Northeast
‘Long Island Lolita’ survivor Mary Jo Buttafuoco says bullet in her head ‘will get me eventually’
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Mary Jo Buttafuoco was shot in the head on the front porch of her home by her husband’s 17-year-old mistress, Amy Fisher, who was later dubbed the “Long Island Lolita.”
Nearly 34 years after her husband’s affair almost turned fatal, the suburban mom at the center of the scandal is telling her story in the Lifetime biopic “I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco,” starring Chloe Lanier as her younger self.
“I’m as recovered as I’m going to get,” Buttafuoco, now 70 and a grandmother, told Fox News Digital. “I still have the effects of this bullet. I’ve always said that people who get shot don’t heal from bullet wounds. You can break a leg, fall, scrape your knee and it heals. When you get shot, a bullet tears through wherever it goes, and it causes permanent damage.”
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Mary Jo Buttafuoco, right, who survived being shot by “Long Island Lolita” Amy Fisher, left, is narrating her story in a new biopic, “I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco.” (Dick Yarwood/Newsday RM via Getty Images; Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
“I have permanent damage that will never heal,” she shared. “I’ve lost hearing in my right ear. I have facial paralysis and problems with my esophagus. I have only one carotid artery, so I face vascular issues that will be with me for the rest of my life.”
“I’ve always said this bullet will get me eventually,” she reflected. “But I’ve been very blessed that it’s let me hang on this long.”
Mary Jo Buttafuoco points to her bullet wound at her lawyer’s office. (Dennis Caruso/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
The morning of May 19, 1992, started like any other Tuesday, she recalled. After sending her two children off to school, the Massapequa, New York, mother — then 37 — was preparing to paint in the backyard when a knock at the door changed everything.
WATCH: MARY JO BUTTAFUOCO TELLS ALL ABOUT THE AMY FISHER SCANDAL
Fisher, then a high school student, arrived holding a Complete Auto Body T-shirt from the shop where Buttafuoco’s husband, auto body mechanic Joey Buttafuoco, worked. Introducing herself as “Anne Marie,” Fisher claimed to be 19 and said the shirt was proof that the 36-year-old man was having a sexual relationship with her 16-year-old sister.
As Buttafuoco turned to call Joey, Fisher pulled out a .25-caliber handgun, fired a single shot and fled.
Amy Fisher, 17, from Merrick, Long Island, is arrested for the attempted murder of Mary Jo Buttafuoco. (Paul DeMaria/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
“In the blink of an eye, the life I had ended when she came to my door,” Buttafuoco said. “I was nearly murdered in front of my own house — my safe place.”
This undated photo shows Mary Jo Buttafuoco and her daughter Jessica outside their home after the shooting. (Bill Turnbull/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
Buttafuoco miraculously survived the attack. After eight hours of emergency surgery, doctors determined the bullet was too dangerous to remove. It had broken her jaw, traveled deep into her skull and lodged at the base of her brain, just above her spinal column.
Once she regained consciousness, Buttafuoco gave police a description of her attacker, though her husband vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Joey Buttafuoco stands on the steps of his home in Massapequa, New York, on Sept. 25, 1992. (Marianne Barcellona/Getty Images)
Detectives arrested Fisher two days later — on May 21, 1992. After confronting her with phone records, witness descriptions and inconsistencies in her story, Fisher eventually confessed.
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Amy Fisher’s mugshot. (Kypros/Getty Images)
The case quickly became a national media circus that dominated headlines for months.
“It was awful,” said Buttafuoco. “They made fun of me on ‘Saturday Night Live.’ One of the actresses had her face all distorted — that was supposed to be funny. I thought, ‘My God, I look like this because I got shot. I was almost murdered.’
Joey and Mary Jo Buttafuoco outside their Long Island home. (John Roca/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
“It became a joke. Maybe because I stood up, walked and talked, people thought, ‘Oh, she’s OK. Everything’s fine.’ But it wasn’t fine. It was mortifying. The name ‘Buttafuoco’ got dragged through the mud. It became a punchline.”
Chloe Lanier stars as Mary Jo Buttafuoco in Lifetime’s “I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco.” (Lifetime)
Fisher pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and was sentenced to five to 15 years in prison. She served seven years before being released in 1999.
Buttafuoco remained with Joey for seven years after the shooting.
Amy Fisher sits in Nassau County Court in Mineola, New York. (Dick Yarwood/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
“First of all, I almost died,” she explained. “I was in no shape to say, ‘Get out.’ I was very sick for a long time. I had two little kids who were traumatized that their mom was almost murdered outside their home. And Joey lied easily and smoothly. He swore on the lives of our children that he had nothing sexual to do with Amy — that she was just a customer who misunderstood him. He had his story, and he stuck to it. And I believed him.”
