112 Ocean Avenue, the site of the infamous "Amityville Horror," is a private residence in Amityville, New York, that gained worldwide notoriety following the 1974 DeFeo murders and the subsequent 1975 Lutz family haunting claims. While many "secrets" were popularized by fiction, investigative records and structural renovations confirm that the haunting was largely a fabricated hoax, though the house remains a site of significant historical and architectural interest.
The Dark History: The 1974 DeFeo Murders
Before 112 Ocean Avenue became a household name for the paranormal, it was the scene of a brutal and verified mass murder. On November 13, 1974, 23-year-old Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. used a .35-caliber Marlin rifle to execute six members of his family as they slept in their beds. The victims included his parents, Ronald Sr. and Louise, and his four siblings: Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John Matthew.
The "secrets" of the house often begin with the trial of Ronald DeFeo Jr. During the proceedings, DeFeo’s defense attorney, William Weber, attempted an insanity plea, claiming that his client heard voices from the house commanding him to kill. This was the first seed planted regarding a supernatural presence at the property. However, DeFeo was ultimately convicted on six counts of second-degree murder.
In later years, Weber admitted that he and the subsequent owners, the Lutz family, "created this horror story over many bottles of wine." The real "secret" of the DeFeo murders was not a demonic possession, but a combination of family dysfunction, substance abuse, and a calculated criminal act. Despite this, the tragedy left a permanent "stigma" on the property, which influenced every real estate transaction for the next five decades.
The 28-Day Haunting: Separating Fact from Folklore
In December 1975, George and Kathy Lutz purchased the house for the bargain price of $80,000. They moved in with their three children, only to flee 28 days later, claiming the home was infested by demonic entities. Their experiences were chronicled in Jay Anson’s 1977 book, The Amityville Horror, and the 1979 film of the same name.
To understand the secrets "inside" the house, one must examine the specific claims made by the Lutzes compared to the physical evidence found by investigators and subsequent owners:
- The "Red Room": The Lutzes claimed to have discovered a small, hidden room behind shelving in the basement that smelled of blood and excrement, labeling it a "portal to hell." In reality, this was a small, finished space under the stairs used for storage or as a play area by the DeFeo children. Every house of that era and style often had similar utility nooks.
- Green Slime and Swarming Flies: Claims of walls "bleeding" green slime and swarms of flies appearing in the dead of winter have never been substantiated by any physical evidence or reported by any owner before or after the Lutzes.
- Structural Damage: The book claimed doors were ripped off hinges and locks were smashed by invisible forces. When the next owners, the Cromartys, moved in, they found the original locks and hardware intact, with no signs of the violent damage described.
Architectural Evolution: From 112 to 108 Ocean Avenue
One of the most practical "secrets" unveiled about the property is its physical transformation to escape its own fame. By 2026, the house looks significantly different than it did in the 1970s. The owners have gone to great lengths to "de-mystify" the structure to discourage "dark tourism."
The Iconic Windows
The most famous feature of the original house was the pair of quarter-circle "eye" windows on the third-floor attic. These windows were portrayed in movies as the "eyes of the demon." To break this visual association, the windows were replaced with standard rectangular windows during a major renovation. This single change significantly altered the house's silhouette, making it less recognizable to casual passersby.
The Address Change
The address was officially changed from 112 Ocean Avenue to 108 Ocean Avenue. This was a deliberate attempt to confuse tourists and remove the property from "haunted house" databases. While the house remains in the same physical location on the Amityville creek, the postal change provided the owners with a layer of privacy and helped reset the property's digital footprint.
Interior Layout and Renovations
The house is a 5,000-square-foot Dutch Colonial. Inside, it features a large center hall, a formal dining room, a sunroom, and five bedrooms. Recent renovations have modernized the kitchen and bathrooms, removing any vestiges of the 1970s décor. The basement, once the site of the alleged "Red Room," has been remodeled multiple times. Owners throughout the 1990s and 2000s reported that the house is a "beautiful, quiet home" with no evidence of the cold spots or odors mentioned in the Lutz accounts.
