Halloween Horrors | The Real Amityville Horror | 3

It's just after 6:30 p.m. on November 13th, 1974. In Amityville, about 40 miles east of Manhattan, Bobby Kelsky pulls a car into the driveway at 112 Ocean Avenue.

24-year-old Bobby kills the engine and climbs out of the car. In front of him looms an impressive three-story house with white cladding and a barn-like roof. Bobby knows the house pretty well.

It's where his friend Ronald DeFeo Jr. lives with his family. Bobby turns to look at Ronald, but you're Ronnie to his friends.

He's just got out of the back seat of the car where he was squeezed next to three other guys. He's pale and looks close to tears. A few minutes ago, Butch burst into their local bar and started shouting for help.

Someone had shot his parents, he said. So Bobby and a bunch of guys from the bar said they'd come check it out. Now that they're here though, no one wants to actually go inside the house.

Butch, least of all. So with everyone hanging back like they're tethered to the car, Bobby volunteers to go and have a look around.

Ever since Ronald came into the bar yelling, Bobby's been half thinking that his friend's just high and imagining things. Butch likes to do heroin.

So as he pushes open the DeFeo's front door, Bobby's really hoping that this whole episode is just a bad trip. But it is eerily quiet in the dark house, which doesn't feel like a good omen. He gropes around and turns on the light.

Now able to see, he makes straight for the staircase. He knows that Butch's parents' bedroom is on the second floor. That's where he said they were.

Bobby walks slowly up the stairs, wincing with every creaky step. He didn't think he'd be this freaked out. At the top of the stairs, there's a glow coming from one of the bedrooms.

He moves a couple of paces towards the open door, but he doesn't need to go inside. He can see just fine from here. A bedside lamp illuminates the scene.

The large bedrooms got gold curtains and floral wallpaper. Framed photos ring the room, and religious statues perch on every surface. In the middle of it all stands a mahogany bed, where Ronald Sr.

and Louise DeFeo are both lying on their stomachs. They could almost be sleeping, except that each has a pair of gunshot wounds in their back, and the sheets are soaked in blood. Bobby stumbles backwards, which was right.

When he finally tears his eyes away from the horrifying, transfixing sight, Bobby races back downstairs, across the foyer and out into the night. As he stands on the lawn, breathing in the cool night air, he can't shake the image from his mind.

Now he knows why Ronald looks so completely broken. If he'd seen his parents that way, Bobby would probably be the same. He can't stop thinking about how awful it is.

Mr. and Mrs. DeFeo dead?

But Bobby Kelsky's got no idea just how much worse it's gonna get. From Airship, I'm Jeremy Schwartz, and this is American Criminal's Halloween. Would you live in a house where someone died?

Like if you knew that people had actually taken their last breaths within those four walls? If it was a peaceful death, it doesn't sound like a big deal, right? Well, what about if they were murdered?

Would that be okay? Or would you worry that the building would hold on to the memory of that horrific act? That the vibes would be all wrong?

And if there were six murders, what then? Surely a home where six people were violently killed would be the last place anyone would want to live? If anywhere were going to be a haven for bad energy, it would be a place like that.

That's the story we're telling today. In 1974, six members of the DeFeo family were found brutally murdered in their beds.

The crime rocked their small New York community, and for decades, people have speculated that such a monstrous crime couldn't possibly be dreamt up by a human mind, no matter how twisted.

Now, some remain convinced that the supernatural was at work here. That this was an evil house. This is our third and final episode in our Halloween Horror Series, The Real Amityville Horror.

It's right around 4 a.m. on November 13, 1974, about 15 hours before Bobby Kelsky stumbles out of the DeFeo house. Right now, Ronald Jr.

is awake in his third-floor bedroom. It's not unusual for the 23-year-old to be up early, though. He likes to beat the traffic to his job, which is about 36 miles away in Coney Island.

After showering, he brushes his teeth, gets dressed, and heads downstairs. He grabs the keys to his blue 1970 Electra and heads out into the frosty morning. By the time Ronnie's turning onto Ocean Avenue, it's almost 5 a.m.

