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David Falco Berkowitz (born June 1, 1953), better known by his nickname Son of Sam, is an infamous 1970s New York City serial killer who killed six people and wounded several others. Berkowitz struggled with being adopted and with the concept that his mother did not want him. His murders began after a three-year enlistment in the U.S. Army, the first occurring on July 29, 1976 when he fired into a car where two girls sat, wounding Jody Valentini and killing Donna Lauria.
The "Son of Sam" nickname came from a neighbor/landlord Sam Carr. According to Berkowitz, Sam Carr was a "high demon" who sent his "evil" labrador dog to command Berkowitz to kill. After his fourth attack in January 1977, authorities realized that he targeted teen girls with long, dark hair and young couples. Berkowitz began writing letters to the media, and was arrested on August 10, 1977. He had been issued a parking ticket near the scene of his final crime, and police investigation led them to Berkowitz. Berkowitz, who immediately confessed, was arrested outside his Yonkers apartment on August 10, 1977. He was sentenced on June 12, 1978 to 365 years in prison for the killings.
Berkowitz claimed to receive his orders to kill from an acquaintance's barking dog. He now says that story was untrue and that during the time of the killings, he was a Satanist. He invited the former priest and exorcist Malachi Martin to visit him to discuss his past occult involvement. He survived at least one attempt on his life in prison, but his behavior in prison early in his sentence earned him the nickname of "David Berserkowitz." Berkowitz became a born-again Christian in 1987 in prison and now works as a chaplain. In March 2002, Berkowitz wrote a letter to New York governor George Pataki asking that his parole hearing be cancelled. "I can give you no good reason why I should even be considered." In June 2004, he was denied his second parole, even after he stated that he does not want one. The board saw that Berkowitz has a good record in the prison programs, but the viciousness of his criminal acts call for him to stay imprisoned.
One major side effect of his serial killings were the "Son of Sam laws". The first of these laws was enacted in the state of New York after rampant speculation about publishers offering Berkowitz large sums of money for his story. The new law, quickly named for Berkowitz, authorized the state to seize all money earned from such a deal from a criminal for five years, with intentions to use the seized money to compensate victims. The Supreme Court declared such laws unconstitutional in 1991.
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Summer of Terror:
The Real Son of Sam Story
VHS
The first modern, widely feared serial killer, David Berkowitz (or "Son of Sam") shot women nearly at random between 1976 and 1977 in New York City, throwing the city into turmoil and causing an unprecedented police response. Summer of Terror: The Son of Sam Story shows what happened through news footage, dramatizations, and interviews with the detectives who worked on the case and with Berkowitz himself. It's a chilling examination of how one man can paralyze a city of millions of people--one man whose isolation leads him to kill. Berkowitz seems quite lucid, having received psychiatric treatment in prison, and offers repentance for his crimes. The police offer insight into "profiling," a technique first used on the Son of Sam case to get inside the mind of the killer. While it didn't ultimately lead to his arrest, it is a fascinating side of an engrossing story. From its roots in Berkowitz's childhood through the results today, Summer of Terror: The Son of Sam Story is a real-life horror movie
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Son of Sam Speaks
A&E Biography
VHS
In 1976 and 1977, New York City was terrorized by a serial killer who came to be know as the "Son of Sam." Finally, a lucky break led the police to apprehend David Berkowitz. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 365 years in prison. In this extraordinary program, Berkowitz speaks of his crimes in graphic detail, and introduces shocking new revelations. He claims that he did not act alone, but was a member of a vicious satanic cult that is still active today. He also speaks of the activities of this cult, and how it is focused on the upcoming millenium, when they believe violence and chaos will trigger the end of the world. He talks about how two gunmen were brought to New York specifically for the Son of Sam rampage and reveals details of their activities and associates. True or not, these allegations add a gripping new chapter to one of the most infamous crime stories in American history.
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A Serial Killer: David Berkowitz
Son of Sam/Son of Hope
Berkowitz own message of redemption and hope to the incarcerated and the wayward.
Has he really been "born again"? You be the judge.
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My Search for "the Son of Sam"
By George H. Calohan
The search for the serial killer know as "The Son of Sam" as conducted by George H. Calohan Chief Inspector for the New York City Police Department.
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Summer of Sam
By Spike Lee
DVD
During the sweltering summer of 1977, the notorious killer Son of Sam set New York City on edge. An accidental encounter with the homicidal maniac sends the life of a philandering Bronx hairdresser named Vinny (John Leguizamo) spinning out of control. As the police and vigilantes hunt the killer, Vinny's life unravels amid a haze of suspicion, drugs and promiscuity. This is not so much a film about the Son of Sam, but rather about the times in which was running rampant and his effect on the world at large during that time period.
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Confessions of Son of Sam
By David Abrahamsen
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Son of Sam:
Authorized Transcription of the Tapes
Official Documents and Diaries of David Berkowitz
By Lawrence D. Klausner
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The Ultimate Evil:
The Truth about the Cult Murders:
Son of Sam and Beyond
By Maury Terry
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