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Mary Jo Buttafuoco stayed married to Joey Buttafuoco for seven years after the shooting. (Getty Images)
“I was on a lot of medication — a lot of pills that altered my thinking,” she admitted.
Looking back, Buttafuoco said she has wondered whether she suffered from symptoms of Stockholm syndrome.
Joey Buttafuoco stands near some of the bullet holes in the front window of his family’s auto body shop in Baldwin, New York, on June 24, 1994. The Complete Auto Body Shop was hit by about 30 bullets, police said. (Dick Yarwood/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
“I have been with Joey since I was 17,” she said. “Before I got shot, I’d been with him for 20 years. I realize now that he was a good talker — a schmoozer. He was personable, and everybody liked Joey in the neighborhood. He was everyone’s friend, with this over-the-top personality people were drawn to.”
Mary Jo Buttafuoco grew up with Joey Buttafuoco. They were married from 1977 to 2003. (Marianne Barcellona/Getty Images)
“Whenever I asked, ‘Why did this girl shoot me?’ he’d say, ‘She must have thought that because I was nice to her and fixed her car, she could have me. She must have misunderstood me.’ That’s what he would tell me — and it made sense at the time.”
“He was such a good liar,” Buttafuoco continued. “I would ask him a hundred times why. He never flinched — he’d just look at me and say, ‘I don’t know why she did this.’ He was my captor, and I listened to him. I believed him.”
Mary Jo Buttafuoco entered the Betty Ford Center to address her addiction to prescription drugs. (Rick Maiman/Sygma via Getty Images)
Buttafuoco turned to prescription medication to numb her pain and quiet her thoughts. Privately, she struggled with depression. She knew she needed help.
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Mary Jo Buttafuoco and her husband, Joey, are seen here heading to court. Date unknown. Buttafuoco told Fox News Digital that she was privately struggling with depression and an addiction to painkillers. (Rick Maiman/Sygma via Getty Images)
“There wasn’t an aha moment,” she said. “I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. Time was passing, and I wanted to set an example for my children — that mom can go through this, and it’ll be OK. They never saw me wiped out or drugged out. But I took pills to maintain, just to exist. They thought mom was fine, but when they’d go off to school or with friends, I would collapse in my room. I never wanted them to see me like that.”
“I became an addict,” Buttafuoco continued. “Back then, they gave me every pill I asked for. Nobody says no to a woman with a bullet in her head who says, ‘I’m in pain.’ They were handing that stuff out like candy — and I took it.”
Amy Fisher was released from prison in 1999. (Willie Anderson/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
Buttafuoco entered the Betty Ford Center for addiction treatment, a decision she said “saved my life.” She later filed for divorce in 2003.
Mary Jo Buttafuoco filed for divorce in 2003. (James Leynse/Corbis via Getty Images)
“I remember they said, ‘Mary Jo, this terrible thing happened to you, and it’s awful, but you have so much anger and hate inside you. It’s not allowing you to heal.’ They opened my eyes. When I got sober, I realized I couldn’t stay in this anymore. I had to move on.”
Fisher, now 51, pursued a brief career in adult entertainment before leaving the industry in 2011, according to People magazine.
Mary Jo Buttafuoco’s case was the subject of several films over the years, including the 1993 made-for-TV movie “The Amy Fisher Story” starring Drew Barrymore. (ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
After Fisher’s conviction, Joey was indicted on multiple counts of statutory rape, sodomy and endangering the welfare of a child, People reported. He initially pleaded not guilty but later admitted to having sex with Fisher when she was 16. He served four months in jail.
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Amy Fisher attends Exxxotica New York on Sept. 25, 2009, in Edison, New Jersey. (Joe Kohen/Getty Images)
Fox News Digital reached out to Fisher and Joey, 69, for comment.
“What I’ve learned over the years is that Amy Fisher is a narcissist — and narcissists don’t change,” Buttafuoco said. “It’s always been about her. She doesn’t care one iota about what she’s done. It’s also inexcusable for any adult man to take advantage of a teenager. In that sense, she was a victim, but it doesn’t excuse what she did afterward.”
Today, Mary Jo Buttafuoco lives with her daughter in California. (JB Lacroix/WireImage/Getty Images)
Today, Buttafuoco lives in California with her daughter and remains close to her son. After extensive facial reconstruction surgery, she can smile again.
