Newsday originally revealed his passing. G.W. The cause of his death wasn't revealed at the time. New York, NY 10001, Hours Ronald DeFeo Jr. died in prison at the age of sixty-nine. At the time of their deaths, law enforcement reported that he asked how to collect his father's life insurance policy, which prompted the theory that money might have motivated the killings. Another possible reason DeFeo might have killed his family was for a potentially sizable life insurance policy. It's reportedly been on the market four different times since the alleged haunting, selling most recently in 2017 for $605,000. On one occasion, he claimed he found his wife Kathy levitating across the bed and, on another, he saw a vision of DeFeo's head floating in the cellar. Their account of what they went through was made into a book called The Amityville Horror: A True Story which has been repeatedly adapted into several terrifying Hollywood films. 822 Words4 Pages. Mother of the DeFeo family and wife of Ronald DeFeo, Sr. She was murdered, along with the rest of her family, by her eldest son, Ronald Jr., on November 13, 1974. On March 12, 2021, Ronald DeFeo Jr. died in prison at the age of 69. It was after 3am on November 13, 1974, when DeFeo, who was known as "Butch", went from room to room killing his loved ones. Get our latest storiesin the feed of your favorite networks. In court, he talked of hearing voices that told him that the rest of the family was plotting against him. Suffolk County detectives excort Ronald DeFeo, Jr. However, the cause of death has not been made public. On December 21, 1975, DeFeo was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to six sentences of 25-years to life. "I believe he wanted to tell another side of the story," Keeler said. Nearly a half-century later, it remains one of the most infamous cases of familicide. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. This disturbing kind of crime is featured inFamily Massacre,a new series premiering Friday, December 3 at 9/8con Oxygen. Related tags : Criminal Previous Article Next Article Criminal ", Privacy Policy |Terms of service |Subscription terms |Your ad choices |Cookie Settings |California Privacy Rights |About Us |Contact Newsday |Reprints & permissions |Advertise with Newsday |Help. Ronald "Butch" DeFeo, who committed the murders at the heart of theAmityville Horrorbook and movies, has died in New York state custody. DeFeo was ordered held without bail on one count of second-degree Read More Ronald DeFeo Jr., center, leaves Suffolk County district court after a hearing, Nov. 15, 1974. Ronald Defeo Jr. is a famous Criminal. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. Their stories of demonic possession helped inspire The Amityville Horror book and original movie, along with the story of the DeFeo family. Keeler recalled the widespread attention the case drew. However, an expert for the prosecution testified that Butch was sane when the murders occurred. DeFeo said he did it in self-defense after hearing voices that told him his family was plotting against him. One of the group, DeFeo's friend Joe Yeswit, made an emergency call to the Suffolk County Police Department, who searched the house and found that six members of the same family were dead in their beds. Get an all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The confessed killer, after first pleading an insanity defense, would later attempt to shift blame on one of his deceased sisters. A cause of death has not yet been announced. Sign up forOxygen Insiderfor all the best true crime content. DeFeo, 69, was serving a 25-years-to-life sentence at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in upstate Fallsburg for each of the six slayings, records show. "And as far as I'm concerned, what I did was self-defence and there was nothing wrong with it. A State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision spokeswoman said DeFeo was transferred to Albany Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 6:35 p.m. Friday. He died while still serving time on Friday. In the book, the Lutzes fled the house in terror after 28 days of windows slamming, an oozing slime occurring, and ghoulish visions appearing. This particular case spurred several books and movies, including The Amityville Horror. Recently, a podcast titled Very Scary People: The Amityville Murders delved into the unsettling crime in a sleepy town and the potential reasons behind it. During the interview, DeFeo changed his story and blamed his sister and mother for the deaths. Recently Added. He also alleged that his wife, Kathy, would sometimes appear transformed into a wrinkled old woman, and that green slime had oozed from the walls. