All Rights Reserved. Listen above to the History Uncovered podcast, episode 50: The Amityville Murders, also available on Apple and Spotify. The second photo is the "seventh body" photo A Georgia girl was discovered by her mom with an apparent gunshot to the head - and three 18-year-olds . I Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Im the one they say who did it, Im the one thats supposed to be possessed by the devil.. According to Zillow, the house sold for $605,000 in February of 2017. The back of the house looking down to the boathouse. An All Thats Interesting writer since 2013, Erin Kelly focuses on historic places, natural wonders, environmental issues, and the world of science. AP file. He was taken into the local police station for protection, where he told them he believed it was a mob hit. A corrupt judicial system, the Italian Mob, and flying demons, this story has it all." You dont need Photoshop to convincingly fake a ghost photo. If you find that some photos violates copyright or have unacceptable properties, please inform us about it. Ronald DeFeo Jr. being lead away in handcuffs. Ultimately, DeFeo was found guilty of six counts of second-degree murder in November. Scroll down to view the Amityville House murder photos where the entire Defeo family was murdered by Ron Defeo (but be forewarned, it is quite gruesome. 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. 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 house would later become entangled in the Amityville horror imbroglio which was featured in the Hollywood movie, The Amityville Horror. bedroom. . B, the photographer is facing southeast. There have been 14 movies made based on the murders, with the first and most famous film, "The Amityville Horror," being released in 1979. The house with the iconic double-windows, white siding, and chimney at 112 Ocean Avenue is the home to the one of the most horrific family massacres in history, as well as an . On November 13, 1974, the estate was the scene of mass murder. 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. On the Nov. 13, 1974, 23-year-old Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. committed the grisly act of murdering his entire family as they slept in their home in Amityville, New York. The most financially successful film was released in 2005 and starred Ryan Reynolds. things in the following picture of the northwest corner of the Sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction. The swarming flies, the demonic pig, the ooze seeping through the walls and floorboards the house once located at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, Long Island has been a staple of Hollywood for decades. The real Amityville house was the site of 6 murders on the night of November 13, 1974. the house is large, much of its square footage comes from the the west third. On Nov. 13, 1974, 23-year-old Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. serious the shocking demonstration of killing his whole family as they rested in their home in Amityville, New York. According to the first chapter of Ansons book, the furniture that had been in the house when Ronald DeFeo, Jr. committed the murders reportedly came with the house when the Lutzes bought it. While the DeFeo parents were both shot twice, the children were only shot once, yet all were fatal. Ronald DeFeo Jr. (1974) AP Photo/Richard Drew. They arrive at Kathy's mother's house, where they think they are safe. But then I noticed a few And then, in December 1975, a new family moved into the DeFeos old home. 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, New York. But the story of the Amityville Murders was not over. Though DeFeo claimed to have drugged his familys dinner, experts noted that a long time had passed between the meal and the familys deaths. Oldham said that the murders were an "open and shut case," but documentary film maker Ryan Katzenbach begs to differ. Because Im the one that got convicted of killing my family. Yes, it was confirmed that the book featured plenty of false accounts At his trial, DeFeo claimed that "voices" in the house commanded him to kill. tables and chairs. And about a year after the slaughter, a new family moved into the home where the murders took place. Public DomainThe DeFeo children. It seems to show a small boy with glowing eyes in the doorway to the left of the frame, even though there were no children in the house at the time. The gun is still being examined, but with decay and a lack of a legible serial number it may be impossible to ever identify. It all unfolded on Nov. 13, 1974, when 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr. used a high-powered rifle to shoot and kill his parents, two . DeFeo initially claimed to the police that the murders . The Amityville Horror House as it looked in 1974, the year of the murders. George Lutz, his wife Kathy, and their three children stayed at the residence for just 28 days before fleeing the property in terror claiming that the house was haunted by the spirits of the deceased DeFeos. as you can see, there would have been no room for a spare Note the forum From the first horror movie in 1979, the box . The answer may never be known. 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. DeFoe Jr. was then taken into police custody for his own protection after suggesting to police that the killings had been carried out by a mob hitman, Louis Falini. 