Summary
In December 1975, George and Kathy Lutz moved with their three children into a large Dutch Colonial house in Amityville, New York. Thirteen months earlier, Ronald DeFeo Jr. had murdered his parents and four siblings inside the property. During their 28 days in the house, the Lutz family later claimed to have experienced a series of disturbing phenomena, including unexplained sounds, extreme cold, strange odors, doors and windows apparently moving on their own, swarms of flies and other frightening occurrences. The family left the house in January 1976 and did not return to live there. Their story subsequently became the basis of Jay Anson's 1977 bestseller The Amityville Horror and an enormously successful series of films. The paranormal claims, however, have been heavily disputed and no supernatural cause has been established.
Additional Notes
The Lutzes' later accounts included claims of green slime or gelatinous substances appearing in the house, unexplained damage to doors and windows, recurring cold spots and foul odors, large numbers of flies appearing despite the winter season and mysterious red eyes reportedly seen outside at night. George Lutz also described repeatedly waking at approximately 3:15 a.m., close to the estimated time associated with the DeFeo murders. Other dramatic incidents described in later versions of the story included Kathy allegedly levitating above her bed and a pig-like figure with glowing red eyes. The house attracted paranormal investigators after the Lutz family left, including Ed and Lorraine Warren. During one investigation, infrared photographs were taken; one image later became famous because a bright-eyed figure in a doorway was interpreted by some as resembling a young boy. The photograph remains controversial and does not establish the presence of an apparition. Serious doubts about the story appeared relatively quickly. Investigators identified inconsistencies and claims that could not be corroborated. Weather records, for example, challenged accounts of mysterious hoofprints appearing in snow, while police records did not support scenes described in which officers repeatedly came to the house. William Weber, Ronald DeFeo Jr.'s former attorney, later claimed that he and the Lutzes had developed the haunting story together, an allegation George and Kathy Lutz disputed. Subsequent owners of the property did not report comparable paranormal activity. The extraordinary commercial success of the book and films further complicated attempts to separate the family's original experiences from later embellishment. Several paranormal investigations were conducted after the Lutz family left the house. A March 1976 investigation included psychics, paranormal researchers and representatives associated with psychical research organizations, while infrared photographs were taken inside the property. Later investigators also used methods including temperature readings, motion detection, audio recording and infrared photography. Despite subjective experiences reported by some participants, no instrumentally recorded evidence was obtained that established paranormal activity in the house. --- George and Kathy Lutz and their three children were the principal witnesses to the alleged phenomena during their 28-day residence in the house. The family later described numerous unusual experiences, although individual incidents were not necessarily witnessed by all five family members. Their accounts subsequently became the subject of considerable controversy and skeptical investigation.
The Location Today
The house associated with the Amityville haunting remains a private residence, not a museum or public attraction. Its paranormal reputation is disputed, and the residents’ privacy should be respected.
- Environment
- River, Urban Area, Building / Residence
- Time of Day
- Various – day and night
- Evidence Level
- Witness Report
- Visiting the Location
- No Public Access
- Ownership of the Location
- Private