Do you believe the Amityville story was true?

[Fatal]

I know it's a subject discussed over and over already, but what's one more time? Anyway, I believe some of it was true, and probably about half of the things mentioned in the movies was exaggerated. I know the priest who blessed the home did say he heard an evil voice say "Get Out!" and then felt someone slap him on his face. And I may be wrong, but I don't think a priest of the church would lie about such a thing.

[Moonie2012]

No, wasn't it an admitted fake?

[Fatal]

No, wasn't it an admitted fake?

From what I understand, George Lutz didn't admit it a fake. He just said it was exaggerated. Something along those lines.

[Marby]

I grew up on this story, and until I was a teenager, I thought it was all true. The priest's role in this whole mess was highly exaggerated, however.

Kaplan mentions several inconsistencies in George and Kathy Lutz’s story such as a complete exaggeration of the priest’s role. In The Amityville Horror a priest by the name of Father Mancuso is terrorized by a demon when he is trying to bless the home. He was stalked by the demon back to the rectory where he suffered boils, bleeding palms, and the overwhelming scent of excrement. In reality, a priest did in fact bless the home but a demon or spirit never harmed him.

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/unsolved_mysteries/49429

Indeed the house had never been "formally" blessed at all, not by Father Mancuso or any other priest.

http://hauntingsandentities.blogspot.com/2...ville-hoax.html

The Catholic Church was never involved. The priest (an alias was used in the book) was never in the house and had only counseled the family after they left the house because they were having trouble living where the murders had taken place.

http://chatanuga.org/Amitypt4.html

It would be a huge understatement to call Jay Anson's book an exaggeration. While sources vary, the general agreement is that the priest, if involved at all, did not experience anything out of the ordinary.

Honestly, this case fascinates me all the more because it was such a shameful hoax, and it taught me to scrutinize everything of this nature. Before I ever knew that it was a hoax, I was a big fan of Ed and Lorraine Warren's. I completely lost respect for them due to their involvement in this case. If you check out other investigations they have been involved in, they are quick to make everything about demons from hell. I would actually love to read further into their investigation of the Smurl family. I read and re-read that book as a kid I don't know how many times, and now, as an adult, I am interested in picking it apart and seeing if it still holds up to careful scrutiny.

Edited September 13, 2008 by Marby

[Caesar]

I know it's a subject discussed over and over already, but what's one more time? Anyway, I believe some of it was true, and probably about half of the things mentioned in the movies was exaggerated. I know the priest who blessed the home did say he heard an evil voice say "Get Out!" and then felt someone slap him on his face. And I may be wrong, but I don't think a priest of the church would lie about such a thing.

Yes the Priest said this on the tv show, In Search Of. I think it was haunted but thier was some lies said also. I think the reason it not haunted now is because the Lutzes used the same furniture as the Dufeo's

[Caesar]

I also have an image of a ghost boy on my other pc from the home

Here is the Father Ralph J. Pecoraro interview about his encounter

Father Ralph J. Pecoraro talks about his experiences at 112 Ocean Avenue on TV show In Search of... in 1980

[Nephilim_Slayer]

One of the strangest things in this case was how the brother shotgunned all the family to death and they were all found in their beds as if they were asleep when he shot them. He could not of killed them all at once and you would think that someone in that house would of heard the gunshots and hid or fled. But they were all found in their beds like he went to them 1 by 1 and killed them. It's pretty trippy.

Edited September 13, 2008 by Nephilim_Slayer

[Marby]

One of the strangest things in this case was how the brother shotgunned all the family to death and they were all found in their beds as if they were asleep when he shot them. He could not of killed them all at once and you would think that someone in that house would of heard the gunshots and hid or fled. But they were all found in their beds like he went to them 1 by 1 and killed them. It's pretty trippy.

That is what DeFeo keeps saying. I saw an interview with him on the crime channel a few days ago, where he implicated his sister, Dawn. One thing to consider is that the kids were probably petrified. One of them had a broken leg as well. All forensic evidence clears Dawn DeFeo of any wrongdoing.

Though obviously my own experience is no proof of anything, it is possible to sleep through gunshots, even if they are close. My neighbor gunned down a burglar when I was living back home, fifty yards from my open window. I never heard a thing until the dog woke me up by jumping into my bed.

Personally, I think he did do them all in. He has changed his story so many times at this point too that it's impossible to take anything he says seriously outside of the fact that his parents were pretty abusive toward the kids, which is supported by friends of the family.

