Ronald DeFeo Sr. managed an auto dealership, a job that certainly couldnt support the familys lavish lifestyle. Ron Defeo's sister, Allison, 13. And considering the fact that DeFeo would change his story multiple times in prison, he shed very little light on the haunting mystery. The real-life horror story began on November 13, 1974, when a 23-year-old man named Ronald DeFeo Jr. fatally shot his parents and his four younger siblings while they were asleep in their home in Amityville, New York. Indeed, in 1979, Weber had written in People Magazine that he and the Lutzes created this horror story over many bottles of wine; he had also gone on a television program called A Current Affair in 1988 and claimed that he and the Lutzes took real-life incidents and transposed them to create a spooky tale sure to make a splash for example, turning a cat that lived in the neighborhood who had a habit of hanging out in the windows of the Lutzes house into the face of a green-eyed pig that menaced the family through a window. This photo was definitely NOT taken at 112 Ocean Ave. and the woman in the photo is definitely NOT . Check out our amityville murders selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. Hours after murdering them, DeFeo went to a nearby bar, crying for help. The existence of a second culprit has never been proven, although a documentary filmmaker claimed in 2012 that he had found new evidence supporting the theory. The most financially successful film was released in 2005 and starred Ryan Reynolds. A murder in which six members of the same family were all shot dead while they lay sleeping. The Amityville Murders It was the middle of the night on Nov. 13, 1974, when 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr. killed six of his relatives with a .35 caliber rifle while they were asleep: parents Louise and Ronald DeFeo Sr., siblings 18-year-old Dawn, 13-year-old . The trial began in September of 1975 and ended that November. March 16, 2021 10:30am. Murderer Ron, who's still alive and serving six 25-year-life sentences at a New York correctional facility, claimed he heard voices urging him to kill his family. A corrupt judicial system, the Italian Mob, and flying demons, this story has it all." to mention that the wood paneling is not the same color or pattern. February 24, 2023 | 3:17pm. The Amityville Murders. from the same crime scene, but the woman in the photo On November 13, 1974, the property at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, was the scene of a gruesome mass-murder. Ronald DeFeo Jr. was just 23 years old when he killed his family. "I wouldn't go in there at night," Anthony Oldham said. The book is based on the 28-day period during December 1975 and January 1976 when George and Kathy Lutz and their three children lived at 112 Ocean Avenue. Hans Holzer. "Ghosts and demons never dwelled in the Amityville house," says author Ric Osuna. Now was hoping for clarification in the second and third editions, The victims were Ronald DeFeo Sr, 43, Louise DeFeo, 42 and four of their children Dawn, 18, Allison, 13, Marc, 12 and John Matthew, 9. In 1979, the film-adaptation of The Amityville Horror was released, it became the highest-grossing independent film of all time, holding the record until 1990. "We knew that DeFeo had used pillow cases in the cleaning up of the crime scene," said Katzenbach. After an interview with Ronald exposed some inconsistencies in his story, he eventually confessed to the murders. The DeFeos lived in the house for more than nine years until the murders took place on November 13, 1974. They found his hand gun holster but no gun. The church was filled with 800 mourners, and 300 others stood outside during service. To be fair, I cant really blame them; for one thing, it probably makes it feel a little less spooky to live there, and for another, it likely makes it more difficult for dark tourists to hunt down the house and hound the occupants. DeFeo women. All six victims were found by police in their beds, lying on their stomachs. (Here are selected photos on this topic, but full relevance is not guaranteed.) Ronald DeFeo during an interview in 2014. He also turned the gun on his mother, Louise DeFeo. On Jan. 14, 1976, George, Kathleen (often called "Kathy"), their three kids (Kathys from a previous marriage), and the family dog, Harry, left the house, never to return. After an interview with Ronald exposed some inconsistencies in his story, he eventually confessed to the murders. In four parts, "The Making of a Haunting: The Amityville Murders" covers the true history behind the scary stories told in the book and film series The Amityville Horror. The sunroom was recently added to the back of the house. spare bedroom, I wanted to be sure. He needed help to kill six people. Villisca Ax Murder House The Scene Of A Brutal Mass Murder In 1912. the west third. is a RECENT picture, and that the mystery victim They fled the residence after just 28 days, claiming it was haunted. Over the years he has changed his account of the murders numerous times. The Amityville haunting is a modern folk story based on the true crimes of Ronald DeFeo Jr. On November 13, 1974, DeFeo shot and killed six members of his family at 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, on the south shore of Long Island. He stated that he took the blame because he was afraid to say anything negative about his mother to her father, Michael Brigante Sr., and his fathers uncle, out of fear that they would kill him. But what transpired in his head is an entirely different nightmare. They were George and Kathy Lutz and their children Daniel, 9, Christopher, 7 and Missy 5. This was our house, we lived there.. As the day went on, he decided to leave work and spend the afternoon with his friends, making sure to mention to all of them that he couldnt get in touch with his family for some reason. Amityville II: The Possession was based on a book that detailed the DeFeo murders, and Amityville 3-D was based on an investigation into the house by paranormal researcher Stephen Kaplan. A Georgia girl was discovered by her mom with an apparent gunshot to the head - and three 18-year-olds . . Another neighbor named Catherine OReilly said the DeFeos had befriended her after her husband passed away. At his trial, DeFeo claimed that "voices" in the house commanded him to . Back row: John, Allison, and Marc. Menu. Some of the few Amityville movies that have been released over the years. . It was the middle of the night on Nov. 13, 1974, when 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr. killed six of his