Road Trip Into The Unknown: Hoaxing The World For Fun And $$Profit$$ In Amityville

Note: I understand the subject matter of the following post may be of a highly controversial matter. It may enlighten some, it may trouble some and it may really piss some off. However I appeal to you sense of objectivity and intelligence and hope it will not turn you off from this esteemed website. Thank you.

Ok, we all pretty know the story especially if you have been around for the last thirty or so years. Many have read the book and scores have seen the movie and it’s many terrible sequels. But what if the facts of the events that allegedly transpired at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, Long Island were really nothing more than an invention to make money and a great big stinking pile of hoax? Some feel that this may be the case others stick by the story however for those of us who research claims of the paranormal we should keep our objectivity remembering that we were not there. Basically when it boils down to it, who are we to believe?

For over thirty years many of us who are students of the strange and unusual have had the “Amityville Horror” forced down our throats as the standard by which all malevolent haunting phenomenon is judged. However there appears to be some proof which points towards a conspiracy that what happened to the Lutz family in 1975 may be only partly true or maybe not really true at all. But first a little history.

According to the 1977 book by horror author, Jay Anson and the 1979 movie starring the future Mr. Barbara Streisand and the original Mrs Superman, the tome details the horrific true experiences by George and Kathy Lutz and their three children who claimed that while in the house they became victims of a diabolical force. Mr Anson and the movie also go into detail how in November of 1974, the previous tenants of the home, the Defeo family was allegedly gunned down in their sleep by the eldest son, Ronnie Defeo Jr. who at trial said that demonic voices compelled him to fill his family full of lead. The murders which shocked the sleepy little town is an historical fact the demonic voices may be, well, a little iffy.

Thirteen months after the horrific murders in December 1975, newlyweds George and Kathy Lutz and her three children from a previous marriage, desperately needed a larger home to accomodate their growing family and they discovered the home at 112 Ocean Avenue and scooped it up for a steal. A home of this magnitude should have sold for twice it’s asking price but they got it for a mere eighty grand. The real estate agent warned the Lutzs of the terrible history of the house but they did not care neither were particularly superstitious nor were they going to allow this beautiful example of Dutch Colonial architecture pass them by. They wanted this house and would do anything to get it. Unfortunately, some might say, this is where the line between fact and fiction is somewhat blurred.

According to the book some of the Defeo’s furniture had been left behind including the beds where the Defeo children had met their fates. Due to this a friend of George’s suggested that the family have a priest come and bless the home to dispell any negative energy that still may reside in the home. Although George was Methodist Kathy was Catholic and felt that the blessing could not hurt. Father Ray Mancuso, the local Catholic priest responded to the Lutz’s request. According to the book and movie, the good father arrived and went about the Lord’s business when he was allegedly attacked by a swarm of flies and a gruff disembodied male voice which commanded the priest to “Get Out”. Needless to say Father Ray hightailed it out of the house never to return.

This strange episode was just the beginning of 28 days of terror that the book and movie claimed to have victimized the little nuclear family before they went fleeing into the night leaving all their possessions behind. Crucifixs that were hung on the wall were turned upside down, Kathy Lutz had vivid nightmares concerning the killing spree of Ronnie, a foul odor that smelled of trash and rotting flesh filled the home on numerous occassions. Other phenomenon included what sounded like a ghostly marching band disturbed the sleep of George Lutz who’s very personality went from being a loving caring person to a mean rotten jerk who appeared to mean his family harm. The daughter claimed to be befriended by a spectral pig that was seen on one occassion by George and may have a demonic manifestation and George discovered a small room in the basement with walls that were painted red that appeared to be some kind of gateway to hell. Voices, cold spots and a gooey substance pouring down the walls. Scary stuff right? The Lutz’s further discovered that the home was built on land that was used by the local Native American tribes as a place to keep the sick dying and insane. And as we all now building anything on land such as this is never a good idea.

When the movie was released in 1979, it was a huge box office hit following on the heels of another movie that dealt with the subject of pure evil affecting the innocent, “The Exorcist”. The movie reintroduced our nation and eventually the world that dark evil forces could be lurking in our homes and without the help of clergy from your prefered religion or denomination you as a mere mortal are powerless to deal with them. Although the movie claimed the events that transpired in the home were factual apparently those involved in the real case did not think so because lawsuits galore came flying.

The first of many lawsuits was filed by the real priest who allegedly came to bless the home. The real Father Ray, stated in a sworn affidavit that at no time did he visit the Lutz home nor did he perform a blessing. The priest stated that whatever dealings he had with the Lutz’s was conducted over the phone. The good Father was never in the house or subjected to a swarm of vicious demon flies and he never heard a voice demanding that he leave the premises.

The owners who came into possession of 112 Ocean Avenue after the Lutzs sued Author Jay Anson for causing unnecassary scandal around their home. Day and night the new owners claimed that they were pestered by would be ghost hunters who wanted to gain access to the home and have a looksy for the spooks, specters and ghosts. The owners further went on record as saying that whatever the damage that was said to have happened to the home, such as blown out windows and doors was patently untrue. The owners stated that the home maintained it’s original craftsmanship and nothing even as mundane as a window pane had been replaced. And as for the red room that emitted an evil feel in the basement the owners it was nothing more than a coat room and was not hidden behind a bookshelf. The new owners further went on record as saying that at no time have they experienced any kind of haunting phenomenon and the house had a very warm and peaceful feel to it. Is the story of the great American ghost story unraveling right before our very eyes?

As for the land being cursed and used as a place where the local tribes left their sick and insane, the Tribal Elders of the Shinnecock people have emphatically denied that claim. Even the local meterologists have gone on record as stating that no snow nor other weather conditions claimed in the book happened on the dates in question. Falling apart piece by piece?

With all the lawsuits involved in the case, Jack Weinstein who presided over the case stated that according to the evidence at hand, it was obvious to him that the book was nothing more than a work of fiction and an elaborate hoax and money making scheme. In September of 1979, Ronnie Defeo’s attorney was quoted in People Magazine as saying, “I know the book is a hoax, we created this horror story over many bottles of wine.”

In 1979, the cast appeared on the wildly popular Merv Griffin talkshow with George Lutz to plug the movie. One of the last questions Merv asked Mr. Lutz, probably in light of all the lawsuits, was whether or not the events that occurred in the book and susequent were true. George Lutz crytptically answered, “Mostly true.” I have but one question to counter that answer, what the hell does that even mean? Either the hellish that sent you and family fleeing into the night after only 28 days of residency is either true or not. Plain and simple.

With this post I hope that I have played the role of devil’s advocate with great aplumb. If the events that happened to the Lutz family in December of 1975 are true, awsome. But if not it could bring and has brought disrepute to the field of paranormal research and investigation a field which I love and care about and when it comes to hoaxes I do not take kindly to them. I pretty much hate them like I hate racism. The case of the Amityville horror should show us that when investigating claims of the paranormal all avenues of possibilities should be exhausted before we come to the conclusion whether or not a paranormal claim is the real deal. Do I think the Lutz family experienced what they claimed? I wasn’t there all I know I used to find the movie very entertaining and chilling.

Rick E. Hale

t_seeker@hotmail.com