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here are many different tales of what happen at 112 Ocean Ave from November 13, 1974 at 3:15 am until the Lutz family claimed to of fled out of terror just 28 days after they moved in. While no one can really say that they know what happened or that the Lutz family did or didn't make up the story there are some facts that are hard to deny. Even to this day George and Kathy stick to their story, but not all of it. However, many of their claims don't add up and they contradict themselves, but on the flip side there are some things that have no explanation and under distress such as living in haunted house could cloud their judgment and make things unclear.
The best place to begin is with the DeFeo Family. Ronald DeFeo Sr. and his wife Louise and their children moved into the Dutch Colonial on June 28, 1965. He started to enjoy the good life from working in his father in laws Buick Dealership; he even put a sign in the front yard that read "High Hope". Although they lived in the good neighborhood of Amityville, Long Island Ron Sr Brooklyn temper got the better of him at home. He was abusive, and took much of his frustration out on Ronald Jr, his oldest son. As time went on and his son grew he developed his own violent temper, not to mention he grew up. He not only lashed out against his father, but the rest of his family and even friends and other students at school.
This got to the point that even Ron Sr couldn't handle and they took him to a shrink. By the time he was 14 they were giving him $14,000 speedboats and cash on demand. This didn't calm neither of the Ronald's down. It all came to blows when Ron Jr was 18.
Butch, Ronald Jr's nickname, got a job at his grandfather's Buick dealership. It was a cake job, and everyone knew including Butch. Well it wasn't enough for Jr and decided to stage a robbery. For a made up reason Butch's accomplice had him deposit $18,000 in cash and $20,000 in checks. And he had stolen the money. When questioned by the police he gave himself away, but they still didn't have evidence. He stuck to his story and played dumb.
This was a week before the murders. During the week when Butch's story didn't add up, and he failed to show up at the police station his father started to get on his case. Then on Wednesday, November 14, 1974 in the still of the night Butch decided to causally kill his family in cold blood. He loaded his .35-caliber Marlin rifle and executed his family. He went room to room and put two rounds in each. Some of them took a few minutes to die
At first the police had no reason to suspect him. He got to work early the next day, and pretended to wait for dear ole Dad. By noon when his father didn't show up, he called home and pretended to his co-workers he didn't know where he was. But since he didn't show up he called his girlfriend and then he went to meet her. He tried again in vain, but couldn't find his family while he made sure he was in the presence of his girlfriend. He calls a buddy and they decide to meet at 6 at a place called Henry's. Until then he hung out with several friends doing heroin and partying. He meets his friend and then they had a few drinks. He calls home again and tell his friend of his concern and goes home to see what's up. He comes rushing back into the bar after waiting the right amount of time pretending to go home and find his parents. How long is that anyway, half-hour? Well any way people at Henry's call the police who came to find the rest of his family.
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The police who have no reason to suspect Ronald Jr question him if he knew of anyone who could of done this. Butch comes up with amazing tale of a mafia guy named Louis Falini had reason to do it. He claimed that his dad Ronald Sr, and Falini had a bad business deal a few years earlier and wanted revenge.
After further questioning and finding the box the 35-caliber's came in, in Butch's room they knew that he did it. The autopsy report confirmed it; they knew the bodies had died between 2 and 4 am. They went to the DeFeos house and arrested Ronald Butch DeFeo. He then started to explain by telling them that Falini came and held a gun to his head. But Butch wasn't good under pressure and he confessed.
His lawyer tried to plead insanity, but too much evidence and the jury hung him out to dry. He got 25 years to life. Which means he could of got out last year, but he remains in the New York State Department of Corrections today. Hopefully for life.
Then the Lutz's move in. Jay Anson's book The Amityville Horror paints a much different story. They claim that Kathy levitates, see herself as an old woman, and kids are in danger. It makes George to be the almost lost, but the love of his new family saves them and they fled in terror. It should be noted that before the Lutz's the only one to bring up the supernatural with this house is Butch. Who said voice made him do it, maybe he was listening to Helter Skelter. Since then the new owners report that the house was just fine, but each had reason to move.