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. After a night that particularly frightened two of the children, the Lutzes said they had called a priest they had been in contact with throughout the ordeal, who encouraged them to go somewhere else the following night, just to get some rest (since obviously none of them had been sleeping very well). The house as depicted in the Amityville horror movies. DeFeo actually reported the murders himself, initially telling police that when he arrived home from work the evening of Nov. 13., he discovered that someone had broken into the house and killed every member of his family. The first photo below is a crime scene photo from the basement of the DeFeo home and shows what the basement looked like at the time of the murders. 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. brain matter. Get this from a library! walls were limited to exterior walls. is facing southwest. On November 13, 1974, the estate was the scene of mass murder. In November of 1974, a 23-year-old man ran into a bar on Long Island and exclaimed to the patrons that his mother and father had been murdered, only for them to find that his entire family had been massacred in their picturesque colonial-style house. isnt much larger than an average home. (Frank Mooney/New York Daily News), Each member of the family was shot with .35 caliber lever action Marlin 336C rifle around 3:00 in the morning. On August 17, 1987, Peter and Jeanne ONeil purchased the house from the Cromartys. A lot of controversies surrounded the DeFeo murders, the police investigation concluded that a suppressor had not been fitted to the rifle, this lead to speculation that someone should have been woken by the gunshots. AMITYVILLE HORROR FRANCHISE FILMS (1979-2018) a list of 28 titles created 13 Dec 2017 Horror Franchises: The Amityville Horror a list of 21 titles . A picture on the wall of the DeFeo family home, Ronald DeFeo Jr. with his father Ronald DeFeo Sr. DeFeo Jr. and a small group of people went to the house at 112 Ocean Avenue, which was located near the bar, and found that DeFeos parents were dead. I think my mother and father are shot!. A murder in which six members of the same family were all shot dead while they lay sleeping. Let us know in our comments section below First published on February 27, 2012 / 11:49 PM. The body of Ron's 12 year-old brother, Mark. . I guess the Amityville Horror really is supposed to be me, DeFeo once said. NOT taken at 112 Ocean Ave. and the woman in the photo is definitely NOT one of After the DeFeos, George and Kathy Lutz moved into the property and then moved out in 28 days. The Amityville Murders is probably the BEST telling of the Defeo Murders that took place in November of 1974. They lived in an affluent part of Long Island called Amityville. walls. Another neighbor named Catherine OReilly said the DeFeos had befriended her after her husband passed away. According to an interview George Lutz gave to Ghost Village in 2005 one of his last major interviews before his death in 2006 they didnt realize at the time that when they headed out the door, they would never come back; We didnt get up to leave that morning, you need to understand that, Lutz said. Ric Osuna spent approximately three years investigating the Amityville case. this same piece of machinery. Photo: Getty Images. Its iconic, even if you dont know what its from and regardless as to whether you believe in ghosts or demons if youre at all curious about this kind of stuff, odds are youll have seen the photo before. The body of Ron's 12 year-old brother, Mark. His story has changed a few more times since then, too. On November 13, 1974, the property at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, was the scene of a gruesome mass-murder. the "Bloody Shoe Photo," the "Seventh Body Photo" Thirty-seven years later a claim that new evidence has been unearthed is raising new questions. The original 1979 film was an adaptation of Jay Anson's book The Amityville Horror, as was the 2005 remake. Shattered Hopes is a multi-part docudrama based on The Night the DeFeos Died and released in late 2011. After moving into the Amityville house less than a year after the murders, the Lutz family reportedly experienced terrifying paranormal events at the home. Thank you Helix for sponsoring! They went to Kathys mothers but, said Lutz to Ghost Village, When we left, we didnt know we werent coming back. On the night of November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo, Jr. took a high-powered rifle and murdered his entire family as they slept. Aqua Survey's Mark Padover told CBS 2 that "Once we cleaned it off, you could see that there was a trigger and a handle." While Hours after murdering them, DeFeo went to a nearby bar, crying for help. But often lost in the shuffle is the brutal crime that supposedly made the house haunted the Amityville Murders. You are interested in: Amityville house crime scene photos. George was said to wake up at 3:15 am every morning, which was around the time Ron carried out his murders. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the Long Island man serving a life sentence for slaughtering his parents and four siblings . Over the years, the name Amityville has conjured up images of murder and the supernatural, with the infamous house's formerly triangular-eyed windows casting a shadow on countless posters, movies and books covers. The original address of the home when the murders took place was 112 Ocean Ave . And just a couple of years later in 1977, author Jay Anson published a novel titled The Amityville Horror, based on the Lutz familys claims of paranormal activity happening in the home. The Amityville Murders This quiet suburban street looks like a normal New York suburb but Lutz family who were the main characters in The Amityville Horror book went through hell in their newly purchased dream home. "It's a very tragic story," said Amityville resident Peter Stein. (Dan Godfrey/New York Daily News), Ronald also later admitted that he took a bath and got dressed after committing the crime before running to the local bar. Burkin, Lucy. Executive producers . The body of Ron Defeo's sister, Dawn, 18. According to The New York Times, one of their neighbors described them as a nice, normal family.. Juror on the Ronnie DeFeo murder trial; excused halfway through. help illustrate this, look in the lower left corner of picture A lot of photographs of the Amityville Horror House were taken after the murders. Because of marital problems, the Rileys divorced and sold the house to the DeFeos on June 28, 1965. Each member of the family was shot with .35 caliber lever action Marlin 336C rifle around 3:00 in the morning. (The couple divorced in 1988; Kathleen died of emphysema in 2004 and George of heart disease in 2006.). Ronald DeFeo during an interview in 2014. This DeFeo is currently serving six consecutive sentences of 25 years to life. (Robert Rosamilio/New York Daily News), Hundreds attended the funeral for the DeFeo family as six caskets filled the aisel of St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Amityville, during Mass of the Resurrection. thinks this spare bedroom was. With the "seventh body" mystery solved, Ryan Katzenbach and the producers of Shattered Hopes decided that the "bloody shoe" mystery was the next to be investigated in hopes of finding any answer. The Lutz family barely escapes 112 Ocean Ave. Butchs ongoing conflict with his father came to a violent head when he fatally shot Ronald DeFeo Sr. with a .35-caliber Marlin rifle as he slept during the early hours of November 13, 1974. February 24, 2023 | 3:17pm. It is also the basis of a series of films released from 1979 onward. This is something that we have seen at other murder properties, such as 10050 Cielo Drive, where the Mason Murders took place. The Real 'Amityville Horror': Chilling Facts About the Crime and Haunted House, Idaho Murders: What Led Police to Bryan Kohberger, Your Privacy Choices: Opt Out of Sale/Targeted Ads. While viewing the DeFeo crime scene negatives, Osuna noted that there were . From On Nov. 13, 1974 Ronald DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family inside their Amityville home. Since the grisly murders, the story has been published in books and movies with varying accounts. The movies never tell the full story and it turns out that the whole thing is even more complicated than most people think. After rigormortis sets, a body cannot be repositioned. Christopher Quarantino, Daniel's brother, said to the Seattle Times in 2005 when the remake of the original film was released that the haunting wasn't a hoax, but had been greatly exaggerated by George. Check out our amityville murders selection for the very best in unique or custom, handmade pieces from our shops. (laundry area) This photo Soon after, George is awoken by a supernatural force. fact that it is three stories. The murders were popularized in several novels and films, including The Amityville Horror: A True Story. For more information pertaining to this case, please click here. The "Amityville Horror" murders occurred exactly 40 years ago today. Back row: John, Allison, and Marc. In 2017, the notorious five-bedroom, 3-bathroom Colonial home where the bloodbath took place sold for $605,000. While the infamous house was on the market for $850,000 in 2016 after last being sold for significantly more in 2010, it was sold for $605,000 - over $200,000 less than its initial asking price - in February 2017. Like DeFeo killed his parents . Katzenbach claims that other details from the 1974 police report point to the possibility that someone else helped DeFeo kill his family. Ronald, often known by the nickname Butch, was later arrested and tried for the murders; he was found guilty on Nov. 21, 1975. This photo was definitely Here At the time, police and investigators considered the fact that more than one person may have been responsible for the murders; it was the only way they could make sense of some of the more puzzling aspects of the crime scene. Ronald DeFeo, the 'Amityville Horror' murderer who killed his six family members in 1974 on New York's Long Island, has died in prison. When Watching the films, taking notes on the films, capturing screenshots of the films; that's a lot of time spent on films that don't really deserve . He was convicted of second-degree murder in November 1975. NEW YORK DAILY NEWS. the bed she was also killed in, however, the photo shows no evidence of blood or Katzenbach said that this new evidence confirms a long-standing belief that DeFeo didn't act alone. The Amityville murders.. [Daniel Farrands; Lucas Jarach; John Robinson; Chelsea Ricketts; Paul Ben-Victor;] -- On the night of November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo, Jr. took a high-powered rifle and murdered his entire family as they slept. On Oct. 14, 1975, the trial began for Ronald DeFeo Jr. after he committed the horrific killing of his six family members, which became known as the Amityville murders. 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