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy. Troubled Youth. "It was a vicious crime, and it happened on quiet Long island," Keeler said. However, the neighbors reported only hearing the family dog on the night of the murders. In a 1986 interview, Butch attempted to shift the blame onto his sister and mother. As Father Ray Pecoraro performed the rites, he heard a masculine voice tell him to "get out". Ronald DeFeo Jr., who massacred his entire family in 1974 in their Amityville home while they slept, a case that gained national attention and spawned multiple books and movies, died Friday while imprisoned, according to state prison records. Vault Home. Although DeFeo tried multiple times to overturn his conviction, he was never granted parole. "'There were sounds," George Lutz told ABC. It was after 3am on November 13, 1974, when DeFeo, who was known as "Butch", went from room to room killing his loved ones. At around 6.30pm that evening, DeFeo went into a nearby bar asking for help, pretending to have just discovered the bloodbath. Youd go down there as kids, not really understanding the gravity of it, but you heard about all the murders in the house. One theory of why Butch DeFeo killed his family is because he was under the influence of controlled substances and alcohol. The story of the murder of the DeFeo family has been told many times, but the truth behind it has never been fully revealed. According a 1974 report in The New York Times, the DeFeos were considered, in the words of one neighbor, "a nice, normal family." But suspicion quickly fell on him and, when the mob hitman he accused of being the killer was proven to have an alibi, he confessed to being the gunman. The Lutzes, who moved into the house after the murders, later claimed that the house was haunted. Copyright 2023 Newsday. Victims were found in their nightclothes and were shot in the back, apparently while they were asleep. Ronald DeFeo's Cause of Death Reveals Officials said DeFeo was transported to Albany Medical Center and was pronounced dead on March 12 at 6:35 p.m. MondayFriday: 9:00AM5:00PM I think my mother and father are shot!\"[2] DeFeo and a small group of people went to 112 Ocean Avenue, which was located near the bar, and found that DeFeo's parents were dead inside the house. On one occasion, he claimed he found his wife Kathy levitating across the bed and, on another, he saw a vision of DeFeo's head floating in the cellar. The movie The Amityville Horror was partly inspired by the real-life murders committed by Ronald DeFeo Jr., who killed his entire family in their Amityville, Long Island, N.Y. home in 1974. The house would later become entangled in the Amityville horror imbroglio which was featured in the Hollywood movie, The Amityville Horror. The victims of DeFeo's family members included his parents, Ronald DeFeo, Sr. (43), and Louise (42), two brothers, John (9) and Marc (12), and two sisters, Allison (13), and Dawn (18). John Robertoun of Earnock, son and heir of Robert Robertoun of Earnock, who succeeded his father and married Elizabeth daughter of Alexander Cleland of that Ilk, an ancient family in Lanarkshire, whose mother was daughter to Lord Sommerville. One that left a family dead and the only surviving member of the family and the killer behind bars for the rest of his life. DeFeo was 23 when, in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 1974, he shot and killed his father Ronald DeFeo Sr., his mother Louise, and younger siblings Dawn, Allison, Mark and John Matthew. 0. He claimed he then crawled into the house through a window and stumbled across the bloody scene. "From a former investigators standpoint, I couldnt imagine the scene that the cops had to witness," he said. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the Long Island man serving a life sentence for slaughtering his parents and four siblings in a 1974 crime . To see all content on The Sun, please use the Site Map. "The Sun", "Sun", "Sun Online" are registered trademarks or trade names of News Group Newspapers Limited. But suspicion quickly fell on him and, when the mob hitman he accused of being the killer was proven to have an alibi, he confessed to being the gunman. The movie was based on claims by the Lutz family, who bought the house following the DeFeo murders, and said they had been forced to flee after being terrorized by paranormal activities. View of the home of Ronald DeFeo Sr.,the car salesman, his wife, two daughters and two sons were found shot to death on Nov. 14 1974. On November 21, 1975, just over a year after the slayings, DeFeo Jr. was found guilty of six counts of second-degree murder. They'd been told about the massacre during a house viewing but decided it wasn't enough to put them off snapping up a five-bed home with a boat house for such a low price. In 1977, author Jay Anson published The Amityville Horror, claiming the haunted house tale was