Ronnie de feo - psychotic, possessed or overabused drugs

[debbyuk2008]

13th November 1974 the tragic massacre occurs of Ronald De Feo Senior, Louise (42), Dawn (18), Allison (13), Mark (12) and John (10)
All victims were found lying face down shot dead in bed.
Within days Ronnie junior confessed to the police "Once I started, I just couldn’t stop. It went so fast."
Why?

The trial began on October 14, 1975. Initially, Ronnie claimed voices forced him to massacre his family. However, the psychiatrist on trial Dr Harold Zolan claimed although De Deo had an anti social personality disorder he was found to be a regular user of heroin and LSD.

I have included some links for your information:

http://www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/family/amityville/1.html

http://www.amityvillemurders.com/murders.html

Then of course the horror movies started!

Interesting documentary uploaded to You Tube on the supernatural aspect of the case
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXE9BlxAlj

Was Ronnie De Feo a psychotic young man that

1. High on drugs massacred his family?

2. did not act alone - his sister Dawn participated initially

3. combination of troubled upbringing and drugs

4. Ronnie was plain possessed!

[grneyes]

Thanks for starting this thread Debby.

That http://www.amityvillemurders.com/murders.html site has a lot of information I didn't know about since I hadn't read anything about the case/story in years but I sure do remember the movies about the place.

I think they only thing they were possessed by was the desire to get rid of their family. I don't understand them killing the kids though unless it was just to get rid of witnesses.

[SaraSidle]

Thanks for starting this thread Debby.

That http://www.amityvillemurders.com/murders.html site has a lot of information I didn't know about since I hadn't read anything about the case/story in years but I sure do remember the movies about the place.

I think they only thing they were possessed by was the desire to get rid of their family. I don't understand them killing the kids though unless it was just to get rid of witnesses.

I agree grneyes but I think the drugs helped motivate them too. IMO

[debbyuk2008]

Morning everyone!

I can't locate it at the moment, however, I recently saw the end (I missed the first half) of an interesting interview with Ronnie with a psychiatrist present.

You have Ronnie vehemently denying he murdered his younger siblings. His new story was Dawn had to help him with the crime. He was begging the psychiatrist to see logic! (logic! That's a funny concept coming from Ronnie!) Ronnie maintains anyone intelligent can see there is no way he murdered the whole family alone.

However, the psychiatrists conclusion was Ronnie felt so guilty he was trying to block out his role in murdering children. It was as if he could handle murdering three adults. (Mom, Dad and 18 year old Dawn). However, the concept of murdering three young children was unbearable.

[susie31023]

I think that's the interview I saw. It was a few years ago. Butch really was interesting, shall we say. George and Kathy Lutz are both dead now, I think. Has anyone spoken to their children recently about all the stuff they claimed they saw? I know that the 'eye' windows have been replaced and that it's very difficult to see the house on Ocean Ave any more.

Joseph, I haven't read any interviews with the Lutz's children. I did read that the lawyer hekped with the "story" of the demons in the house. It made me sick when I realized it had all been just to make money.

As for Ronnie, I believe he murdered the whole family and using the excuse of Dawn killing the younger kids is just that an excuse. I went to his wife's website. She has pictures of orbs in which she says the faces are showing of the kids. At least I think it was the kids faces and Dawns face. She seems to be determined to prove he didn't kill the younger kids. But, in my opinion it's just another person looking for their fifteen minutes of fame. Sorry if that offends anyone, but I just don't buy her story. JMO

[SaraSidle]

I sure do not know who did what but one thing I think is Ronnie needs truth serum or hynosis????? There is Gun DNA on his sisters clothes as if she shot a gun I believe. IMO

[debbyuk2008]

The problem is that Ronnie seems to change his story every few years.

He definitely needs a truth serum Sara!

I do understand what the psychiatrist has said. He might be feeling some form of guilt about murdering his younger siblings. Therefore, by trying to eliminate himself from involvement he is trying to make his guilt go away.
Its almost like....its bad enough to murder your parents and 18 year old sister. But how can you bring yourself to murder younger kids?

[debbyuk2008]

http://www.injusticesofamityville.com/

This is apparently his wife's version of events...here Ronnie and Tracy try their best to persuade you of his innocence!

