Amityville: The Murders And The Horror Quiz

Answer: High Hopes

On June 28, 1965, Ronald DeFeo, Sr., his wife, Louise, and their five children, Ronald, Jr., Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John, moved from Brooklyn, New York to Amityville, Long Island. Ronald, Sr., paid $30,000 for the two and a half story Dutch colonial house, which was located at 112 Ocean Avenue. Upon moving into the beautiful house, a signpost was placed on the front lawn.

The signpost read "High Hopes," which signified the family's hope for the new house. Louise DeFeo was a very religious woman, while her husband was very controlling with a bad temper. Ronald, Sr., worked for Brigante-Karl Buick Dealership in Brooklyn, which his father-in-law owned, while Louise stayed home and cared for the children. Throughout the DeFeo's marriage, Ronald, Sr., physically abused his wife and children.

It seemed that Ronald, Sr., ruled the family with an iron fist and was quick to jump to the wrong conclusions, and he became enraged at the slightest infraction, whether they were real or imaginary. During the DeFeo's tenor at the house, no instances of paranormal activities or demonic infestations occurred.

Answer: Brigante-Karl Buick

Ronald DeFeo, Jr., also known as Butch, was a young teenager when his family moved from Brooklyn to 112 Ocean Avenue. By all accounts, Butch was a chubby teen, who was the victim of teasing by his schoolmates. Because of Butch's sullenness, his father forced him to defend himself at school, although defending himself against his own father was out of the question. During the ensuing years, Butch grew into a powerful young man, who began taking illegal drugs, which even his father had trouble controlling.

When the two men started shouting, it usually ended in a free for all, with the other children and Louise as spectators. One time when Butch saw his father beating his mother, he ran up to his bedroom and grabbed a rifle and loaded it. He flew downstairs and aimed it at his father's head, and pulled the trigger. Fortunately for Ronald, Sr., the rifle had jammed, but to his amazement Butch just walked out of the room, as if nothing out of the ordinary had occurred. Ronald, Sr., and Louise knew something was wrong with their son and decided to help him.

They brought their son to a psychiatrist, but the psychiatrist was unable to make headways with Butch, who declared that nothing was wrong with him. In reality, Butch was angry at his father for all the years of abuse that was inflicted on him, his mother, brothers, and sisters.

Answer: $21,800

During the weeks leading up to the murders, Butch devised a plan to obtain more money. Since he worked at his grandfather's car dealership, there was always money around. On the day the plan was put into action, Butch was sent to the bank to make a deposit of cash and checks, totaling $21,800. Butch and another friend left the dealership at 12:30 PM and didn't return for two hours.

When he did return, Butch told his grandfather that shortly after leaving the dealership he was accosted and held at gunpoint, and robbed of the money while waiting for a red light. Ronald, Sr., who had arrived at work a few minutes before his son came back, was angry at his father-in-law for allowing Butch to go to the bank with that much money. Ronald, Sr., sat and watched his son as he was being interviewed by the police, who were called a few minutes after Butch arrived back.

Instead of cooperating with the police, Butch gave them an attitude. When Butch suspected that the police didn't buy his robbery story, he became violent.

But by this time, Ronald, Sr., knew exactly what Butch did. Shortly before the massacre, Butch refused to go down to the police station to look at mugshots, and when Ronald, Sr., broached the possibility that his son was lying about being robbed, Butch threatened, "I'll kill you!". Sadly, a few short days later, Ronald, Sr., and the entire DeFeo family, were murdered.

Answer: Castle Keep

The evening of November 12, 1974, seemed to be a normal evening for the DeFeo family. Dawn, Allison, John, and Marc were in bed fast asleep. Ronald, Sr., and Louise headed for bed at 10:00 PM, leaving Butch alone and the only one awake. Butch was engrossed in a movie called "Castle Keep," which was released in 1969.

When the movie came to an end in the early morning hours of November 13, 1974, Butch proceeded to his bedroom, which was located on the third floor. There, he grabbed his .35 caliber Marlin rifle and went down to his parents' room on the second floor.

