Jackie Barrett - The Devil I Know: My Haunting Journey with Ronnie DeFeo and the True Story of the Amityville Murders

My Haunting Journey with Ronnie DeFeo
and the True Story of the Amityville Murders

JACKIE BARRETT

THE BERKLEY PUBLISHING GROUP

Published by the Penguin Group

Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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Penguin Books Ltd., Registered Offices: 80 Strand, London WC2R 0RL, England

This work is a true and accurate report of the events described. For reasons of privacy, however, the author has in some instances disguised or altered the identities of certain individuals. The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

THE DEVIL I KNOW

A Berkley Book / published by arrangement with the author

PUBLISHING HISTORY

Berkley premium edition / August 2012

Copyright 2012 by Jackie Barrett.

Cover photo of author by Joanne Agnelli.

Cover design by Oyster Pond Press.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the authors rights. Purchase only authorized editions.

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375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014.

ISBN: 978-1-101-61066-4

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ALWAYS LEARNING

PEARSON

To William, Joanne, and Jude

To I. J. Schecter, no words could ever express my sincere appreciation for all your hard work, dedication, and enormous talent! My editor, Shannon Jamieson Vazquez, at The Berkley Publishing Group, you have my deep appreciation on such a complex and twisted tale of murder/possession, a project that many couldnt handle. You are truly a step above and beyond excellence! Jim McCarthy, my literary agent with Dystel and Goderich, your strength and leadership has been a gift to meyoure amazing.

To my husband, William, who has never left my side, you are my guard in the dark and my shade in the light, you have opened every door and pulled me through loving you always. My fearless daughter and co-partner, Joanne Agnelli, we have lived what others could only imagine. There is no one prouder of you and your strength of steel. Embrace your gift, it belongs to you! Uncle Ray, who can always find a smile and a sandwich, you are loved.

To Victoria Laurie, author and intuitive, my true sister beyond blood, who stood by my side in the dark and gave me light. My love forever. Jude Weng, a phenomenal executive producer, director, writer, and co-founder of brand-new entertainment productions. You made it possible for me to break my chains and face the devil more times than I can count. I am forever grateful to such a powerhouse of a woman, and am honored to work with you. Scott Morgan, producer and head cameraman, my otherworldly partner, we have shared what lies beyond. Im truly thankful for your wisdom and knowledge.

And in loving memory of my dog Max. Forever and after.

Mirror, mirror on the wall, whos the one to see you all

Just when I think its done, the mirror cracks, and out you come.

JACKIE BARRETT

One of the first letters Ronnie wrote me. After this, I knew I couldnt just walk away.

The drowned teenagers name was Kieran McCaffrey.

His body, bloated and waterlogged, had been found floating on Long Islands south shore several months earlier. But a recovered body, as I had observed countless times, gives little comfort to a grieving family if all the other circumstances of death remain shrouded in mystery. When the questions surrounding a childs death go unanswered, families seek information like starving people seek food: with blind desperation. The only kind of comfort left to them is knowledgeclosure, as its often referred to. But the wounds dont ever close. They just get filled in bit by bit, answer by answer. The families may hope these wounds will heal, but in their hearts, they simply crave whatever fact, whatever truth, they can acquire. Because at the end of the day, its at least better than guessing. You accept whatever bits and pieces might provide the illusion of someday making you whole again.

On a chilly morning in March 2009, I stood with Adam Quinn, NYPDs recently retired captain of Cold Case Homicide and head of Search and Rescue, on the deck of the thirty-foot boat Victory off the coast of Long Island, New York. I watched Adam pull on his diving gear as rain needled into the water. Cameramen fixed their tripods in place and adjusted lighting levels as we set out along the south-shore canal and crawled past coveted beachfront properties and boathouses.

The evening before, Id felt exhilarated. For several days, Adam and I had been shooting scenes for the pilot of a proposed A&E reality show called Medium P.I., a series that would follow us in our quest to fill in the gaps of unsolved deaths. The network had high hopes for the show, so the fact that it had rained every day of the shoot hadnt bothered us. We were determined to try to help families in pain while hopefully creating a good piece of entertainment.