The Brooklyn native, whose crime inspired the book and film versions of 'The Amityville Horror', died at 69 years old after spending more than 40 years in custody.
- Mar 16, 2021
AceShowbiz - The real "Amityville Horror" killer Ronald DeFeo has died in prison at 69 years old. The convicted murderer, whose crime became the subject of the book and film versions of "The Amityville Horror", passed away on Friday, March 12 while serving a 25 years-to-life sentence at Sullivan Correctional facility in Fallsburg.
The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision confirmed the death on Monday. DeFeo was transferred to Albany Medical Center and pronounced dead at 6:35 P.M. His cause of death will be determined by the Albany County Medical Examiner's Office after performing an official autopsy.
DeFeo, whose nickname was Butch, spread terror through Long Island by slaughtering his parents and four siblings in 1974. On November 13, 1974, his mother, father, two sisters and two brothers were found dead in their beds with gunshot wounds inside their Amityville home on Ocean Avenue.
DeFeo, who was 23 years old at the time, initially told police that his family was executed by a mob hit man, Louis Falini. However, he later confessed to the killings using a .35 caliber lever action Marlin 336C rifle after allegedly hearing their voices plotting against him. In November 1975, he was found guilty on six counts of second-degree murder and was sentenced to six sentences of 25 years to life.
A year after the slaughter, the DeFeo family house, a large Dutch Colonial home, was sold to George and Kathy Lutz, who left after only 28 days. They claimed that they were terrorized by paranormal phenomena while living there, including "strange sounds, voices and green slime oozing from the walls."
The supposed creepy events inspired Jay Anson's book "The Amityville Horror" and subsequent film adaptations of the book. Though details of the book have been largely disputed, the house at 112 Ocean Avenue still attracts tourists and fans of the horror story.
