Amityville Horror - Butch DeFeo's Trial
Butch tried to blame a Mafia hit man whom he claimed had a vendetta against him. The detectives grew suspicious when they found an empty gun box in his bedroom that matched the murder weapon. His story came apart after hours of interrogation. "It all started so fast. Once I started, I just couldn't stop. It went so fast," he confessed.
When asked during his trial why he had done such a thing Butch replied, "As far as I'm concerned, if I didn't kill my family, they were going to kill me. And as far as I'm concerned, what I did was self defence and there was nothing wrong with it. When I got a gun in my hand, there's no doubt in my mind who I am. I am God."
DeFeo was put on trial for the killings and attempted a defense of insanity, which was supported by his psychiatrist, Doctor Daniel Schwartz. The psychiatrist for the prosecution, Doctor Harold Zolan, maintained that although DeFeo had an antisocial personality disorder and was an abuser of heroin and LSD, he was aware of what he was doing at the time of the crime.
DeFeo was convicted on six counts of second degree murder on November 21, 1975 and is currently serving a 25 years to life sentence at Green Haven Correctional Facility in Beekman, New York. The court found that Ronald DeFeo Jnr.'s motive for murdering his family was the US$200,000 insurance that was payable to him.
Even though Butch was found guilty of six counts of second-degree murder, many questions still remain about what really happened on that tragic night in November. Why didn't the children run after hearing the first shots? Why were the victims all found lying on their stomachs? Why didn't the neighbours hear the shots?
It was said that he drugged the family at dinner time so they would not awaken as he moved from room to room shooting each one with the rifle, although the autopsies discredited this theory. The police believed that the house muffled the sound of the shots, however, many people who have been in the house reported that street noise could be heard from inside.
According to gun experts, the sound of a .35 Marlin Rifle can be heard from a mile away, yet neighbours claim that the only sound they heard was the barking of the DeFeo family dog.
To this day Butch continues to change his story. Being a habitual liar, it is still unclear what role he played in the murders and whether he acted alone. For many, the truth remains to be told and investigations are in progress that may shed light on the validity of his story.
Read More:
Amityville HorrorAmityville Horror-The DeFeo Family
Amityville Horror-The DeFeo Family Background
Amityville Horror-The DeFeo Murders
Amityville Horror-Butch DeFeo's Trial
Amityville Horror-The Lutz Family
Amityville Horror-The Lutzes first few days
Amityville Horror-Poltegeist Activity
Amityville Horror-The Secret Room and the Ghostly Pig
Amityville Horror-The Lutzes Last Few Days in the House
The Amityville Horror - The Movie, 1979 and 2005 MGM Entertainment
More Ghost Stories:
Alcatraz Prison
Fort George, Ontario
Waverly Hills Sanatorium
Whaley House Haunting |
Related Websites |
