The Amityville Horror killer Ronald DeFeo has died at age 69

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

The legend of The Amityville Horror began in 1974, when 23-year-old Ronald DeFeo Jr. took a rifle and stalked from bedroom to bedroom in his family's Long Island home, murdering his father, mother, and four younger siblings. The murders happened in the middle of the night, and every one of the victims was found face down in bed. During the court case, DeFeo tried to defend himself by claiming insanity, saying he was driven to commit the murders by the voices he heard in his head. The defense didn't work; he was found guilty on six counts of second degree murder and given six sentences of 25 years to life. Over the years, DeFeo would try to blame the murders on other members of his family, his mother and one of his sisters, but it didn't earn him any leniency.

New York state officials have now confirmed that DeFeo has passed away while serving his time at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York. He was transferred to the Albany Medical Center and pronounced dead at age 69. A cause of death has not been given, and an autopsy is being carried out by the Albany County Medical Examiner's Office.

Thirteen months after DeFeo killed his family, the murder house was purchased by newlyweds George and Kathy Lutz, who moved into the place with Kathy's three young children from a previous marriage. The Lutz family 

left after just 28 days when they experienced paranormal activity like “strange sounds, voices and green slime oozing from the walls.” It was these events that inspired the 1977 novel “The Amityville Horror: A True Story” and the film that came out two years later.

From there, the Amityville story went completely out of control, leading to multiple official sequels to The Amityville Horror and, in recent years, many other movies that stick the word "Amityville" in the title just to draw attention.