Light is just starting to tinge the horizon gold as he heads for the parkway. Ronnie works in the service department of his grandfather's Buick dealership in Brooklyn. He doesn't earn much from the gig, though.

About 80 bucks a week. With inflation, that would be about 540 bucks today. Still not a lot, but he likes working there anyway.

His father is in charge of the department, so Ronnie's got the run of the place. He'll do tune-ups, change oil, even wash cars sometimes. Whatever he feels like.

And because he's the son of the boss and grandson of the owner, no one can really tell him what to do. As for the money, that's not an issue for him.

The DeFeos are pretty well off, and as long as Ronnie doesn't mouth off too much, his dad throws him an extra five or so hundred every week. That's more than three grand with inflation.

So, for a guy who still lives at home, that's a pretty sweet deal. With that much money coming in from his dad, Ronnie would probably give the job up if he could, but he can't.

A year ago, he was caught in possession of a stolen outboard motor, and he's still on probation. He needs to keep showing up to the shop, so he's got pay stubs to show his probation officer.

Still, he's never gonna be employee of the month or anything like that. I mean, he likes to get there early when it's quiet because there's not a lot to do. Then, he dips out as soon as he can.

He's a 23-year-old. He's got better things to do. This morning, it takes him about an hour to get to the shop, which is still long before it opens, and he doesn't have his own keys.

Might have something to do with his criminal record or the fact that there was a burglary at the shop a while back. The thief made off was 750 bucks, and the scheme had the distinct smell of an inside job.

Most people think that Ronnie was probably involved, but they never accuse him to his face. They just don't trust him with a set of keys.

So with no way to get inside, Ronnie parks his car and heads across the street to his favorite diner to grab some food.

By the time he's done with his breakfast of champions, an egg cream and a bran muffin, he can see that one of his colleagues has arrived to open up, which means it's time to start his day for real. It's a pretty quiet morning at the shop.

Ronald Senior is supposed to be taking one of Ronnie's little brothers to a doctor's appointment, so he's not around to keep an eye on things. That means it's a relaxed day.

Ronnie tries calling home once or twice, telling his coworkers that he asked to report to his probation officer before 8 p.m. tonight. The problem is, is that he left his pay stubs at home, and he doesn't have a house key with him.

So he needs to make sure someone can let him in later today. But no one's picking up at the DeFeo home. That's strange.

But it's an issue he can deal with later. Around noon, Ronnie takes off. He figures he's put in enough effort for the day, and it's time to have some fun.

Leaving Brooklyn, he heads back towards Amityville, where he happens to drive past his friend, Bobby Kelsky. He stops to say hello, and the guys chat about what their plans are for the day.

Bobby is a former high school athlete, and Ronnie's a former high school slacker, but their shared love of drinking and gambling has made them good buddies since graduation.

While they're chewing the fat, Ronnie complains about needing to get his pay stubs from his locked home. But Bobby tells him that he just drove past the DeFeo house, and there were cars in the driveway, so someone's there now.

Ronnie seems relieved to hear that, and the two guys make plans to meet up at their favorite bar later in the day. For now though, Ronnie heads to his girlfriend's apartment.

She's only 19, and he's gotten rough with her in the past, but things have been mellow lately. They hang out at her place for a while, they'll do a little shopping at the local mall, then come back so he can grab his car.

Before he leaves, he tries calling home again, but there's still no answer. A little while later, he stops by Bobby's house looking worried. He tells his friend that he hasn't been able to get into his house since he left for work this morning.

The cars are all in the driveway, just like Bobby said, but no one is answering the phone. Something's going on over there, he says to Bobby. But Bobby shrugs.

There's nothing he can do about it. It'll figure itself out, he says. Ronnie nods.

His friend's right. He'll just have to wait. And if the worst comes to worst, he can break a window to get in and risk his parents' wrath.

After that, Ronnie's got nothing better to do with his time than head to the bar down the street from their family home. He downs four, maybe five vodka sevens and is thinking about heading home when he runs into a couple of friends.

He stops in at their place for a sec and shoots up some heroin they happen to have in the fridge. He's been using drugs since he was a teenager and heroin is his current favorite. He tells people it helps him stay mellow.

