Ronald DeFeo Jr., whose 1974 murders of his Long Island, N.Y., family inspired the horror movie franchise The Amityville Horror, has died in prison at age 69, state officials said Monday. According to Suffolk County Police, the victims were all found lying face down in bed. Lutz also said he would wake up at 3.15am every night around the time when DeFeo carried out the killings. Recently Added. Im sick of it.". The murders were immortalized in Jay Anson's 1977 book about the allegedly true paranormal experiences of the subsequent owners of the home. From Austin Butler and Cate Blanchett to a potential Best Supporting Actress toss-up, see who EW thinks will win at the 2023 Oscars. Condemned to six sentences of 25 years to life, DeFeo died in prison on March 12, 2021. At trial, his defence team tried to argue he was insane, arguing that DeFeo had heard voices saying that his family were plotting against him. At the time of the murders, DeFeo said he had found his family shot in their home, but later, his story kept changing, even when he was convicted of the murders and given six sentences of 25 years to life in prison. Check out never-before-seen content, free digital evidence kits, and much more! Copyright 2023 Meredith Corporation. In 1975, DeFeo was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder for the deaths of his mother, father, two brothers, and two sisters. "Amityville Horror" killer Ronald DeFeo -- who killed his six family members in 1974 on Long Island -- has died behind bars, according to officials. 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.. The cause of his death wasn't revealed at the time. But upon pressing further, he admitted to murdering them. Nissa Burkhalter Bio, Wiki Nissa Burkhalterwas the ex-wife of Ronald DeFeo who was an Americanmurderer. Tag: ronald defeo jr cause of death. accessed ), memorial page for Ronald DeFeo Jr. (26 Sep 1951 . Read More. Husband and wife Ronald DeFeo, Sr. and Louise DeFeo had both been shot twice with a .35 caliber . The following day, he confessed to carrying out the killings himself; and Falini, the alleged hitman, had an alibi proving he was out of state at the time of the killings. During one moving sale in 2010, hundreds of people came to view the house, with some queuing for hours to get a peek inside. However, an interview at the station soon exposed serious inconsistencies in his version of events. The murders became famous for being central to the book and movie The Amityville Horror. 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. 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. There have been several theories regarding what happened that night in November 1974. Butch had two brothers and two sisters, aged between 9 and 18 at the time of the incident. 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 Associated Press. "People didnt think of Long Island as a place where mass murder happens. 2023 Deadline Hollywood, LLC. They publicly said they encountered demonic voices and presences while they lived there. Who is Nissa Burkhalter? Also Read, Charlie Bigelow, Shura Baryshnikov, and Tara Perry. Entertainment Weekly may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. IMDb, the world's most popular and authoritative source for movie, TV and celebrity content. DeFeo was the oldest of five children born to Ronald, a successful car salesman, and Louise DeFeo . In 1974, as his parents and four siblings slept in their three-story home in Long Island, New York, a 23-year-old, Nearly a half-century later, it remains one of the most infamous cases of familicide. "The movie made it famous. DeFeo was tried and convicted for the 1974 killings of Nissa Burkhalter Bio She was the ex of Ronald DeFeo who was an American mass executioner. 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. It was reported that his cause of death would be determined and announced by the Albany County Medical Examiner's Office officially. The Lutzes, who moved into the house after the murders, later claimed that the house was haunted. Nearly a half-century later, it remains one of the most infamous cases of familicide. The bodies were found in the bedrooms of the family home in the village of Amityville, Long Island. 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. DeFeo killed his father, mother, two brothers and two sisters inside their home in Suffolk County, New York, back in 1974, WABC News reported. DeFeo said he did it in self-defense after hearing voices that told him his family was plotting against him. Murder Victim. The DeFeo Family Murders Ronald DeFeo, Jr., "Butch" to his family, was born September 26, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York. He claimed he then crawled into the house through a window and stumbled across the bloody scene. News. Others figured that the voices he'd heard were a result of taking LSD, which DeFeo had admitted to using. Paranormal investigator Stephen Kaplan, who investigated the home shortly after the Lutzs fled, wrote a book critical of their supernatural allegations. sign hanging outside the main entrance read. The case inspired the book and film versions of . this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. 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. 