der echte (!) George Lutz ("Amityville") ist tot

[StS]

George Lutz, Who Found Horror in Amityville, Dies

The death of another human being is never a good thing, and I am never happy to report it, but some people just leave a bad taste in your mouth. Today George Lee Lutz, whose brief stay in a home in Amityville, N.Y., spawned one of the most famous haunted house stories, the basis for the "Amityville Horror" novel and movies, died in Las Vegas on Monday. He was 59. The cause was heart disease, according to the Clark County coroner. If you remember back when Platinum Dunes was releasing the remake we were proud to announce an exclusive interview with Lutz, which ended in turmoil and thus was never posted. Why? His reason for the interview was only to attack the remake, even though he admitted to our B-D reporter at the time that he "lost the rights" to his story because he "failed to take a lie detector test." Still believe his story? I guess in the end it doesn't really matter does it? 'Amityville' will forever be one of the best haunted house tales ever told. Read on for the news on George's death and let him rest in peace...  (Bloody Disgusting)

The NY Times writes:

LAS VEGAS, May 10 (AP) — George Lee Lutz, whose brief stay in a home in Amityville, N.Y., spawned one of the most famous haunted house stories, the basis for the "Amityville Horror" novel and movies, died here on Monday. He was 59.

The cause was heart disease, according to the Clark County coroner.

Mr. Lutz, a former land surveyor, moved his new bride and three children into a three-story home on Long Island in 1975, about a year after six members of the DeFeo family had been shot and killed there. Ronald DeFeo Jr., the eldest son, was convicted of the murders.

According to Mr. Lutz's account, his family lived in the home for 28 days before being driven out by the spirits of the DeFeos.

Mr. Lutz's story has been challenged by some who accused him of intentionally moving into the home to profit from the DeFeo murders, but he stuck by his version.

The family's tales of eerie feelings and the waking dead became the source for Jay Anson's 1977 book, "The Amityville Horror," a 1979 film of the same title and a 2005 remake of the movie.

The book and movies had visions of walls oozing slime, moving furniture and a visit from a demonic pig named Jodie.