based on the experiences of the Lutz family who moved into the house following the murders. Born to Ronald and Louise DeFeo, his father was a successful automobile salesman for his family's Brooklyn dealership. He didn't tell the Lutzs about what he heard at first, but couldn't shake his distress and called to warn them to stay out of the second floor room where he heard the voice which had once been Marc and John's bedroom. During one moving sale in 2010, hundreds of people came to view the house, with some queuing for hours to get a peek inside. He was sentenced to six concurrent 25-year-to-life sentences. Ronald DeFeos Wife, Nissa Burkhalter executioner Ronald DeFeos Ex-Wife, Breaking: Nissa Burkhalter Wiki, Bio, Age, Instagram, Twitter & Quick Facts. The New York man convicted of gruesomely killing his siblings and parents in 1974 and subsequently inspiring the Amityville Horror franchise has died. DeFeo told detectives: \"Once I started, I just couldn't stop. And, while his motives may have involved aspects of his mental health, drug use, and desire for money, some people still think he killed his family because their home, as depicted in The Amityville Horror, was haunted. sign hanging outside the main entrance read. While demenologists Ed and Lorraine Warren came to the opposite conclusion during their 1976 investigation, during which an infrared photograph of a ghostly child was captured at the bottom of the staircase. The nightmarish account of DeFeo's murders and the Lutz's supernatural ordeal are being reexamined following news of DeFeo's death aged 69 at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in New York on Friday. DeFeo's initial trial defense was that he had heard his family's voices plotting against him. The year prior, the Lutz family, doing business as Amityville Enterprises, filed legal documents to remove Dimension Films option on the franchise from the court-supervised sale of Weinstein Co. assets. The success of both the novel and the movie spawned a long series of sequels both on the bookshelves and in theaters, along with countless TV pseudo-documentaries. Their story inspired author, Jay Ansons 1977 book The Amityville Horror.. At the time, the family lived in a home in Amityville in Long Island, New York, and Butch worked with his father at a car dealership. Regardless of why Ronald DeFeo Jr. killed his family, he was the sole suspect convicted of the heinous crimes. He also alleged that his wife, Kathy, would sometimes appear transformed into a wrinkled old woman, and that green slime had oozed from the walls. Breaking News, Photos, and Videos. Main > Ronald DeFeo Jr. Tue, 16 March 2021 . DeFeo, 69, was pronounced dead at 6.35pm Friday at the Albany Medical Center, state corrections officials said in a statement. I am God.". April 13, 2022 The events that occurred at a house in Amityville, New York, in 1974 have long been considered historical, piquing the interest of many. In the end, Ronald admitted to killing his family and was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder in November 1975. The success of both the novel and the movie spawned a long series of sequels both on the bookshelves and in theaters, along with countless TV pseudo-documentaries. During their initial investigation, police reported that DeFeo told them "the voices of the house" compelled him to commit the crime. There were no signs of a struggle inside the home, where a. Ronald DeFeo Jr.s trial began in October 1975. He didn't tell the Lutzs about what he heard at first, but couldn't shake his distress and called to warn them to stay out of the second floor room where he heard the voice which had once been Marc and John's bedroom. The murders became famous for being central to the book and movie The Amityville Horror. The cause of his death wasn't immediately known. He later confessed that he killed his family around 3:30 a.m., acting out the murders for detectives as he described how he shot his family one by one, according to the outlet. During his 1975 trial, DeFeo admitted the killings. JOHN ROBERTON OF EARNOCK. Their account of what they went through was made into a book called The Amityville Horror: A True Story which has been repeatedly adapted into several terrifying Hollywood films. In the dead of night, he murdered his family, including both parents and four younger siblings evidence suggests his mother and 13-year-old sister Allison were awake when he turned his gun on them. He was serving a sentence of. Homicide detectives said it was the largest number of victims in a single slaying on Long Island in recent memory, reported Newsday in 1974. But upon pressing further, he admitted to murdering them. DeFeo initially claimed the murders were connected to organized crime, but confessed under interrogation the day after the