Here's What Happened To Amy Fisher
On May 19, 1992, 17-year-old Amy Fisher went to the Massapequa, New York, home of Joey and Mary Jo Buttafuoco with a loaded .25 caliber semi-automatic pistol. The teen walked up to the front porch and rang the doorbell. When Mary Jo answered the door, Fisher shot her in the face. Although Inside Edition reports Mary Jo survived the vicious attack, the shooting gained national attention for the sheer brutality of the crime and the circumstances that led up to the assault.
As reported by Rolling Stone, Fisher met Joey Buttafuoco, who owned an auto body shop, when he made various repairs on her father's car. Despite the fact that Fisher was only 16, and Buttafuoco was 35 at the time, the teen developed a crush on the older man. As she had received a car for her 16th birthday, Fisher eventually began taking her own vehicle to Buttafuoco for repairs. At times, the repairs were superficial, which suggested the teen took her vehicle to the shop as a ruse to spend more time getting to know Buttafuoco.
The friendship eventually developed into a romantic affair, which Rolling Stone reports lasted for 18 months. During that time, Fisher reportedly asked Buttafuoco to divorce his wife so they could have a more conventional relationship. However, Buttafuoco simply refused to walk away from Mary Jo and his children. As Fisher became increasingly frustrated about the situation, she decided to take matters into her own hands.
Amy Fisher was charged with the attempted murder of Mary Jo Buttafuoco
On the day of the shooting, Amy Fisher initially introduced herself to Mary Jo Buttafuoco as "Ann Marie" Fisher. She told the woman she had been having a romantic relationship with her husband and produced a t-shirt from Joey's body shop as proof of their affair. When Mary Jo asked Fisher to leave, she proceeded to shoot the woman in the face and flee the scene. Inside Edition reports Mary Jo was hospitalized for her injuries. Although the bullet could not be removed, she eventually recovered from her injuries, with the exception of some mild facial paralysis.
When interviewed by police, Joey Buttafuoco identified Fisher as the possible assailant in Mary Jo's attack. However, he vehemently denied having a romantic relationship with the teen. Mary Jo eventually confirmed Joey's suspicion when she identified Fisher from a photo lineup. The teen was subsequently arrested and charged with attempted murder.
As reported by Rolling Stone, Fisher pleaded not guilty. However, the media, which nicknamed her the "Long Island Lolita," portrayed her as a cold and calculating teenager who was willing to commit murder to continue her relationship with an older, married man. The story became so popular that Fisher's $2 million bond was ultimately paid by a television production company, and Mary Jo's medical expenses were paid by another company, which planned to make a TV movie about the alleged affair and resulting assault.
Mary Jo Buttafuoco pleaded for Amy Fisher's early release
As she knew she was facing a lengthy, and likely embarrassing, trial, Amy Fisher ultimately pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of reckless assault. Prior to sentencing, Rolling Stone reports she admitted to the judge that she "hit [Mary Jo Buttafuoco] on the back of the head ... hit her again" and "The gun went off."
For the first time since the shooting, Inside Edition reports, Mary Jo faced Fisher during the sentencing hearing, where Mary Jo provided a victim's impact statement. The statement read, in part, "All this damage by someone who still shows no remorse for her actions." When it was her turn to address the court, Fisher simply said, "Sometimes I think this is a nightmare and it didn't happen. Then I realize that it did." Judge Goodman ultimately sentenced Fisher to 5 to 15 years in prison.
Although at the time of the sentencing hearing Mary Jo did not believe Fisher had any remorse for her actions, Mary Jo said her assailant eventually made a sincere apology. As reported by The New York Times, Mary Jo testified during Fisher's hearing for a reduced sentence in 1999. During her testimony, Mary Jo said Fisher "has shown true remorse and sorrow for what she did ... " She also asked the judge to reduce Fisher's sentence. According to Rolling Stone, the judge granted the request and Fisher was released from prison on May 10, 1999 after serving seven years of her sentence.
