Beelzebub History and Evidence

When I first wrote about Beelzebub in 2012, this was not just a name I had discovered in an old demonology book. My experiences investigating the Sallie House in Atchison, Kansas had already convinced me that the haunting deserved a much closer look. I had photographed a pentagram in the basement in 2005, investigated reports of ritual activity, and later documented unsettling incidents during our LiveSciFi ghost hunts. I began to question whether the presence people called “Sallie” might be something far more deceptive.

One possibility I have continued to investigate is that the basement symbol was used in an attempt to summon Beelzebub—and that whatever people encountered in the house might have presented itself as the little girl “Sallie.” That is my interpretation of the reports and experiences surrounding the house, not a documented identification of a particular demon. But it is central to why I pursued this case and why the evidence we collected matters to me.

To understand why that possibility caught my attention, it helps to look at the history of Beelzebub, the photographed basement markings, the original EVP recordings and our video evidence together. I want readers to see what I saw and hear what I heard, then consider why I drew that connection.

Who Is Beelzebub? The “Lord of the Flies” in Historical Texts

The earliest source commonly cited for Baal-zebub is 2 Kings 1. In that narrative, Ahaziah, king of Israel, suffers an injury and sends messengers to consult Baal-zebub, a deity associated with the Philistine city of Ekron. The prophet Elijah confronts that decision. The text establishes the name’s place in biblical tradition; it is not an eyewitness report of a modern demon encounter.

The Hebrew baal can mean “lord” or “master.” One longstanding interpretation translates zebub as “flies,” giving us the familiar phrase Lord of the Flies. Scholars also discuss a possible wordplay or relationship with Baal-zebul. The distinction matters because names and meanings changed as religious writers responded to older beliefs. See the Jewish Encyclopedia’s historical entry and the NET Bible’s textual note.

How Beelzebub Became a “Prince of Demons”

In the New Testament, the forms Beelzebul or Beelzebub appear in passages including Mark 3:22–27 and Matthew 12:24–28. Accusers claim Jesus is casting out demons by the authority of the ruler of demons. This is a major reason the name later became attached to the hierarchy of Hell.

Centuries of Christian demonology developed a variety of rankings, with Beelzebub sometimes counted among the highest infernal powers. Those lists are not uniform. Some authors associate him with gluttony; others assign different sins or titles. When I discuss that history, I distinguish an author’s theological or occult classification from something established through investigation. For a broader comparison, see our guides to seven systems of historical demon classification and nine traditional classes of demons.

Beelzebub in Literature, Witch Trials, and Possession Stories

John Milton’s Paradise Lost (1667) presents Beelzebub as a major figure among Satan’s fallen angels. Gustave Doré’s later engravings made that literary imagery memorable, but these works are literary and artistic interpretations rather than historical observations.

During the Salem witch trials, the name took on a different role in religious accusations. Cotton Mather used the heading Of Beelzebub and His Plot in writings about the trials. The existence of the publication shows how demonological language influenced the period; it does not confirm the accusations brought against defendants. The digitized primary text can be read today.

The original version of this article also mentioned the Aix-en-Provence possession accusations and the death of Anneliese Michel in Germany. Both are historically important but must be handled carefully. The Aix affair involved allegations made in a coercive religious and judicial climate. Michel died in 1976 following prolonged exorcism efforts and inadequate medical care, and her parents and two priests were later tried for negligent homicide. Recordings and participants’ interpretations cannot override the documented medical and legal history. See contemporary reporting from The Washington Post (1978).

I do not repeat a claim from the earlier version that no person has survived an encounter allegedly involving Beelzebub. There is no reliable evidentiary basis for that statement. Nor should an unusual physical mark be treated as proof of a named entity without medical or independent corroboration.

Why I Believe the Sallie House Haunting May Involve Beelzebub

During my investigations of the Sallie House, one of the most important discoveries was not upstairs in a bedroom. It was in the basement. In 2005 I photographed a pentagram marked on the basement floor. I have always considered that detail important because of reports that the symbol had been used in a ritual intended to summon the demon Beelzebub.

That history changed how I viewed the hauntings. Visitors often hear the story of a young girl named “Sallie,” but I began to suspect that the name could be a disguise. In my view, it is possible that a darker presence associated with the reported ritual activity was presenting itself as “Sallie” to gain trust or manipulate the people investigating the house. This is the theory I developed from my firsthand experiences and the accounts surrounding the location, not an identity I could independently prove from a symbol or recording alone.

The Pentagram I Photographed in the Sallie House Basement in 2005

When I look at this image, I see part of the house’s actual investigative history—not just another paranormal legend circulating online. The marking was physically present when I documented the location. My belief that it had been used to summon Beelzebub comes from the case history and my investigation; the photograph shows the marking, not the ritual itself.

The Basement Floor After the Pentagram Was Painted Over

The symbol did not remain in its original visible condition. It was subsequently painted over, and this later photograph shows the area where the markings had been. That progression matters to me: we have photographs of the basement marking and of the site afterward, rather than only a retold description.