On Dec 18, 1975 they moved in for what later they would find out to be only 28 days. If you ever watched the movie or read the book you pretty much know the story. For those who didn't here it is.
George and Kathy Lutz were newlyweds they moved into 112 Ocean Ave on Dec 18. They moved in with Kathy's 3 children, one girl and two boys. They initially gave the impression that they loved the new house. Shortly after they moved in Kathy wanted her priest to come and bless the house. The priest arrived, but the Lutz was out back. He then entered the house unaware the Kathy was out back. Hearing a voice telling him to "Get out". Father Delaney then proceeded to bless the house. Once he reached the top floor he was trapped in the room where flies suddenly swarmed the room. In a panic he rushed the door unable to open it at first he began to get hysterical. Finally free from the room he then fled the house.
From then own until the Lutz move out the two parties have very little luck communicating with each other. The next Catholic to come along is Kathie's aunt who is a nun. She leaves quicker than the priest. The only reason given is that she felt uncomfortable and/or sacred. Both Father Delaney the nun give an insight on their faith if you ask me. Neither stood up to evil knowing that their faith will protect them, instead they ran like dogs with their tails between their legs. As a side thought it's amazing that in stories such as this the holiest are always made out to be weakest. A convenient way to back up the story, hey even God's messenger is scared.
Kathie's kids also had a run of bad luck. First their son Matt has him fingers slammed in a window that refuse to let go. Then their daughter makes an imaginary friend who apparently is very evil. All the while strange things like windows being open or closed when they knew they were one or the other. Doors slamming, things disappearing, and George who never seemed to be able to get warm.
One fact that is confirmed by the authorities is the front door incident. In the middle of the night the Lutz's front door was torn off its hinges. In the Hollywood version it was apparent that the door was ripped off it hinges from the inside. The police report makes it more a screen door that blew open from the wind, and that's what caused it to come off the hinges. Both stories are questionable. But it would seem to me that if cops came in the middle of the night, and just found the screen door or even the front door off it's hinges and the wind was as strong as it is that time of year in Amityville then not making the most detail report is within reason of possibilities. That is they made a sloppy report, and now the house is famous the extreme believers have fuel for their fire.
Then they stumble upon the red room, and come to the conclusion that it's the gateway to hell and a trap for lost souls plus it was a stinky room. A fact that left out was the Monahan's kids got into their paint and that's why it's red. It was just a little storage room, and it did get covered up. Probably to stop the stench. It seems that a sewer runs close to the house and bad sewer lines was the source of the smell. Which I'm sure that's what hell smells like, but this was just the smell of Amityville's waste.
Then there is the mysterious disappearance of Kathy's younger brother's wedding money, $1500 gone without a trace. Let's see George and Kathy were now somewhat aware of their money problems and not to accuse the
During these few weeks Kathy and Georges relationship begins to fall apart. Kathy has dreams where she is Louise DeFeo and is murder. On top of everything their dog is sacred and is barking a lot. George's business and his business practices are on the downfall at a rapid pace.
It all comes to a head on the 28th day. Jan 15, 1976 George and Kathy Lutz fled their home leaving $40,000 dollars worth of antiques along with the rest of their possessions. Then they return the deed to Columbia Saving and Loan and the house goes back on the for sale list. The Lutz then repeats their version of what happen during those infamous 28 days to anyone willing to listen. In come Anson, the writer of the book, and Hollywood who make a movie. And the rest as they say is history.
The story that George and Kathy tell is of pure horror. Funny, most people can't convince their boss that they are really sick. These people convince a entire nation that their house is haunted by Indian spirits that never lived there, a warlock who never really practice black magic, and that the gateway to hell has a post office address of 112 Ocean Ave. Not bad storytelling if you ask me, but real?
To begin with simple facts are known about that time. Such as weather reports that the Lutz told don't match reports from the US Weather Bureau.
Second, the Indian tribe the Shinnecock's never lived anywhere around Amityville. The tribe of Indians that could of possible lived in Amityville were the Massnpequans, but not on the ground that became 112 Ocean Ave.
