7 Shocking Facts About The Amityville Horror House: Where Is 112 Ocean Avenue Today?

The Amityville Horror House remains one of the most notorious and debated haunted locations in American history, a story that has transcended a horrific true crime to become a global cultural phenomenon. As of late 2025, the infamous colonial-style home at 112 Ocean Avenue—now a private residence on Long Island, New York—continues to draw morbid curiosity, despite the passage of over five decades since the events that first made it famous.

The latest news surrounding the property focuses not on new paranormal claims, but on the enduring legacy of the DeFeo murders, the subsequent media frenzy, and the current owners' successful efforts to reclaim their privacy. With a new film adaptation reportedly premiering in October 2024 and another "reimagining" in development, the truth behind the 28-day haunting claims is more relevant than ever.

The Central Figures: A Complete Biographical Profile

The story of the Amityville Horror is built upon three distinct groups of people: the victims and the killer, the family who claimed the haunting, and the subsequent owners who sought normalcy.

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Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. (The Killer)

• Born: September 26, 1951, in Brooklyn, New York
• Crime: Mass murderer, convicted of killing his entire family (parents Ronald DeFeo Sr. and Louise DeFeo, and four siblings: Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John Matthew) on November 13, 1974.
• Motive: Varied and disputed, ranging from drug-fueled rage and financial gain to the highly sensationalized claim of being possessed by a demonic entity.
• Sentence: Six concurrent sentences of 25 years to life.
• Death: Died in custody on March 12, 2021, at the age of 69, bringing a definitive end to the only person who truly knew the facts of the Amityville Murders.

George and Kathy Lutz (The Family Who Claimed the Haunting)

• Purchase Date: December 1975, for a drastically reduced price of $80,000.
• Duration of Stay: 28 days, from December 1975 to January 1976.
• Haunting Claims: The basis for the book and films, including claims of strange odors, green slime, a pig-like entity named "Jodie," and George Lutz's physical and mental deterioration.
• Later Life: Divorced in 1988. George Lutz died of heart disease in 2006. Kathy Lutz died of emphysema in 2004.

The Subsequent & Current Owners

• The Cromartys (1977-1987): The first family to live in the house after the Lutzes. They claimed to experience no paranormal activity.
• The O'Neills (1987-1997): Another family who lived there for a decade without public claims of haunting.
• Brian Wilson (1997-2010): Purchased the house for $310,000. He was the owner who successfully petitioned to have the address changed from 112 Ocean Avenue to deter sightseers.
• The 2017 Anonymous Owners: The house was last sold in March 2017 for $605,000, significantly below the initial asking price of $850,000. The current owners have maintained strict privacy and, like most post-Lutz residents, have reported no supernatural occurrences.

The Seven Enduring Mysteries and Facts of the Amityville House

The house, which the DeFeo family had affectionately named "High Hopes," continues to generate more questions than answers. Here are the seven most shocking facts and current statuses of the property and its legend.

1. The Address Was Changed to Ward Off Sightseers

The iconic address of the murder house, 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville, Long Island, no longer officially exists. Due to the relentless stream of tourists, trespassers, and curiosity-seekers, a former owner successfully petitioned the local government to change the street number. The house has also undergone extensive renovations to alter its distinctive, eye-like windows and overall appearance to make it less recognizable, a clear effort by residents to escape the property's infamous past.

2. The House Last Sold for $605,000 in 2017

Despite its dark history, the property remains a valuable piece of Suffolk County real estate. The last confirmed sale occurred in March 2017, when it was purchased for $605,000. While this was a discount off the original listing, it reflects the enduring market value of the waterfront home. Its estimated value has continued to climb, further demonstrating that the practicalities of the real estate market often outweigh the fear of a haunting.

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3. The Current Owners Report No Paranormal Activity

Perhaps the most significant and least-publicized fact is that all owners who have lived in the house since the Lutz family fled in 1976 have publicly stated they experienced no hauntings. This includes the family who lived there for a decade and the current, anonymous residents. This starkly contrasts the dramatic claims of the 28-day haunting described in Jay Anson's 1977 book, The Amityville Horror.

4. Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s Death in 2021 Closes the Door on New Murder Details

With Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s death in 2021, the hope of ever uncovering a definitive, non-supernatural motive for the DeFeo Murders has vanished. Throughout his life, DeFeo offered numerous conflicting accounts, including claims that his sister, Dawn DeFeo, was involved. His death ensures that the true, unvarnished facts of the night of November 13, 1974, will forever remain a mystery, fueling the legend of a demonic presence.

5. The Infamous 'Red Room' Was Just a Storage Area

One of the most terrifying elements of the Lutz's story was the discovery of a small, hidden room in the basement, which they dubbed the "Red Room" and claimed was a gateway to hell. Skeptics and later owners confirmed the existence of this small space, but identified it simply as a small, previously inaccessible storage area or closet, a common feature in older homes, thus debunking one of the most sensational claims.

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6. The Warren Family's Investigation is Highly Disputed

The famous paranormal investigators, Ed and Lorraine Warren (known from The Conjuring franchise), were involved in the Amityville case, conducting a highly publicized investigation that produced the famous photograph of the supposed "demon boy." The veracity of their findings, however, has been heavily challenged. Critics argue the Warrens, often referred to as "The Demonologist" and his wife, were instrumental in sensationalizing the Lutz's story, lending credence to the idea that the haunting was a hoax for financial gain.

7. The Amityville Horror Franchise is Still Expanding in 2025

The cultural impact of the house is far from over. In addition to the long list of existing Amityville Horror movie adaptations, a new film premiered in late 2024, and director David F. Sandberg is reportedly helming a major "reimagining" of the story. This continuous stream of media ensures that the legend of the house—the true crime, the Ocean Avenue property, and the claims of terrifying paranormal activity—will remain a topic of fascination for a new generation.

The Enduring Topical Authority of the 28-Day Nightmare

The Amityville Horror House, whether truly haunted or simply the site of a brutal family tragedy, has secured its place in American folklore. The undeniable fact is the murder of six members of the DeFeo family. The subsequent claims by George and Kathy Lutz, however, transformed a localized crime into a global sensation, creating a template for all modern haunted house stories.

Entities like the Red Room, the Mischief (the name of the DeFeo family boat), the Suffolk County Courthouse, the High Hopes house, and the 28 Days the Lutz family endured are now permanently etched into the horror lexicon. While the current, anonymous owners live in a renovated, renumbered, and quiet home, the legend of 112 Ocean Avenue continues to thrive, fueled by new media and the chilling, undisputed reality of the murders that started it all.