Episode 610: The Amityville Horror Conspiracy

Oct 17, 2024

Delve into the eerie backstory of the Amityville house, where tragedy and terror intertwine. Discover the unsettling experiences of the Lutz family as they faced strange phenomena and dark shifts in their dynamics. Explore the intersection of public fascination with the paranormal and the grim reality of past events. Listen to humorous reflections on the haunting legacy and the financial motives behind the sensationalized story, highlighting the complex relationship between tragedy and profit.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

Haunting Choices: The Amityville Narrative

02:56 • 22min

Holiday Cheer and Safety Talks

25:11 • 4min

Haunted Changes: The Lutz Family's Turmoil

29:35 • 14min

Ghosts and Secrets: The Amityville Chronicles

43:37 • 9min

Echoes of Fear and Humor

52:07 • 5min

Escape from Amityville

57:00 • 16min

The Business Behind The Amityville Horror

01:13:07 • 2min

Unraveling the Amityville Horror

01:15:30 • 21min

Navigating the Legacy of the Amityville Horror House

01:36:42 • 4min

Exploitation of Tragedy in the Amityville Horror

01:40:15 • 2min

Spooky Season Teasers and Authentic Storytelling

01:42:06 • 4min

On December 18, 1975, George and Kathy Lutz moved their family into their new house on Ocean Avenue in Amityville, NY, where, just one year earlier, Ronald DeFeo Jr. had murdered all six members of his family. Twenty-eight days later, the Lutz family fled the home, leaving behind all their belongings and vowing never to return again. According to the Lutzes, their time in the house on Ocean Avenue was a nightmare of psychic attacks and demonic activity that put them in fear for their lives.

The supposed experience of the Lutz family served as the basis for the iconic haunted house story, The Amityville Horror, and the countless films adapted from or inspired by the original novel. However, unlike most other stories of paranormal experiences, The Amityville Horror became a phenomenon that influenced everything from Ronald DeFeo’s criminal defense to the American public’s belief in the supernatural. Yet for all their talk of it being a genuine story of demonic activity, in the years since the publication of The Amityville Horror, a large body of evidence from skeptical evaluations to court records and interview transcripts suggest that America’s most notorious haunted house might not have been quite so haunted after all.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!!

References

Ansen, Jay. 1978. The Amityville Horror. New York, NY: Bantam Books.

Bartholomew, Robert, and Joe Nickell. 2016. "The Amityville Hoax at 40." Skeptic Magazine 8-12.

Carter, A.J. 1976. "DeFeo house: legal twist." Newsday, February 17: 3.

Drehsler, Alex, and Jim Scovel. 1977. "Fact or fiction." Newsday, November 17: 188.

Gelder, Lawrence Van. 1977. "A real-life horror story." New York Times, October 9: L12.

Lutz v. Hoffman et al. 1979. 77-032D-T (Southern District of California ).

Nickell, Joe. 2003. "Amityville: The Horror of it All." Skeptical Inquirer 13-14.

Nickell, Joe. 2009. "The questionable research of Hans Holzer, dean of ghost hunters (1920-2009)." Skeptical Inquirer 5-6.

Schemo, Diane Jean. 1992. "'Amityville' prisoner says movie money tained defense." New York Times, June 25: B6.

Snider, Jane. 1977. "New owners call house beautiful, not haunted ." Newsday, May 13: 23.

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