Plus the Masspequan's were a friendly tribe, that didn't curse anything nor would keep their sick and insane in such unfit conditions. According to the New York Indians they would try and help their mentally ill and sick and most of the time do better than the Europeans
Along with insane Indian spirits the Lutz's with the help from Hollywood and a very talented writer make you believe that a mad warlock by the name of John Ketchem used the house as a church for black magic and devil whorship. According to the Ketchem family he was neither a witch nor a devil worshipper. In fact he was pretty much a run of the mill guy and nothing out of ordinary for a man of his background. To sum it up he was an average Joe.
They never took their son to any doctor or hospital to look at his hands for the window slamming down on it. The Defeo's kids who got into their parents paint did the red room in reality. As far as the stench in the room, the house was built on top of sewers, so time and Construction gave way to crack letting fowl smells come up, but hardly a gateway to hell. Kathy's aunt the nun was later we found out to be a former nun, but who can blame the writer or Hollywood for leaving that point out for dramatic effect. Father Delanny, the Lutz's parish priest, did not exactly hear the voice nor did he suffer health problems that the movie made it out to be. Even the Lutz's says they don't know where that came from. As far as George being cold, the house had an old furnace and the house is big. Older houses are known for being drafty especially with the design being Dutch colonial. Also at that time energy cost were high and many Americans turned the heat down a little, and used their fireplace if they had a working one. No supernatural possession, just a tight budget.
Considering everything the fact that no one else ever had a problem in the house before or after the Lutz's there are still a few things that can't be explained. Back tracking to the murders the night they occurred none of the DeFeo's neighbors heard anything. Ronald used a gun that when shot could clearly be heard a few blocks away. This was proved after the murders by many including gun expert hired by the state. Then why did no one hear it? Considering the time of year it happen one could quickly jump to the oblivious heavy sleeper's that thought it was nothing more than lighting. Which it may have been, but the neighbors right next door on either side said they heard nothing, not even something they of may thought was lighting or a car back firing. In a quiet hood like Amityville was, gunshots would have been notice.
In my opinion the next unexplained fact was if the Lutz did it for the money then why did they leave everything behind? Including $40,000 dollars worth of antiques, all their personal irreplaceable, furniture, and clothes I mean everything never to go get it. Now this was on day 29 that they decided never to return. Neither George nor Kathy was stupid. Saying that it's an awful big gamble just to leave without knowing of the success or even if they could get a book deal or movie or forever be the owners of one of the most famous haunted houses in the world. They acted by all means as if they were scared. They even sold the house for only $55,000 they paid $80,000.
Since the Lutz's the house had a few different owners. None of the families reported anything out of the ordinary. Except with being hassled so much that the next family that moved in sued and won a civil suite against the Lutz's. The next family was Jim and Barbara Cromarty. Who lived their very happy except they had constant ghost hunters trying to see the house made famous in the 1979 movie The Amityville Horror. Which stared James Brolin and Margot Kidder. Which I think is one of the best scary movies ever made. Whether it happen or not makes no difference to that. It also led to a string of sequels. None of which were great, but they were all good enough to sit through once.
The movie came from the book The Amityville Horror written by Jay Anson. The book also makes for good reading. In fact most of the books I read on the subject were very entertaining.
Here is a summary of the house owners begging with the first family since George and Kathy. Jim and Barbara Cromorty bought the house on March 18, 1977 for $55,000 they lived there until 1987 when David Roskin passed away. He was Barbara son from a previous marriage, and died of fairly common causes. They changed the address to 108 and added a window on the front to try and disguise the house. Good effort, but not all that effective.
The next owners Peter and Jeanne O'Neil purchased the house on Aug 17, 1987. It's not known how much the paid for it But were forced to sell it because of the high taxes and a kid getting ready to go to college. Brain Wilson paid $310,000 for the house on June 10, 1997. He is currently restoring the house to its original grandeur
So that is the legend fact or fiction. Personally I would say it was mostly a story, but who's to say what the Lutz said is or isn't true. The supernatural acts in strange ways. Maybe there is something about the Lutz's that brought something out. Or maybe I've been brainwashed by the sliver screen. I like to hear what you think, please e-mail me with any questions or comments.
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