David Berkowitz — Son of Sam
Fast Facts:
- Born Richard David Falco in 1953 in New York
- Killed 6 people and attempted to kill 6 others, claiming he received orders from a demon-possessed dog
- A parking ticket led to his arrest
- Charged with 6 murders and for lighting nearly 1,500 fires around New York City
- Sentenced to 6 consecutive 25-years-to-life terms
Adopted as a baby, Berkowtiz was an intelligent loner with a mean streak who bullied other children. As a teenager, he was deeply affected by his adoptive mother’s death. He joined the army at 18 and served in South Korea (he was a proficient marksman). Still a loner, he left the army and became a letter sorter for the US Postal service.
In 1976/77 he began his spree with 2 teenagers sitting in a car (killing one). He seemed to attack people in pairs, either sitting in a car or walking. His attacks were approximately 3 months apart, so initially police didn’t believe they were related. Berkowitz used a .44 calibre gun, so when a police task force was formed they dubbed him the “.44 calibre killer”.
At the site of the 6th attack (totalling 11 victims), he left a letter for an NYPD Captain in which he referred to himself as the “Son of Sam”. During his spree he left a number of letters near victims’ bodies taunting the police which gave him the spotlight he craved.
During his last attack a witness saw a man escaping in a car with a parking ticket. Only a handful of tickets had been issued that day and one was for Berkowitz. It’s reported Berkowitz told the arresting police “Well, you’ve got me.”
Berkowitz claimed his neighbour commanded him to kill by sending him messages through his demon-possessed labrador. Determined to be “competent” he stood trial for 6 murders and nearly 1,500 fires he’d set around New York City. During sentencing he tried to jump out of the seventh-floor courtroom window.
Serving time in Shawangunk Correctional Facility in New York, Berkowitz has been offered large sums of money for his story, however nearly all US states have passed laws (known as “Son of Sam” laws) that prevent convicted criminals from financially profiting from enterprises relating to their crimes.
April 2, 2018 at 10:44 am
I saw a documentary about Son of Sam a short while ago. The detective work that goes into these cases is interesting, and unnerving how so many are solved through a simple slip-up on the murderer’s part. In this case, it was a parking ticket.
April 2, 2018 at 1:17 pm
I watch/read a lot of true-crime because I love learning about the “slip-ups”. For me it’s research (for my writing, not for a future life in crime!).
April 2, 2018 at 11:31 am
My mother is a nut about these shows, but I don’t watch them much. My imagination is too vivid. However, I’ve listened to some police at writer’s conference talk about procedure work and it’s fascinating.
This was really interesting.
April 2, 2018 at 8:33 pm
I can cope with reading/watching real life crime, but I can’t do horror – even though that stuff is made up!
April 2, 2018 at 11:55 am
Scary at the randomness of it all.
April 2, 2018 at 8:34 pm
Yes, in most cases police look to family/close friends for the guilty party, but serial killers are the opposite.
April 2, 2018 at 12:24 pm
I remember reading about him when I was younger. I either didn’t know or didn’t remember about the fires. Interesting that he was caught because of a parking ticket, isn’t it? Reminds me of Al Capone and tax evasion.
April 2, 2018 at 8:35 pm
It’s just as well they make those little mistakes, though. Otherwise who knows how many more they’d kill.
April 2, 2018 at 12:54 pm
Another scary one. Yikes!
Dena
https://denapawling.blogspot.com/
April 2, 2018 at 1:19 pm
Totally scary, Dena, but I am sure it is only because of how scary he was that the “Son of Sam” laws were passed (I’m sure there must have been others profiting in jail from their crimes before him).
April 2, 2018 at 1:06 pm
Wow! After all he did and he was caught because he received a parking ticket.
April 2, 2018 at 8:36 pm
I know! You’d think he would have been hyper-vigilant about anything that might draw attention to himself. Just as well he wasn’t.
April 2, 2018 at 8:12 pm
I should have, but didn’t, realize that the Son of Sam laws were because of Berkowitz. I’m so glad those laws exist.
Interesting that Berkowitz was both a killer and an arsonist. Do you know if that combination is common in the serial killer crowd?
April 2, 2018 at 8:38 pm
Karen, I don’t think so. Common factors are childhood abuse, loner/friendless/bullied and torturer of animals at a young age. In fact, from memory, there’s only one other in my A-Z list that committed arson.
April 2, 2018 at 10:00 pm
Intriguing topic. Good luck with the challenge.
Susanne Living the dream
April 3, 2018 at 10:03 am
Thanks, Susanne. A-Z is a lot of fun.
April 2, 2018 at 11:30 pm
Whoa, a couple of years ago a blogger did their A-Z about serial killers, would be interesting to see if you picked the same ones. I don’t remember her writing about Son of Sam.
These criminals give me the creeps. Sounds like this one killed just for the heck of it. He didn’t know his victims, and they didn’t do anything to bring it on?
https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.ch/2018/04/b-is-for-boston.html
April 3, 2018 at 10:06 am
Really? Thanks, Tamara, I must have missed that blogger. I would think the tricky letters (Q and X) are probably the same ones, but I guess we’ll have to see. And yes, a true sociopath so the victims were random. Very sad.
April 3, 2018 at 12:40 am
I knew there were laws about profiting from anything to do with their crimes, didn’t realise it was because of this guy. Most interesting – thank you.
Tasha
Tasha’s Thinkings – Movie Monsters
April 3, 2018 at 10:07 am
Tasha, there are a couple of serial killers who’s cases brought about changes in law.
April 3, 2018 at 4:38 am
Really interesting post, although I worry I may be terrified by the end of the month with the amount of knowledge you will be sharing about serial killers!
https://iainkellywriting.com/2018/04/02/b-is-for-birkirkara-malta/
April 3, 2018 at 10:10 am
Luckily you have a better chance of winning lottery than becoming the target of a serial killer =)
April 3, 2018 at 6:54 am
I think he was mentally ill, not that it should mean anything as far as his sentence.
April 3, 2018 at 9:54 am
It’s interesting, John, I wonder where the line is between sociopath and mentally ill?
April 3, 2018 at 9:13 am
The Son of Sam is always an interesting case to read about.
~Patricia Lynne aka Patricia Josephine~
My A to Z’s of Dining with IC
Patricia Lynne, Indie Author
April 3, 2018 at 10:11 am
Hi Patricia, his is an interesting case. I’ve deliberately put a fw well known cases in my A-Z list, but I’ve also tried to find some more obscure ones.