[Fatal]

That is what DeFeo keeps saying. I saw an interview with him on the crime channel a few days ago, where he implicated his sister, Dawn. One thing to consider is that the kids were probably petrified. One of them had a broken leg as well. All forensic evidence clears Dawn DeFeo of any wrongdoing.

Though obviously my own experience is no proof of anything, it is possible to sleep through gunshots, even if they are close. My neighbor gunned down a burglar when I was living back home, fifty yards from my open window. I never heard a thing until the dog woke me up by jumping into my bed.

Personally, I think he did do them all in. He has changed his story so many times at this point too that it's impossible to take anything he says seriously outside of the fact that his parents were pretty abusive toward the kids, which is supported by friends of the family.

Yeah, it is possible to sleep through gunshots, but the gun he used was a powerful rifle. The investigators said that kind of gun could be heard a mile away or something like that. And I don't think all six of the people would have slept through it.

Like I said, I believe it was true to a certain extent. George admitted it was exaggerated. I believe they did experience some things but I believe the exaggeration there is that it was haunted by demons. I think it was haunted but not by demons, but only by the angry spirits of the DeFeo's.

Edited September 13, 2008 by Shadow09

[Marby]

Yeah, it is possible to sleep through gunshots, but the gun he used was a powerful rifle. The investigators said that kind of gun could be heard a mile away or something like that. And I don't think all six of the people would have slept through it.

We really can't know for sure.

It is possible that due to the family's mafia ties, and the age old mafia rule about not killing someone's family, which is a point that was brought up during the investigation when DeFeo claimed it was a mafia hit, that the kids remained in their rooms in the belief that they would be safe there.

DeFeo himself might have told them to stay put. According to a lot of family friends, the sibs were pretty close, and if you are in your room hearing gunshots and hear big brother tell you to stay where you are, you likely will. Even if they knew their brother was behind it, who's going to argue with an armed heroin addict?

Edited September 13, 2008 by Marby

[Fatal]

We really can't know for sure.

It is possible that due to the family's mafia ties, and the age old mafia rule about not killing someone's family, which is a point that was brought up during the investigation when DeFeo claimed it was a mafia hit, that the kids remained in their rooms in the belief that they would be safe there.

Yeah, but still, even with the whole mafia thing, if I'm sleeping in my house and I hear the loud sounds of a rifle being shot, I'm not just gonna lay there like everything's okay.

[Marby]

Yeah, but still, even with the whole mafia thing, if I'm sleeping in my house and I hear the loud sounds of a rifle being shot, I'm not just gonna lay there like everything's okay.

I edited the above post with another possibility.

[Fatal]

DeFeo himself might have told them to stay put. According to a lot of family friends, the sibs were pretty close, and if you are in your room hearing gunshots and hear big brother tell you to stay where you are, you likely will. Even if they knew their brother was behind it, who's going to argue with an armed heroin addict?

Well that one is a good possibility. It could explain why he shot the parents first, so they couldn't do anything about it. And they all were found on their stomachs. He could've told them to lay on their stomachs before he shot them. Well you made a good point.

But maybe we should get back onto the topic now on whether or not people believe in the whole haunting part of the story.

Edited September 13, 2008 by Shadow09

[Marby]

Well that one is a good possibility. It could explain why he shot the parents first, so they couldn't do anything about it. And they all were found on their stomachs. He could've told them to lay on their stomachs before he shot them. Well you made a good point.

Thanks.

We really only have DeFeo's convoluted accounts of the situation. It is easy for us to say, "How could they not have heard?" or "Why did they stay in their rooms?" But in the end, we don't know what or if anything was said. Even if DeFeo were to say something plausible, he admitted that he was going through a lot of heroin and drinking himself sober in the weeks leading up to this, which may be the only known fact.

Another interesting point is that this recent interview I saw, and I wish I could access it because it was fascinating and chilling, is that DeFeo, or anyone else interviewed, including a lifelong friend of his, never mention voices telling him to commit the murders. For all the drugs he was doing, and for all that he tried to jump on this and appeal the case when the Lutz's came out with their story, it is firmly established that DeFeo did this due to drugs and hatred for his parents who were very abusive. He admits to three of the murders and tries to pin the kids' murders on Dawn, claiming he killed Dawn in self defense. However, forensic evidence from Dawn's corpse debunks that story outright.

The Lutz's were having financial problems at the time they made up the story. Perhaps they based it on a few little unexplained things in the house, or they psyched themselves out when it sank in that an entire family had been murdered in their new home, but they certainly had financial motive for the hoax.