One thing that has always confused me. How can anyone marry someone who kills? I understand there is the motivation of money. However, don't they stop and feel remorse for the victims?
Its like when the late Ted Bundy was on trial you had loads of giggling fans listening to every word.

Funny old world!

[SaraSidle]

Why marry Butch/Bundy etc.

1. Stupid.

2. Desperate.

3. Stupid and desperate.

4. Blind.

5. Blind and stupid.

6.Blind, stupid and desperate.

7. Like living on the edge.

8. Like going over the edge.

9. Like being pushed over the edge.

10. VICTIM!

Feel free to add to the list. I am sure there are many others.:rolleyes:

Great posts debby and Joseph. I agree with the doc debby. I am sure he is justifying in his mind all the time. We will never know unless we use truth
serum. IMO

[debbyuk2008]

Hi Sara.

I often wonder whether Ronnie with his personality disorder and permanent damage from drug abuse actually now believes he didn't kill his younger siblings?
I think he has brainwashed himself.

By the way, guys I will be away this Saturday for a week. So I haven't disappeared! (I am going to Wales with my daughters)

[SaraSidle]

Hi Sara.

I often wonder whether Ronnie with his personality disorder and permanent damage from drug abuse actually now believes he didn't kill his younger siblings?
I think he has brainwashed himself.

By the way, guys I will be away this Saturday for a week. So I haven't disappeared! (I am going to Wales with my daughters)

Oh debby I totally agree with you . Some people that are considered normal in the brain can go into complete denial (which is kind of like brainwashing themselves). It protects them from the guilt and actions they have done. Like living a fanatasy. IMO

Have a great holiday with your daughter. remember times goes by very fast. Enjoy every minute!!

[debbyuk2008]

Oh debby I totally agree with you . Some people that are considered normal in the brain can go into complete denial (which is kind of like brainwashing themselves). It protects them from the guilt and actions they have done. Like living a fanatasy. IMO

Have a great holiday with your daughter. remember times goes by very fast. Enjoy every minute!!


Thanx Sara! The girls and I are traveling down to Wales later this morning.

[SaraSidle]

Yeah Deb. Have a nice time in Wales.

I wonder if Butch came up with the supernatural slant when on drugs and talked himself into believing it or whether he'd laid that line out when deciding how to explain the murders.

The Lutz's fascinate me. Why did they go with the supernatural malarky? I'd still like to know what the Lutz children have to say about it now that they are adults.

that could be Joseph. when you have somebody mentally unstable and they take drugs the thinking can go awry.

I also would like to know what the Lutz kids have to say. iMO

[Jules100]

I am one of the few who does think that Dawn had a hand in the killings, i def dont think that Ronnie commited these crimes alone

[susie31023]

Ah huh. A new player. Your ideas please. I suspect the gun residue on Dawn's clothes. She could have helped him. But then again he could have planted that as evidence in case he needed it later. And he did.

JB, I guess I'm gonna make everyone mad but I don't think Ronnie was possessed or that he was unable to know what he was doing. He and a friend had tried to rob his dads business a week or so before. So in my opinion he knew what he was doing and had planned it out. I don't think Dawn helped him because she would have been someone who could have inherited some of the money from his parents estate. He in my opinion was/is a very greedy person and he thought everyone would buy his scenario. When they didn't he tried to blame his dead sister. I sincerely hope they haunt his every move and that he hears their terror each and every minute he is alive..jmo

[Jules100]

Dawn wanted to leave the family she hated them as much as Butch did, no one will know for definite what happened that night apart from Ronnie but i will always think that Dawn helped

[Fish Face Frank]

that could be Joseph. when you have somebody mentally unstable and they take drugs the thinking can go awry.

I also would like to know what the Lutz kids have to say. iMO

Only two of the children has come forward to discuss the case.

1) Chris Lutz now Chris Quaratino ( or something to that effect) did snippets on Inside Edition when the remake came out a few years back. He stated things did occur but not like his father stated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=00YG7m0l8jg

2) A sister that wasn't born at the time the Lutz's lived at the house. I think her name was Gabrielle or something similar.

[Jules100]

According to Dr Stephen Kaplan who wrote the book the Amityville Horror Conspiracy Chris Lutz contacted him and said that he had stuff to say but he needed money for it die to his mothers illness - that's what it says in the book, whether it's true or not i dont know but just thought id give my 2 penneth