| David Berkowitz, America’s notorious serial killer | | | | pattern in the killings. The target had been women |
| called himself ‘Son of Sam’. He confessed to | | | | with long brown hair or couples in a car in car parks. |
| six killings and wounding many others but police | | | | Another girl, Virginia, was killed point blank on the |
| estimate his killings to be much more than six. He | | | | road in Queens. |
| was born to Betty Broder and Joseph Klienman, with | | | | The police took all the murders together and |
| whom she had an affair while married to Tony Falco. | | | | “Operation Omega” was launched to find |
| David Berkowitz’s original name was Richard | | | | Berkowitz. Around 300 cops were involved in this |
| David Falco. | | | | operation. |
| He was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1953. Joseph | | | | Finally David was arrested in front of his house on |
| refused to accept the child and so Betty gave him | | | | August 10th 1977 in New York. It is understood that |
| the name of her husband, Falco. As soon as he was | | | | his first words to the police were “what took |
| born he was given in adoption to a Jewish couple | | | | you so long”? His thirst for blood and his adopted |
| who changed his name to David Berkowitz. | | | | mother’s death, which he felt was a master plot |
| As a child David never had any interest in studies. But | | | | to destroy him, turned him into a serial killer. |
| he was a good basket ball player and was a bully in | | | | On arrest, he pleaded guilty and wanted to avoid |
| his neighborhood. His adopted father remarried after | | | | death penalty. He is a reformed Christian today and |
| his first wife died, but David who was devastated by | | | | prefers to remain in prison for his entire life. How he |
| his mother’s death, never liked his father’s | | | | gave himself the name ‘Son of Sam’ is a bit |
| second wife. Due to this, his relationship with his | | | | weird and this made the police suspect that he was |
| father also got strained. David joined the US Army in | | | | mentally disturbed. Sam was the name of his |
| 1971 and went to South Korea. He later took to | | | | neighbor, Sam Carr, who had a black Labrador, which |
| Christianity and claimed himself to be born again. | | | | David thought was possessed by an ancient demon. |
| His first attack was on two women, out of which | | | | He felt that the dog ordered him to kill. |
| one survived in 1975. His shooting spree began in the | | | | He believed that when he tried to kill the dog he |
| summer of 1976. In New York, he shot two women | | | | missed the target because of super natural |
| at point blank range while they were sitting inside a | | | | intervention. His statements clearly proved his mental |
| car in a car park. In October 1976, another victim, a | | | | state and he was sentenced to 365 years in jail in |
| young 19 year old, was shot at in a car park in | | | | 1978. |
| Queens. A month later, he shot two other women | | | | David’s life story has inspired many film directors |
| who were walking home after a movie in Queens. | | | | to make movies on him. “I am deeply hurt by |
| Though both survived the attack, one was paralyzed | | | | your calling me a women hater. I am not. But I am a |
| waist down. | | | | monster. I am the 'Son of Sam.' I am a little |
| The new year of 1977 brought more killings in New | | | | brat.” These are the opening sentences of his |
| York. The modus operandi was the same as others. | | | | letter to Captain Joseph Borelli, where he calls himself |
| Christine and John were sitting in their car in a car | | | | a demon who is called from above to “kill”. |
| park. Though John survived, Christine succumbed to | | | | Today, David Berkowitz is a born-again Christian who |
| bullet injuries. | | | | is described as a model prisoner. |
| This was when the cops woke up and found a | | | | |