Portrait of Louise DeFeo
Kitchen at 112 Ocean Avenue
Dock Where Gun was Thrown (circa early 2000s)
Portrait of Marc and John-Matthew DeFeo
[Statement from Author Ric Osuna]
When I met Butch DeFeo in November 2000 at Green Haven Correctional, I was not sure who or what I would be interviewing. I found Butch to be very frank and open, even though he seemed nervous at the constant gawks and stares he received from other visitors. We spent the next six hours discussing his case and the Amityville stories. He practically hugged me before he left the visiting room, seemingly thankful that people were going to find out the truth about what happened the night of the murders. But, his grateful attitude would soon be replaced by a conniving one.
Butch has become the one thing he loathed the most: His father. Butch is a monster. He is a victim. He is a confused little boy. He is a coward. He is a schemer. He, undoubtedly, is a cold-blooded mass murderer.
The latter two serve Butch well in an institution he assumingly will spend the rest of his life at. Discussions with individuals who are close to Butch have revealed a complex, sociopathic character.
One feels sorrow for the little boy, who was tortured by his father; the teenager who escaped into drugs; the suspect beaten up by the police; the defendant who did not receive a fair trial. Then, there is the other side of Butch DeFeo that we must loathe: Murder, hate, lies, greed and his constant willingness to exploit his dead family. Having been in prison more than half of his life, money and fame seem to mean more to this convicted child killer than good intentions.
I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised by Butch DeFeo’s other quality. Extortion.
Although I always have shown a legitimate willingness to report only the truth about this case, Butch decided to threaten me with extortion. In short, if I didn’t pay him by funneling money through Geraldine, then he would start spreading lies about us and my research. Once instance of this is in a letter to Geraldine DeFeo prior to the publication of my book. DeFeo wrote, “…Let’s sue now, unless you are down with Ric. And if you are not, then he better make you an offer quick. I [am] serious, so let me know.”
Geraldine not only refused to help Butch DeFeo extort money from me, but she also refused to remarry him. The only thing Geraldine promised Michael Brigante, Sr. when he was alive was that she would never abandon Butch. As far as I am concerned, she has made good on that promise.
Butch is filled with hatred. It is no wonder why the parole board constantly rejects his bids for freedom. Ask yourself something: Would you want a man on the streets who has publicly boasted about killing his parents and his younger sister/accomplice? Would you want a man released into the public that has turned on people that have shown him nothing but love or offered him legitimate help?
Butch DeFeo not only turned on me because I would not help him profit from his crimes, but he also turned on Geraldine because she wouldn’t join in with him. Geraldine, however, was not the first wife Butch sued…and it’s probably not the last. In fact, Butch had even threatened legal action against his grandmother’s estate because he wanted a “bigger cut” of her will. He even wanted a court order to exhume her body to obtain the DeFeo portraits that were reportedly buried with her.
When Butch tires of people, he turns on them. Only through incredible generosity and compassion do these individuals forgive Butch for his insane behavior. Nevertheless, in 2003, Butch DeFeo made good on his threats and sued Geraldine, my publishers and me. It is no surprise that we were all exonerated in court.
Following the court case, Geraldine received a phone call from someone that represented Butch. This person informed Geraldine that Butch would recant all the negative things he said about us, if we paid him 75% of all the profits.
She simply responded, “Go to hell!” before hanging up the phone. It was a sad end to what was once a beautiful relationship between Butch and her.
There is little doubt in my mind that Butch had a good side – a side seldom seen nowadays due to him being a product of his incarceration. If he hadn’t, he would have never earned the love and devotion from Geraldine.
Geraldine, who I called Gerri, was a dear friend. She was authentic and wanted only the truth to come out. She never once tried to steer my investigation either way. She would often tell me to report nothing but the truth, even if it meant I concluded Butch did the murders solely himself.
We had quite the adventure over the 12+ months researching the truth. We were threatened, followed, and intimidated in our quest for it. In spite of these challenges, our friendship grew and our determination never waivered.
Despite the pain and the expense, Gerri never took one penny from me for her participation in The Night the DeFeos Died. I will miss her greatly. I can only hope that Butch and Gerri were able to put the past behind them before her death in 2015. I can only imagine how vastly their lives would differ today if the events on November 13, 1974, never took place.
THE AMITYVILLE MURDERSSocial Media