He silently entered the master bedroom and watched his parents as they slept, then he lifted the rifle, aimed at his father, and pulled the trigger. Ronald, Sr., was shot twice, once by a bullet that ripped into his back, ravaging his kidney, and exiting through his chest, and by another bullet that severed his spine and lodged in his neck.

He was killed instantly. After hearing the first shot, Louise woke up with a fright, but only had a few short seconds before her son aimed at her. Louise DeFeo was shot twice, both bullets shattering her rib cage and collapsing her lungs.

She also died instantly. Both Louise and Ronald, Sr., were murdered execution style by their own son. Strangely, though, no other members of the family heard the shots that were fired in the night.

Answer: Marc and John

Marc DeFeo was only 12 years old when he was systematically murdered by his older brother. The shots were so powerful that his internal organs were decimated. He was motionless on his bed while Butch aimed at little John. John DeFeo was only 9 years old when he was brutally murdered by his brother.

After he was shot, he went into convulsions for a few seconds and eventually died. Strangely, the bedroom that Marc and John shared was right next to the bedroom of their sisters, and neither heard a sound.

Answer: Dawn and Allison

Allison DeFeo was 13 years-old at the time of her death. The bullet ripped through her pretty face, killing her instantly. Dawn DeFeo was 18 years-old at the time of her murder. The bullet that killed her tore half of her skull off. She also died instantly.

It took about 15 minutes for Butch to murder his entire family, yet, none of the neighbors on either side of 112 Ocean Avenue heard the sound of gunshots.

Answer: True

What was unusual about this case was the fact that Dawn DeFeo, who normally slept in the same room with her sister, was actually murdered in the guest bedroom on the third floor. Why was Dawn in the room on the third floor, instead of in the room she normally shared with Allison? Was it possible that Dawn had a part in the murder? If so, why was she killed?

Answer: Shaggy

Around 3:00 AM, Shaggy, the DeFeos' dog, was tied up out by the boathouse, and he was barking violently. This was Shaggy's reaction to the brutality occurring in the house. After the discovery of the bodies inside the house, Shaggy was taken away to the local animal shelter. He was there for a few days until a relative of the DeFeos claimed him.

Answer: Brooklyn

After viciously murdering his family in cold blood, Butch showered, shaved, and dressed. He then placed his bloody clothes in a pillowcase and headed for the car. Butch drove to the suburbs of Brooklyn and disposed of the evidence in a storm drain. He then returned to Long Island at 6:00 PM and went to work at the car dealership. During the few hours he was at work, he claimed he was worried about his family.

He called the house several times, but to no avail. Butch left work about noon and headed to his girlfriend's house. On the way, Butch stopped by a friend's house and again acted like he was worried about his family. Butch finally arrived at his girlfriend's house about 1:30 PM. Again, Butch claimed he was worried about his family, and even tried calling the house again, in front of his girlfriend.

After trying for several minutes to contact his family, Butch decided to take his girlfriend shopping at the Massapequa mall. They were they for about an hour when Butch decided to go back to Amityville.

After dropping off his girlfriend, Butch then went to his friend's, Joey Yeswit, house and claimed he was worried because the family cars were in the driveway, but that no one was answering the phone. Yeswit told him to go check out the house and said that if Butch needed anything, that he'd be at a local bar in town called Henry's Bar about 6:00 PM. But Butch wouldn't hear of it, he decided to stay with Yeswit. They spent the afternoon drinking and shooting heroin. They arrived at Henry's Bar after 6:00 PM, with Butch feigning concern the entire time. After trying for the umpteenth time to reach his family, Butch said that he would have to break one of the windows in the house to get in, since he didn't have his house keys. He then left a few minutes later and went home.