Mary Jo Buttafuoco, second left, with the cast of “I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco.” (Lifetime)
“My head is half hollow,” she said. “If you’ve ever been on Novocaine, that’s what it feels like every day. I have no feeling on the right side of my face, but I’ve adapted to it. I made it. I’m a survivor — and I’m proud of myself for that.”
Lifetime’s “I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco” is available for streaming
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Massachusetts
Officials ID man and woman killed in Route 6 crash in Dartmouth
An Acushnet man and a New Bedford woman are dead, and two others are injured after a crash in Dartmouth, Massachusetts, that left Route 6 completely impassable for a period of time Friday evening.
Police from Dartmouth and Westport responded just after 7:30 p.m. to 911 calls about a crash on Route 6 near the Dartmouth/Westport line, and arrived to find two vehicles were involved, the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office said.
A blue Toyota Camry sustained catastrophic damage in the collision, officials said. The male driver, identified as 34-year-old Tristan Bedient, and his female passenger, 51-year-old Kate Aldrich, were taken to a local hospital where they were pronounced dead shortly after.
Two people in the SAAB suffered non-life-threatening injuries, officials added.
Route 6 was closed westbound at Route 177 and eastbound at Highland Avenue. Police warned drivers to avoid the area, seek alternate routes, and expect significant traffic delays.
The cause of the crash is under investigation by Dartmouth police, Westport police and Massachusetts State Police assigned to the district attorney’s office. Further information was not immediately available.
New Hampshire
9 Most Hospitable Towns In New Hampshire
New Hampshire’s scenic natural landscapes are well-complemented by its rich culture and warm hospitality. The many small towns dotting the state are the best places to experience it all. For example, in Gorham’s downtown, visitors can explore local history while admiring the stunning views of lush White Mountains surrounding the town. The college town of Henniker is the perfect destination to enjoy outdoor adventures like skiing and hiking as well as leisurely strolls along the Contoocook River flowing by the town. Littleton is another riverside destination where even roadside signs encourage friendliness. These nine hospitable towns in New Hampshire are where warm hospitality is part of everyday life.
Gorham
Located in the White Mountains, Gorham is a community hub for residents and travelers alike. Since Gorham is called the “Gateway to the White Mountains,” start your trip with the Androscoggin Valley. This basecamp is where wilderness and hiking collide. Here, you will find the Appalachian Trail (A.T.) Community, blending alpine activities, hiker culture, and hospitality.
For a slower stroll, visit the Gorham Town Common, located in the heart of downtown Gorham. This vibrant community is a natural gathering place for everyone. Sit on the open grassy lawns, as you take in views of the Presidential and Mahoosuc mountain ranges. In this serene area, trees sway in the cool New England breeze, and monuments pay homage to local history.
Main Street has locally owned businesses such as the White Mountain Cafe, the Gorham Public Library, and the Medallion Opera House. Check out a live show and borrow a book for your weeklong (or weekend-long) stay. Then cozy up with a good book and a cup of coffee at the neighboring cafe. From this spot, you will also get unobstructed views of the White Mountains. If you have an urge to hike or climb, Mount Washington offers direct access to the ATV trail networks. It features exposed granite and low tree lines that make everything appear larger than are. It is also a serene spot to escape the crowds.
Litchfield
Litchfield is an idyllic enclave that sits among Derry, Manchester, and Nashua. It offers a rural, country lifestyle with close proximity to the Massachusetts border and major cities. The John Bryant River Access is where kayakers and canoers ride along the Merrimack River. This peaceful riverside setting is also the ideal spot for fishing and paddling.
For some wholesome fun, head over to Mel’s Funway Park, which offers a wide variety of activities, including mini golf, laser tag, go-karts, and bumper boats. While this place is more for families, it brings the kid out in everyone. This park especially looks magical during the holidays, with twinkling holiday light displays.
Visit Mine Falls Park around half an hour away. It is a 325-acre park with miles of hiking and biking trails and scenic views of the canals and surrounding rivers. This area also features open fields, wetlands, and forested areas, bordered by the Nashua River and south of the Mill Pond canal system.
Lancaster
Lancaster has a Mayberry-esque vibe that gives it warmth. This community also rallies support for local businesses. Due to its proximity to the Great North Woods, it is an ideal town to escape the noisy world. This area alone offers year-round outdoor recreation and views of the New England scenery.
Walk along Main Street, which prides itself on supporting local businesses and entrepreneurs. Yet, it looks like a typical New England town from the 19th century with its Victorian architecture and brick buildings. It is a highly walkable space that blends history with a modern aesthetic. Here, you will find delicious spots like the Polish Prince Bakery or the Copper Pig Brewery.
