Amityville House

Published by Aaron Perez

5/11/2026

    The house at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, stands as one of America's most infamous residences. A classic Dutch Colonial built around 1925 on the Amityville River, it earned the nickname "High Hopes." Its story blends a horrific real crime with sensational supernatural claims that spawned a bestselling book, hit movies, and decades of debate.

The Brutal Murders That Started It All

    The true horror began in the early morning hours of November 13, 1974. Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr., then 23, used a .35 caliber Marlin rifle to shoot and kill six members of his family as they slept in their beds:

  • His father, Ronald DeFeo Sr. (43)
  • His mother, Louise DeFeo (43)
  • His siblings: Dawn (18), Allison (13), Marc (12), and John (9)

    The victims were found face-down in their beds. The parents were shot twice each; the children once. DeFeo initially claimed a mob hitman was responsible, but he soon confessed. He was convicted in 1975 of six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to six consecutive 25-years-to-life terms. He died in prison in 2021.

    Motives remain murky. DeFeo had a history of drug use and conflict with his father (who worked as a car dealer). Some speculated insurance money or family tensions played a role. During his trial, the defense raised insanity, with DeFeo claiming "voices" from the house influenced him—claims that later fed into the haunting narrative. No solid evidence of the paranormal emerged from the crime itself.

    The house sat mostly empty for about a year afterward, its dark reputation growing locally.

The Lutz Family and the Birth of "The Amityville Horror"

    In December 1975, George and Kathy Lutz (along with Kathy’s three children from a previous marriage and their dog) bought the house at a bargain price—reportedly around $80,000—knowing its history. They moved in on December 18.

    Just 28 days later, they fled, leaving most of their belongings behind. They claimed the house was plagued by terrifying paranormal activity: swarms of flies in winter, cold spots, strange odors, levitating objects, apparitions, and a demonic pig-like entity named "Jodie" that their daughter Missy supposedly befriended. George Lutz reported a hidden "red room" in the basement that terrified the dog.

    In 1977, author Jay Anson published The Amityville Horror, presented as a "true story" based on the Lutzes’ experiences (with input from lawyer William Weber, who had defended DeFeo). The 1979 film starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder became a massive hit, cementing the house’s image—with its quarter-circle windows resembling glowing eyes—in popular culture.

The Hoax Revelations

    Skepticism arose quickly. During lawsuits (including one where the Lutzes sued Weber and others), key admissions emerged. Weber later publicly called it a hoax, saying he and the Lutzes fabricated much of it to create a defense angle or profit. The Lutzes admitted in court that many events in the book were fictionalized. No independent evidence corroborated the most dramatic claims (e.g., cloven hoofprints in snow on a day with no snowfall).

    George Lutz continued to insist the core events were "mostly true" until his death. The story's inconsistencies, combined with the financial incentives (the Lutzes were reportedly in debt), point strongly to exaggeration or fabrication layered onto a very real tragedy.

    Subsequent owners, including those in the late 1970s and beyond, reported no unusual activity—only the nuisance of tourists and gawkers.

The House Today

    The property still stands but has changed significantly to deter visitors:

  • The address was altered (often listed as 108 Ocean Avenue).
  • The exterior was repainted (from dark to lighter tones).
  • The iconic "eye" windows were modified or replaced.
  • The swimming pool was filled in.

    It has sold multiple times since the Lutzes, most recently around 2017 for about $605,000 to a private family. Current and recent owners describe it as a normal, beautiful waterfront home. No credible hauntings have been reported by them.

Why the Legend Endures

    The Amityville story taps into deep fears: a beautiful home turned nightmarish, family annihilation, and the unknown. While the supernatural elements appear to be largely fictional, the DeFeo murders provide a grim factual core that no embellishment needed. The house remains a pilgrimage site for horror fans, though locals mostly wish the attention would fade.

    Whether you believe in the hauntings or see it as one of the great American hoaxes, 112 Ocean Avenue reminds us how tragedy and storytelling intertwine. The real horror was the loss of six lives in 1974. Everything else is legend.

Sources:

Anson, Jay. The Amityville Horror: A True Story. Prentice Hall, 1977.

"The Amityville Horror." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 11 May 2026, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amityville_Horror.

Biography.com Editors. "'The Amityville Horror' Is Based on a Chilling Crime & Real Haunting Claims." Biography, 10 Sept. 2025, www.biography.com/crime/a66039187/amityville-horror-house-facts.

DeFeo, Ronald. Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_DeFeo_Jr. Accessed 11 May 2026.

"Inside the Amityville Horror House and Its Long Island Town." A&E, 14 Oct. 2025, www.aetv.com/articles/inside-amityville-horror-house-and-long-island-town-where-it-still-stands-today.

"The Real Story Behind the 'Amityville Horror House'." HowStuffWorks, 7 June 2024, history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/amityville-horror-house.htm.

"Ronald DeFeo Jr." Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_DeFeo_Jr. Accessed 11 May 2026.

"Ronald DeFeo Jr., 'Amityville Horror' Killer, Dies at 69." NBC News, 15 Mar. 2021, www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/amityville-horror-killer-dies-prison-69-n1261137.

Snopes Staff. "Was 'Amityville Horror' Based on a True Story?" Snopes, 15 Apr. 2005, www.snopes.com/fact-check/the-amityville-horror/.

"What Happened to the Amityville House? Inside the Home Today." People, 14 Oct. 2025, people.com/what-happened-to-the-amityville-house-11827602.

"The Amityville Horror Hoax." NY Ghosts, 25 July 2024, nyghosts.com/the-amityville-hoax/.


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