Kristin Manning’s 2015 Psychic Sketch

Kristin Manning created this drawing in 2015. Her sketch shows the basement and a pentagram-like design surrounded by dark, swirling forms. I include it because it captures another person’s impression of the atmosphere and significance of that room. The artwork is an interpretation, while the photographs above document what was physically visible at different times.

Why I Question the Identity of “Sallie”

I’ve spent years livestreaming paranormal investigations, and I’ve learned not to assume that a presence is exactly what it claims to be. The combination of the basement symbol, reports surrounding its use, the experiences witnessed during our investigations, and the EVP recordings led me to seriously consider Beelzebub as a possible explanation. The name “Sallie” may have been part of the phenomenon rather than its true identity.

In our Sallie House investigation archive, we document the location and the disturbing reports connected with it. You can also watch The Demon Files: Sallie House Dark Secrets Exposed. The video and three audio recordings below are the material I want people to examine in the context of these basement photographs.

Watch: LiveSciFi Sallie House Investigation Video

This is the Sallie House video I selected to accompany this article. I consider aspects of the reported activity possible evidence worth investigating, and I have questioned whether the name Beelzebub is relevant. The recording does not by itself establish a demonic presence or identity.

Watch the investigation directly on YouTube.

Listen to the Three Beelzebub EVP Audio Files

Below are the three audio files uploaded from my LiveSciFi archive. These are presented as reported electronic voice phenomena (EVP), not verified voices of demons. Please listen before reading an interpretation: auditory pareidolia, background speech, microphone effects, and suggestions can all affect what a person perceives.

1. Original recording — Beelzebub Class A EVP (WAV)

This is the uploaded WAV file, labeled “Beelzebub Class A EVP.” “Class A” is an investigator’s classification, not a scientific certification. The audio has not been independently authenticated for this updated article.

Open original WAV file (approximately 4.4 MB).

2. Normal-speed Beelzebub EVP (MP3)

A separate MP3 labeled as the normal-speed capture. I recommend comparing it against the original before deciding whether it contains intelligible words.

3. Slowed-down Beelzebub EVP (MP3)

This is a slowed playback copy of the reported EVP. Changing playback speed may help examine individual sounds, but it also changes how the voice-like pattern is perceived. It should not be treated as a separate incident or as independent evidence.

About the recordings: These filenames and labels come from the LiveSciFi media archive. I have not independently conducted a forensic comparison to determine which recordings are derived from the same source or exactly what, if anything, is spoken. A future technical review should record the original capture date, location, equipment, witnesses, unedited master, and edit history.

Reported Scratch Marks During the Investigation

When people hear “demonic scratch,” they tend to assume the explanation is contained in the label. In an investigation, the photograph is only the beginning of the question. Was anyone nearby? Was the mark present before the session? Was the full incident filmed continuously? What did the witness feel, and were ordinary physical causes ruled out? We can share what was seen without pretending those questions have been answered.

What the Sallie House Evidence Means to Me

I didn’t spend years investigating the Sallie House because of one eerie sound or one drawing on a basement floor. It was the combination of experiences that held my attention: the documented pentagram, the accounts surrounding it, the activity our cameras recorded, the scratches reported during investigations, and audio that I found difficult to dismiss.

To me, Beelzebub is a serious possibility in this case. I believe the history of the basement ritual offers an explanation worth considering for why a presence would identify itself as “Sallie.” I don’t claim the pentagram or a single EVP can identify a spirit with certainty. My conclusion comes from the pattern of experiences across the investigation, and it is one I still stand behind as my own interpretation.

My Perspective After Years of Live Ghost Hunts

LiveSciFi was built around allowing people to witness paranormal investigations as they happened. I want you to see the evidence, hear the recordings, and know what took place instead of relying on someone else’s retelling. That’s why I’ve included the original basement photographs, Kristin Manning’s sketch, the Sallie House video, and three separate audio files here.

I believe there was more happening at the Sallie House than a simple ghost story about a little girl. Whether Beelzebub was the true identity behind the reported activity remains an open question, but it’s a question grounded in what I experienced, documented, and continued to investigate. Watch and listen to the material, understand why I made the connection, and decide what you think happened.

If you want to explore the subject further, read our history of Valak and The Conjuring 2, compare different demon-classification traditions, or revisit my firsthand ZoZo investigation history.

— Tim Wood
Founder and lead investigator, LiveSciFi.tv

Sources and Further Reading

• 2 Kings 1:2 and textual notes — primary biblical passage and critical commentary.
• Jewish Encyclopedia: Baal-Zebub — history and variants of the name.
• Cotton Mather, The Wonders of the Invisible World — primary-era document of witch-trial accusations.
• The Washington Post, April 21, 1978 — reporting on Anneliese Michel’s exorcism-related court case.
• LiveSciFi: Sallie House Dark Secret Exposed — local investigation history and witness claims.

Editor’s update (October 2026): This expanded article preserves the original 2012 title and publication identity. It now includes Tim Wood’s 2005 basement photograph, a later photograph documenting the painted-over area, Kristin Manning’s 2015 sketch, and original LiveSciFi audiovisual evidence. References to a Beelzebub summoning and the possible use of “Sallie” as a disguise are Tim Wood’s investigative interpretation, not independently confirmed identities or ritual records.