Ownership History and Property Value
Despite its dark history, the property has remained a high-value asset in the Long Island real estate market. The house sits on a prime waterfront lot with a boathouse and a heated pool.
| Owner Period | Key Figures | Reported Experience |
|---|---|---|
| 1965–1974 | The DeFeo Family | Tragic end; no reports of hauntings prior to murders. |
| 1975–1976 | George & Kathy Lutz | Claimed extreme paranormal activity; lasted 28 days. |
| 1977–1987 | James & Barbara Cromarty | Reported zero paranormal activity; sued the Lutzes for fraud. |
| 1987–1997 | Peter & Edith O'Neill | Reported a normal, happy living environment. |
| 1997–2010 | Brian Wilson | Invested heavily in renovations; no hauntings reported. |
| 2010–2017 | Caroline & David D'Antonio | Maintained the home; noted privacy issues with tourists. |
| 2017–Present | Private Owners | Continued modernization; address remains 108 Ocean Ave. |
The Role of Ed and Lorraine Warren
No discussion of the "secrets" of 112 Ocean Avenue is complete without the involvement of Ed and Lorraine Warren, the famous demonologists. They visited the house in 1976 and claimed to have captured a photograph of a "ghost boy" on the second-floor landing.
Skeptics and researchers have since unveiled that the "ghost boy" strongly resembles Paul Bartz, an investigator who was part of the Warrens' team that night. The lighting and camera angle likely created the illusion of a supernatural entity. While the Warrens maintained until their deaths that the house was "demonic," no subsequent professional paranormal investigation using modern 2026 technology—such as thermal imaging or high-sensitivity EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena) recorders—has ever yielded a "smoking gun" of haunting at the property.
Challenges of Living at 108 Ocean Avenue
The true secret of the house is not ghosts, but the logistical nightmare of its fame. For the current owners in 2026, the primary "horror" is the influx of tourists. Despite the address change and structural modifications, the house remains a destination for true-crime enthusiasts and paranormal fans.
- Privacy Concerns: Owners have had to install high-tech security systems and privacy hedges to prevent people from trespassing or peering into windows.
- Neighborhood Relations: The Amityville community is notoriously protective and generally dislikes the attention the house brings to the quiet street.
- Real Estate Disclosure: Under New York law, "stigmatized property" rules apply. While sellers are not always legally required to disclose "hauntings," the DeFeo murders are a matter of public record that must be addressed during the "due diligence" phase of a sale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the "Red Room" still in the house?
The physical space that was dubbed the "Red Room" still exists as part of the basement's foundation, but it is no longer the "secret" room depicted in movies. It has been repainted, finished, and integrated into the modern basement layout. It was never a sacrificial chamber; it was a simple architectural quirk of the 1920s construction.
Why did the Lutz family leave if it wasn't haunted?
While the haunting is widely considered a hoax, the Lutzes were under significant financial pressure. Investigative reporters like Rick Moran suggested that the "haunting" was a way to exit a mortgage they could no longer afford while potentially profiting from a book deal. The collaboration between the Lutzes and William Weber (DeFeo's lawyer) supports the theory that the story was a financial and legal strategy.
Can I tour the inside of the house in 2026?
No. The house at 108 Ocean Avenue is a strictly private residence. There are no public tours, and the owners do not allow visitors. The Amityville Historical Society and local police actively discourage people from stopping or idling in front of the home.
Did the movie The Amityville Horror use the real house?
No. The original 1979 movie was filmed at a private residence in Toms River, New Jersey, which was modified to look like 112 Ocean Avenue. The 2005 remake was filmed in Salem, Wisconsin. The actual house in Amityville has never been used as a primary filming location for the major motion pictures due to the neighborhood's zoning laws and the owners' desire for privacy.
What is the current value of the house?
In the 2026 market, the property is valued based on its waterfront status and square footage rather than its "haunted" reputation. Similar homes in the Amityville area range from $1.2 million to $1.8 million. While the history can sometimes lower the price due to the "nuisance" of tourists, the luxury amenities and prime location keep the value high.
Practical Recommendation for Researchers
If you are interested in the "secrets" of 112 Ocean Avenue, focus your research on the legal transcripts of the DeFeo trial and the Cromarty v. Lutz lawsuits rather than paranormal blogs. The most fascinating aspect of the property is not the supernatural, but how a real-life tragedy was transformed into a global media phenomenon through clever marketing and a "perfect storm" of 1970s occult fascination.
For those visiting the area, respect the privacy of the current residents. View the house from the water if you must, but avoid trespassing or disturbing the peace of the neighborhood. The "secrets" of the house are now well-documented in historical archives, and the property itself deserves the quietude that its many owners have sought for decades.