Each year, the Lancaster Fair brings people together. This event, held in the White Mountains, promotes the importance of education. Notable attractions include the Ferris wheel, livestock barns with farm animals, and mountain views in the background.
Along the Upper Connecticut River, this town offers access to the great outdoors. This waterway marks the border between New Hampshire and Vermont, and it features the iconic Mount Orne Covered Bridge. For the best experience, hike or bike through New Hampshire Route 135 between Lancaster and Dalton for views of the river winding through the valley.
Take an autumnal hike at Weeks State Park or go snowmobiling in the winter. Once you get to the top of Mount Prospect, you will take in the 360-degree views of the mountain and the North Country. Climb the stone tower, drive along the scenic road, or tour the house museum. There are also picnic areas for lunching or resting.
Henniker
Henniker is a social community that relies more on family-owned businesses than retail chains. This town embodies a welcoming, tight-knit community that does not shun newcomers or visitors. Pats Peak Ski Area and the Contoocook River are the best spots for skiing, snow tubing, and other winter activities.
Pats Peak is a family-owned ski area that features rustic lodges, scenic slopes, and panoramic views of Southern New Hampshire. The Contookcook River is known for its signature coffee-colored water, deep woodlands, and rocky rapids. Its appearance changes depending on the time of year and where you are. Walk along the Contoocook River Path to relax in the sand or launch your kayak on the shore. Henniker is also home to New England College, a 220-acre campus with brick buildings and modern amenities. This campus is conveniently located 15 minutes away from Concord. Explore the campus on your own or book a tour.
Meanwhile, the historic downtown area offers access to boutiques and stores like Old Number 6 Book Depot. Get lost in this two-story building filled with highly organized and alphabetized books. Here, you will get a selection of affordable books and nice people. The staff also has a friendly, affectionate cat that encourages petting and back scratching.
Mont Vernon
This town offers a tranquil, safe escape from bustling cities and busy tourist attractions. Nestled in Hillsborough County, Mont Vernon offers country living while situated close to Milford and Amherst. Start with a peaceful walk from Upton Road to the forested trails that lead you to the picturesque waterfalls called the “Devil’s Beanpot,” where the Lower and Upper Falls meet.
This area features a 25-foot drop, making it an ideal spot for biking, hiking, swimming, diving, and relaxing on the rocks. This area is close to Mont Vernon Town Forest, a dog-friendly area with hardwood trees, lush greenery, mossy rocks, and rooted paths that offer a peaceful escape for hikers and their furry friends.
Along this 25-foot drop, Purgatory Brook cascades into Purgatory Falls, which sits between Mont Vernon and Lyndeborough, New Hampshire. The trails stretch along the river and lead into a dense forest that features beech, hemlock, and oak. The landscape changes throughout the year, depending on the season. It could look like a wilderness in the spring or a peaceful brook during the summer.
In the fall, the community gathers for Lamson Farm Day, an annual event celebrating the town’s agriculture. Lamson Farms transforms into a community gathering with arts and crafts, hands-on activities, and barbecue chicken. You can also watch historical demonstrations such as black powder rifle demonstrations, shootings, or apple cider pressing.
Littleton
Littleton prides itself as the “Glad Town” of Pollyanna, the 1913 children’s book by Eleanor H. Porter. Their friendliness stems from its walkable Main Street, local culture, and community spaces. Here, you can visit the home of Eleanor H. Porter. Upon arrival, you will be greeted by the bronze statue of the “Glad Girl” on the library lawn.
On the crosswalks of Main Street, you will see “Stop, Look, Wave” signs encouraging you to interact with the locals looking in your direction. Nearby is access to the PRKR Mountain Trails, which feature 25 miles of multi-use community trails that spread throughout the 1,000 acres of North Country terrain. This area offers panoramic views from Linda’s Lookout, including the Presidential Range of the White Mountains.
The Riverwalk & Harmony Park is a tranquil oasis situated behind Main Street. Walk across the 352-foot, open-sided pedestrian covered bridge, offering scenic views of the Ammonoosuc River and the surrounding brick buildings. Along the river, paved and gravel walking trails lead to quiet seating areas and community art spaces.
Chutters is your one-stop shop for nostalgic retro candy and hard-to-find varieties. Try their classic fudge and chocolates. All of their candy is set in a fanciful atmosphere, with friendly, knowledgeable staff. You cannot miss Chutters, with its pink-and-purple storefront along Main Street. This candy store is a must-stop for travelers of all ages. Young and old alike will also enjoy the Little Toy Village & Book Shop, an independent bookstore that welcomes everyone. Upon stepping into this store, you will come across helpful staff, educational books, and toys for all ages. You might even find your favorite classic toy or board game from your childhood.
