The Night the Defeos Died: Reinvestigating the Amityville Murders

By Ric Osuna

Book Overview

On November 13, 1974, police received a report of a homicide at 112 Ocean Avenue in the Village of Amityville, New York, a sleepy seaside community located on Long Island's South Shore. Once there, the police discovered six members of the DeFeo family -- father, mother and four of their five children -- shot and killed execution style. The surviving son, Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr., was eventually charged and tried for the murder of his family and now is serving six concurrent life sentences. Some said a strong supernatural force in the DeFeo home drove Butch DeFeo to kill his family, while others claimed Butch DeFeo killed to receive an inheritance. The Night the DeFeos Died offers the true story behind this tragedy and exposes Butch DeFeo did not act alone in the commission of this crime. It also shows that the supernatural stories created about the famed Amityville house were nothing, but a ruse concocted for Butch DeFeo's defense that later grew into a cottage industry. The whole truth regarding the story has never been revealed, until the publication of Ric Osuna's book. From mob involvement to a corrupt judicial system, The Night the DeFeos Died reveals the full details of the DeFeo murders, including how they were a culmination of substance abuse and domestic violence.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1591095867
• ISBN13: 9781591095866
• Release Date: March 2006
• Publisher: Booksurge Publishing
• Length: 372 Pages
• Weight: 1.16 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Wrong book

I received the wrong book and now I have to return the book I got and reorder this one. I am so upset :(

Are we any closer to the truth?

As a Long Islander who grew up with the books, the movies and the myths, this book caught my attention enough to actually make it the first true crime book I've ever read. At best, THE NIGHT THE DEFEOS DIED is an entertaining, page-turning read. However, because the book deals mostly with facts that are derived from murderer Butch DeFeo, whom the author admit has lied many times over to accomodate his situations and circumstances, the accounts of what happend the night the DeFeos died can only be concluded as another version of what happened and not necessarily the truth. In the end, I felt I learned more truths about George and Kathy Lutz and the con artists that they were when they concocted the entire hoax that would become the Amityville horror legend. So as I said; entertaining, yes. Truth? Not necessarilty. Just another version of what COULD have happened. Like the Kennedy assassination, we may never know what really happened the night the DeFeos died.

A Night Of Horror

I just finished this book it is very interesting and gives you a whole new look at the Amityville story. I gave this book four stars because some parts about the court section was a bore but overall the book was pretty good. it is not a ghost story but a true horror story. the book tells us what really went on in the DeFeo family. The book also tells us how the whole Amityville horror story was put together by George and Kathy Lutz over a few bottles of wine. This book does explain a lot and makes a lot of sense. I always thought the Amityville Horror story was in part a true story but after reading this book I just do not know anymore.

A great read

Great book, full of information. I felt like the author took the time to really research and want the truth.

Interesting read

I saw the movie "The Amityville Horror" as a kid and was as scared as any kid would be. This book tells the story of what lead up to the events that happened in that house, which is much more interesting and intriguing. Well worth the read

Awesome book!

This book answered much about the Amityville case. It is the only Amityville book that cites reliable information as facts. These other reviewers are upset that the haunted stories have been exposed as a hoax. A very entertaining read and still in print. Recommended highly if you like true crime and conspiracy books...reads like Truman Capote's book.