The true story behind the Amityville horror house...
Kathy levitate as his children’s beds slammed on the floors above him. He claimed he was pinned by an invisible force.
Terrified and exhausted, the Lutzes fled the following morning after just 28 days, leaving all their possessions, never to return.
Two months later, a local TV crew sent in “ghost hunters”.
They said the house was “like a psychic slumber party” and took photos apparently showing a ghostly boy. Two years later, the story became a bestseller.
But doubts emerged after Ron Defeo’s lawyer, who was involved in getting the book published, said he and the couple came up with the tale over several bottles of wine. Kathy, who died in 2004, and George, who died in 2006, always said they were telling the truth.
Son Christopher believes his parents stretched the truth, but says there was spooky activity. He blames his stepdad’s dabbling in the occult for unleashing “evil spirits”.
He says George and Kathy practised transcendental meditation and would repeat the name of spirits “not on the recommended list”.
He adds: “By calling those spirits George would have caused a haunting in any home.”
Haunted or not, the house was never the same again. Once the Lutzes returned their home to the bank and moved, it was bought by Jim and Barbara Cromarty for just $55,000 in April 1977.
The Cromartys found that they too could not sleep... due to thrill seekers who would visit the house late at night. Once the movie starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder hit cinemas in July 1979 police had to control the crowds.
The Cromartys finally managed to sell the house in 1987, and it has had several owners since. It last sold in 2017 for $605,000 (€555,000). No owners since the Lutzes have reported ghostly goings-on.
■ Amityville: An Origin Story on BBC Two from 9pm, all episodes streamed from 6am on iplayer.
When we got there I felt sick and could not go in CAROL SOVIERO
PAL OF THE OWNERS