Clear and Convincing - Episode 22 - Halloween Special

At about 3:15 a.m. on November 13, 1974, Butch Defeo went through the house at 112 Ocean Avenue with a 35-caliber, lever-action Marlin 336C rifle, methodically shooting his parents, brothers and sisters.  Ronald, Sr. and Louise were first.  They were each shot twice in the back as they slept.  His three younger siblings were next.  Allison, Matthew and John, whose bedrooms were on the 2nd floor, were murdered next, were each shot one in the back while they slept.  Finally, Defeo shot his 18-year old sister, Dawn, who slept on the third floor, in the back.  Defeo then threw his rifle in the waterway behind the house, collected evidence into a pillowcase, showered, changed clothing and left the house.  On the way to the car dealership where he worked in Brooklyn, Defeo threw his bloody clothing and other evidence into a storm drain.  After 6:00 p.m. that evening, Defeo rushed into Harry’s Bar, claiming to have just discovered his parents murdered.  He then summoned the bar’s patrons to the house, to discover the gruesome murders.  Join Lisa O’Brien and Michael Carnahan on Tuesday, October 27, 2020, at 8:00 p.m. Central for Clear and Convincing Episode 22, Halloween Special.  First, we’ll talk about State of New York v. Ronald Joseph Defeo, Jr. and the infamous murders of the Defeo Family.  Then, we’ll talk about the Amityville Horror, a story that may have been invented by parties hoping to reduce Butch Defeo’s culpability.  Finally, we’ll talk about Defeo’s ever-changing claims regarding the events of November 13, 1974.