Amy Fisher And Joey Buttafuoco: 5 Shocking New Details About The Long Island Lolita And Her Lover's Lives Today

The infamous "Long Island Lolita" scandal, which gripped the American public in the early 1990s, continues to fascinate decades later. On this day, December 12, 2025, the central figures—Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco—remain subjects of intense curiosity, having navigated prison, divorce, new marriages, and a relentless media spotlight that refuses to dim. The story of the teenage lover who shot her older boyfriend's wife has transcended its true-crime origins to become a cultural touchstone representing tabloid excess and the painful consequences of a statutory relationship.

The lives of Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco have been a constant cycle of reinvention and renewed media scrutiny, proving that some scandals never truly fade. Despite their efforts to move past the 1992 shooting of Mary Jo Buttafuoco, their names are periodically thrust back into the headlines, most recently with television specials that re-examine the case and its long-term impact on their families.

Complete Biography and Profile: Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco

The story of the affair and subsequent shooting is the defining event for both individuals, but their lives before and after are complex and often overlooked.

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• Amy Fisher (The Long Island Lolita)
  • Full Name: Amy Elizabeth Fisher (Legally changed name post-prison)
  • Date of Birth: 1974
  • Infamous Incident: On May 19, 1992, at age 17, she shot Mary Jo Buttafuoco, the wife of her alleged lover, Joey Buttafuoco, at the Buttafuoco home in Massapequa, Long Island.
  • Conviction: Pled guilty to first-degree aggravated assault and served seven years in prison, paroled in 1999.
  • Post-Prison Life: Author of the memoir *If I Knew Then...* (2004), engaged in a brief career in the adult film industry, and has appeared in various reality television projects.
  • Current Status (2025): Has legally changed her name, is reportedly living back on Long Island, and has focused on raising her children away from the public eye, though she has participated in recent media specials.
• Joseph "Joey" Buttafuoco
  • Full Name: Joseph A. Buttafuoco
  • Date of Birth: March 11, 1956
  • Profession: Auto body shop owner.
  • Conviction: Pled guilty to statutory rape in November 1993 for his sexual relationship with the then-16-year-old Amy Fisher. He served six months in jail.
  • Post-Scandal Life: Divorced Mary Jo Buttafuoco in 2003. Has appeared in several low-budget movies and reality TV shows, including *Celebrity Boxing*.
  • Current Status (2025): Married to his second wife, Evanka Franjko, for nearly 20 years. He has reportedly been working on a movie about his early life.

The Enduring Media Legacy: Why the Story Still Grips the Public

Decades after the near-fatal shooting, the Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco case remains a subject of intense media scrutiny and public curiosity. The scandal was a harbinger of the modern tabloid era, with multiple TV movies, documentaries, and specials dedicated to dissecting every angle of the crime, the affair, and the subsequent legal battles.

The continued interest is fueled by the sensational nature of the crime—a teenage girl, a married man, and a devastating act of violence—but also by the very public, unconventional lives the main players have led since their release from prison. Their willingness to engage with the media, whether through tell-all books, reality TV appearances, or interviews, ensures the "Long Island Lolita" narrative never truly ends.

Recent Revelations and The 'Growing Up Buttafuoco' Special

One of the most significant recent developments highlighting the case's enduring relevance was the ABC '20/20' special titled "Growing Up Buttafuoco." This special brought Amy Fisher, Joey Buttafuoco, and Mary Jo Buttafuoco back into the spotlight, alongside Joey and Mary Jo's daughter, Jessie Buttafuoco.

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The special focused on the children of the Buttafuoco family, detailing the profound and lasting psychological impact the scandal had on them. This shift in focus from the perpetrators to the victims’ children provided a fresh, emotional, and devastating perspective on the long-tail consequences of the affair and the shooting. The public saw how the tabloid frenzy and the family's notoriety shaped the lives of the next generation.

Life After the Scandal: 5 Shocking Details About Their Lives Today

Both Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco have attempted to build new lives, often in the public eye, with varying degrees of success and controversy. Here are the most current and surprising details about their paths since the 1990s.

1. Amy Fisher Has Legally Changed Her Name and Returned to Long Island

After her parole in 1999, Amy Fisher sought to distance herself from the "Long Island Lolita" moniker. She legally changed her name and, after a period living elsewhere, has reportedly returned to Long Island, where the original drama unfolded. This move is significant, as it places her back in the geographical center of the scandal she spent years trying to escape. She has focused on raising her children and maintaining a more private life, though she remains occasionally drawn back to the media for interviews.

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2. Joey Buttafuoco is Happily Remarried After Divorcing Mary Jo

Joey and Mary Jo Buttafuoco divorced in 2003, more than a decade after the shooting. Joey Buttafuoco later remarried Evanka Franjko, and the couple has been married for nearly 20 years. His marriage to Franjko represents a long-term, stable relationship in stark contrast to the chaos of his early life. Buttafuoco and his wife have appeared in interviews together, attempting to portray a normal life despite his past.

3. Amy Fisher Wrote a Candid Memoir Detailing Her Side of the Story

In 2004, Amy Fisher published her memoir, *If I Knew Then... Remorse, Rehabilitation, Redemption, and the Re-Creation of a Life*. The book offered her perspective on her troubled childhood, her relationship with Buttafuoco, the shooting, and her time in prison. The memoir served as a form of public apology and reconciliation with her past, detailing her remorse for the pain she caused Mary Jo Buttafuoco and her own family. She also apologized to Mary Jo in court shortly after her release.

4. Joey Buttafuoco Has Pursued an Unconventional Entertainment Career

Capitalizing on his notoriety, Joey Buttafuoco has maintained a public profile through various media projects. He has appeared in several movies, often in small, self-referential roles, and participated in reality television, most famously in the 2002 *Celebrity Boxing* match against John Wayne Bobbitt. More recently, he has reportedly been working on a new film project focusing on his early life, suggesting his continued efforts to control and monetize his narrative.

5. The Financial Fallout Was Significant for Both Parties

The legal and personal fallout from the scandal resulted in significant financial strain. While both individuals have leveraged their stories for income through media appearances and books, the initial legal costs and the disruption to their lives were immense. Joey Buttafuoco, an auto body shop owner, has an estimated net worth that reflects the tumultuous and expensive nature of his decades in the public spotlight, demonstrating that infamy does not always translate to lasting wealth.

The Long-Term Impact of the Long Island Lolita Case

The saga of Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco remains a powerful illustration of the consequences of statutory rape, infidelity, and the media's voracious appetite for sensational crime. For Amy Fisher, the "Long Island Lolita" label has been a difficult shadow to escape, necessitating a name change and a continuous battle for privacy. For Joey Buttafuoco, his life has been defined by his attempt to transition from a small-town scandal figure to a minor celebrity, often by embracing the very notoriety that destroyed his first marriage.

Ultimately, the story is not just about the crime, but about the decades of fallout, the redemption sought by one, and the reinvention embraced by the other. The fact that their story continues to be revisited in documentaries and specials confirms that the public interest in this uniquely American tragedy is far from over.