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 DeFeo Jr.'s cause of death at the age of 69 will never be announced. Then about 23-years-old, Butch was accompanied by a few other people who soon discovered the crime was far more chilling. When I got a gun in my hand, there's no doubt in my mind who I am. His death was announced yesterday by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. DeFeo's initial trial defense was that he had heard his family's voices plotting against him. Ronald "Butch" DeFeo, who committed the murders at the heart of theAmityville Horrorbook and movies, has died in New York state custody. Another possible reason DeFeo might have killed his family was for a potentially sizable life insurance policy. Other books and films based on the murders would follow. They left in less than a month. New York, and had been taken to the hospital on February 2nd. March 16, 2021. During their initial investigation, police reported that DeFeo told them "the voices of the house" compelled him to commit the crime. Ronald DeFeo Jr. (1974) AP Photo/Richard Drew. DeFeo, who was 23 at the time of the murders, would have been eligible for a parole hearing in July. George and Kathy Lutz moved into the Dutch Colonial home with their three kids a year after the massacre, but famously fled 28 days later without their possessions because they'd been so traumatised by hauntings in the house which included claims of slime oozing from the walls and a priest's hands bleeding after attempting to bless the property. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the Long Island man serving a life sentence for slaughtering his parents and four siblings in a 1974 crime that would inspire The Amityville Horror book and movie franchise,. DeFeo gunned down his family using a .35-caliber Marlin lever-action rifle, inside their home on Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, on November 13, 1974. But much to their disappointment, they weren't allowed to go to the upstairs floors or the basement. [8] DeFeo died on March 12, 2021 at the Albany Medical Center. He told me there would be a lot of money from book rights and a movie. He claimedthat his oldest sister, Dawn, first shot their father, and then his mother killed Dawn and the other siblings. Since the Lutz family moved out, subsequent owners of the house have changed its address number and appearance to deter visitors. So, lets find out more about this case then, shall we. 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, two brothers, and two sisters in Amityville, Long Island, New York. 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. Butch was handed down six sentences of 25 years to life the following month. 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 inspired. 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. 123 Main Street DeFeo, who had been serving a 25 years-to-life. Powered by WordPress.com VIP. DeFeo was just 23 years old when he grabbed his .35-caliber Marlin lever-action rifle to butcher his family. 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. Their examination of the house was depicted in the film The Conjuring 2 (2016) one of many mainstream movies about the Lutzs' story. Entertainment Weekly is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporation All Rights Reserved. This disturbing kind of crime is featured in, 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. Birthday September 26, 1951. He was 69. At trial, his defence team tried to argue he was insane, arguing that DeFeo had heard voices saying that his family were plotting against him. Over the years, many accounts have debunked the Lutzs' claims but the legend of the Amityville Horror persists all the same. DeFeo had been at the Albany Medical Center on March 12, 2021, when he was declared dead. Apart from his parents, his siblings were also dead. Ronald is originated from United States. One theory of why Butch DeFeo killed his family is because he was under the influence of controlled substances and alcohol. The victims were DeFeos father, Ronald DeFeo Sr., 43, his mother Louise DeFeo, 42, and siblings Dawn, 18, Allison, 13, Mark, 11 and John, 9, according to newspaper articles at the time. 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. Ronald DeFeo Jr. was 69. on March 12, 2021 at Albany Medical Center, according to the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. 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. A-Z Index. 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. However, the cause of death has not been made public. Screams to Screens: The Amityville Horror. 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. Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. Newsday originally revealed his passing. In court, he talked of hearing voices that told him that the rest of the family was plotting against him. How Marvel went big with Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Ronald DeFeo Jr., who was 47 years old, and Natascha Burkhalter, who was 40 years old, were both well-known actors and celebrities in their own right. His defense attorney, William Weber, tried to make a case that the defendant, who allegedly heard voices, was innocent by reason of insanity,NBC Newsreported. On March 12th, mass murder Ronald DeFeo Jr passed away in prison at the age of 69. Link your TV provider to stream full episodes and live TV. Suffolk County detectives excort Ronald DeFeo, Jr. While all of these reasons seem plausible, nothing was ever officially confirmed. Former Newsday reporter and editor Bob Keeler, 77, of Stony Brook, interviewed DeFeo at the Attica Correctional Facility in 1986. 