"High Hopes" Turn To Shattered Dreams On Ocean Avenue

"High Hopes" The Dutch Colonial on Ocean Avenue Built In 1925

The many stories, speculations, and unanswered questions caused by the book “The Amityville Horror” by Jay Anson and numerous films still plague America to this day. However, the true story behind 112 Ocean Avenue a.k.a. “High Hopes” is much more gruesome than anything Hollywood could have created from pure imagination.

The Defeo Children from left to right: John Matthew, Dawn,
Allison, Marc, and Ronnie "Butch" Defeo.

In the early morning hours of November 13, 1974 Ronald “Butch” Defeo Jr. shot and killed six of his family members as they slumbered in cold blood. Ronald DeFeo, Sr. (43), Louise DeFeo (42), and four of their children: Dawn (18); Allison (13); Marc (12); and John Matthew (9). All of the victims had been shot with a .35 caliber lever action Marlin 336C rifle. All of them were found lying face down in their beds “execution style.” The story shocked and changed not only Amityville, NY; but changed America forever. We lock our doors at night to keep our families safe from the not so perfect “outside” world, from all the news stories that happen to “other people” but can never happen to us. Until that night, no one would ever have imagined that a silent evil could be lurking inside your home, a snake in the grass. Only the snake is your own son, daughter, mother, or father… someone you love unconditionally and believe returns that love. 

Mother Louise and Father Ronald Sr.

 

Over the years “Butch” has added and taken away parts of the accounts of that night (generally to his convenience.) At one point he stated his family had Mafia connections and a hit man walked “Butch” from room to room forcing him to pull the trigger on his poor family. Another version, he claims the execution was all his sister Dawn’s idea.

He said the plan was to only kill their parents, and for whatever reason Dawn decided to kill her siblings as well. “Butch” in a fit of rage over the savage murders of his family decided to kill Dawn. In fact, the later explanation is actually plausible! Several years after the murders gunpowder was found on the nightgown worn by Dawn Defeo, which indicates she may have fired a weapon.

Ronald Defeo's Mugsh

A body being removed from
112 Ocean Avenue

The most outrageous but most famous claim made was that demonic voices from within the home told him to slaughter his family. This tale also took many alterations; “Jodi” a demonic pig with glowing red eyes told him to do it. At 3AM the night of the murders while “Butch” sat in the family basement watching tv a “hooded female demon” appeared from no where & handed him the gun he would use to kill his family,and mysteriously vanished.

With 5 of 6 of the Defeo’s murdered and the one and only survivor “the killer” who only tells tall tales, the sad truth is we may never know the events that actually took place that night in Amityville.  “Butch” Defeo is now incarcerated at Green Haven Correctional Facility, Beekman, New York and all of his appeals to the parole board to date have been turned down.
  

A birds eye view of the Dutch Colonial on Ocean Avenue

We may never have the answer to any of the questions surrounding that night. It seems the more you ask, the more confusing it all becomes. The scariest part of this tale, is it doesn’t end here. The Lutz family will soon occupy the home on 112 Ocean Avenue and their horror story has just begun…