High Hopes: The Amityville Murders Horror Book Review

Drug abuser and petty criminal who, in November 1974, shot his parents and four siblings to death at the family home in Amityville, N.Y. Suspected, but never charged, in the drowning death of another victim during 1972 (Not many people are aware of this fact!!!). Sentenced to life imprisonment despite a bizarre insanity defense. The DeFeo home has subsequently become the central object of novels and films in the “Amityville Horror” series, alleging that Ronald ‘Butch’ DeFeo was possessed by demons.

This book presents the DeFeo case from the prosecutor’s point of view. Especially revealing in regard to the suspect’s lame insanity defense.

I found the book to be of great interest to the student of criminology. If you are obsessed with the so called ‘Amityville Horror’ gibberish or are looking for ghosts, then look elsewhere, this book is definetely ***NOT*** for you. This is a ‘serious readers’ crime case study in line with Bugliosi’s ‘Helter Skelter’