2006-12-21 08:40:56 · 7 answers · asked by Toni w 1 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Movies
The true story is YES...there was a family murdered there...but the haunting part was made up by the Lutz's due to the fact they ran into financial trouble and could no longer afford the house. They got together with their lawyer and came up with the haunted house story to make money!! Ronnie Defoe (the guy who killed his family) and his lawyer made up the "voices" telling him to kill his family. He has changed his story many times!!
2006-12-21 08:45:59 · answer #1 · answered by elvisdan77 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes it's a true story. The murders of the DeFeo Family by the son Ronald on November 13, 1974 in Amityville, Long Island.
2006-12-21 18:41:17 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There was an actual mass murder before the Lutzs moved in. A guy killed his whole family. As far as the Lutzs, they admitted years after the book and original movie of 1979 that everything they experienced when in the house was fictional
2006-12-21 16:52:36 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do you mean Amityville Horror?
2006-12-21 16:44:09 · answer #4 · answered by drwbama 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
How old were the family members?
Ronald DeFeo 1930-1974
Louise DeFeo 1931-1974
Dawn DeFeo 1956-1974
Allison DeFeo 1961-1974
Marc DeFeo 1962-1974
John DeFeo 1965-1974
Did Ronnie almost shoot his dad some time prior to the murders?
I believe the only living witness to this event is Ronnie, himself. Apparently there was a violent argument one day between Dawn DeFeo and her father. For whatever reason, Ronnie was fed-up and decided to end the argument by pulling a gun on his father. It was loaded, Ronnie pulled the trigger, but the gun misfired and Ronald Sr.’s life was spared.
It is generally believed that this event took place, yet I don’t believe anyone else but Ronnie has ever mentioned it.
Why did Ronnie murder his family?
During the trial, William Weber tried to convince the jury that Ronnie was legally insane during his murder spree. Ronnie’s story has changed quite a bit over the years. Currently, he claims he only shot his parents, and that Dawn killed the children (prompting Ronnie to kill her in turn).
Some say Ronnie was high on drugs - possibly acid - during the murders and didn’t know what he was doing.
The police have felt that Ronnie murdered his family in order to claim a life insurance policy.
Still others believe Ronnie was possessed by an evil force present in the house.
Did Ronnie hear voices that told him to kill his family?
According to one version of the events that night, Ronnie stated he was watching the film “Castle Keep” on television, and during the movie he heard his family whispering. He felt they were plotting to kill him. Around the end of the film, Ronnie said he was handed a rifle by a person with black hands. He then went and killed his family members, starting with his parents. William Weber has stated that after killing his parents, Ronnie shot his two younger brothers, his youngest sister, and then went upstairs to kill Dawn, his older sister.
Concerning the murders that night, Ronnie has stated, “I couldn’t stop if I wanted to” and “I felt somebody was inside moving me.”
Why didn’t the family members wake up during the murders?
I’m not sure it’s definite that the family members were, in fact, asleep during the murders. If Ronnie moved quickly enough, his siblings could have been asleep or just waking up when they died; but it is possible Ronnie could have taken his time and simply ordered his siblings back into their beds. With Ronnie on the 2nd floor landing (with a gun) he could easily have blocked his sibling’s escape.
It was rumored the family was drugged at dinner that night, which prevented them from awakening during the shooting. Later tests of the victims’ bodies, however, showed no traces of any such drugs.
Is it true the neighbors didn’t hear the gunshots that night?
This is apparently true, although now it seems some neighbors may have actually heard the shots that night, but simply ignored them, either thinking it was Ronnie playing with his guns again, or perhaps being fearful of the family’s alleged mob connections and not wanting to get involved.
Some people, such as Hans Holzer, think the gunshot sounds were muffled by a strong psychic energy in the house.
Apparently the DeFeo’s dog heard something, as it was reported to have been barking around 3am that morning.
Did Mrs. DeFeo have a premonition of the murders?
According to William Weber (Ronnie’s lawyer for the murder trial), the DeFeo’s housekeeper mentioned on many occasions that Mrs. DeFeo told her there was going to be a terrible tragedy occurring to the family. Whether this was a premonition or just an observation of the growing level of hostility in the house is unknown.
source: History’s Mysteries documentary, 2000
What was Ronnie DeFeo’s sentence?
Ronnie was found guilty of six counts of second-degree murder, sentenced to 6 life terms (25 years to life) and is now incarcerated at the Green Haven Correctional Facility in Stormville, New York.
source: History’s Mysteries documentary, 2000
Will Ronnie DeFeo ever get out of jail?
This seems doubtful. He technically is eligible for parole, but many think he will stay in jail, mainly because he doesn’t seem to have shown remorse for his crimes, continually coming up with different stories of how the murders took place that night, and blaming others, including his sister Dawn.
Did the DeFeos believe the house was haunted?
Unknown. In a 1979 interview, Ronnie DeFeo mentioned his family heard noises at night, such as banging pipes, footsteps and the sounds of people screaming. Unfortunately, it is difficult to know if Ronnie believed this at the time and/or still believes this today. Ronnie has said many things in the past which he denies today, so we can’t say for sure.
It is reported that after the incident with the misfiring gun (see above) Ronald Sr. felt very spiritual and lucky to be alive. He surrounded the house with religious statues. Some say these were specially-blessed statues coming from St. Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, Canada. When asked why he surrounded the house with the religious icons, Ronald Sr. reportedly answered that he had “a devil on his back.”
It is unknown if that comment was referring to his son or possible evil spirits in the house.
There are also unconfirmed reports that the DeFeos had a special mass held in their home. According to Ed Warren, Mr. DeFeo brought in a priest from St. Joseph’s Oratory to perform this mass, which was hoped to rid the house of any evil or demonic forces. According to Mr. Warren, during the mass there was much supernatural phenomena occurring, such as candles mysteriously toppling over and doors opening/closing on their own.
St. Joseph’s Oratory has officially denied knowledge that any of their priests may have been involved in this incident.
2006-12-21 17:05:37 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
What about it?
2006-12-21 16:43:23 · answer #6 · answered by greentigereyeddragon 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lol!!!
2006-12-21 16:45:50 · answer #7 · answered by UVRay 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