By the time he's shot up, Ronnie realizes that it's time to meet Bobby at Henry's bar. So he heads back there. He's got just enough time for a couple more drinks with his friend before he has to meet his probation officer.

Just before 6.30, he gets off his stool, only stumbling slightly, and announces he's gonna go home to get his paystops. And if he has to break in, so be it. In the time it takes Bobby to finish one drink and order another, Ronnie is back.

He bursts through the door and starts yelling. He needs help, he says. Someone shot his parents.

No one takes him seriously at first. It's the kind of thing that's gotta be a joke. But Ronnie keeps yelling.

So Bobby stands up and says he'll come take a look. Ronnie says that's not enough. They need more people.

So, after an awkward pause, some of the other regulars from the bar agree to go with them. They head out to the parking lot and cram into Ronnie's Buick. Bobby has to drive.

Ronnie's too freaked out. The bar is just a few hundred feet away from the DeFeo house, so Bobby pulls into the driveway less than a minute after they left Henry's.

No one wants to go inside, which leaves Bobby, as Ronnie's closest friend here, to head in alone. The rest of the guys huddle by the car, hands shoved in their pockets to keep them warm.

Bobby is only inside for about a minute before he comes running back out, white as a sheet. Ronnie's right, he tells them. Mr.

and Mrs. DeFeo are dead, shot right in their bed. With the worst confirmed, the guys head into the house to call the police.

They report there's been a double murder at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville. But they're wrong, because this isn't just a double murder. It's so much worse.

If you run a small business, you know there's nothing small about it. Every day there is a new decision to make, and even the smallest decisions can feel massive.

Now when those decisions begin to feel daunting, you want to know that you have the right platform and all the tools to be successful. Well, guess what? Shopify.

Shopify's point of sale system is a unified command center for your retail business. It brings together in-store and online operations across up to 1,000 locations. Imagine being able to guarantee that shopping is always convenient.

Endless aisles, ship to customer, buy online, pick up in store, all made simpler so customers can shop how they want, and staff have the tools to close the sale every time. And let's face it, acquiring new customers is expensive.

With Shopify POS, you can keep shoppers coming back with personalized experiences and first-party data that gives marketing teams a competitive edge. In fact, it's been proven.

Based on a report from EY, businesses on Shopify POS see real results, like 22% better total cost of ownership and benefits equivalent to an 8.9% uplift in sales on average relative to the markets that surveyed.

Get all the big stuff for your small business right with Shopify. Sign up for your $1 per month trial and start selling today at shopify.com/americancriminal. Go to shopify.com/americancriminal.

shopify.com/americancriminal. If you're still overpaying for wireless, it's time to say yes to saying no. At Mint Mobile, their favorite word is no.

No contracts, no monthly bills, no overages, no hidden fees, no BS. Here's why you should say yes to making the switch and getting premium wireless for $15 a month.

Ditch overpriced wireless and their jaw-dropping monthly bills, their unexpected overages and hidden fees. Mint's plans start at just $15 a month.

All plans come with high-speed data and unlimited talk and text, delivered on the nation's largest 5G network. I'll tell you what's great because you can use your own phone, your own number, all your contacts and stuff like that.

I have a friend who took his old phone, took it to Mint Mobile, they resurrected it, brought it back to life, and that phone now is in the hands of his child. So that kid's got an old phone and it works great. And thank you, Mint Mobile.

Are you ready to say yes to saying no? Then make the switch at mintmobile.com/americancriminal. That's mintmobile.com/americancriminal.

Upfront payment of $45 required, equivalent to $15 a month. Limited time new customer offer for first three months only. Speeds may slow above 35 gigabytes on unlimited plan.

Taxes and fees extra. See Mint Mobile for details. It's 6:40 p.m.

on November 13th, 1974. A few minutes ago, Officer Kenneth Grigusky received a call from the dispatcher to head to 112 Ocean Avenue. There's been a report of a double murder.

Now, 37-year-old Kenneth gets out of his patrol car. He's the first one from the Amityville Village PD to arrive, and he takes in the scene. The three-story Dutch colonial cuts an imposing figure against the night sky.

