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This is the most sensational and controversial case of an alleged diabolical presence. The "Amityville Horror", as the case became known, was later exposed as a hoax and spawned a spate of lawsuits.

George and Kathleen Lutz, with Kathlen's children-Daniel, Christopher, and Melissa- moved into a Dutch colonial house in Amityville on December 18, 1975. They purchased the house for $80,000-the broker explained that the house had been on the market for a year at such a good price because it was the DeFeo house. On November 13, 1974- 23 year old Ronnie DeFeco murdered his father, mother, and four younger siblings.

Before the Lutzes fleeing on January 14, 1976 (28 days after they moved in), they said they were terrorized. It included: ghostly apparitions of hooded figures, clouds of flies in the sewing room and the children's playroom, window panes that broke simultaneously, bone chilling cold alternating with sufforcating heat, personality changes, nightly parades by spirit marching bands, levitations, green slime spilling downstairs, putrid smells, sickness, scratches on Kthleen's body, moving object, repeated disconnection of telephone service, and communication between the youngest, Melissa, and a devilish spirit pig she called "Jodie". Kathleen also often had dreams of the murder and Mrs. DeFeo's love affair.

Even people who had only been to the home to visit for a short while were affected. Kathy's brother and his new wife mysteriously lost $1,500 in cash. And Father Mancuso (not his real name) the local priest who blessed the house after the Lutz moved in, suffered sickness, rashes, anxiety and pain causing his transfer to distant parish. He claims he heard a voice ordering him to get out when he sprinkled the house with holy water.

It is said that besides the murder, that the house is supposedly situated over an abandoned well in old Shinnecock area used for keeping the sick and insane until they died from exposure. No buriels were done since the Shinnecocks believed the place was infested with demons.

It is interesting to note that historic records show that the Shinnecock never lived anywhere near Amityville. Plus the description of terrible weather and moon conditions during the Lutes' 28 days that didn't match actual weather reports.

In 1977, The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson was published as a nonfiction book. Anson had nver visited the house himself and wrote the book largely from tapes and telephone interviews and apparently making only superficial effort to verify the Lutz's account.

Besides the "Amityville Horror" there has been several other books: "Amityville ll: The Possesion and "Amityville: The Final Chapter. These two books were chronicling the Lutz's attempt to escape the dark entities that plagued the house and followed them across country to California, even after the exorcism. When the second and third "true" accounts were written, the children were no longer named Danny, Chris and Missy but Greg, Matt and Amy. And George, who ran the family surveying company had been transformed into an air traffic controller.

While it is possible that haunting phenomena may have occured at that house, especially in light of violent events, the Lutzes' account was far more dramatic than what actually took place.

After the Lutzes moved out the house became quiet. The new owners, Jim and Barbara Cromarty, said they do not experience anything unusual. Due to curious seekers and tourist they, Cromarty, decided to sue the Lutzes and Jay Anson for invasion of privacy. Cromarty won for an undisclosed amount. The judge felt that the evidence showed fairly clearly that the Lutzes during this entire period were considering and acting with the thought of having a book published.

You be the judge, did the event at Amityville take place as the Lutz claim or was it a hoax? Tell me your theory.