killings. Meanwhile, a prosecution expert testified that while DeFeo was an admitted LSD and heroin user, he was sane at the time of the murders, DeFeo Jr. tried but failed to get a retrial in the case in 1992 after claiming that his 18-year-old sister Dawn had murdered the other family members and he had only killed her, according to the, A year after the murders, George and Kathy Lutz purchased the DeFeos' old home but left in less than a month, claiming it was haunted. He was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder. The medical examiner will determine the cause of death. When I got a gun in my hand, there's no doubt in my mind who I am. A-Z Index. Paranormal investigator Stephen Kaplan, who investigated the home shortly after the Lutzs fled, wrote a book critical of their supernatural allegations. Distractify is a registered trademark. They left in less than a month. The murders were the subject of a 2012 documentary,Shattered Hopes: The True Story of the Amityville Murders, in which filmmaker Ryan Katzenbach argued that the DeFeos were killed by more than one person. Ronald DeFeo Jr., known as Butch, was convicted of killing his whole family in a crime that shocked the nation. "I have this Forrest Gump-ian way of touching something and it becomes a hit!" In the book, the Lutzes fled the house in terror after 28 days of windows slamming, an oozing slime occurring, and ghoulish visions appearing. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the man whose brutal slayings of his parents and siblings inspired "The Amityville Horror" book and movie series, has died in prison custody. An official cause of death has not yet been determined or released (but this page will be updated here once that information is released). Oxygen Insider is your all-access pass to never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! The murdered members of the DeFeo family are buried in nearby Saint Charles Cemetery in Farmingdale. [3]The victims were Ronald Jr.'s parents: Ronald DeFeo Sr. (age 43) and Louise DeFeo (ne Brigante, 43); and his four siblings: Dawn (18), Allison (13), Marc (12), and John Matthew (9). It's no secret that The Amityville Horror made the story a lot more sinister and paranormal than some believe it might have been in real life. WHEN Ronald DeFeo Jr finally confessed to cops, he said of his spree: "Once I started, I just couldn't stop". Ronald DeFeo Jr., the killer who inspired "The Amityville Horror" book and movie series, has died, according to a spokesperson for the New York State Department of Corrections and Community . He was an inmate at Sullivan Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison in the Catskills. The 1974 massacre in Amityville, Long Island, horrified America and saw DeFeo jailed for life. Ronald DeFeo at a court hearing in 1992 - he died on Friday at the age of 69 while serving life for the murders of his parents and four siblings in Amityville, New York Credit: Getty The 1974 massacre in Amityville, Long Island, horrified America and saw DeFeo jailed for life. She was 43 years old. Victims were found in their nightclothes and were shot in the back, apparently while they were asleep. Screams to Screens: The Amityville Horror. "As far as I'm concerned, if I didn't kill my family, they were going to kill me," DeFeo reportedly said at trial. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the convicted killer whose 1974 murders spawned the "Amityville Horror" franchise, died last week while serving a 25 years-to-life prison term, officials said Monday.. [20] His victims were found face down in their beds, shot to death with a .35-caliber Marlin hunting rifle in the early hours of Nov. 13, 1974. He pleaded insanity, but was found guilty of the murders and sentenced to 6 separate sentences of life in prison. They seemed like an average good family, the Rev. In 1999, Ronald DeFeo Jr. said, I loved my family very much. But 25 years earlier, he had killed all of them in an infamous slaying. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. But no changes in the case were ever made as a result of those claims. Ronald DeFeo, 69, died Friday at Albany Medical Center, where he was taken Feb. 2 from a prison in New York's Catskill Mountains, the state Department of Corrections and Community Services. His crimes horrified America but it was the scene of the crime itself which soon became the greater source of terror. All rights reserved. Ronald is also well known as, Mass murderer who shot his mother, father, and four siblings while they lay sleeping, and was inspiration for the film and book The Amityville Horror. "As kids, we rode our bikes just to see the house like every other kid who grew up in the area," Giacalone said. What was Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s cause of death? The