Monday, March 28, 2011

David Berkowitz: The Son of Sam

David Berkowitz is known as "The Son of Sam." He is known for the 1970's New York City serial killer, killing six people and wounding others. His crimes became legendary because of his bizarre letters that he wrote to police and the media for his reasons of committing these horrible attacks. With the police trying to catch the killer, "Operation Omega" was formed, with 200 detectives working together to find the Son of Sam before he would kill again.

Berkowitz was born on June 1, 1953, and was the adopted son of Nathan and Pearl Berkowitz. The family lived in a middle-class home in the Bronx. The couple loved their son very much, but Berkowitz felt rejected and not accepted because he was adopted. Berkowitz was a very large kid (larger than a lot of kids his own age) and not very much attracted. His parents were not social people and Berkowitz followed in the same path, developing the same reputation of being a loner. Berkowitz was an average student, and was a decent baseball player, which was his main outside activity. Around his neighborhood he became known as very hyper and a bully. When his mom (Pearl Berkowitz) died in 1967 of breast cancer, Berkowitz became really depressed. He became to fail in school, and spent a lot of his time alone. When his father remarried in 1971, his new wife and young Berkowitz did not get along. The new couple moved to Florida leaving their son/step son behind.

Berkowitz joined the army and after a rough three years he left the service. During that time he had his one and only sexual experience with a prostitute and caught a venereal disease. When he returned home from the army he found out his real mother was alive and that he also had a sister. Berkowitz would visit sometimes but later the visiting stopped. His isolation and delusions were not coming together.

On Christmas Eve in 1975, Berkowitz's "demons" drove him out into the streets with a hunting knife trying to find a victim to kill. He later confessed in killing two women, one which is not confirmed. The second victim 15 year old Michelle Forman, survived the attack and was treated for the six knife wounds. Later that year, Berkowitz moved out of the Bronx to a family home in the Yonkers where his Son of Sam would be created.

He shot two girls while they were sitting in a parking lot only one survived. Two others were shot while sitting in a car but both survived. Two 18 year old girls were shot they both survived but one is paralyzed. A couple was shot and only one survived. A honor student was shot while walking home from class, he died. Another couple were shot twice and both died, two other girls were shot leaving a disco they both survived even though one was shot three times. Another couple were shot in their car but only one survived and can only see from one eye. Berkowitz was finally caught after getting a parking ticket near the place of the murder. He immediately surrendered to police and identified himself as Sam. After he was evaluated, he was capable to stand trail. He pled not guilty and was received a 365 year sentence.


Allen Howard, A. (1996-2011). Notorious crime files. Retrieved from http://www.biography.com/notorious/crimefiles.do?action=view&profileId=262883&catId=259456

Bardsley, Marylin. "Son of Sam." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2011. <http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/berkowitz/letter_1.html>.


Rowlett, Curt. "David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz." N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Mar 2011. <http://www.angelfire.com/oh/yodaspage3/>.



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