Editing Ronald DeFeo, Jr.

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{{Important}}
{{Important}}
{{Villain Infobox
{{Villain Infobox
|image = Ronald defeo.jpg
|Image = Ronald Defeo, Jr.jpg
|fullname = Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr.
|fullname = Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr.
|alias = Butch
|alias = Butch
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|occupation =Unknown  
|occupation =Unknown  
|crimes = Mass [[murder]]<br>[[Familicide]]
|crimes = Mass [[murder]]<br>[[Familicide]]
|hobby =Being with his family
|hobby =Being with his Family
|goals =Kill his family (Succeeded)  
|goals =Kill his Family (Succeeded)  
|type of villain = Delusional Murderer
|type of villain = Delusional Murderer
|motive = Possible Mental Illness
|motive = Possible Mental Illness
|skills = Rifle}}
|skills = Rifle}}


'''Ronald Joseph "Butch" DeFeo Jr.''' (September 26<sup>th</sup>, 1951 - March 12<sup>th</sup>, 2021) was an American mass murderer. He was tried and convicted for the 1974 killings of his father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters. The case inspired the book and film versions of ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amityville_Horror The Amityville Horror]''.  
'''Ronald Joseph "Butch" DeFeo Jr.''' (September 26<sup>th</sup>, 1951 - ) is an American mass murderer. He was tried and convicted for the 1974 killings of his father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters. The case inspired the book and film versions of ''[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amityville_Horror The Amityville Horror]''. He is currently serving six concurrent life sentences for the crime at Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York.
 
==Background==
==Background==
Around 6:30 PM on Wednesday, November 13<sup>th</sup>, 1974, 23-year-old DeFeo entered Henry's Bar in Amityville, Long Island, New York, and declared: "You got to help me! I think my mother and father are shot!" DeFeo and a small group of people went to 112 Ocean Avenue, which was located near the bar, and found that DeFeo's parents were indeed dead. One of the group, DeFeo's friend Joe Yeswit, made an emergency call to the Suffolk County Police, who searched the house and found that six members of the same family were dead in their beds.
Around 6:30 PM on Wednesday, November 13<sup>th</sup>, 1974, 23-year-old DeFeo entered Henry's Bar in Amityville, Long Island, New York, and declared: "You got to help me! I think my mother and father are shot!" DeFeo and a small group of people went to 112 Ocean Avenue, which was located near the bar, and found that DeFeo's parents were indeed dead. One of the group, DeFeo's friend Joe Yeswit, made an emergency call to the Suffolk County Police, who searched the house and found that six members of the same family were dead in their beds.
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DeFeo, also known as "Butch", was the eldest son of the family. He was taken to the local police station for his own protection after suggesting to police officers at the scene of the crime that the killings had been carried out by a mob hit man, [[Louis Falini]]. However, an interview at the station soon exposed serious inconsistencies in his version of events. The following day, he confessed to carrying out the killings himself; and Falini, the alleged hitman, had an alibi proving he was out of state at the time of the killings. DeFeo told detectives: "Once I started, I just couldn't stop. It went so fast". He admitted that he had taken a bath and redressed, and detailed where he had discarded crucial evidence such as blood-stained clothes and the Marlin rifle and cartridges before going to work as usual.
DeFeo, also known as "Butch", was the eldest son of the family. He was taken to the local police station for his own protection after suggesting to police officers at the scene of the crime that the killings had been carried out by a mob hit man, [[Louis Falini]]. However, an interview at the station soon exposed serious inconsistencies in his version of events. The following day, he confessed to carrying out the killings himself; and Falini, the alleged hitman, had an alibi proving he was out of state at the time of the killings. DeFeo told detectives: "Once I started, I just couldn't stop. It went so fast". He admitted that he had taken a bath and redressed, and detailed where he had discarded crucial evidence such as blood-stained clothes and the Marlin rifle and cartridges before going to work as usual.


DeFeo's trial began on October 14<sup>th</sup>, 1975. He and his defense lawyer, William Weber, mounted an affirmative defense of insanity, with DeFeo claiming that he killed his family in self-defense because he heard their voices plotting against him. The insanity plea was supported by the psychiatrist for the defense, Dr. Daniel Schwartz. The psychiatrist for the prosecution, Dr. Harold Zolan, maintained that although DeFeo was an abuser of [[heroin]] and LSD, he had antisocial personality disorder and was aware of his actions at the time of the crime.
DeFeo's trial began on October 14<sup>th</sup>, 1975. He and his defense lawyer, William Weber, mounted an affirmative defense of insanity, with DeFeo claiming that he killed his family in self-defense because he heard their voices plotting against him. The insanity plea was supported by the psychiatrist for the defense, Dr. Daniel Schwartz. The psychiatrist for the prosecution, Dr. Harold Zolan, maintained that although DeFeo was an abuser of heroin and LSD, he had antisocial personality disorder and was aware of his actions at the time of the crime.


On November 21<sup>st</sup>, 1975, DeFeo was found guilty on six counts of second-degree murder. On December 4<sup>th</sup>, 1975, Judge Thomas Stark sentenced DeFeo to six concurrent sentences of 25 years to life.
On November 21<sup>st</sup>, 1975, DeFeo was found guilty on six counts of second-degree murder. On December 4<sup>th</sup>, 1975, Judge Thomas Stark sentenced DeFeo to six concurrent sentences of 25 years to life.


DeFeo died on March 12, 2021, at the Albany Medical Center. An official cause of death is yet to be determined.
DeFeo is currently held at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in the town of Fallsburg, New York, and all of his appeals and requests to the parole board to date have been denied.


==Trivia==
==Trivia==
*The house (112 Ocean Avenue) gained more notoriety when the Lutz family bought the house and fled from it after living there for 28 days. They claimed the house was haunted by a strong demonic force and they claimed that the demonic force in the house caused Ronald Jr. to kill his family.
*The house (112 Ocean Avenue) gained more notoriety when the Lutz family bought the house and fled from it after living there for 28 days. They claimed the house was haunted by a strong demonic force and they claimed that the demonic force in the house caused Ronald Jr. to kill his family.
[[Category:Modern Villains]]
[[Category:Modern Villains]]
[[Category:Destroyer of Innocence]]
[[Category:Destroyer of Innocence]]
[[Category:Murderer]]
[[Category:Murderer]]
[[Category:Family of Victim]]
[[Category:Family of Victim]]
[[Category:Deceased]]
[[Category:Living Villains]]
[[Category:Imprisoned]]
[[Category:Imprisoned]]
[[Category:Mentally Ill]]
[[Category:Mentally Ill]]
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[[Category:Mass Shooters]]
[[Category:Mass Shooters]]
[[Category:Criminals]]
[[Category:Criminals]]
[[Category:Deaths in prison]]
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