relatives with a .35 caliber rifle while they were asleep: parents Louise and Ronald DeFeo Sr., siblings 18-year-old Dawn, 13-year-old Allison, 12-year-old Marc, and nine-year-old John Matthew. That leaves only You are interested in: Amityville house crime scene photos. the house is large, much of its square footage comes from the It was taken during an investigation by paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (yes, that Ed and Lorraine Warren) several weeks after the Lutzes left the house. Big Ronnie was also reportedly an abusive and violent man. photo from the basement of the DeFeo home and shows what the basement looked DeFeo confessed to the killings, telling police that "the voices from the house made him do it.". the bed she was also killed in, however, the photo shows no evidence of blood or He died while serving his sentence 25 years to life at Sullivan Correctional Facility in New York on March 12, 2021, according to Newsday. Other details about the case, taken together, add up to a second gun and a second shooter, he said. Though the crime has often been an afterthought throughout the years thanks in part to the popularity of The Amityville Horror its even more horrifying than anything that Hollywood could ever dream up. One of the group, DeFeos friend Joe Yeswit, made a call to the Suffolk County Police, who searched the house and found that six members of the same family had all been shot dead in their beds. that Ric Osuna claims is from the same crime scene. Hes a mass murderer. A lot of photographs of the Amityville Horror House were taken after the murders. But there also might not have been; the jurys still out on this one. The couple was bogged down in legal and financial issues, which prompted skeptics to believe they had the motive to create a fantastical story to sell to the public. They only lasted 28 days. In 1979, a movie by the same name was released to the delight of horror fans, some of whom actively sought out the real Amityville Horror House in search of paranormal activity. The middle third was empty, except for the A crime scene photo of Ronald DeFeo Sr. and Louise DeFeo, two victims of the Amityville Murders. In 1977, Jay Ansons book The Amityville Horror was released. Death bed of John Matthew, Ron Defeo's 9 year-old brother. Public DomainThe DeFeo children. A long line of mourners file past a row of the six caskets at St. Charles Cemetery in Amityville, New York as the family members were laid to rest after the horrific murder. Yes, it was confirmed that the book featured plenty of false accounts The family was comprised of Ronald DeFeo Sr. and Louise DeFeo, and their five children: Ronald Jr., Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John Matthew. A team of underwater archeologists, hired by Katzenbach, have found a gun in the canal behind the house. However, the following day he confessed to the killings, while the mob hitman Falini had an alibi, proving he was out of the state at the time. (Dan Godfrey/ New York Daily News), A Suffolk County policeman uses mine detector as he sweeps through dead leaves of the Amityville home. He also shared the hiding places of crucial evidence like his blood-stain clothes and the rifle he used, pictured here. Yet, the CRI's findings regarding the location of this photo matching the DeFeo basement is a significant fact. Because of marital problems, the Rileys divorced and sold the house to the DeFeos on June 28, 1965. (Richard Drew/AP Photo), After committing the crime, DeFeo ran to a nearby bar where he screamed for help, claiming that he didn't know who shot his parents. Ronald DeFeo Jr. is currently held in the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York. People who are interested in the case like to talk about the furniture a lot; head here to check out some of the conversations. It went so fast.. He remained in prison until the day he died at age 69 in 2021. Butch was also bullied at school for being overweight, with kids calling him names like Pork Chop and The Blob. By his teenage years, he had lost most of that weight through his use of amphetamines, which he had come to rely on, along with alcohol, as a coping mechanism. Burns, Marie. For more information pertaining to this case, please click here. Don Jacobsen/Newsday RM via Getty ImagesRonald DeFeo Jr. was just 23 years old when he killed his family. So, I decided to look into this matter further. Jay Anson's book, The Amityville Horror, was created using around 45 hours of audio recordings from . The victims were Ronald Jr.s parents: Ronald DeFeo Sr. (44) and Louise DeFeo (42); and his four siblings: Dawn (18), Allison (13), Marc (12), and John Matthew (9). How it all began. like at the time of the murders. He insists that he has the documents and the evidence to prove that there was more than one person responsible for the murders. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. could have been taken inside the DeFeo residence. It went so fast.". At last count, there were at least 28 movies that referenced Amityville. However, the Amityville Murders case was far from over. Ultimately, DeFeo was found guilty of six counts of second-degree murder in November. Thank you Helix for sponsoring! It appeared that, like the DeFeo victims, this female had been . Katzenbach said that the missing gun is the one that his team pulled out of the canal. We And after DeFeo mentioned a notorious mob hitman who could have killed his family, police soon found out that the hitman was out of state. DeFeo initially claimed to the police that the murders . Other paranormal activity: A nearby garage door opening and closing; an invisible spirit knocking a knife down in the kitchen; a pig-like creature with red eyes staring down at George and his son Daniel from a window; George waking up to wife Kathy levitating off their bed; sons Daniel and Christopher also levitating together in their beds. is facing southwest. But they soon noticed details that didnt line up. of the basement. (Dennis Caruso/New York Daily News), A long line of mourners file past a row of the six caskets at St. Charles Cemetery in Amityville, New York as the family members were laid to rest after the horrific murder. This was followed by many sequels and other movies that had no connection to the original movie other than its reference to the town of Amityville. There, the shocked bargoers were greeted by a truly horrific scene. At his trial, DeFeo claimed that . If The Amityville Horror is a book by American author Jay Anson, published in September 1977. 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