Amityville House 112 Ocean Avenue: 7 Shocking Facts About Its Current Status And The Infamous Hoax
The house at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, remains one of the most infamous addresses in American history. Decades after the DeFeo murders and the subsequent Lutz family haunting claims, the three-story Dutch Colonial home continues to generate intense curiosity, though its physical appearance and official status have drastically changed to ward off sightseers. As of late 2024, the property is a quiet, private residence, a stark contrast to the terrifying legend that launched a multi-million dollar horror franchise.
The true story is a grim blend of mass murder and alleged paranormal activity, permanently linking the quiet Long Island suburb with the supernatural. This deep dive explores the latest updates on the house, the true crime entities involved, and the enduring debate over the "Amityville Horror" hoax.
The True Crime Foundation: The DeFeo Family Murders (1974)
The horror franchise is rooted in a devastating mass murder that occurred on November 13, 1974. Ronald DeFeo Jr., then 23, massacred six members of his own family while they slept in their beds at 112 Ocean Avenue. The victims were his parents and four younger siblings.
- Ronald DeFeo Sr. (43)
- Louise DeFeo (43)
- Dawn DeFeo (18)
- Allison DeFeo (13)
- Marc DeFeo (12)
- John Matthew DeFeo (9)
DeFeo Jr. used a high-powered rifle and later claimed he was influenced by "voices" telling him to commit the murders. Despite this claim, the prosecution successfully argued that his motives were rooted in drug use and financial greed.
He was convicted in 1975 of six counts of second-degree murder, receiving six consecutive sentences of 25 years to life. The killer, a central figure in the entire Amityville narrative, died in prison custody in 2021 at the age of 69, bringing a final end to the true crime aspect of the tragedy.
The Amityville House Today: Current Status and Drastic Changes
The property’s owners have taken significant steps to distance the home from its dark history and the constant stream of morbid tourists. The house is no longer easily identifiable as the one from the movie posters and book covers.
1. The Address Has Been Changed
The iconic address, 112 Ocean Avenue, no longer officially exists for the house. Subsequent owners successfully petitioned the town to change the number to deter sightseers and protect their privacy. While the exact new number is often obscured for the owners’ safety, it is sometimes cited as 108 Ocean Avenue.
2. The Famous "Eye" Windows Are Gone
Perhaps the most recognizable feature of the house, the two quarter-round windows on the third floor that resembled malevolent "eyes," have been permanently removed. The owners replaced them with standard square windows, fundamentally altering the home’s exterior and making it look like any other Dutch Colonial on the block. This renovation was a calculated move to strip the house of its cinematic terror and return it to a normal residence.
3. It Last Sold for $605,000
The house was last sold in February/March 2017 to an undisclosed buyer for $605,000. This price was a significant reduction from the original asking price, highlighting the struggle to sell a property with such a notorious past.
4. The Current Estimated Value Exceeds $1 Million
Despite the house's gruesome history, the Long Island real estate market has seen significant appreciation. Recent estimates place the property's current value at approximately $1,066,000, illustrating that even a dark past cannot completely halt market growth in a desirable area.
5. No Hauntings Have Been Reported by Recent Owners
Crucially, the families who have lived in the house since the Lutz family’s 28-day stay in 1975 have reported no paranormal activity. Jim and Barbara Cromarty, who bought the house in 1977, lived there for a decade and never reported anything unusual. This pattern has continued with subsequent owners, lending strong support to the theory that the "Amityville Horror" was a fabrication.
The Enduring Hoax Debate: Lutz Family and the Skeptics
The second layer of the Amityville legend began when George and Kathy Lutz moved into the home in December 1975, just 13 months after the DeFeo murders. They claimed to have experienced extreme paranormal phenomena—including green slime oozing from walls, levitation, and a demonic pig named Jodie—forcing them to flee after only 28 days.
The Financial Incentive and The Book
The Lutz family’s claims became the basis for Jay Anson’s 1977 bestseller, The Amityville Horror: A True Story, which launched the entire media franchise. However, a strong consensus among investigators and journalists has long held that the story was a "highly lucrative hoax."
The most compelling evidence for the hoax involves a lawyer, William Weber, who represented Ronald DeFeo Jr. during his murder trial. Weber later claimed that he and the Lutz family "created this horror story over many bottles of wine" to secure a book deal and make money.
The Role of Ed and Lorraine Warren
The case also gained notoriety due to the involvement of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. They visited the house and claimed to have found evidence of demonic possession, a claim that skeptics often dismiss due to the Warrens' history of sensationalizing cases. Many recent analyses, even those from 2024, continue to label the entire haunting story as a fabrication designed for profit.
The Legacy: A Cultural Phenomenon
Despite the strong evidence debunking the haunting claims, the Amityville house remains one of the world's most famous haunted locations. Its legacy includes:
- Over 11 major films, starting with the 1979 classic.
- Numerous books and documentaries.
- It has become a shorthand term for a house with a cursed or terrifying history.
The house at 112 Ocean Avenue, now a quiet, renovated, and renumbered private residence, continues to be a powerful symbol. It represents the intersection of a real, horrifying mass murder and a fabricated ghost story that perfectly captured the public's imagination, ensuring the name "Amityville Horror" will endure for generations to come. The current owners are simply trying to live a normal life in a house that the world refuses to forget.
Detail Author:
- Name : Roslyn Mraz
- Username : romaguera.edna
- Email : ofelia56@ullrich.com
- Birthdate : 1986-03-08
- Address : 6417 Augustine Center Apt. 034 Waelchibury, LA 37818
- Phone : 443-751-5801
- Company : Willms, Friesen and Kilback
- Job : Interaction Designer
- Bio : Eum maxime eius et quibusdam pariatur quasi. Nihil soluta voluptatem enim pariatur debitis libero. Aut facere eveniet quidem deleniti numquam. Voluptatem est quas tempora rem.
Socials
tiktok:
- url : https://tiktok.com/@jensen.effertz
- username : jensen.effertz
- bio : Non sapiente est quam est qui consequuntur dolorem illum.
- followers : 1321
- following : 2254
twitter:
- url : https://twitter.com/jensen_official
- username : jensen_official
- bio : Voluptas voluptates tempora in maiores quasi animi. Dolor dolor consectetur autem laborum et.
- followers : 4792
- following : 1348