Answer: Henry's Bar

After leaving Henry's Bar to check on his family, Butch raced back to the bar and announced, with great anguish, that his entire family had been murdered. Butch's friend, Joey Yeswit, and the bartender went with Butch back to 112 Ocean Avenue. Upon entering the Dutch colonial house, they discovered the still bodies of Louise and Ronald, Sr., but had not seen the bloodied bodies of Butch's siblings. Yeswit immediately called the police and within minutes they arrived. Butch sobbed with sincerity as he said that his mother and father were dead.

However, shortly after arriving the police discovered four additional bodies that hadn't been seen. This was the worst murder case the Suffolk County police had ever encountered. About 7:00 PM, homicide detectives brought Butch into the kitchen and began questioning him.

They asked him who he thought killed his family, and Butch immediately said that Louis Falini, a local Mafia hitman, had murdered his family. Butch claimed the reason was that the previous year the two of them had a major falling out and Falini held a grudge against his family because of it.

The police initially believed this, and thought that Butch's life was in grave danger. The lone survivor of the massacre also told police that a few years earlier he set one of his father's boats on fire, so his father could collect the insurance money. At first the police believed that the young man was just a lucky survivor of a brutal massacre, but that belief was to be shattered when the investigators examined the physical evidence, both at the scene of the crime and in the police laboratory.

Answer: .35 Marlin rifle

At 2:30 AM on November 14, 1974, Detective John Shirvell discovered a .35 Marlin in a box full of rifles, particularly .22 and .35 Marlin rifles. At this time Shirvell was unaware that the DeFeo family met their fate with a .35 Marlin rifle. After spending hours in the murder house, Detective Shirvell arrived at the police station and was then told that a .35 Marlin was the weapon that was used.

When this was found out, the police, who were kind to Butch thus far, began to suspect him of the grisly murders.

The police began questioning Butch, and after hours of being interrogated, finally admitted that he murdered his family. He said, "It all started so fast. Once I started, I just couldn't stop. It went so fast." Ronald DeFeo, Jr., was 23 years-old at the time of the murders.

A year later he was sentenced to six 25 years to life sentences (which are being served concurrently) for the murder of his entire family. New evidence states that Dawn DeFeo helped Butch murder their family. This was propably the reason her body was found in the third floor bedroom.

In 1999, the 25th anniversary of the tragic events, DeFeo was up for parole but was denied.

Answer: Lutz

In the summer of 1975, George Lee Lutz and his wife, Kathy, bought the two and half story Dutch colonial house at 112 Ocean Avenue for $80,000. On December 18, 1975, they moved in, along with Kathy's children, Missy, Danny, and Chris. The Lutzes knew of the murders at the house the year before, but told the real estate agent that it didn't matter to them.

They claimed that the day they moved in a friend of theirs, a priest by the name of Father Pecoraro, blessed the house and that shortly after the blessing, strange things began to happen. Funny thing about it is Father Pecoraro stated that he was never in the house, not even to bless it, but he counseled the family after they left the house because they were having trouble living where the murders had taken place.

In real life, a priest, not Father Pecoraro, did bless the house, and did have some concern about the possibility of a haunting. Both the real priest and rectory were unharmed by any demonic infestation. Who are we to believe? I personally believe Father Pecoraro. If what the Lutzes claim was really true, why lie about a priest?

Answer: The fireplace

From December 18 to December 24, 1975, Kathy and George claim that their family went through a collective personality change. Kathy claimed that George wouldn't shower or change or go to work, and that he was obsessed with the fireplace, always creating huge fires to warm the house because he was always cold. Of course he would be obsessed with keeping his family warm, because a day or two after the Lutzes moved in the heating system in the house broke down. Kathy and George claim that Danny and Chris accidentally broke a window in the third floor playroom, but after the Lutzes moved out in January 1976, Dr. Steven Kaplan examined the window and realized that the house's original windows were still intact. During this time Kathy claimed to have been "touched" a couple of times in the kitchen, by what she claimed to be a "woman's touch." Of course, this claim came out after they moved out of 112 Ocean Avenue. Kathy never told any one of these "touchings" when they happened. What to believe?

