Suvechha Sarkar
On May 19, 1992, Joey Buttafuoco’s wife, Mary Jo Buttafuoco, was shot in their home in Long Island, New York. As the officials launched an investigation, it was revealed that the shooter was none other than Joey’s 17-year-old lover, Amy Fisher. The shocking case came under the spotlight in Lifetime’s ‘I Am Mary Jo Buttafuoco’ and the episode titled ‘Growing Up Buttafuoco’ of ABC’s ’20/20.’ They examine the circumstances that led up to the shooting on that fateful day and how the Buttafuoco children had to grow up under public scrutiny. It also features interviews with Mary, Joey, and their daughter, Jessie Buttafuoco.
Joey Buttafuoco’s Affair Came to Light After Mary Jo Buttafuoco Was Shot
Joey Buttafuoco was born in 1956 on Long Island, New York, and is often described by those who know him as someone who loved mischief. He first met Mary Jo Buttafuoco in the ninth-grade summer school. It wasn’t long before they began dating. Shortly after Joey graduated from Massapequa High School, he joined the family auto body shop, Complete Auto Body & Fender Inc. After a while, Mary and Joey got engaged, and just one year later, they tied the knot in 1977. They settled down at their home in the neighborhood of Massapequa in Long Island, New York. Over the next few years, Joey and Mary gave birth to their son, Paul, and their daughter, Jessie.
Mary stated that Joey had begun doing drugs, and the situation went out of control until he went to rehab. On May 19, 1992, Mary’s neighbors called 911 when Mary was shot at her home. Fortunately, she came out of the coma after a 7-hour critical surgery. Official records state that when authorities questioned Mary, she explained that she was approached by a teenage girl, who claimed that Joey and the girl’s 16-year-old sister were having an affair. Mary reportedly also informed them that the girl had shown her a shirt from Joey’s auto body shop. As per Joey, he had given the shirt to a customer named Elliot Fisher, father of 17-year-old Amy Fisher, but she had no siblings. Reports state that Mary confirmed Amy’s identity after looking at her picture.
Investigative reports suggest that Mary recalled seeing a man in Amy’s car on that day while speaking with Amy. On May 21, 1992, Amy was arrested and charged with attempted murder. According to police records, during her initial questioning, she first denied the shooting but later claimed that she and Mary got into a struggle during which Amy hit her with the gun before allegedly firing it by accident. Further reports state that Amy confessed to having an affair with Joey and admitted that they became intimate when she was still 16 years old, indicating that she was underage at the time. As per court records, Amy alleged that Joey had often suggested that he wanted Mary dead.
Joey Was Arrested After Officials Received an Unexpected Tip From a Witness
Eventually, several witnesses came forward claiming that Amy had previously tried to hire them to kill Mary. According to investigative reports, a neighbor reported seeing the car at the crime scene, which helped authorities identify the man in Amy’s vehicle as Peter Guagenti. Reports suggest that officials learned that he was the person who provided Amy with a .25 caliber gun that was used to shoot Mary. They reportedly discovered that Amy offered Peter $800 for helping her kill Mary. He was taken into custody on June 11, 1992, and indicted on the charge of criminal sale of a weapon and being an accomplice.
During that time, Joey continued denying having an affair or sexual relationship with Amy. The District Attorney’s office reportedly declined to prosecute Joey in October 1992 because there was no concrete evidence. However, according to court records, things changed when a witness contacted officials, reporting that he had heard Joey bragging about being intimate with Amy. Reports state that investigators also found a hotel receipt with Joey’s signature, which dated back to when Amy was still 16 years old. Ultimately, Joey was arrested in April 1993. He was charged with one count of endangering the welfare of a child, six counts of statutory rape, and 12 counts of sodomy.
Joey faced Several Legal Battles After He Was Released on Probation in 1993
On September 23, 1992, Amy pleaded guilty to first-degree aggravated assault and was sentenced to 5 to 15 years in prison on December 2, 1992. Peter also entered into a guilty plea deal to the charge of sale of a weapon in January 1993 and received a six-month prison sentence. According to reports, he served four months in prison before he was released. Joey avoided a trial by entering into a plea agreement. On October 5, 1993, he reportedly pleaded guilty to one count of statutory rape. He received a six-month prison sentence on February 5, 1993, along with a $5,000 fine and 5 years of probation. According to reports, Joey was released on probation after serving four months. Following his release, Joey and his family moved to Los Angeles, California.
In 1995, Joey reportedly offered money to an undercover Los Angeles police officer posing as a sex worker. He was arrested for violating his probation and was formally charged with solicitation of sex from a prostitute. Joey reportedly pleaded no contest to the charge in July 1995. The judge fined him approximately $900, ordered him to undergo an HIV/AIDS test, and to complete an AIDS education class in September 1995. In December 2003, Joey was again arrested in California when he allegedly asked undercover officers to file false auto insurance claims through his shop. He was indicted on one count of grand theft and three counts of insurance fraud.
In March 2004, Joey reportedly pleaded guilty to one felony count of auto insurance fraud. Right after, he was sentenced to a 1-year prison term. Additionally, the court ordered him to pay approximately $4,624 in restitution and to be banned lifetime from working at auto body shops in California. During his probation, officials reportedly checked his home and found ammunition, although he was legally prohibited from doing so since he was a convicted felon. In August 2005, Joey was charged with illegal possession of ammunition. He pleaded no contest to the charge in July 2006 and was sentenced to 1 year in prison. Joey was reportedly released early on April 28, 2007.
Joey Has Found Love Once Again and Appears to be Leading a Quiet Life
After moving to California, Joey and Mary reportedly got divorced in 2003. Since his run-ins with the law, he has appeared on several shows, including ‘Judge Jeanine Pirro’ and ‘Celebrity Boxing,’ among many others. Additionally, in 2006, he reunited with Amy Fisher during the Lingerie Bowl. According to the show, Joey is also working diligently on a movie script to share his side of the story. He further shared that he was finally getting the help through his life coach. While elaborating on the matter, Joey stated, “I wouldn’t be here or be able to speak to you without having my coach, Robert. He helped me through all of my issues.”
According to reports, Joey reportedly got a second chance at love again when he met Evanka Franjko. Ultimately, in 2005, he and Evanka tied the knot in a beautiful venue. There have been no recent reports of their divorce, suggesting that their marriage might have remained blissful. In October 2025, Joey shared a glimpse into his personal life, where he was singing alongside a beautiful woman, and he mentioned, “We keep each other strong !” However, the woman’s identity has remained a mystery. In the show, Mary revealed that Paul wanted nothing to do with Joey, but that is not the case for Jessie, who hopes her father will grow as a person through therapy. As of writing, it appears Joey has chosen to step back from the spotlight.
Read More: Jessie Buttafuoco: Where is Joey and Mary Jo Buttafuoco’s Daughter Now?
