoke divine protection. Commands to expel demons were delivered in Latin, drawing from the Roman Ritual’s exorcism rite, emphasizing authority over unclean spirits. Sarchie’s role typically included helping to secure the possessed individual to prevent harm, while the priest led the invocations.

Ralph Sarchie has collaborated with an informal network of investigators since the 2000s to address supernatural cases beyond formal exorcisms, focusing on diagnostics and evidence gathering for hauntings and demonic activity. As of 2022, his team consists of six members, including an experienced clinical psychologist to assist in discernment. This team structure allows for systematic evaluation of reports from private individuals, emphasizing collaboration between lay demonologists, assistants, and clerical advisors.

Sarchie was married to Jennifer Sarchie, with whom he shared a Catholic faith; they have two daughters, Christina and Daniella. Their family life was centered in New York, though Sarchie’s demanding NYPD career in high-crime precincts, such as the South Bronx, placed strains on home dynamics due to irregular hours and the emotional toll of the job. The couple divorced in the years following the events chronicled in Sarchie’s 2001 book Beware the Night: A New York City Cop Investigates the Supernatural. As of 2025, Sarchie is retired from the NYPD after nearly two decades of service and continues his demonology work with the support of his daughters, who have adapted to the unique challenges it presents. The family home served as the site of early paranormal incidents, including an apparition witnessed by his wife in 1992 near their child’s room.¹

Now in his 60s, Sarchie isn’t active on social media, making it difficult to document his whereabouts. Having said that, he is still contributing to the world as a demonologist and intends to help more people as much as he can. On the personal front, Ralph is divorced from his wife of several years, Jennifer. As far as the reason behind their separation is concerned, he maintains they always had problems, but many believe his work as a demonologist also became a huge contributor to straining their relationship. He is a proud father of two daughters, Christina and Daniella, and dotes upon them.²

TOP 4 SCARIEST EXPERIENCES:

“I am a cop, and I would rather kick down doors and arrest ten armed robbers with my bare hands than take on the demonic. Plain and simple, the Devil frightens me much more than anything I’d ever seen on street patrol—and in all my years on the force, I’ve seen just about every horror one person can inflict on another…” – Ralph Sarchie

‘I’m a demonologist, and I’m going head to head with the devil.”

Top 4 Scariest Experiences –

One of the frightening experiences Ralph recalls began on Halloween in 1991, when he received a call from a priest he frequently worked with. Ralph and his partner Joe Forrester went to investigate a house that was believed to be haunted that belonged to the Villanova family in Westchester, New York. Working without their typical team of investigators, the duo went to interview the family who had experienced paranormal phenomena such as furniture moving on its own, mysterious body harm and levitation.

After Sarchie and Forrester experienced the demons attacks on the family first-hand, they decided to perform an exorcism themselves. As they exorcised the home, a powerful demon possessed, Gabby Villanova, the mother of the family, something they had never seen happen in the midst of their ritual. When they realized the power of the demon they were up against, the partners realized they would have to return when they were more prepared and had backup. When they finally came back, the group of exorcists and investigators performed an exorcism on each room of the house, finally forcing the demon to leave.

Another case of supernatural activity took place in Washington, D.C. where Sarchie assisted well-known demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren on a case involving the McKenzie family. Sarchie initially saw the family’s frightening experiences on the television series, Sightings and was immediately interested in the case. He later found out that a Satanist, who attracted the evil spirits to the residence through his rituals, previously owned the family’s home. The McKenzie’s had terrifying encounters with the devil, including hearing their late-father’s voice on the phone, a baby crying and physical attacks. After hearing of the terrors the family endured for six years, Sarchie had to perform a full exorcism on the home. A year later, the family was finally at peace.
In 1992, in the presence in of his own home, Sarchie’s wife experienced a large black shape in the doorway of their child’s room. Sarchie believed that his new work had now made him and his family susceptible to demons. The fear of the demon disturbing his daughter forced him to perform an exorcism with holy water and prayers on his residence. The ritual hadn’t kept the demon away; he spotted it again a month later. Three years later, his older daughter spotted the demon again near their baby. In order to protect his family while Sarchie carries out his duty as a demonologist, he has safeguarded his home from evil spirits with crucifixes and holy water, but expects that they may return.
One of the most frightening stories is about a man named Michael. This old man had been through two previously harsh and enduring exorcisms involving Sarchie’s partner, Joe Forrester. They believed an ancient type of black magic was responsible for possessing Michael. The demon would allow Michael to take communion, which typically would repel the evil spirit. He would also have fits of speaking in Portuguese and Spanish, languages Michael never learned. Other priests attempted multiple exorcisms, but they also proved to be unsuccessful.

It was believed by those involved, that the evil spirit would plague anyone who tried to help Michael. Joe believed his involvement in the case had caused him to get hit by a truck. “I knew I had just gotten a visit from the demonic. Yes, it was a minor thing, and I thank God for that, but in retrospect, it was also the first sing of the harm and suffering this exorcism would bring me—and everyone else involved,” Sarchie said . After a lot of preparation and a three-day exorcism, Michael was still plagued by the devil. Now, every anniversary of this ritual, Sarchie experiences a serious difficulty in his life.