Near the top, a pair of windows sit just below the eaves, giving the impression of an oversized jack-o-lantern. Kenneth walks into the house, where a group of young men are in the kitchen. They direct him to the second floor.

That's where the victims are, they say. So Kenneth heads upstairs, where he finds Louise and Ronald DeFeo Senior's lifeless bodies. Apart from the blood splattered on their skin, they're both shockingly white.

All color has gone from their flesh. Kenneth takes a step back from the main bedroom. A few feet away, there's another door standing wide open.

He turns on the light and takes a steadying breath. There are two beds in this room, and each is a young boy. 11-year-old Mark and 9-year-old John look much like their parents do.

On their stomachs, bloody and dead. Just up the hall is another door, this one closed. There's a faint sound coming from inside the room.

Kenneth pushes the door open to see another pair of twin beds. There's just one body in here, though. 13-year-old Allison has been shot in the head.

On the nightstand, an alarm clock is buzzing. It's been waiting for someone to switch it off since 7.15 this morning. Downstairs in the dining room, Kenneth places a call to department headquarters.

He tells the operator that there are five bodies upstairs. Two adults, two young boys and a teenage girl. From the nearby kitchen, Ronald DeFeo Jr.

overhears Kenneth's call. After the cop hangs up, Ronnie tearfully tells him that there might be another body upstairs. He has two sisters, he says.

Her bedroom is on the third floor with his. Already dreading what he'll find, Kenneth heads up the stairs again. This time going all the way up to what he assumed was just an attic.

Behind another closed door, he finds the body of 18-year-old Dawn. It's unlike anything Kenneth's ever seen. And by far, the worst crime Amityville's ever known.

Six bodies in one house. Almost an entire family gone. But morning will have to wait.

For now, it's time to find whoever did this. Later that night, Ronnie's sitting on the neighbor's porch, where detectives has set up their command post. He's talking with two detectives.

As the sole surviving member of his family, he's sure to have some valuable insight about what went down. And when the investigators ask him who might have wanted his family dead, he's got an answer ready.

Ronnie starts talking about a family acquaintance that will call Joseph. According to Ronnie, this guy's a hit man in his 70s with ties to the mafia and some kind of score to settle with Ronnie, his family or both.

As he explains all of this, Ronnie gets more and more worked up. It seems to dawn on him that maybe this Joseph guy will be looking to finish the job. Or maybe Ronnie was the real target all along.

What if he comes looking for him? It seems like a far-fetched story. But to the small town detectives, the crime scene definitely gives off the vibe of a brutal mob head.

So they don't want to take any chances. They decide to continue Ronnie's interview at the station where it's safer. When they're in Scots, somewhere more secure, Ronnie starts walking the detectives through his day.

The early start, the few hours he spent at work, hanging with his girlfriend, drinks at the bar, the heroin, and then finding his parents' bodies. He speaks earnestly to the cops, telling them he's desperate to help in any way he can.

They ask him about any guns the family might have in the house, suggesting that a burglar might have broken in, grabbed one, and started shooting. Ronnie says that he doesn't think his dad owned any guns, but that he's got two rifles.

Used to be more though. His dad had made him get rid of a handgun since he was on probation, and had confiscated or thrown away another rifle. And there'd been one more rifle, he admits.

It went off accidentally in a friend's house a few years ago firing a bullet into the floor, and Ronnie got rid of it soon after. He doesn't remember much about that gun, he says, with the shrug, not even the caliber.

At the end of a long night of questioning, the cops take Ronnie to a storage room where there's a cot he can sleep on. He'll be safe from any hitmen here, they tell him.

As Ronnie DeFeo settles down for a fitful sleep, the police continue their investigation.

Early examination of the bodies reveal that the murder weapon was a.35 caliber Marlin rifle, which doesn't match any of the guns Ronnie said they'd find in the home.

But, a police officer making sketches of the house notices a shipping box for a rifle in Ronnie's room. Specifically, it's for a.35 caliber Marlin. Suddenly, it looks like Ronnie's story about his guns needs more consideration.

