David Berkowitz, the notorious serial killer who terrorized the streets of New York City in the late 1970s, was apprehended 48 years ago, putting an end to his killing spree that left six people dead and several others injured.
On August 11, 1977, the New York Post boldly declared “Caught!” on its front page, marking the capture of the cold-blooded murderer known as the “Son of Sam.”
Berkowitz was convicted of eight shootings in June 1978 and sentenced to six consecutive life terms. Despite being eligible for parole since 2002, Berkowitz’s requests for release have been consistently denied, with the most recent denial occurring in May last year at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility.
During a 13-month period from April 1976, Berkowitz, a former postal worker and Army soldier, unleashed a reign of terror on the city, targeting young women and couples with a .44-caliber revolver. Many of his victims were shot through car windows, a signature of his attacks.
Following each crime, Berkowitz would leave cryptic notes at the crime scenes, taunting the police and media. It was from one of these notes that he earned the moniker “Son of Sam,” referencing a neighbor’s dog named Sam.
The NYPD formed a task force of 200 officers to track down the elusive killer, with undercover agents patrolling the streets at night in hopes of catching him in the act.
His rampage spanned across Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Queens, with his final victim, Stacy Moskowitz, falling on July 31, 1977. Less than two weeks later, Berkowitz was apprehended at his residence in Yonkers after traffic tickets linked to his vehicle were traced back to the crime scenes.
Upon his arrest, Berkowitz chillingly confessed to the police, stating, “I am Sam. David Berkowitz.” He then asked, “What took you so long?”
Now 72 years old, Berkowitz claims to have found solace in religion during his incarceration. In an interview last year, he spoke about his faith in Jesus and his desire to be a positive influence on his fellow inmates.
He even compared himself to Anne Frank, the young Jewish author whose diary became a symbol of hope during the Holocaust. Berkowitz expressed his desire to use his writing to spread a message of hope and redemption.
Despite the passage of time, the “Son of Sam” case remains a subject of fascination. A Netflix docuseries titled “Conversations With a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes” delves into the case, featuring interviews with victims’ families and recordings of a 1980 jailhouse interview with a journalist.
