American serial killer David Berkowitz, popularly known as Son of Sam, was guilty of eight shootings in New York City in 1976. He targeted young women and went on a killing spree with his first alleged attack that began in December 1975. The court convicted Berkowitz of the murders and injuries, sentencing him to 25 years in prison and an opportunity for parole. As of now, he is serving time in prison.
Over the two years following his first kill in 1975, David Berkowitz continued killing and injuring women. He reportedly attacked duos and expressed pleasure in the crimes he committed. Moreover, he would return to the crime scene frequently to relive the experience. Although he started attacking his victims by stabbing them, he later started to use a handgun, injuring and killing multiple people.
Three independent mental health examinations were done to ensure that Berkowitz was competent to stand for trial. Despite the claim of insanity and request for a reduced sentence by his lawyers, David Berkowitz decided to stand trial. He pleaded guilty to all the crimes, including the six murders, and awaited sentencing. However, at the sentencing, he jumped out of a window from the seventh floor while repeatedly claiming that he would kill his victims again.
Nevertheless, another round of examination also proved him competent to stand trial. On June 12, 1978, the court gave him six consecutive life sentences with the possibility of parole for all the six murders he committed. Berkowitz reportedly expressed disinterest in the parole hearings and even skipped some chances. He claimed that he had come to terms with his actions and deserved the punishment.
David Berkowitz now: Why is he called Son of Sam & where is he today?
In a letter left to the police at one of the crime scenes, Berkowitz called himself the ‘Son of Sam.’ Following this, authorities, as well as those following the case, began referring to the then-unidentified killer by this name. The police even formed a Son of Sam task force to find the culprit.
Reportedly, Berkowitz had a neighbour named Sam Carr. He claimed that a 6000-year-old demon had possessed Sam and was instructing him through the dog Harvey. This strong belief allegedly pushed him to commit the murders. Many investigators believed that Berkowitz didn’t act alone and there was a larger group of killers out there.
On July 31, 1977, David Berkowitz went with the Moskovitz and Violante shooting. This was his alleged last crime before the authorities caught him. A local resident reported seeing a weapon in Berkowitz’s hand and alerted the police. Upon enquiring with the neighbours, it was revealed that he had a neighbour named Sam. He previously shot and wounded Harvey, Sam’s black Labrador Retriever.
The police then searched Berkowitz’s car. They found a gun, a map pointing out all the crime scenes, and a letter addressing the head of the Son of Sam task force. Following this, he was arrested, and Berkowitz almost immediately confessed to being the Son of Sam that they were looking for.
David Berkowitz is now 70 years old and is serving time at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in New York.
Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness is a docuseries that follows the murders committed by the Son of Sam. It speaks of several other murders with a possible connection and a larger cult that could have driven the crimes. The docuseries is currently streaming on Netflix.
