Not for the squeamish, here is a link to the actual crime scene photographs from the DeFeo's home in Amityville:
http://www.amityvillemurders.com/crimescene.html
Wow, amazing. What a psycho!
Very cool site. Very informative. I'm sure there were far more gruesome photos taken that weren't shown (some of the most important photos at a crime scene are of the bodies themselves). Those photos would not be appropriate at all on a website, but they would really demonstrate what a horrible crime murder is. I can understand killing someone in self defense or in war, but no matter how many murder scenes I go to I can never wrap my mind around what could possibly make someone kill another person, let alone several other people. Absolutely horrible.
I too wonder how anyone could inflict such horror upon their own family members. It's unfathomable. One of the most troubling aspects of this case isn't the alleged haunting after the murders, but the fact that he was able to shoot his family members one after the other without them waking up. I don't recall if the autopsy report indicated if the family had been drugged...
Wasn't there mention of evidence that Marc had to sleep on his back due to a sports injury but was found dead, face down? They cited this as evidence that he had to have been awake during the attack. I guess there's a dozen ways this could have played out. I lean toward the idea that at least two people were involved based on the little I've read.
I'm certain they couldn't stay asleep after so many gun shots (especially from a rifle), but many people, especially children, tend to react to something sudden and unexpected (like a gunshot in the middle of the night from a deep sleep) by simply standing still (Like a deer in the headlights). The kids probably heard the gunshots that killed their parents but probably stayed in their rooms in quiet horror and confusion. Sad thought.