David Berkowitz, known as the infamous ‘Son of Sam’, terrorized the residents of New York City between 1976 and 1977, committing a series of shootings that resulted in 13 casualties. Apprehended in August of 1977, Berkowitz received six life sentences, each with a minimum of 25 years. Currently, he continues to serve his time in prison, expressing no desire to ever step outside the prison walls.
More than four decades have passed since Berkowitz, who self-identified as ‘Son of Sam’, struck fear into the hearts of New Yorkers with a spree of killings over a year-long period. Starting in 1976, he utilized a .44-caliber revolver to exert his reign of terror, typically aiming at young females and couples.
Throughout his period of heinous activity, Berkowitz established a pattern of leaving behind puzzling letters at the crime scenes. He further provoked authorities by sending handwritten letters to media personnel. However, he wasn’t apprehended until over a year later, ironically brought down by receiving a parking ticket on the night of his last murder.
Born to his biological parents on June 1, 1953, Berkowitz was later adopted by Nathan and Pearl Berkowitz. He had his early childhood in the Bronx where Nathan and Pearl resided. Notably, Berkowitz had a tormented youth filled with instances of seizures and depressive episodes.
Commenting on his childhood, Berkowitz revealed, ‘My younger years were characterized by torment. I recall experiencing seizure-like incidents where I would convulse on the floor, sometimes knocking over furniture in the process. When these bouts hit, it felt as if some external entity was invading me.’
In his teen years, Berkowitz faced the tragic loss of his adopted mother, Pearl, to breast cancer. Following high school, he enlisted into the Army, carried out his service in South Korea among other places, and returned three years later.
Upon his return, an encounter with his birth mother revealed the painful truth – he had been rejected by his biological father. It was around the same time he confessed engagement with occult circles.
Berkowitz admitted, ‘The themes of witchcraft, satanic practices, and occultism held a curious allure for me since my earliest years. Now, being 22, this evil presence was beckoning me. It seemed that wherever I turned, symbols or signs were leading me towards something sinister. I felt a profound disturbance, like a force was battling for control over my life.’
Berkowitz shared that he started reading the Satanic Bible and exploring the occult rituals by 1975. Though he initially claimed that he was directed by demonic voices transmitted via a neighboring dog, he later retracted this statement.
Admitting his confusion, he said, ‘Back then, I was wrestling to find the motives behind my actions. I was seeking some sort of validation. I compelled myself to believe that I wasn’t the man committing these acts, but rather, a malevolent force was manipulating me.’
In 1976, Berkowitz began the carnage, resulting in six fatalities and seven injured individuals before he was identified. His victims included Rosemary Keenan, Carl Denaro, Donna DeMasi, Joanne Lomino, Christine Freund, John Diel, Virginia Voskerichian, Valentina Suriani, Alexander Esau, Sal Lupo, Judy Placido, Stacy Moskowitz, and Robert Violante.
In early August 1977, the police force found a promising lead in an unexpected form — a parking ticket. On the evening when Moskowitz was shot, Brooklyn resident Cecelia Davis noticed a man handling a parking ticket moments before the firing. She contacted the police days later.
Taking a leap of faith, the NYPD decided to track down the owner of the ticketed vehicle, hoping to find a witness. What they didn’t anticipate was to find a clue leading them directly to the perpetrator itself. Upon contacting the Yonkers police regarding the car’s registery, they discovered it was registered under Berkowitz’s name, who was already under local suspicion.
On August 9, 1977, the NYPD located Berkowitz’s car near his apartment and found a machine gun at the back seat. They intercepted him while he was exiting his apartment and found him carrying bullets alongside a .44-caliber bulldog revolver on the front seat, leading to his immediate arrest. Merely hours later, Berkowitz confessed to all the ‘Son of Sam’ murders and was hospitalized in a psychiatric ward pending official sentencing.
Declaring himself guilty to all six murder charges, Berkowitz was sentenced to six life imprisonments of a minimum of 25 years each. While in prison, he experienced a ‘nightmare’ stint at the Attica Correctional Facility. One instance included a fellow prisoner attempting to end his life, but he miraculously survived. Throughout his confinement, he became a born-again Christian and is currently not interested in parole, due for review again in 2026.
The post The Terrifying Reign of the ‘Son of Sam’: A Retrospective appeared first on Real News Now.
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