Answer: red room

According to George and Kathy, one day while they were in the basement doing some work, Kathy was putting groceries away on some shelves underneath the basement stairs. She noticed a loose panel, to which the shelves were connected, and she called George over.

He pried the panel away, and to his amazement, he found a red room. According to Jay Anson's book, "The Amityville Horror," and according to the movie of the same name, the red room is the passage to hell. George Lutz claims that when he first saw the red room, he saw a fleeting image of Ronald DeFeo, Jr's face as he closed the panel.

The Lutzes concocted a story of the red room claiming that it was the place where Ronald, Jr., held occult meetings and performed sacrificial killings. In actuality, it was a 2X3 foot access space for plumbing that the DeFeos had painted red, and it was also a place where the DeFeo children would store their toys.

Answer: Jodie

Missy Lutz was 5 years-old when she and her family lived at 112 Ocean Avenue. It is perfectly normal for a 5 year-old to ask about angels talking, especially during Christmas. As with all little kids Missy's age, they have invisible or make believe friends, which they name. So this shouldn't have been so unusual. What was unusual about this was the fact that Kathy and George claim that Missy's "friend" was a demonic pig, which their daughter called Jodie.

In reality, a Jodie did exist, but it was not a pig, it was a cat.

It seems that a neighbor's huge Siamese cat was always going over to 112 Ocean Avenue, even during the time that the DeFeos lived there. Butch DeFeo always called the cat "that pig." Jodie the cat used to sit on the windowsills of the house at all hours of the day and night, and at night her eyes glowed red.

There was nothing demonic about it.

Answer: Second floor sewing room

The Lutzes claim that there was a swarm of carnivorous flies in the second floor sewing room. When Father Pecoraro (Father Mancuso in the book) supposedly blessed the house, he was confronted with the swarm of flies in the second floor sewing room, and he supposedly heard a male voice ordering him to "get out." As stated before, Father Pecoraro (Mancuso) was never in the house and never blessed it either. Also, during the 28 days that the Lutzes supposedly spent in the house, the toilets became stained with black liquid.

Answer: 3:15 AM

George Lutz stated that he was awakened at 3:15 AM almost every morning for some inexplicable reason. He claims that he found out, after he and his family fled, that the DeFeo family had been murdered at exactly 3:15 AM. This is totally false. The timing of "about 3:00 AM" came when a neighbor claimed to have heard Shaggy, the DeFeos' dog, barking uncontrollably at that time.

The coroner who had performed the autopsy on the DeFeos pinpointed the time of the murders between 1:00 AM and 3:00 AM. This was just another of the inconsistencies regarding the Lutzes' story.

Answer: Ceramic lion

George was given a ceramic lion for Christmas, but shortly after the holiday, Kathy claims that the ceramic lion began moving on its own. She said that one time she saw movement from the corner of her eye, and was surprised to see that the lion had moved a few inches.

The Lutzes also claim that when they put the ceramic lion in the sewing room one day, they were surprised to find it back downstairs the next day. Then George tripped over the lion, and when Kathy examined his leg she claims that she saw bruises around his ankle that looked like teeth marks. First, an inanimate object cannot move by itself. Second, when the lion reappeared downstairs after being put away in the sewing room, where were the children? It is possible that they brought it back downstairs. Third, how can an inanimate object bite anyone? This incident was so farfetched that I'm surprised that people actually believed it.

Answer: Harry

It is well known that animals will display discomfort and terror in a haunted area, but Harry wasn't displaying discomfort or terror at 112 Ocean Avenue. Harry was barking uncontrollably because Jodie the cat, who always visited 112 Ocean Avenue, was in his immediate territory. Also, George claims that soon after feeding Harry, the dog would be fast asleep and that it was unusual. Why was it unusual? It's a known fact that dogs, and people for that matter, fall asleep after eating. Who wouldn't fall asleep after your belly is full?