About 5 a.m., the police get around to interviewing Ronnie's friend, Bobby Kelsky. When they arrive at the subject of the guns, Bobby's got some interesting things to say.

Apparently, Ronnie's big in the guns, so him not remembering the caliber of one of his rifles doesn't make any sense to Bobby. All of a sudden, red flags are flapping everywhere.

After less than 12 hours of investigation, they've got a prime suspect, and he's asleep in their storage closet. Not long after sunrise, the cops pay Ronnie a visit in his makeshift bedroom. They wake him up and start reading him his rights.

But the 23-year-old says he doesn't need his rights. He's been completely honest. He's not the one they want.

This Joseph guy is. He's the dangerous one. But then things take a turn.

Even while he's trying to convince the police to look for Joseph, Ronnie starts bad-mouthing his dead family members. His mom was a lousy cook, his father beat him, his brothers were pigs, and his sisters... I won't tell you what he said about them.

But still, he insists that he's done nothing wrong. The questions continue, though. The detectives point out inconsistencies in Ronnie's story.

He says he was home until about 5 a.m., but his family were all shot while they were in bed. So unless it went down right at sunrise, he must have been home when it happened.

He said he doesn't remember much about his guns, but his best friend says that's not true. Slowly, Ronnie concedes that he hasn't been telling the whole truth. First, he admits through tears that he was at home when the murders happened.

He says he heard two gunshots and hid in the closet until the coast was clear. Then he left for work without checking on his family. That's all.

But the cops keep pushing, and Ronnie proves to be an incredibly suggestible suspect. The detective questioning him reasons that he must have heard more than two gunshots, that he had to have checked the bedrooms before he left the house, right?

Ronnie nods and agrees. That's right, he did hear more gunshots. He did check on everyone.

Little John's foot was shaking, he said, twitching. That's a very specific detail, and an incriminating one.

The bullet that killed him hit John's spine, and the medical examiner has already noted in his findings that it would have likely made his leg spasm in the moments after he was shot. That's something only the shooter would have seen.

After that, the cops get Ronnie to agree that his rifle was the murder weapon. It had to have been, they say. There was a box for the same kind of gun in his room.

Ronnie nods and says that after he found everyone dead on the second level, he went to check on Dawn. When he walked into her bedroom, he stepped on the gun which had been left on the floor.

Suddenly, he realized he was being framed for the murders and got rid of the rifle. Every time Ronnie changes a story, he sobs a little, telling the detectives that he didn't tell the truth at first because he didn't think they'd believe him.

But they assure him they trust him. And that's when he changes it up again. Now he says that Joseph, the mob hitman, and an accomplice broke in in the middle of the night.

They woke Ronnie up and made him watch, as they killed his relatives one by one. They even made him shoot his father and brothers so that he'd be complicit and not rat them out. Hearing this, the detectives' fame shocked.

It's an incredible story they tell Ronnie, but they're confused about a few things. And as they keep pressing Ronnie on the details of his latest story, he breaks down. Just as they want it.

He starts telling them what really happened last night. It was around 3 a.m. when Ronnie DeFeo woke with a start.

He was in the living room where he fell asleep watching TV hours earlier. Now there was just static on the screen. Rubbing his eyes, he stood and headed for the stairs.

He walked all the way up to his bedroom on the third floor where his guns were. He picked up his.35 caliber marlin, checked that it was loaded, then headed right back down to the second floor.

He went to his parents' room first, took careful aim and shot four times. After that, he crossed the hallway to Alison's room and squeezed the trigger again. Next were his two brothers.

He watched John's leg twitch for a second as he died. Downstairs, the family's English sheep dog was barking and howling at the sound of the gunshots. Ronnie ignored it.

He always hated that dog. As he walked up to the third floor, 19-year-old Dawn poked her head out of her room and asked what was going on. Ronnie told her that everything was fine and that she should go back to bed.

Seconds later, he opened his sister's door and shot her too. It took just minutes for Ronald DeFeo Jr. to murder his entire family.

Now he had to clean up his mess. Starting in Dawn's room and working his way back downstairs, he collected the spent shells, then he bundled them into a couple of pillowcases with his bloody clothes.