Stratham
Stratham has community traditions with access to the Seacoast. Stratham Hill Park is known for its iconic tower, which welcomes locals and visitors alike. This area has pavilions, fields, and trails to explore.
The Great Bay Discovery Center at the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in nearby Greenland is a place to go for hiking, biking, boating, and hunting. At the visitor center, you will explore exhibits about plankton, salt marsh farming, and the estuary on the Bay. It also features incredible views of the Boardwalk and wildlife.
The Annual Stratham Fair at Stratham Hill Park on Route 33 is a time-honored New England country fair that feels intimate and comfortable, unlike the often-crowded Deerfield Fair. It has a mix of live music, carnival rides, petting zoos, and fair food. Run by the Stratham Volunteer Fire Department, it honors the classic traditions of offering Boy Scout lemonade stands, fresh apple cider donuts, and a chicken BBQ.
Make time on your trip to visit the Stratham Historical Society at the George A. and Emma B. Wiggin Memorial Library. This area contains artifacts, including the 1909 original Boston Post Cane. You will also come across old maps of this historic town and antique toll bridge signs.
Keene
Keene is a pleasant town with a diverse mix of locals from across the nation. Speak to people with diverse opinions at Keene State or Antioch University. These distinct campuses both embody this town’s traditional New England culture with their classic brick buildings and lush greenery. Both schools will also lead you to downtown Keene, known as one of the widest Main Streets in the nation. While Antioch University is in a more private, wooded setting, it is just minutes from downtown. Both schools are heavily influenced by New England scenery and the Monadnock Region’s natural beauty.
Explore Main Street, including Central Square and downtown. This area features the famously wide Main Street, lined with boutiques, secret alley murals, and bookstores like The Toadstool Bookshop. This classic spot is welcoming with its floor-to-ceiling book displays, warm lighting, and comfortable seating. It is just as fun to walk around and spot the classic books from your childhood.
Just 15 minutes from downtown is the Madam Sherri Forest. This area features stone ruins from Madam Sherri’s mansion, an opera singer who was famous in the 1920s. Hike along the trails during leaf peeping season. The Farmers Market of Keene is open year-round and has indoor access in the winter. The town has smiles on every corner, especially when you run into locals here. The market itself offers a wide array of dairy products, honey, maple products, fruits, vegetables, and meats.
Antrim
Antrim is a hospitable town that hosts annual community events, offers a walkable layout, and provides access to natural landscapes. Walk from Antrim’s historic downtown area to the Antrim Town Common. This classic green space has winding paths and trees blowing in the wind. Sit and observe the 19th-century architecture and historic homes in this calm area.
The Antrim Town Common offers a restful respite amid your busy travels. It is also the setting for most community events and festivals. Speaking of which, the Home and Harvest Festival is a classic New England town fair that has the vibe of a traditional fair without the crowds. This community-led event marches along Main Street. This stretch of road hosts craft vendors, food tents, and family-friendly activities. The weekend ends with a fireworks show hosted by Atlas Pyrotechnics.
This town also offers views of the Gregg Lake and the Contoocook River. Gregg Lake is a 201-acre lake of tranquil waters set among cabins, dense forests, and pine trees. It flows into the Contoocook River, a slow-moving flatwater surrounded by wetlands and reeds. It eventually transitions into rushing rapids centered on rugged terrain. Divers and hikers often frequent this spot.
End your trip with a stop at Antrim Farmers Market on the grounds of the First Presbyterian Church, set in a traditional New England village. At first glance, it looks like a typical outdoor festival, but it offers so much more. Friendly and smiling vendors sit under pop-up tents, folding tables, and farm stands. There are also local musicians, authors, and artists. This farmers’ market is only open on Thursdays from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. from May through September.
With so much to see and do, there are opportunities to explore history, art, and outdoor landmarks while steeped in these rich communities. Anyone who wants to make memories in New Hampshire will never feel alone.
New Jersey
Husband of slain New Jersey mom begs for help in newly released 911 call | Fox News Video
Former homicide detective Brian Foley joins ‘Fox & Friends Weekend’ to provide analysis on Conor Hanlon’s 911 call after finding his wife, Brooke, stabbed to death.
Former homicide detective Brian Foley provides expert insights into the newly released 911 call from Conor Hanlon, whose wife, New Jersey therapist Brooke Hanlon, was found stabbed to death. Foley analyzes the husband’s emotional state and the police’s approach, noting the case’s ‘suspicious’ designation 13 minutes into the call.
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