The verdict brought a measure of legal closure to the case, but the story of the amityville house was far from over. Defeo was convicted of murder in the 1974 deaths of his parents, two brothers and two sisters in the amityville home. · dive into the chilling tale of the amityville murders, exploring ronald defeo s actions, the ensuing investigation, trial, and cultural impact. While the legal system delivered a verdict, the complete why remains elusive, a chilling void at the center of the tragedy. Guilty on six counts of second-degree murder. During the proceedings, defeo s defense attorney, william weber, attempted to use an insanity plea, arguing that defeo was not in control of his actions at the time of the killings. Understand the complexities of this infamous case that continues to captivate audiences decades later. · ronald defeo jr. s trial began on , nearly a year after the horrific murders of his family. He was 24 at the time. He and his defense lawyer, william weber, mounted an affirmative defense of insanity, with defeo claiming that he had no memory of killing his family. The insanity plea was supported by the psychiatrist for the defense, daniel schwartz. · heres everything to know about the amityville murders and why ronald defeo jr. He was sentenced to six consecutive life terms. The case gained notoriety when a family that moved in. · on , the jury found ronald defeo jr. · ronald defeo jr. s crime, his shifting confessions, and the enduring mystery surrounding his precise motives continue to fascinate and horrify. Claimed that his house told him to kill his family. Defeo s trial began on.