Once he'd showered, he gathered the guns and the pillowcases together and headed outside to his car. His first stop was at the edge of the canal that runs behind the family home.

He pitched the murder weapon into the water, then drove to Brooklyn, where he dumped the rest of the evidence into a storm drain. Once he was done covering his tracks, he headed towards his grandfather's Buick shop to start work.

He spent the rest of the day laying the groundwork for his alibi, making calls home, telling people he was worried about his family, but staying away from the house as long as he could.

Then, when he couldn't put it off any longer, he pretended to discover the bodies and rushed to Henry's Bar for help. When Ronnie finishes telling the full story to detectives and signs the confession, the investigation is basically done.

The news slowly trickles out to the media and through the small town. The relief that a mass murderer has been apprehended is tinged with the horror of a man killing his entire family in cold blood.

There's also a sense of bewilderment, because Ronnie never offers an explanation for why he did what he did. At one point, he asked the cops if he'll be able to collect life insurance money on his relatives.

But that's about as close as he gets to offering the motive for the murders. Until the trial. In October 1975, Ronnie's case makes it to the courtroom.

There, his attorneys put on an insanity defense, alleging that Butch hears voices, and that on November 13th, those voices ordered him to kill his family. But the jury aren't buying it.

And just over a year after the DeFeo slayings, they find Ronnie guilty of six counts of second degree murder. He's sentenced to six terms of 25 years to life.

In the years following his trial, Ronnie launches several appeals and spins different versions of his story to anyone who'll listen.

At one stage, he begins arguing that his sister Dawn was the real killer that night, and that he killed her when he realized what she had done.

Other theories about the case emerge, with some alleging that the DeFeo children were abused by their father, which was the reason behind Ronnie's actions. But even if that were the case, it wouldn't explain his decisions to kill his siblings, too.

So, as the story disappears from the newspaper front pages, it seems that the mystery of what drove Ronald DeFeo Jr. to kill will remain unsolved.

But then, a young family takes up residence in the house on Ocean Avenue, and the story takes on a terrifying new life.

It's Huluween on Disney Plus. Watch frightful family favorites like Hocus Pocus and Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas on Disney Plus.

I am the pumpkin king.

Then take the Terror to 10 with a thrilling new remake of The Hand That Rocks the Cradle, Scream, and more with Huluween on Disney Plus. All these and more screaming this Halloween season with Hulu on Disney Plus.

Bundle subscription required, 18 plus. Select Hulu content via Disney Plus. Additional content on Hulu app.

Terms apply. Visit disneyplus.com/hulu for details.

When did making plans get this complicated? It's time to streamline with WhatsApp, the secure messaging app that brings the whole group together.

Use polls to settle dinner plans, send event invites and pin messages so no one forgets mom's 60th and never miss a meme or milestone. All protected with end-to-end encryption. It's time for WhatsApp.

Message privately with everyone. Learn more at whatsapp.com.

It's January 14th, 1976, and the front door to 112 Ocean Avenue comes flying open. 29-year-old Greg Lutz is the first one who rushes out into the cold winter sunlight. Behind him is his wife Kathy and her three young children.

George turns to make sure everyone makes it out of the house before he reaches in and pulls the door shut. With shaking hands, he turns the key. Hearing the locks slide into place feels reassuring.

It's nice to know that whatever is inside the house can't get out, can't follow them. With that, George ushers his family to the car and gets behind the wheel. Seconds later, they're reversing out of the driveway and onto the street.

He takes one terrified final glance at the house in the rearview mirror and then speeds away. None of them will ever return to this cursed place. After Ronald DeFeo Jr.

was sent to prison in 1975, his family home is bought by newly weds George and Kathy Lutz. They pay just $80,000 for the enormous home, which would be a little shy of half a million dollars today.

It's over their budget, but it's so much house for so little money that they can't resist, even after hearing about the murders that took place within. But of course, they got more than they bargained for.

The family of five spend just 28 days living in the three-story Dutch colonial before they flee, seemingly chased from the building by malevolent spirits.

