True Haunting (2025) “Eerie Hall” screening and Q&A
Photo courtesy of J. Jeff Ungar
The legacy of the ghost of Erie Hall lives on today, as residents and students of SUNY Geneseo alike discuss the haunting from four decades ago.
In the fall and spring of 1985, the residents of Erie Hall were subjected to what they describe as various supernatural encounters with an entity by the name of Tommy. This figure grew to torment the residents of C quad for a several month span—the most well-known being Chris Di Cesare—before seemingly being held at bay by blessings from a local Catholic priest. This story has been one that greatly contributed to the college zeitgeist, becoming an urban legend amongst many. Earlier in October of 2025, with the release of Netflix’s True Haunting (2025)—of which the first three episodes, titled “Eerie Hall,” focus on this story—the legend has reemerged to be broadcasted to more people than ever before, allowing millions to witness the story of “C2D1” and who many have dubbed “The Ghostboy of Geneseo.”
On Nov. 1, 2025 Chris Di Cesare, in an event sponsored by Syracuse Paranormal, delivered a screening of the Netflix adaptation followed by a Q&A. Leading the event were four of the key speakers for the episodes: Chris DiCesare, J. Jeff Ungar, Linda Kalasinski, and Craig Norr (not featuring Vito Di Cesare and Father Charlie Manning due to health reasons, or Di Cesare’s former roommate Paul, who has not spoken to Chris in over 30 years). Also featured were those who put this screening together: Ron Yacovetti and Lourdes Gonzalez. Together, in an event held at the Geneseo Community Center and Interfaith Center, these parties delivered an experience that illuminated the murkiness between the adaptation and these individuals' accounts of what occurred alongside a discussion of their lives since those life-altering months in ‘85.
I was invited to this event to hear more about Di Cesare and those who experienced this phenomenon, and can say that this conversation added some much-needed insight and complemented the discourse that has arisen since the airing of True Haunting (2025). While discussing their experiences and their hopes for this adaptation, what became clear to me was the sincerity of their delivery. This conversation focused on “respect[ing] people's viewpoints,” in Di Cesare’s words. All those gathered were open and receptive to the experiences of these speakers. Instead of prodding at the believability of their experiences, the discussion revolved around the heightened state of emotions at the time of the hauntings, how they coped with this and retained themselves, and where they are now.
This allowed the speakers to reflect more on themselves at present, what this story has cemented in them, and add anything more they wish to share. One important note made by Ungar highlighted the significance of the ordeal: “The legacy of this is less about the haunting itself and more about the raw friendships…[it’s about] the personal connections, how people deal with extraordinary times, and the fact that it's paranormal is just how it happens to be.”
The conversation also explored how all of these players tried to move on from what transpired: Norr and Kalasinski blocked out what occurred, taking the time to focus on themselves before grappling with the memories; Ungar continuously struggled with the haunting, escalating to the point where he felt he was “soul tied” to his documentation of it, leading him to burn the majority of the physical evidence taken of this haunting; and Di Cesare has since been able to move on with his life, although he acknowledges that he has not been the same person as he was before the encounters began. During the Q&A, Di Cesare reaffirmed this notion saying that something changed within him and he doesn’t think it possible to get it back.
Even so, the panel made sure to remind the audience that although they may be scarred by this haunting, they are not defined by it. They talked about the various professions they have had and the current joys they find in teaching; alongside the fulfillment received from lives spent teaching. Most importantly, they detailed how they have grown separately but united in a sense by this event; even though what occurred may have been mentally scarring, their life course is not sanctioned by it.
This panel discussion allowed for the audience to hear the guest speakers' unabridged thoughts and their processes during the months of the haunting, further humanizing those behind this campus legend. Following this discussion, there was a brief book signing and informal discussion segment with the opportunity to look at pictures, collages, and other objects that the panel brought, with a chance to talk with panelists one-on-one. This meeting offered holistic insight into the panelists’ minds, but more importantly, how communities can sprout even in the darkest times of someone's life.
After the event, I reached out to Di Cesare to get some further insight into his perspective on the adaptation and its reception holistically. To see that, look to our Arts & Entertainment section to learn more about Di Cesare.