Ronald DeFeo, who was convicted of murdering his own family, had a spouse before the murders and married three more times after his conviction.

Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr., who was charged and convicted for the 1974 murders of his father, mother, two brothers, and two sisters in Amityville, Long Island, New York, has died.

The American mass murderer died on March 12, 2021, at the age of 69, at Albany Medical Center, while serving a sentence of 25 years to life in prison for murdering his family members.
Due to health concerns, he was transferred to the medical center on February 2 from a prison in New York’s Catskill Mountains.
Interestingly, DeFeo, also known as ‘The Butch,’ was involved with a woman before the heinous murders. Even after he was imprisoned, he married three more times.

Wife of Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. Before Conviction

DeFeo was married to Geraldine Gates before the infamous murders occurred.

In an interview with Newsday in 1986, the couple confirmed their marriage and revealed they had a daughter together. However, the specifics of the relationship that resulted in a child and marriage are hazy.
Geraldine Gates, DeFeo’s alleged spouse, and DeFeo’s relationship began in 1973 after they met at a bar. According to Gates, DeFeo offered her a drink, which led to them falling in love.

DeFeo was described by her as a tender, loving, and giving young man. She claimed that his macho persona was merely a ruse.
DeFeo’s attorney, on the other hand, was unaware of his alleged wife and daughter. Their daughter was born on August 21, 1974, in New Jersey, but she was not registered with the State Registrar of Vital Statistics on that day or any other day in 1974.

According to DeFeo, his father forced him to marry Gates after his daughter was born. Gates presented a photocopy of the marriage certificate to prove that the marriage took place on October 17, 1974, at the Garfield Grant Hotel in Long Branch.

Ronald Deofe’s  Doubtful Marriage

However, neither the City of Long Branch nor the State of New Jersey has any records of such a certificate.

Another thing to note is that Thomas J. Baldino Jr., who appears in the photocopy as the city magistrate, stated that he retired in 1964 and did not perform any marriages.

DeFeo and Gates have been uncommunicative since the murders. She claimed that DeFeo had sent her away and told her not to return.

He expelled me. Similarly, He said he was going to have to do it this time… He just kept saying, “Don’t come, don’t come, don’t come, don’t come, don’t come, don’t come, don’t come,
However, these personal narratives contradict official and legal records. It’s difficult to tell whether Gates was married to DeFeo or not.

Ronald Defoe: Wives After Conviction

DeFeo was involved with three women after his conviction and while incarcerated. From 1994 to 1999, he was married to his second wife, Barbara Poco, according to IMDB.

Following his conviction, he married a third wife, Tracey Defeo, in 2004. He divorced Tracey, but the exact date is unknown.

Nissa Burkhalter, with whom he was married from June 2012 to July 2015, was his most recent wife.

Ronald Defoe in Amityville Murders

DeFeo was serving six life sentences for the murders of his parents Ronald DeFeo, Sr. (43) and Louise (42) as well as his siblings John (9), Marc (12), Allison (13), and Dawn (42). (18).

The murders occurred on November 13, 1974, while the victims were sleeping at their home at 112 Ocean Avenue in Amityville.

According to police, DeFeo shot each member of his family with a 35-caliber Marlin lever-action rifle. He’d shot each of his siblings once and both of his parents twice.