A retired New York City police officer who left the force to investigate alleged demonic activity said he and his wife, a former FDNY emergency medical technician, have resumed work after a yearlong break prompted by what they described as ominous warnings.
Chris DeFlorio, 54, who retired after two decades at the 32nd Precinct in Harlem, and Harmony DeFlorio, 49, who left the Emergency Medical Service following a lupus diagnosis, said they have investigated nearly 1,000 reported paranormal cases worldwide over the past four years and have offered their services free of charge. The Ronkonkoma couple said they paused active investigations last year after two sinister figures returned to haunt Chris — first appearing in vivid dreams five years earlier.
The couple said the most recent episode echoed a 2019 dream in which Chris confronted demons in a hotel room and was physically overpowered by a robed figure holding an upside-down cross. "A man in a robe holding an upside down cross ripped my chain, which had two crosses on it, and whipped my arm with it three times," Chris recalled. The recurrence last year, he said, convinced him to step away from fieldwork for about a year and to suspend some of the rituals he uses in investigations.
While the DeFlorios describe themselves as demonologists and paranormal investigators, they frame their work in practical terms: responding to homeowners and others who report disturbing phenomena, documenting scenes and attempting to identify natural or human causes before using religious or ritual interventions. They said they travel domestically and internationally to follow leads and consult on cases.
The couple said they have provided interventions without charge in nearly 1,000 cases over four years. They declined to disclose the specifics of most investigations, citing privacy concerns of those who sought their help. According to the DeFlorios, their interventions range from spiritual blessings and prayers to advising on practical safety and structural issues that can explain unusual noises or sensations.
After the episode that prompted their hiatus, Chris said he initially "hung up his holy water" and retreated from active work. The DeFlorios said they used the break to reassess methods, consult allies and take precautions before resuming field investigations. They told reporters they now believe they are safe to return to casework and have begun responding to calls again.
Harmony, who previously served as an FDNY EMT, said her health issues prompted her to leave emergency services but did not diminish her involvement in the couple's investigative work. The DeFlorios said they rely on a mixture of experience from civilian first-responder roles and what they describe as religiously based methods when addressing reports of paranormal activity.
The couple's accounts and the nature of their work sit at the intersection of religious belief, folklore and popular culture, subjects that have drawn increasing attention from mainstream media and entertainment as interest in paranormal investigations grows. The DeFlorios have become part of that conversation by publicly recounting their experiences and by saying they will again accept cases.
The DeFlorios said they will continue to document cases and refer matters to law enforcement or medical professionals when they believe incidents have secular explanations or require official intervention. They said privacy and the well-being of those who contact them remain priorities as they return to active investigations.