As of December 18, 2025, the infamous Dutch Colonial house once known as 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York, remains one of the world's most recognizable and terrifying landmarks, yet its current status is a closely guarded secret. For decades, the house has been shrouded in a grim legacy of mass murder and alleged demonic possession, a story immortalized by the book and film franchise, The Amityville Horror. The reality today is that the house is a private residence, and its owners have gone to extreme lengths to erase its nightmarish public identity.
The original address, 112 Ocean Avenue, is now obsolete in an effort to deter the endless stream of tourists and curiosity seekers. The property has undergone significant renovations, most notably the removal of the distinctive "eye" windows that defined its cinematic image, fundamentally changing its appearance. The last recorded sale was in 2017, and the current residents live under constant scrutiny, a testament to the enduring power of the house's dark history.
The Haunting History and Profile of 112 Ocean Avenue
The house at 112 Ocean Avenue, a striking Dutch Colonial Revival built in 1927, is inextricably linked to one of the most gruesome true crime cases in Long Island history. Before it became the subject of a paranormal phenomenon, it was the scene of a brutal family massacre.
Historical Timeline: From DeFeo Murders to the Lutz Legend
- 1927: The Dutch Colonial house is built on Ocean Avenue in Amityville, New York.
- November 13, 1974: Ronald DeFeo Jr. murders his entire family—his parents, Ronald Sr. and Louise, and his four younger siblings, Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John—while they slept in their beds. DeFeo Jr. was later convicted and claimed he was driven by voices in the house.
- December 1975: George and Kathy Lutz purchase the house for a drastically reduced price of $80,000, just 13 months after the murders.
- January 1976: The Lutz family flees the house after only 28 days, claiming to have experienced terrifying paranormal activity, including cold spots, strange odors, levitation, and a cloven-hoofed demon.
- 1977: Author Jay Anson publishes The Amityville Horror: A True Story, based on the Lutz family's account, launching the house into international notoriety.
- 1979: The first film adaptation, The Amityville Horror, is released, cementing the house's iconic, terrifying image, particularly the "eye" windows.
The Shocking Truth About the Amityville Horror House Today (2025 Update)
Despite the sensationalized stories, the house is a regular, occupied family home. Its current status reflects a deliberate effort by the residents and local community to finally move past the macabre legend. The most significant changes have occurred in the last decade to ensure the privacy of the occupants.
1. The Last Sale and Undisclosed Owners
The house last changed hands in February 2017. It was sold to an undisclosed owner for $605,000, a figure significantly below the $850,000 asking price. The discount is a clear indicator of the "stigma tax" associated with the property's gruesome history. The identity of the current owners is kept private to protect them from the relentless public curiosity, which often involves trespassers and sightseers.
2. The New Address: 108 Ocean Avenue
To discourage the constant stream of visitors and unwanted attention, the house's address was changed from the infamous 112 Ocean Avenue to the less recognized 108 Ocean Avenue. This is a common tactic for owners of stigmatized properties, hoping to break the direct link between the physical location and the horror franchise.
3. The Removal of the 'Demon Eyes' Windows
Perhaps the most dramatic physical change to the house involves the distinctive quarter-circle windows on the third floor, often referred to as the "demon eyes." These windows, which gave the house its menacing look in the 1979 film, have been removed and replaced with standard rectangular windows. This renovation fundamentally alters the facade, making the house look less like its cinematic counterpart and more like its neighboring Dutch Colonial homes, effectively hiding it in plain sight.
4. Renovation and Modernization
In addition to the windows, the house has undergone extensive interior and exterior renovations since the 2017 sale. These updates are not only for modernization but also a psychological attempt to cleanse the house of its dark past, both literally and figuratively. The house is a beautiful, large property, but its value is perpetually depressed by its history.
5. The Enduring Skepticism
Despite the sensational claims, the Amityville haunting story is widely considered a hoax or a fabrication. William Weber, Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s defense attorney, admitted years later that he and George Lutz "created this horror story over many bottles of wine" to secure a book deal. This revelation has fueled the ongoing "true terror or clever hoax" debate, yet it has done little to diminish the house's global notoriety.
The Amityville Entities: A Deep Dive into the True Crime and Hoax
The story of 112 Ocean Avenue involves a complex web of real-life victims, alleged supernatural encounters, and media exploitation. Understanding the key players is essential to grasping the full scope of the Amityville phenomenon.
- Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr.: The perpetrator of the 1974 mass murder. He died in prison in 2021, taking his full story with him.
- The DeFeo Family Victims: Ronald Sr., Louise, Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John. Their tragic deaths are the undisputed historical fact at the core of the story.
- George and Kathy Lutz: The couple whose 28-day stay and subsequent claims of paranormal activity became the basis for the book and film. They maintained the truth of their story until their deaths.
- Missy Lutz: One of the Lutz children, whose experiences were central to the narrative.
- Father Pecoraro (Father Mancuso in the book): A priest who allegedly experienced frightening phenomena when blessing the house, a key moment in the Lutz's account.
- The Cromarty Family: The family who purchased the house after the Lutzes and lived there for ten years without experiencing any paranormal activity, directly contradicting the haunting claims.
- The Warrens (Ed and Lorraine Warren): Famed paranormal investigators who visited the house in 1976 and claimed to have documented evidence of demonic forces, adding credibility to the haunting story for many fans.
- William Weber: Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s defense attorney who later claimed the haunting story was a mutually fabricated hoax with George Lutz.
- Jay Anson: The author of the 1977 book, The Amityville Horror: A True Story.
- The Dutch Colonial Architecture: The style of the house itself, which became synonymous with the horror genre.
- The Amityville Horror (1979): The first and most famous film adaptation, starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder.
- The Amityville Horror (2005): The remake, starring Ryan Reynolds.
- Suffolk County, New York: The jurisdiction where the murders and subsequent investigations took place.
- Ocean Avenue: The street name that became infamous worldwide.
- The Red Room: A small, mysterious room allegedly discovered by the Lutzes, which they claimed was a gateway to hell.
- Jodie the Pig: The name of the imaginary friend/demon pig allegedly seen by Missy Lutz.
- High Hopes: The name of the DeFeo family's boat, a small but poignant detail from the crime scene.
The house at 112 Ocean Avenue is a powerful case study in how a true crime can be transformed into a global supernatural myth. While the current owners are attempting to live a normal life at 108 Ocean Avenue, the house's legacy as the Amityville Horror House will likely endure, a permanent fixture in the annals of American folklore and horror culture.
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