The house at 112 Ocean Avenue isn't just a building anymore. It's a brand. If you drive through the quiet, upscale neighborhood of Amityville, New York, you might even miss it because the current owners changed the address and swapped those iconic "eye" windows for something less recognizable. They had to. People won't stop staring. The true story of Amityville horror isn't actually about green slime or winged demons, though that’s what sold millions of books. It’s a messy, tragic, and deeply human tale involving a mass murder, a family in financial ruin, and a legal defense strategy that went completely off the rails.
Most of us know the Hollywood version. We've seen the walls bleed. We've heard the booming voice telling the family to "get out." But if you peel back the layers of the 1977 bestseller by Jay Anson, you find a narrative constructed by a defense attorney and a couple who needed a way out of a mortgage they couldn't afford.
The Grim Reality of the DeFeo Murders
Before the haunts, there was the blood. This is the only part of the story that isn't up for debate. On November 13, 1974, Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. Methodically walked through his family's high-end Dutch Colonial home with a .35-caliber Marlin rifle. He killed his father. He killed his mother. Then he killed his four siblings: Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John Matthew. They were all found face down in their beds.
It was horrific.
Butch originally tried to blame a mob hitman. That lie fell apart pretty fast under police interrogation. Eventually, he confessed, famously saying, "Once I started, I just couldn't stop. It went so fast." During the trial, his lawyer, William Weber, attempted an insanity defense. He claimed Butch heard voices plotting against him. This is the tiny seed where the supernatural legend began to grow. The jury didn't buy it. DeFeo was sentenced to six consecutive sentences of 25 years to life. He died in prison in 2021, still a bit of an enigma to those who studied the case.
Enter the Lutzes and the "Haunting"
Thirteen months after the murders, George and Kathy Lutz bought the house. It was a steal. They paid $80,000 for a property that should have cost way more, even in the mid-70s. They knew the history. Honestly, who wouldn't? A mass murder in a small town is big news. They moved in with their three children and lasted exactly 28 days.
This is where the true story of Amityville horror splits into two very different paths.
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The Lutzes claimed they experienced absolute terror. George supposedly woke up every morning at 3:15 AM—the estimated time of the DeFeo murders. They talked about cold spots, strange odors like rotting meat, and a secret "Red Room" in the basement that made the dog uneasy. Then there was Jodie, the demonic pig with glowing red eyes that their daughter claimed was her friend.
When they fled in January 1976, they left everything behind. Clothes in the closets. Food in the pantry. They looked like people who were genuinely terrified. Or, as critics later suggested, people who were putting on a world-class performance.
The Problem With the "Facts"
If you look at the Lutz narrative with a skeptical eye, things start to crumble. Take the famous "levitation" claims or the damage to the house. The book describes locks being ripped from doors and hinges twisted. However, subsequent owners and investigators found the original hardware intact. There were no reports of police calls during those 28 days. No neighbors saw anything weird, other than the Lutzes themselves acting a bit reclusive.
The "Red Room"? It was a small pipe well in the basement, painted red by the previous owners. It wasn't a portal to hell; it was just a poorly ventilated storage space.
The Hoax Confession That Changed Everything
Here is the kicker that most paranormal documentaries gloss over. William Weber, the lawyer who defended Butch DeFeo, eventually went on the record. He told the Associated Press in 1979 that he, George, and Kathy Lutz "created this horror story over many bottles of wine."
Why?
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Weber wanted a way to get DeFeo a new trial. If he could prove that a "demonic force" existed in the house, he might be able to argue that his client wasn't responsible for the murders. The Lutzes, meanwhile, were drowning in debt. They had a massive mortgage and a failing business. A supernatural bestseller was a golden ticket.
"We created as much of the horror as we could to generate a book," Weber admitted. "We were just trying to see how far we could take it."
Despite this, George Lutz maintained until his death in 2006 that the story was "mostly" true. He admitted some things were sensationalized for the book, but he swore they fled because of something unexplainable. Whether that "something" was a ghost or just the crushing psychological weight of living in a murder house is something we'll never truly know.
The Warrens and the Famous Ghost Photo
You can't talk about the true story of Amityville horror without mentioning Ed and Lorraine Warren. They are the most famous paranormal investigators in history, and Amityville was their "big" case. They arrived in 1976 with a news crew in tow.
They claimed the house was "demonic." They even produced a "ghost photo" of a young boy with glowing eyes peaking out from a doorway. Skeptics have since pointed out that the boy looks remarkably like one of the investigators who was present that night, wearing a plaid shirt.
The Warrens' involvement solidified the legend. It moved the story from a local curiosity to a global phenomenon. But remember, the Warrens were also showpeople. They understood the power of a good story. While they insisted the evil was real, every family that has lived in the house since the Lutzes—and there have been several—has reported absolutely zero paranormal activity.
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James and Barbara Cromarty, who bought the house right after the Lutzes, sued the Lutzes and the book's publishers for fraud. They weren't being haunted by ghosts; they were being haunted by tourists. People were literally picking pieces of the siding off their house for souvenirs.
Why the Legend Persists
There is something about 112 Ocean Avenue that captures the imagination. It’s the quintessential American nightmare: a beautiful home, a suburban dream, and a dark, violent secret hidden in the walls. We want to believe in the haunting because it provides a weird kind of comfort. If a demon made Butch DeFeo kill his family, then maybe human beings aren't capable of such darkness on their own.
But the real horror isn't supernatural. It's the reality of what happened to the DeFeo children. It's the fact that a man killed his parents and siblings in cold blood while they slept. That is the true story of Amityville horror. The rest—the flies, the slime, the pig-demons—is just the garnish.
Actionable Insights for the Curious
If you're looking to dig deeper into the actual history without the Hollywood filter, here is how you can separate fact from fiction:
- Read the Trial Transcripts: Skip the Jay Anson book for a moment and look at the DeFeo trial records. You’ll see a story of drug abuse, family domestic violence, and a very troubled young man, which is far more terrifying than a ghost story.
- Check the Property Records: You can actually track the ownership of 112 Ocean Avenue. Every family since 1977 has lived there peacefully. If it were truly a "portal to hell," you'd expect a higher turnover rate or more police reports.
- Visit Amityville (Respectfully): If you go, stay on the sidewalk. The current residents are tired of the "horror" label. It’s a beautiful town with a rich history that has nothing to do with the movie.
- Watch the Documentaries, but Verify: My Amityville Horror (2012) features Daniel Lutz, the oldest son. It’s a fascinating look at the psychological trauma of growing up in that environment, regardless of whether you believe his claims of the supernatural.
The house still stands. It’s been painted, renovated, and loved by multiple families who found it to be a perfectly normal place to live. The ghosts, it seems, only appear when there’s a book deal on the table.