sentenced killer was taken to Albany Medical Center and articulated dead at 6:35 p.m. A post-mortem performed by the Albany County Medical Examiner's Office will decide an authority reason for death. Vault Links: FOIA Home. Ronald DeFeo Jr was serving a 25-to-life sentence for the brutal killing of his mom, dad, two sisters and two brothers. The whole thing was a con, except for the crime.. The MCUs tiniest heroes are kicking off its biggest phase yet, setting up the next several years of storytelling. All Rights Reserved. he was murdered, along with the rest of his family, by older brother Ronald Jr. on the night of November 13, 1974. His victims included his parents, two younger sisters, and two little brothers. . However, the next day, DeFeo admitted to killing all six members of his family himself. DeFeo whose murderous spree served as the inspiration behind the "The Amityville Horror" book and movie franchise died Friday while serving a 25-years-to-life sentence at Sullivan. Other books and films based on the murders would follow. James McNamara, an assistant pastor at the family's church at the time, told reporters. "People didnt think of Long Island as a place where mass murder happens. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. There were no signs of a struggle inside the home, where a sign hanging outside the main entrance read, High Hopes.. An official cause of death is yet to be determined. The cause of his death wasn't revealed at the time. They lived in the house they purchased in 1964 at 112 Ocean Avenue. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the killer in "The Amityville Horror" case, has died, according to a spokesperson for the New York State prisons department. Petrified, the family fled the house just one month after moving in. All victims were found in the same position, face down in bed. DeFeo, 69, died at approximately 6:35 p.m. on Friday at Albany Medical Center, according to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. In 1977, author Jay Anson published The Amityville Horror, claiming the haunted house tale was based on the experiences of the Lutz family who moved into the house following the murders. The case inspired the book and film versions of The Amityville Horror. The confessed killer, after first pleading an insanity defense, would later attempt to shift blame on one of his deceased sisters. The news of his death was confirmed by New York State officials. Giacalone, who once worked cold cases in the Bronx, said DeFeos murders will always live in infamy in New York. Acknowledgement of the death of Ronald DeFeo Jr, the American mass murderer, who has died aged 69. American Internationals 1979 film adaptation, directed by Stuart Rosenberg, starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder and featuring the memorable poster tagline For Gods Sake, Get Out!, was the highest-grossing independent film of all time until 1990. New York, and had been taken to the hospital on February 2nd. By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr, also known as Ronald DeFeo Jr, is an infamous American criminal who was sentenced to prison for the mass killing of his whole family.. DeFeo was just 23 years old when he grabbed his .35-caliber Marlin lever-action rifle to butcher his family. In 1974, as his parents and four siblings slept in their three-story home in Long Island, New York, a 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr. executed them. Others figured that the voices he'd heard were a result of taking LSD, which DeFeo had admitted to using. Mother of the DeFeo family and wife of Ronald DeFeo, Sr. While demenologists Ed and Lorraine Warren came to the opposite conclusion during their 1976 investigation, during which an infrared photograph of a ghostly child was captured at the bottom of the staircase. The Albany County Medical Examiner's Office has not yet released his cause of death. DeFeos lawyer had argued his client was insane when he killed his family. DeFeo was 23 when, in the early morning hours of Nov. 13, 1974, he shot and killed his father Ronald DeFeo Sr., his mother Louise, and younger siblings Dawn, Allison, Mark and John Matthew. Over the years, many accounts have debunked the Lutzs' claims but the legend of the Amityville Horror persists all the same. He was 69. Ronald DeFeo Jr. was 69. This is the real-life story of his crimes and how they spawned a ghost story which has terrified the world for decades. According to initial reports, the parents were shot twice in the back, Butchs sisters were shot once in the head, and his brothers were shot once in the back. Saturday & Sunday: 11:00AM3:00PM, Rape case against soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo Portuguese football player, Who is Nissa Burkhalter? Ronald DeFeo Jr was serving a 25-to-life sentence for the brutal killing of his mom, dad, two sisters and two brothers. A ruling on cause of death is pending an autopsy. [6] Ronald DeFeo, Jr. was the eldest son of the family, and was also known as "Butch". Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr, or Butch, was an American mass murderer who was tried and convicted for the 1974 killings of his father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters in Amityville, Long Island, New York. Also Read, Charlie Bigelow, Shura Baryshnikov, and Tara Perry. pic.twitter.com/MmgqWsslkF. Crime News is your destination for true crime stories from around the world, breaking crime news, and information about Oxygen's original true crime shows and documentaries. FALLSBURG, New York (WABC) -- Ronald DeFeo Jr., who was convicted of killing his entire family inside their Amityville home in 1974, . Signup for Breaking News Alerts & Newsletters. The book was then turned into a series of films, most notably a 1979 version starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder as the new owners and a 2005 remake starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George in the same roles. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The house stood empty for 13 months until the Lutz family bought for $80,000 in December 1975 they thought it was a bargain. DeFeo, 69, died on March 12, 2021 at Albany Medical Center, according to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. Prison officials released the news to the public but did not reveal why he had been at the hospital in the first place or what his cause of death was. Search Vault. But much to their disappointment, they weren't allowed to go to the upstairs floors or the basement. The original Amityville Horror (1979) starred James Brolin and Margot Kidder, and a 2005 remake of the same name had Ryan Reynolds play George Lutz. Sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. 21 3.6K views 1 year ago Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. (September 26, 1951 - March 12, 2021) was an American mass murderer who was tried and convicted for the 1974 killings of his father, mother,. Robert DeFeo JR. But just to be safe, they decided to have a priest come and bless the property as they unpacked which is where their nightmare began. Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. was born on Sept. 26, 1951. Although DeFeo attempted to defend his actions in court through insanity and self-defense, the prosecution successfully argued that he was aware of the consequences of his actions. In the dead of night, he murdered his family, including both parents and four younger siblings evidence suggests his mother and 13-year-old sister Allison were awake when he turned his gun on them. Husband and wife Ronald DeFeo, Sr. and Louise DeFeo had both been shot twice with a .35 caliber . DeFeo gunned down his family using a .35-caliber Marlin lever-action. He told police that he arrived shortly after 6 p.m. but found the front door locked. Paranormal investigator Stephen Kaplan, who investigated the home shortly after the Lutzs fled, wrote a book critical of their supernatural allegations. NEW YORK Convicted "Amityville Horror" killer Ronald DeFeo Jr., who in 1974 shot and killed his parents and four younger siblings inside their Long Island home in a grisly case that. DeFeo was transferred to Albany Medical. DeFeo initially claimed the murders were connected to organized crime, but confessed under interrogation the day after the killings. On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Sr., 43, a car salesman; his wife, Louise DeFeo, 43; and four of their five children including Dawn, 18; Allison, 13; Marc, 12; and John, 9, were shot to death with a .35 caliber rifle inside their upscale home in suburban Amityville, New York. This service is provided on News Group Newspapers' Limited's Standard Terms and Conditions in accordance with our Privacy & Cookie Policy. They only lasted 28 days before abandoning the house. His crimes horrified America but it was the scene of the crime itself which soon became the greater source of terror. Address DeFeo, 69, died March 12, 2021, while receiving treatment for an illness at Albany Medical Center, according to theNiagara Gazette. Perpetrator Shot Liuzza Essay. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. However, it is announced that the Albany County Coroner's Office is not able to publish Ronald DeFeo's . State Supreme Court Justice Thomas Stark called the murders the "most heinous and abhorrent crimes. Some people outside of the case presumed this to mean he'd heard voices in his head as a result of the family home being haunted. Butch died on March 12, 2021, at 69-years-old at a hospital in Albany, New York.
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