The Amityville Murders

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The Story About The Amityville Murders

One night in 1974 the Amityville murders took place in a Dutch Colonial style house with the address being 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, Long Island, NY. In this article we will go into the details of the Amityville Murders and everything that came with it. Long Island is abundant with myth's and legends like the Amityville Horror. Coming soon is a post of the infamous Commack Motor Inn. For Now enjoy discovering creepy facts about the Amityville Murders.

Why is the Amityville Horror Story so popular?

We all have heard about the Amityville Horror from our hometowns on Long Island to across the United States. In many ways, this infamous tragedy that is shrouding in mystery and conspiracy is more universally known than the geographic location existence of Long Island, NY itself. The Amityville Horror Paperback Books and Movies are known to everyone around the globe!

Which is unbelievable as over 7 million people live on Long Island, and the town of Amityville is home to over 10,000 residents. With those descriptive statistics, it makes you wonder why is there such a tremendous fascination behind this horrific event that took place in a quiet suburban town.

Murder is horrible in every way, and no particular event should be debated, which one was more terrifying than the other. As on Long Island today, on average each year there are 20 reported homicides. A sad statistic but improvement as the homicide rate has dramatically decreased by 45% compared to the 1970s.

I want you the reader to ask yourself the same question.

This question has had me for the last few decades banging my head against the wall.

Why was this small but still extremely disturbing incident highlighted on such a national grand scale?

Meanwhile, they're 100s of millions of other homicides that don't get even a millisecond of the public's attention? Long Island, NY throughout its American History was always safer than 1,000s of other colonized populations worldwide.

The reason why I insist on acknowledging these statistics is to show the stunning contrast, which brings me back to my vexatious question. Why did this specific disaster draw so much nationwide infamy compared all the other mass murders to even genocides?

Why, why, and why?

Together we will figure this out. In the end, you can make your own judgment by casting your vote. Let's us remember the events that took place on this morbid night that would shake the world's nerves forever. Then we will explore what events happened before and after even into the present day situations that have transpired.

Once upon a time on there was an ominous evening.

  • The Date was November 13, 1974
  • Amityville House Address 112 ocean avenue amityville NY.

At this Long Island Amityville house address sat a large Dutch Colonial house.

Inside this Long Island home 6 DeFeo famlily members were fast asleep.

Then a 23-year-old man named Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered 6 of his family members in cold blood.

This event would spawn a larger than life national horror sensation.

Millions of people would be frightened to their core and incite goosebumps. In contrast, many other people would and still are profiting from this tragedy. Plus, some of the profiteers became prosperous millionaires.

Why did Ronald DeFeo Jr. kill his entire family?

Ronald DeFeo Jr. or "Butch" his nickname committed a horrible mass murder. He was taking the lives of his Mother, Father, his 2 Brother, and 2 Sisters. How and why would anyone do such an evil thing?

If you are seeking for a logical answer, it's hard to find one as this was a completely illogical event. My personal opinion is that Butch was either angry, evil, mentally ill, or possibly all of these traits.

Many conspiracy theories arose to his motive as per usual. Because whenever a horrific unexplainable event takes place, people are primally programmed to seek an answer.

Ronald DeFeo Jr. or "Butch" his nickname committed a horrible mass murder. He was taking the lives of his Mother, Father, his 2 Brother, and 2 Sisters. How and why would anyone do such an evil thing?

If you are seeking for a logical answer, it's hard to find one as this was a completely illogical event. My personal opinion is that Butch was either angry, evil, mentally ill, or possibly all of these traits.

Many conspiracy theories arose to his motive as per usual. Because whenever a horrific unexplainable event takes place, people are primally programmed to seek an answer.

Everything has been theorized from Ronald DeFeo Jr. being possessed by demons. Some association relating to the mafia, as in the 1970s they were the most powerful underground organizations.

Although the mob's powers have declined dramatically from the 1970s to today in 2024, this decrease organized crime dropped due to beefed-up law enforcement taking action like Rudy Giuliana bringing down the five families with the RICO Act.

Plus, the fact that every person carries a mobile phone with a camera. Making the golden age of the mafia's style of beating and killing people in public.

Who were the members of the DeFeo Family?

The DeFeo Family

The DeFeo Parents

Who was Ronald DeFeo Sr.?

Ronald DeFeo Sr. the Father moved his family from Brooklyn, NY to live in suburbia on Long Island, NY. Ronald DeFeo Sr. was exceptional as his job as he made a prosperous living as a Car Dealer. He was killed, alongside the remainder of his family, by his son Ronald Jr. the evening of November 13, 1974. He was just 44 years of age.

Who was Louise DeFeo?

Louise DeFeo was the Mother of the family and husband Ronald DeFeo, Sr. She was killed, alongside the remainder of her family, by her oldest child, Ronald Jr., on November 13, 1974. She was only 43 years of age.

The DeFeo Siblings

Who was Dawn Theresa DeFeo?

Dawn was the second oldest of her family. The first daughter of Ronald Sr., and Louise DeFeo. She was shot dead while asleep and the third murder victim. It was a shame because Dawn DeFeo was starting her life as it was taking away from her at 18 years old.

