The man who turned a quiet Long Island address into the most famous "haunted" house in the world is gone. Honestly, it’s the end of a dark era. Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. died while still serving his time, decades after the 1974 massacre that shook Amityville to its core.
He didn't go out in a blaze of glory or some supernatural event. It was quiet. Clinical.
He was 69. For nearly 50 years, his name was synonymous with "The Amityville Horror," a franchise that grew so large it almost swallowed the actual victims' memories. But when Ronald DeFeo Jr. died, he took the final version of his ever-changing story to the grave.
The Friday Morning at Albany Medical Center
It happened on March 12, 2021.
DeFeo had been living at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York, for ages. He was a fixture of the maximum-security system. But in early February of that year, he was moved. They took him to Albany Medical Center.
Prison officials didn't say much. Privacy laws, you know? The state Department of Corrections and Community Services basically just confirmed the date and the location. He had been serving six consecutive sentences of 25 years to life. He was never getting out, though he certainly tried.
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The Albany County Medical Examiner was tasked with the autopsy. Interestingly, the official cause of death wasn't splashed across the headlines. It was kept relatively quiet, released mainly to family. For a guy who lived such a loud, violent life, his exit was remarkably hushed.
Why Ronald DeFeo Jr. Died Without Ever Telling the Truth
If you’ve followed the Amityville case, you know DeFeo was a "chameleon." That’s how some jurors described him. His story changed like the weather.
- The Mob Hit: Initially, he told the police a hitman named Louis Falini killed his family.
- The Voices: Then came the famous claim—the one that fueled the movies—that voices in the house told him to do it.
- The Sister Did It: In later years, he pivoted. He started claiming his sister, Dawn, actually killed the parents and the other siblings, and he only killed her in a struggle.
It’s exhausting to keep up with.
Most experts, like the original investigators in Suffolk County, never bought the "supernatural" angle. They saw a young man with a history of drug use—LSD and heroin were mentioned—and a volatile relationship with a demanding father.
When Ronald DeFeo Jr. died, he left behind a trail of contradictions. Was he a lone wolf? Did he have an accomplice? The physical evidence at 112 Ocean Avenue was always weird. Six people shot in their beds, face down, and not one of them seemingly woke up? No silencer was used. Neighbors heard nothing.
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That silence is what built the "Horror" brand, but for Butch, it was just the reality of his crime.
Life Inside Sullivan Correctional
He wasn't a ghost in prison. He was a person. He got married while incarcerated. He sat for interviews with authors like Ric Osuna. He even expressed "love" for his family during a 1999 parole hearing, which feels a bit surreal considering what he did to them.
He was a mechanic by trade before the murders. In prison, he was just another number in the system, albeit a famous one. Every time a new Amityville movie came out, his name would trend again. He once joked that he was the Amityville Horror because he was the one "supposed to be possessed by the devil."
The Legacy Left Behind
The house at 112 Ocean Avenue is still there. The iconic "eye" windows are gone—replaced to stop tourists from gawking—but the history isn't.
The Lutz family, who moved in after the DeFeos, were the ones who turned it into a paranormal phenomenon. Many people, including the later owners of the house, believe the "haunting" was a massive hoax designed to capitalize on Butch's tragedy.
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But for the DeFeo family—Ronald Sr., Louise, Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John Matthew—the horror was very real and very human.
What Happens Now?
Since the news that Ronald DeFeo Jr. died in 2021, the focus has slowly shifted back to true crime analysis rather than ghost stories. Without Butch around to give "exclusive" new versions of the night of November 13, 1974, the case is effectively closed in the eyes of the law.
If you're looking to understand the reality versus the Hollywood fiction, here is what you can actually do to dig deeper:
- Read the Trial Transcripts: Avoid the "based on a true story" books. The actual court records from 1975 show the struggle between the insanity defense and the prosecution's theory of a calculated murder.
- Research Forensic Analysis: Look into the reports regarding the .35 caliber Marlin rifle used in the crimes. The ballistics explain a lot more than the movies ever do.
- Visit the Victims' Memorials: If you find yourself on Long Island, remember that there are six victims buried in St. Charles Cemetery. Shifting the focus from the killer to the victims is a good way to respect the actual history.
The "Amityville" name will probably live forever in horror cinema, but the man at the center of the storm is finally silent.