On November 13, 1974, Ronald DeFeo Jr. shot and killed six members of his family at 112 Ocean Avenue, a large Dutch Colonial house situated in a suburban neighborhood in Amityville, on the south shore of Long Island, New York. He was convicted of second-degree murder in November 1975 and sentenced to six terms of 25 years to life in prison. DeFeo died in prison in March 2021.

In December 1975, George and Kathy Lutz and their three children moved into the house. After 28 days, the Lutze's fled the house, claiming to have been terrorized by paranormal phenomena while living there.