That gibes with my thinking. This is his Hail Mary pass against Cancer, and it doesn't end well for him. His gamble poisons the ground (or rather the house), so when my heroes come along and try to do their Ghost busting thing, it's extra poisoned with Tentacle Guy's leavings, so to speak.
I wonder if there wouldn’t be a sour grapes element there too. He’s aware of at least the rumors of horrible consequences, but the world is already horrible for him, so why shouldn’t everybody else share in the misery.