Lawsuit Seeks to Halt Sale of ‘Conjuring’ House in Rhode Island
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A new lawsuit is seeking to block the potential sale of the Rhode Island home made famous by The Conjuring film franchise, alleging the property’s owner lacked the legal capacity to authorize the transaction.
The complaint was filed Friday in Providence County Superior Court by Elizabeth Greenhalgh of West Jordan, Utah, against several defendants connected to the alleged sale of the Burrillville farmhouse known as “The Conjuring” house. The home dates to the 18th century and is located at 1677 Round Top Road.
Allegations Over Power of Attorney
According to the lawsuit, the property’s owner, Jacqueline Nuñez of Dorchester, Massachusetts, signed a limited power of attorney agreement in October. The agreement authorized Julia Demay to take steps necessary to sell the home to Jason Hawes, a Rhode Island-based television personality known for the SyFy series Ghost Hunters.
Greenhalgh, Nuñez’s older sister, alleges Nuñez was experiencing serious mental health issues at the time and did not have the capacity to enter into the agreement. The lawsuit claims Demay and Hawes were aware of Nuñez’s condition and took advantage of it for financial gain.
The complaint further alleges that the home was sold, or was about to be sold, for approximately $1.3 million, which the filing describes as well below fair market value. Greenhalgh is asking the court to void the power of attorney agreement and any resulting purchase and sale agreement.
Court Order Pauses Sale
Greenhalgh’s attorneys also filed an emergency motion for a temporary restraining order to prevent the sale from closing. At a court hearing Tuesday, a judge granted the request, though the written order had not yet been filed as of Wednesday morning, according to the court clerk’s office.
Hawes disputed the allegations in a text message sent before the hearing.
“While claims have been made, they are not supported by facts,” Hawes wrote. “The documentation will make that clear as the legal process moves forward.”
Property at Center of Ongoing Disputes
The lawsuit names Hawes’ real estate attorney, Jonathan Lynch, and his firm, Percy Law Group, as defendants.
The filing adds to a series of legal and public disputes surrounding the historic property over the past year and a half. Nuñez previously faced harassment allegations involving Hawes, as well as claims from former employees who said they were owed money.
In November 2024, the Burrillville Town Council declined to renew the home’s business license after Nuñez was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated and allegedly leading police on a chase.
The property was scheduled for foreclosure auction in October, but that sale was canceled after Needham Bank sold the mortgage to Summit & Stone LLC, a company formed in Rhode Island by YouTuber Elton Castee. Castee’s company is listed as an interested party in the lawsuit. Castee declined to comment.
Claims of Mental Health Crisis
The lawsuit describes Nuñez as a formerly successful attorney and businesswoman who founded a Boston-based real estate development firm in 2003. It alleges that since January 2024, she has experienced mental health issues that impaired her judgment.
According to the filing, Nuñez has been committed to psychiatric hospitals multiple times in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The complaint also cites statements and accusations attributed to Nuñez that it characterizes as delusional.
The case remains pending as the court considers whether the sale of the haunted Burrillville home can proceed.