Following their brief stay at 112 Ocean Avenue, the Lutzes tell their story to a book editor who connects them with author Jay Anson.

George and Kathy recount their experiences to Jay, and he turns their recollections into a novel, The Amityville Horror.

The ink and paper versions of the Lutzes hear slamming doors at all hours, see cloven hoof prints in the snowy lawn, watch in horror as mysterious slime seeps from the walls, and are forced to stand by as their children are seemingly trapped in their

rooms. In the book, a little research by George and Kathy reveals that 112 Ocean Avenue was built on a Native American burial ground, and was once inhabited by a supposed Satanist. That's the reason for the terrors in the house.

It's just plain cursed. Based on Jay's book, it's easy to see why the Lutzes fled. They experienced a genuine haunting, or so they say.

After all, the book is marketed as a true story, but then someone comes forward to say that the Lutzes are lying. William Weber was Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s lawyer at his murder trial.

According to him, the tale of a violent haunting in the murder house is something he cooked up with the Lutzes over several bottles of wine. They figured people would eat up the idea of evil spirits in the house where a mass murder took place.

Gullible people would hear the tale and point to the horrific DeFeo murders as proof of the haunting. But, William tells the media, George and Kathy took the idea to a publisher and cut him out of the deal.

After William comes forward, lawsuits are filed, paranormal investigators visit the house and judges weigh in on the matter. Now, of course, the Luxes can't admit they made everything up.

Not after a Hollywood producer comes and buys the rights to adapt their true story into a feature film. That would make it just another scary movie. The idea that all this really happened is the key selling point.

So they hold their ground, insisting that the book is a faithful account of their experience. They were chased from that house by something evil. Over time, the debate about the Lutzes' truthfulness fades.

By the time that movie hits the theaters in the summer of 79, George and Kathy's role in the tale is all but over.

The facts of the DeFeo murders have been obscured by sensational claims about a haunted house supposedly built on a Native American burial ground. Fans of the book and movie make the pilgrimage to Ocean Avenue to take photos of the iconic house.

They knock on the door and ask to see inside. But aside from these uninvited visitors, none of the subsequent owners of 112 Ocean Avenue ever report anything strange going on in their house.

As far as they're concerned, it's a perfectly normal place to live. Still, the popularity of the Amityville Horror endures to this day.

More than 20 films based on the setting have been produced over the decades, expanding on the myths the Lutzes and Jay Aronson created together. And each of them, intentionally or not, suggests an explanation for Ronald DeFeo's crimes.

In court, he claimed that he heard voices, but psychologists testified that he was perfectly sane. And for such a horrific crime, to have no understandable motive is chilling. If he was perfectly sane, then what were those voices?

Must have been something demonic, right? After all, humans have been using the devil made-me-do-it excuse for a really long time. The supernatural rationale is squishier, and sure, it's hard for plenty of people to swallow.

But somehow it's easier to grasp than the idea that a young man just woke up in the middle of the night and decided that his entire family had to die. From Airship, this is our final episode in our series on Halloween Horrors.

On the next series, a nurse with a desperate need for attention decides that the best way to get it is to start killing her patients. And there's nobody who can stop her. We use many different sources while preparing this episode.

One we can particularly recommend is High Hopes, The Amityville Murders, by Gerard Sullivan and Harvey Aaronson. This episode may contain reenactments or dramatized details.

And while in some cases, we can't know exactly what happened, all our dramatizations are based on historical research. American Criminal is hosted, edited, and executive produced by me, Jeremy Schwartz.

Audio, editing, and sound design by Sean Ruhl-Hoffman. Music by Thrum. This episode is written and researched by Joel Callan.

Managing producer, Emily Burt. Executive producers are Joel Callan, William Simpson, and Lindsey Graham.

It was the spring of 1988, Northwestern Alabama. A preacher commits a sin, a deeply personal transgression. And from there, everything spirals out of control.

The amount of damage this man did is incalculable. It's still damaging all of us.

It still hurts us to think about it.

From Revisionist History, this is The Alabama Murders. Listen to Revisionist History, The Alabama Murders, anywhere you get podcasts.