Amy Fisher called Joey Buttafuoco a predator
A&E reports that Mary Jo Buttafuoco, whose testimony played an integral part in Amy Fisher's release, had some words of wisdom for the woman who attacked her. During the hearing she said, "You are being given a second chance in life, and I pray you will take it and make something positive out of all this tragedy."
Following her release from prison, Fisher returned to Long Island, where she was hired to write a column for the Long Island Press. She also wrote an autobiography, titled "If I knew Then," about her experience, including her affair with Joey Buttafuoco, the shooting of his wife, and the aftermath. As reported by A&E, Fisher married former NYPD officer Lou Bellera in 2003.
In a 2003 interview with CBS News, Fisher said she was dismayed that the incident was "glorified in the tabloids" and "became a big joke." However, she said, "It wasn't a joke." She described Buttafuoco as a predator, and said she "was abused by a man twice [her] age." Fisher said she was already vulnerable, as she had previously been sexually abused. When she met Buttafuoco, Fisher said she was struggling with low self-esteem and Buttafuoco "was able to maneuver his way into [her] life."
A&E reports Fisher began having cosmetic surgery, including breast augmentation, shortly after her release from prison. She also began working in the sex industry, which included guest appearances at gentlemen's clubs and in several adult films.
Amy Fisher's children were ostracized for their mother's past
Amy Fisher claimed her husband Lou Bellera encouraged her to explore a career in the sex industry. However, according to A&E, Berella denied the accusation.
Fisher appeared in an episode of "Entertainment Tonight" with Mary Jo Buttafuoco in 2006. Although the reunion was clearly awkward, it concluded amicably, with the two women sharing an embrace. In 2007, A&E reported Fisher reunited with Joey Buttafuoco during a dinner which was filmed as part of a proposed reality television program. Fisher also appeared as a guest on "The Howard Stern Show." However, she cut the interview short when Mary Jo and Joey's daughter called into the show.
Fisher and Bellera divorced in 2015 after 12 years of marriage. The couple had three children together. Fisher and her three children lived in Florida for a period of time. However, she could not escape her notorious past. In an interview with New York Post, Fisher said her "kids were ostracized in Florida." She said in many cases it was the other parents, who did not want their children associating with her or her children. Fisher said the harassment became so bad that her oldest son's his guidance counselor urged him to withdraw from school and take the exam to get his GED instead. New York Post reports Fisher also had concerns for herself and her children's safety, as someone broke into their gated community specifically to harass her.
Amy Fisher eventually returned to Long Island
Amy Fisher and her children eventually returned to Long Island, where they now live in a four-bedroom ranch-style home which was purchased by her mother. Although she is more likely to be recognized in Long Island, New York Post reports she legally changed her name to protect her privacy. Fisher said she realizes she may still draw unwanted attention, but she feels more comfortable living closer to her family. Although she has been offered multiple opportunities for interviews and television appearances, Fisher says, "it's just not worth it." She said her "life has already been ruined," and she simply wants some peace.
Joey and Mary Jo Buttafuoco were divorced in 2003. Joey is now married to Evanka Franjko. In the years following Fisher's arrest, Joey Buttafuoco was arrested and convicted of statutory rape of Fisher, who had been 16 when they began their sexual relationship; New York's age of consent is 17. He was sentenced to six months. Good Housekeeping reports he was later arrested and convicted of solicitation in 1995, insurance fraud in 2004, and the illegal possession of ammunition in 2007.
In 2009 Mary Jo published a memoir titled "Getting It Through My Thick Skull: Why I Stayed, What I Learned, and What Millions of People Involved with Sociopaths Need to Know." She has had multiple surgeries to repair the damage to her face and the nerves that made it impossible to smile for 25 years. However, she has found success as a motivational speaker. As reported by Good Housekeeping, Mary Jo is currently married to Stu Tendler.