The Amityville Horror House Today: 5 Shocking Facts About 108 Ocean Avenue In 2025

The Amityville Horror House remains one of the most infamous addresses in American history, a site forever scarred by a mass murder and sensationalized by claims of a terrifying haunting. As of December 2025, the Dutch Colonial house in Amityville, New York, is still standing, occupied by private owners who simply want to live in peace, far from the macabre fascination of tourists and horror enthusiasts.

The true story of the house at 112 Ocean Avenue is a complex tapestry woven from a brutal crime, a bestselling book, and decades of controversy. While the films and novels have cemented a terrifying legend, the reality of the property today—its address, its value, and the true extent of its "horror"—is often misunderstood. This article cuts through the fiction to deliver the most current and verified facts about the house.

The True Story Timeline and Cast of Characters

To understand the current status of the Amityville house, it is essential to first establish the factual events and the key players who created the legend. The house's history is divided into two distinct, yet interconnected, chapters: the DeFeo murders and the Lutz family's brief residency.

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• Location: 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, Long Island, New York (Original Address)
• Architectural Style: Dutch Colonial Revival
• Original House Name: "High Hopes"
• Date of Murders: November 13, 1974
• Date of Lutz Family Move-In: December 1975
• Lutz Residency Duration: 28 Days

The DeFeo Family Tragedy (The Facts)

On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr., known as "Butch," murdered six members of his own family in their beds using a high-powered rifle. The victims were found lying face down in their beds, a detail that baffled investigators and later fueled the supernatural theories.

• Ronald DeFeo Sr. (43, Father)
• Louise DeFeo (43, Mother)
• Dawn DeFeo (18, Sister)
• Allison DeFeo (13, Sister)
• Marc DeFeo (12, Brother)
• John Matthew DeFeo (9, Brother)

The Lutz Family and the Haunting (The Legend)

Just 13 months after the murders, George Lutz and Kathy Lutz moved into the house with Kathy's three children from a previous marriage: Daniel Lutz, Christopher Lutz, and Missy Lutz. They stayed for only 28 days, claiming they were terrorized by aggressive paranormal phenomena, including strange odors, green slime, levitation, and the manifestation of a demonic, pig-like entity named Jodie. Their story was the basis for the 1977 book *The Amityville Horror* by Jay Anson.

Famed paranormal investigators Ed Warren and Lorraine Warren also visited the house, conducting an investigation that resulted in the famous photograph of a supposed "ghost boy" on the staircase. However, the claims of a haunting have been widely disputed, with many critics, including Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s defense lawyer William Weber, suggesting the story was a financial hoax.

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5 Current Facts About the Amityville Horror House in 2025

The house has changed hands multiple times since the Lutz family fled in 1976. Each subsequent owner has attempted to distance the property from its dark past, but the legend endures. Here is the most up-to-date information on the property.

1. The Address Was Permanently Changed to Deter Tourists

The original, notorious address was 112 Ocean Avenue. Because the house is a private residence, later owners successfully petitioned the town of Amityville to change the street number to discourage a constant stream of sightseers and trespassers. The house is now officially known as 108 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, NY. This change, along with significant renovations, has made it harder for the public to identify the exact location, allowing the current residents a greater degree of privacy. The infamous "jack-o'-lantern" windows, however, remain a key identifying feature of the Dutch Colonial structure.

2. The Last Confirmed Sale Price Was $605,000

Despite the house's gruesome history, its location in a desirable Long Island neighborhood keeps its value high. The last publicly confirmed sale of the actual Amityville Horror House (108 Ocean Avenue) was in March 2017, when it sold for $605,000. While the property was listed for $850,000, the final sale price was a significant reduction, likely due to the stigma attached to the address. It is important to note that a widely reported $1.46 million sale in January 2023 was for a different house in Toms River, New Jersey, which was used as a filming location for the 1979 movie adaptation, not the original Amityville property.

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3. The Current Owners Report No Paranormal Activity

Every family that has lived in the house since the Lutzes—including the Cromarty, O'Neill, and current anonymous owners—has reported no unusual or paranormal activity. The current residents, like their predecessors, have consistently stated that the home is a normal, peaceful place to live. The only "haunting" they experience is the constant presence of the media and tourists. This fact strongly supports the long-standing skepticism that the supernatural events described in Jay Anson's book were exaggerated or entirely fabricated, possibly in collaboration with Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s lawyer to create a temporary insanity defense.

4. Ronald DeFeo Jr. Died in Prison in 2021

The man responsible for the initial tragedy, Ronald DeFeo Jr., died in prison on March 12, 2021, at the age of 69. He was serving six concurrent sentences of 25 years to life for the mass murder of his family. DeFeo’s death closed the final living chapter of the initial crime. His death ended any chance of new testimony or confessions that could definitively resolve the lingering questions about the motive or whether he acted alone, which have been points of debate for decades.

5. The Infamous "Red Room" Was Likely a Myth

One of the most terrifying elements of the book and films is the discovery of a hidden, small, bright red room in the basement, which the Lutzes claimed was a portal to hell or a source of evil energy. The existence of this "Red Room" is one of the most disputed parts of the narrative. While the house does have a basement, no subsequent owner or verified investigator has ever confirmed the existence of a hidden, purpose-built red chamber. The feature is widely considered to be a dramatic invention of the book to enhance the horror narrative and the idea of a malevolent presence within the Dutch Colonial home.

The Legacy of Fear and Media Sensationalism

The Amityville Horror is less a story of a haunting and more a profound case study in media sensationalism and true crime. The 1977 book and the subsequent film franchise, starting with the 1979 movie, launched a massive cultural phenomenon that continues to influence the horror genre. The story’s power lies in its claim of being "A True Story," blurring the lines between the horrific reality of the DeFeo Murders and the fictionalized terror of the Lutz Family’s experience.

Today, the house at 108 Ocean Avenue stands as a quiet monument to both a dark tragedy and a successful literary hoax. While the current owners live a normal life, the unsettling image of the Dutch Colonial home with the sinister windows remains a powerful symbol of fear, ensuring the Amityville legend will continue to fascinate—and frighten—for generations to come.