Dubbed the most evil house in America by demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, 112 Ocean Avenue, Amityville, Long Island, New York has definitely piqued the curiosity of many horror fans and paranormal investigators around the world. The Dutch Colonial style house was built in 1928 and since the Lutz’s, it has been renovated several times including the removal of the “evil looking windows” that have become so synonymous with the appearance of the Amityville horror house.
Discovery Plus’s Shock Docs: Amityville Horror House explores the history behind the most haunted house in America. Through never heard before audio recordings we are able to hear the voices of George and Kathy Lutz relating their terrifying experiences during the just 28 days that they were able to spend at the Amityville House before their hasty departure.
But, before this a timeline is created, beginning with the DeFeo murders just one year before the Lutz’s appear and purchase the large house in an extremely upscale community for the suspiciously low price of $80.000 US Dollars. Ronald DeFeo Jr. claimed to be under the influence of a demonic entity that presented him with the murder weapon that night in November 1974. Needless to say, he was found guilty and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his entire family.
However, after the Lutz’s experiences came to light the public began to question whether or not DeFeo’s claim might be true. The documentary goes further in depth into the investigations lead by renowned Demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren, as well as the father of paranormal himself Hans Holzer who brought along his very own psychic medium Ethel Johnson. The Warrens were adamant that evil entities resided at the Amityville House and continued to do so for many years. Holzer and Ethel Johnson claimed that the demonic disturbances were caused by the fact that the house was built on an ancient burial ground. A claim that still hasn’t been substantiated to date and many other investigators have poked holes into the theory as well.
The controversary that followed the Lutz’s after detailing their experiences to DeFeo’s defense attorney William Weber, and the publication of a best-selling novel didn’t help to fortify their claims. As such they have been on the receiving end of many criticisms and even been accused of fabricating the entire experience in order to gain fame or notoriety. All this and more are explored in this Shock Doc series addition.
The elements that make this documentary stand out from the others is the attention paid to so many incredible details from witness interviews, archival crime scene evidence, news footage and never before seen evidence. It also features commentary from well-known paranormal investigators such as the founder of TAPS (The Atlantic Paranormal Society) and former star of SyFy’s Ghost Hunters series, Jason Hawes.
Be warned though that some of the crime scene evidence photos are a bit graphic and gruesome as it shows the blood-soaked beds on which the victims of the DeFeo murders were found.
As a fan of the Paranormal or True Crime, you are going to want to see this one because it is by far the best laid out documentary that I have seen on the Amityville Horror House.
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Paranormal and True Crime Junkie, Lover of Horror with a true passion for writing in the hopes of becoming a published author one day.