[Korbus]

Personally, I believe this was all a flat out hoax with very little truth at all. But, it's a great story and "when the legend becomes fact, print the legend" right?

I could list point by point why I believe it was a hoax from the get-go, but here's a great article by one of my paranormal icons, Troy Taylor, that says it better than I ever could:

http://www.prairieghosts.com/amityville.html

Enjoy!!

[Marby]

Personally, I believe this was all a flat out hoax with very little truth at all. But, it's a great story and "when the legend becomes fact, print the legend" right?

I could list point by point why I believe it was a hoax from the get-go, but here's a great article by one of my paranormal icons, Troy Taylor, that says it better than I ever could:

http://www.prairieghosts.com/amityville.html

Enjoy!!

Troy Taylor rocks. This is actually where I first read about the whole hoax too. I should have cited it from the get go. More coffeeeeee.....

[Regency]

This photo is pretty alarming, it's supposed to have been taken in the house.

http://www.ghoststudy.com/monthly/oct04/amityville.htm

[Marby]

This photo is pretty alarming, it's supposed to have been taken in the house.

http://www.ghoststudy.com/monthly/oct04/amityville.htm

I don't know enough about the photo to decide whether it's genuine, or a clever fake, so I'm not even going to go there. However, the Lutz family account did not center on the DeFeo family. They constructed a story based on the idea that the house was evil previous to the murders. I'm not saying that there is no possibility that the DeFeo's haunt the place. It wouldn't shock me if they did given the way they died. The Lutz story, though, has been shown to be complete hogwash.

[Plainbob13]

I don't know enough about the photo to decide whether it's genuine, or a clever fake, so I'm not even going to go there. However, the Lutz family account did not center on the DeFeo family. They constructed a story based on the idea that the house was evil previous to the murders. I'm not saying that there is no possibility that the DeFeo's haunt the place. It wouldn't shock me if they did given the way they died. The Lutz story, though, has been shown to be complete hogwash.

Very true. Its was a BIG con job.

[JustNormal]

I know it's a subject discussed over and over already, but what's one more time? Anyway, I believe some of it was true, and probably about half of the things mentioned in the movies was exaggerated. I know the priest who blessed the home did say he heard an evil voice say "Get Out!" and then felt someone slap him on his face. And I may be wrong, but I don't think a priest of the church would lie about such a thing.

We have discussed this before, and there were so many rumors surrounding this case, it lost credibility. IMO The Lutz's endured a Demonic haunting, no 2 ways about it, and did leave the house. Many think it had to do with money, but it surely did NOT. Just because the Warrens were involved, its an automatic fake, but they broke ground on Demonic hauntings and most still feel they were in it for the money, but they rarely charged for investigtions. Kaplin was a liar, and so was Jay Anson who wrote the book. TOO many people involved were in it for the almighty dollar, but the family was not. Priests and the Demonologists didn't lie, that is a given. There are numerous web sites stating George said "this" Kathy said "that" but till his death George stood his ground, and never backed down that this did occur. If you see some photos, and research it as I did, anyone would believe it DID happen. The movie was made Hollywood style, but the actual haunting was real and horrific. Its one of those stories that you either believe or disbelieve, I believe it to be true..JN

[IrishAidan07]

This photo is pretty alarming, it's supposed to have been taken in the house.

I don't believe in ghosts or demonic possession, so I suspect that picture was photoshopped.

Edited September 13, 2008 by IrishAidan

[Alienated Being]

I believe that this man was psychologically delusional (the one who heard the evil voices in his head, of course).

[Plainbob13]

Two words and I'm done on this one. "The Warrens." Thats all i need to know its fake.

[Marby]

Two words and I'm done on this one. "The Warrens." Thats all i need to know its fake.

What's mind blowing about this case is that the Warrens were only a small part of the greater picture in this hoax, so you know it's a whopper.

[Fatal]

I don't know enough about the photo to decide whether it's genuine, or a clever fake, so I'm not even going to go there. However, the Lutz family account did not center on the DeFeo family. They constructed a story based on the idea that the house was evil previous to the murders. I'm not saying that there is no possibility that the DeFeo's haunt the place. It wouldn't shock me if they did given the way they died. The Lutz story, though, has been shown to be complete hogwash.

Yeah, that's what I was saying too. I don't think there were any demons like the Lutz were implying. Just the DeFeo's. That boy in the ghost pic, people say he has a resemblance to Marc DeFeo, I think it is. The room the ghost boy is peeking out of, does anyone know if that was Marc and John's room? If so, that just may be the DeFeo boy.