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The 5 Shocking Secrets Of 112 Ocean Avenue: Where The Amityville Horror House Stands Today (2025 Update)

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Decades after the horrific events that inspired "The Amityville Horror," the house at 112 Ocean Avenue remains one of the most infamous and curious properties in American history. As of the current date in December 2025, the house is a private residence, diligently shielded from the public eye, yet the curiosity surrounding its dark past and current status has never faded.

The original address, often misremembered as "112 Ocean Drive," is the site of a brutal mass murder and the source of a paranormal legend that launched a global horror franchise. This article dives deep into the true history, the major renovations, the critical address change, and the most recent updates, including the 2021 death of the killer, Ronald DeFeo Jr.

The Complete Biography of 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, NY

The house itself is a Dutch Colonial-style residence, built in 1927, known for its distinctive quarter-round "eye" windows on the third floor, which became iconic in the film adaptations. Its notoriety is tied to two distinct periods:

  • Original Address: 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, New York.
  • Current Address: 108 Ocean Avenue (Changed by a subsequent owner to deter sightseers).
  • Architectural Style: Dutch Colonial Revival.
  • Year Built: 1927.
  • The DeFeo Family (1965–1974):
    • Victims: Ronald DeFeo Sr. (43), Louise DeFeo (43), Dawn DeFeo (18), Allison DeFeo (13), Marc DeFeo (12), and John Matthew DeFeo (9).
    • Killer: Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. (23), the eldest son.
    • Date of Murders: November 13, 1974.
  • The Lutz Family (1975):
    • Occupants: George Lutz, Kathy Lutz, and her three children (Daniel, Christopher, and Missy).
    • Duration of Stay: 28 days (December 1975 – January 1976).
    • Significance: Their story was the basis for the 1977 book and subsequent films, alleging severe paranormal activity.
  • Last Known Sale: March 2017 for $605,000 to an undisclosed owner.
  • Killer's Death: Ronald DeFeo Jr. died in prison in March 2021 at the age of 69.

The DeFeo Murders and the 2021 Death of Ronald DeFeo Jr.

The dark history of the Amityville house began on November 13, 1974. In the early morning hours, Ronald "Butch" DeFeo Jr. murdered his entire family—his parents, Ronald Sr. and Louise, and his four younger siblings—as they slept in their beds.

DeFeo Jr., then 23, used a .35 caliber Marlin rifle and confessed to the crime, though his motives remained a subject of intense speculation for decades. He claimed to hear voices telling him to commit the murders, a defense that was ultimately rejected. He was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder in 1975 and sentenced to six concurrent sentences of 25 years to life.

A Crucial Update: The Killer is Gone

One of the most significant and recent updates to the Amityville saga is the death of Ronald DeFeo Jr. He died on March 12, 2021, at the age of 69, while incarcerated at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in New York. DeFeo had been denied parole multiple times, and his death closed the final chapter on the man directly responsible for the tragedy that cursed the property’s reputation.

His passing, while not directly affecting the house's current status, symbolically severs the living link to the original crime. For many, the death of the killer marks a definitive end to the human element of the nightmare, leaving only the legend of the alleged haunting behind.

The Lutz Family Haunting: Legend vs. Reality

Just 13 months after the DeFeo murders, George and Kathy Lutz and their three children moved into the house, fully aware of its tragic history. Their stay, however, lasted only 28 days.

The Lutz family's account of their time at the house formed the basis of Jay Anson's 1977 book, *The Amityville Horror*, and the 1979 film. They alleged a terrifying series of paranormal events, including mysterious odors, swarms of flies, strange voices, objects moving on their own, and George Lutz waking up at 3:15 AM—the approximate time of the DeFeo murders.

The Hoax Debate

The widespread fame of the Lutz story was quickly met with skepticism. Critics, including a lawyer named William Weber (who represented Ronald DeFeo Jr.), claimed the haunting was a "hoax" concocted by the Lutzes and Weber over many bottles of wine. The debate over the veracity of the haunting continues to this day, polarizing fans, paranormal investigators, and historians.

Regardless of belief, the Lutz family's narrative cemented the house’s place in pop culture history, overshadowing the original murders with tales of demonic pigs, red rooms, and the infamous "eye" windows staring out over the Great South Bay.

The Current Status of the Amityville House (2025)

The house at what was once 112 Ocean Avenue is a perfectly normal, albeit highly scrutinized, private residence. The current owners have taken significant steps to ensure their privacy and distance the property from its infamous past.

The Critical Address Change and Renovations

To discourage the constant stream of tourists and gawkers, one of the families who purchased the house after the Lutzes, the Cromartys, successfully had the address officially changed from 112 Ocean Avenue to 108 Ocean Avenue. This simple change is the single most effective measure taken to give the occupants a measure of peace.

Furthermore, the house has undergone multiple renovations over the years. Most notably, the iconic "eye" windows—the source of the house’s sinister look in the movies—have been replaced or significantly altered to look like standard rectangular windows. These changes were deliberate, aimed at reducing the resemblance to the movie version and making the house blend in with its affluent waterfront neighborhood.

The Last Sale and Privacy

The last publicly reported sale occurred in March 2017. The house was listed for $850,000 but ultimately sold for $605,000, suggesting the stigma still affects its market value. The identity of the current owner has been kept private, a common practice for the residents of this notorious property.

The house remains occupied by a family who simply wishes to live a normal life. Local authorities and neighbors are known to be protective of the residents' privacy, actively discouraging visitors who attempt to find the location of the world's most famous "haunted" house. The true story of 112 Ocean Avenue is no longer about the horror, but about the quiet life of a family trying to escape a legend.

The 5 Shocking Secrets of 112 Ocean Avenue: Where the Amityville Horror House Stands Today (2025 Update)
112 ocean drive amityville new york
112 ocean drive amityville new york

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