Ive read a few accounts of the crimes in True-Cime files & books over the years. Some authors write of "rumours" that the family was connected, but that these were just that, only rumours and not true. In fact, some went to some pains to get their point across, that the links to mobsters were tenuous and and the mob-hit theory entirely untrue.

I was fascinated, then to learn about Pete DeFeo and his connection's to the murdered family. Really, with this information, one could understand why police would have had to consider him a suspect very early on. I also found these connections not so tenuous after all, & wondered why so many strove to discount them.

However, i have to admit that despite this intriguing mob aspect to the infamous slayings (i watched the first "Amityville Horror" movie as a kid, it scared the piss out of me), i could never bring myself to believe that the Amityville murders were mob-hits; it just seems like such total unnessacary overkill. Even if Pete did think that his brothers son & wife were going to rat him out, would they really go so far as to kill the four kids, aged 9, 12, 14, 18? Even in Sicily, where they've been known to kill children, this would be a bit much, no?

And Butch DeFeo just fits the type doesn't he? Emotionally retarded, socially inept, drug abuse...holy shit, throw in computer illiterate and you got me! Hm wait a minute...