2023 Oscars predictions: See who will win at the 95th Academy Awards. DeFeo was tried and convicted for the 1974 killings of. DeFeo, 69, died Friday while serving a sentence at Sullivan . Physical evidence suggests that Louise DeFeo and her daughter Allison were both awake at the time of their deaths. 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. His crimes horrified America but it was the scene of the crime itself which soon became the greater source of terror. He would have me out in a couple of years, and I would come into all that money. He died Friday, March 12. 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. Ronald DeFeo, the 'Amityville Horror' murderer who killed his six family members in 1974 on New York's Long Island, has died in prison. Ronald DeFeo's cause of death. The news of his death was confirmed by New York State officials. Siblings Dawn, 18, Allison, 13, Marc, 12, and John, nine, were each shot once all of them were found face down in their beds. 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. 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. The cause of his death wasn't revealed at the time. Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, breaking news, sweepstakes, and more! The house stood empty for 13 months until the Lutz family bought for $80,000 in December 1975 they thought it was a bargain. Homicide detectives said it was the largest number of victims in a single slaying on Long Island in recent memory, reported Newsday in 1974. It was after 3am on November 13, 1974, when DeFeo, who was known as "Butch", went from room to room killing his loved ones. In later interviews, Butch claimed that he was forced to follow the legal route by his lawyer, adding, He told me I had to do this. 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. Since then there has been a. film starring Ryan Reynolds and Melissa George. DeFeo was attempted and also punished for the 1974 Nissa Burkhalter: She was the ex of Ronald DeFeo who was an American mass killer. It was the stuff of unthinkable nightmares. He married secondly, Margaret, daughter of Allan Lord Cathcart, by his Helen . Initially, Butch claimed that someone from the mob killed his family. The first document is the record of ownership (courtesy of St. Charles Cemetery and Geraldine DeFeo) to show that Rocco DeFeo purchased the plot, which has now passed onto his immediate family. The killings were reported by the only surviving member of the family: the oldest son, Ronald J. DeFeo Jr., Newsday reported. Their story inspired author, Jay Ansons 1977 book The Amityville Horror.. Those details, and others, have come under scrutiny, reported the Washington Post in 1979. Death 12 Mar 2021 (aged 69) Albany, Albany County, New York, USA . A cause of death has not yet been announced. Meanwhile, a prosecution expert testified that while DeFeo was an admitted LSD and heroin user, he was sane at the time of the murders, according to a Newsday report in 2021. The events that occurred at a house in Amityville, New York, in 1974 have long been considered historical, piquing the interest of many. 0. The weapon was believed to be a .35-caliber rifle, and a similar firearm was later found in a creek behind the family home. Fifth and youngest child of Ronald Sr., and Louise De Feo. . Ronald DeFeo Jr was serving a 25-to-life sentence for the brutal killing of his mom, dad, two sisters and two brothers. 822 Words4 Pages. 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. But the story of the house where the killings took place, on 112 Ocean Avenue, has become the stuff of legend because of chilling paranormal claims made about it. On December 21, 1975, DeFeo was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder and sentenced to six sentences of 25-years to life. Ronald DeFeo, Jr., is led from the Suffolk County Police Headquarter on Nov. 14, 1974 in Hauppauge, New York after being booked for six counts of homicide in the shooting of his family the day before 2K Views. 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. 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 cause of death will be determined by the Albany County Medical Examiners Office, the spokeswoman said. "I really wasnt quite believing it.". Sometime during the evening of November 13, 1974, Butch rushed to a local bar and pleaded for help because he had discovered his parents dead in the house. Youd go down there as kids, not really understanding the gravity of it, but you heard about all the murders in the house. On December 5, 1984, in the heart of New Orleans, the lives of two men made a wrong turn towards death. [5] The DeFeo family had occupied 112 Ocean Avenue since purchasing it in 1965. 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 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 confessed killer, after first pleading an insanity defense, would later attempt to shift blame on one of his deceased sisters.