Answer: False

George claimed that Kathy levitated 2 feet off the bed, he claimed she did this twice. He made this claim after the family fled 112 Ocean Avenue, but later in an interview for a radio show, he admitted that he exaggerated and that Kathy had only levitated 2 inches off the bed. If he admitted that this was an exaggeration, what else might be an exaggeration?

Answer: Shinnecock

The land on which 112 Ocean Avenue resides on was once supposedly an Indian sanitarium, where the Shinnecock Indians used to house their sick, mad, and dying. George Lutz claims that he did an extensive research on the background of the property, but if he had he would have found out that the Shinnecock Indians lived no where near 112 Ocean Avenue.

This was, once more, another inconsistency in the Lutzes' story.

Answer: true

On January 14, 1976, George and Kathy, along with their children, "fled" 112 Ocean Avenue in terror, they claimed that they never wanted to step foot back in the house. Weeks after "fleeing" the house in terror, the Lutzes went back and held a garage sale. If they were that frightened by the house and the evil that it held, why would they go back? Also, this refutes their claim that they left all of their possessions in the house and never retrieved them.

Answer: Lorraine and Ed Warren

In February 1976, Steven Kaplan, founder and director of the Parapsychology Institute of America which is located in Long Island, was approached by George Lutz about investigating 112 Ocean Avenue. But when Dr. Kaplan told George outright that if it was a hoax that he would go public with the information, George backed out claiming he didn't want any publicity.

But a week later, on February 18th, Dr. Kaplan happened to be watching Channel 5 and saw the first of three seances being held in the house. What he saw on the television that night was amazing.

He saw parapsychologists, Lorraine and Ed Warren leading a seance. He was more amazed when Lorraine said, "Whatever is here is, in my estimation, most definitely of a negative nature. It has nothing to do with anyone who had once walked the Earth in human form.

It is right from the bowels of the Earth." Dr. Kaplan immediately became suspicious and set out on a mission to debunk the Lutzes claim that 112 Ocean Avenue was haunted. Dr. Kaplan passed away in 1995, after publishing the book "The Amityville Conspiracy."

Answer: William Weber

Shortly after fleeing 112 Ocean Avenue, the Lutzes contacted William Weber, Butch DeFeo's defense attorney. Weber told the Lutzes everything he knew about the murders of the DeFeos. He even told the Lutzes that he planned on writing a book about the murders, using the demonic infestation angle for it, because his defense consisted of Butch hearing voices which told him to kill that night.

After the Lutzes went public with their demonic tale of 112 Ocean Avenue, Weber went along with it in the hopes that he could get Butch a retrial, but when the Lutzes began over exaggerating, Weber backed out.

He then sued the Lutzes, but the case was settled out of court. The Lutzes were also sued by other owners of 112 Ocean Avenue because of their claims that the house is haunted.

Answer: 108 Ocean Avenue

112 Ocean Avenue became an overnight sensation because of the so-called haunting of the beautiful house. It seems that almost everyone actually forgets that Amityville's most horrible massacre occurred in the house. On March 18, 1977, Jim and Barbara Cromarty bought 112 Ocean Avenue for $55,000, way below the value of the house. Because of the notoriety that befell the house, the Cromartys legally changed the address to 108 Ocean Avenue to ward off thrill seekers.

The Cromartys also added a fake window to the front of the house. On August 17, 1987, Peter and Jeanne O'Neill purchased 108 Ocean Avenue for an unspecified amount, and lived there happily until 1997.

Other than the Lutzes, no other family who lived at 112 Ocean Avenue encountered paranormal activity.

The house is still standing, but the eye-like windows that used to glow red at night have been replaced with more modern looking windows. The village of Amityville wishes that tourists that come there would come for the scenery and the history of Amityville, not for a hoax that was perpetrated on America. All information can be found at www.Amityvillemurders.com, www.crimelibrary.com, www.chatanuga.150m.com/Amitypt4.html, the books "The Amityville Conspiracy" by Dr. Steven Kaplan and "The Amityville Horror" by Jay Anson.