Who was Marc Gregory DeFeo?

Marc DeFeo was only 12 years old when his older evil brother shot him dead in the back while asleep. Marc was the fourth born by his parents Ronald Sr., and Louise DeFeo. It was said in police reports that he was sleeping next to his younger brother John Matthew DeFeo.

Who was John Matthew DeFeo?

John DeFeo was the youngest boy in the family who fell victim to his older brother Ronald DeFeo Jr. He was only nine years of age when he was murdered — shot in the back just like his brother John, lying next to him while asleep.

Who was Allison Louise DeFeo?

Allison DeFeo was the last Murder Victim in the Amityville Horror. She was the third oldest sibling in the family. Shocking reports say that she was awake during her murder. The loud gunshots probably woke her up because her family was just murdered. She was only 13 years of age. The homicides ended up acclaimed for being integral to the book and film "The Amityville Horror."

What Happened to Ronald DeFeo Jr after the Amityville murders?

At the end of the Amityville Horror killer's trial, he was convicted and sentenced to 6 consecutive life terms. Ronald DeFeo Jr was born on September 26, 1951. What makes this story even creepier is that Ron DeFeo Jr would live on for many decades to come.

Is Ronald DeFeo Jr Still Alive Today?

No, Ronald DeFeo Jr died on March 12th 2021 at the Albany Medical Center in upstate New York at the age of 69.

During the trial, his lawyer gambled on the idea that his client was mentally insane. This way, he would have a lesser sentence or go to an insane asylum vs. a prison. Butch DeFeo claimed he heard voices in his head and told him to do it.

DeFeo is currently an inmate at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in the town of Fallsburg, New York, and the majority of his interests and demands to the parole board to date have been denied.

Did anyone live in the Amityville Horror House?

Yes, the first family to move into the Amityville Horror House was the Lutz Family.

Within the month of a chilling December, a family made a chilling decision on where they would live. At the time a family of 5 moved in. The wife's name was Kathy, and the husband was named George Lutz had three kids.

According to the Lutz family, the reason why they moved into the Amityville Horror House was that they were poor. Looking at the home and not knowing what took place, most people would say it's a dream home. In 1975 the Lutz purchased the house at a massive discount of $80,000.

The new occupants of the Amityville home claimed they saw ghosts, spirits, and paranormal activities. Some examples of what the Lutz claimed to witness was levitating objects in the house; the garage door would move up and down for no reason.

Daniel Lutz, who was just eight years old at the time and is now in his early 50s talks of the experience he had in the haunted house to this day. Daniel Lutz claimed that every time it was 3:15 AM something would happen as "315" was a devil number according to him. He also claimed green slime like goo would drip from the walls.

The entire Lutz family in 1975 saw paranormal and frightening things because they didn't live in that house for long. Following 28 days, the Lutz’s left the house, professing to have been threatened by paranormal wonders while living there.

Is the Amityville Horror House Really Haunted?

Some believe the Amityville Horror house is haunted as Lauren Warren a respect Paranormal Investigator claims that is was haunted. Many other people have their own opinions based on what took place after the Lutz moved out of the home after only living there for 28 days.

The Lutz family would come in to contact with Jay Anson. Mr. Anson was an Author who wrote the book The Amityville Horror. Jay Anson claimed what he wrote to be real and not fiction. Jay Anson interviewed the Lutz families experience while living in the Amityville home. He claimed their testimony was enough to factual evidence.

The Amityville Horror Book

In 1977, The Amityville Horror book was published, and that's when the Amityville Terror began to captivate the world. Suddenly the Author Jay Anson, the former Amityville House residents George and Kathy Lutz became rich. Book sales skyrocketed to as a high as $4,000,000 in just the first year of 1977. George Lutz and Kathy Lutz plus the entire Lutz family surely were now far from being poor.

The Amityville Horror Movies

Two years after the success of the Amityville Book release, they decided to make a haunted house movie. The motion picture The Amityville Horror (1979) was a box office smash. Following the success of the haunted house movie, they would film six more sequels and one prequel.

MGM in 2005 came out with a remake of the Amityville Horror movie starring the famous actor Ryan Reynolds. The most recent Amityville movie that came out was in 2017, titled Amityville: The Awakening

In Conclusion on the Amityville murders

The Amityville murders that took place at the address 112 Ocean Avenue on a November 13, 1974 evening will forever be associated with the Long Island Town of Amityville, NY.

The question I want to ask you is this.
Do you believe that the house was haunted?
Yes or No?

The facts are a mass-murder did take place, and a paranormal defense plot was presented in court. Also, the truth is that the Lutz Family did live in that house for only 28 days. The final point is that the from the story they told Jay Anson to publish a book lead them to all become millionaires.

Many people say that two families were devasted from the Amityville Haunted House. Or did one family get insanely rich of another family's devastation? I want to ask you the reader, Do you think the Lutz family's story was Real or Fake?

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- Lawrence E. Orient

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