[125], Berkowitz did name two of the cult members: John and Michael Carr. Now, the void has been filled. [39] Valenti was shot in her thigh, and a third bullet missed both women. He took his wife’s surname of Kushner. [1]:80 Although her reasons for doing so are unknown,[1]:81 writers have surmised that Klineman threatened to abandon her if she kept the baby and used his name. [116] Berkowitz stated that he would drop the lawsuit only if the attorney signed over all the money he made to the victims' families. I also want to tell you that I read your column daily and I find it quite informative. The Spike Lee drama Summer of Sam was released in 1999 with actor Michael Badalucco in the role of Son of Sam. [58], Police discovered a handwritten letter near the bodies of Esau and Suriani, written mostly in block capitals with a few lower-case letters, and addressed to NYPD Captain Joseph Borrelli. Using a .44 caliber Bulldog revolver, he killed six people and wounded seven others by July 1977. Simply start with a family member and we'll do the searching for you. and from the ants that dwell in these cracks and feed in the dried blood of the dead that has settled into the cracks. The feeling of control of media, law enforcement, and even entire populations provides a source of social power for them. Nationality: American. They saw a rifle in the back seat, searched the car, and found a duffel bag filled with ammunition, maps of the crime scenes, and a threatening letter addressed to Inspector Timothy Dowd of the Omega Task Force. [92], During questioning, Berkowitz claimed that his neighbor's dog was one of the reasons that he killed, stating that the dog demanded the blood of pretty young girls. She lived about a block from where Christine Freund had been shot. Berkowitz made his comments in a three-page letter to Rita Cosby, senior Chicago correspondent for Fox News Channel, after Cosby wrote to him seeking his comment on the sniper attacks. [130], Hockenberry's own report was broadcast by network news and given much exposure by Dateline NBC (2004). I want to make love to the world. [147] Likewise, Elliott Smith has stated that his song "Son of Sam" is not literally about Berkowitz. [143] The film depicts the tensions that develop in a Bronx neighborhood during the shootings, and Berkowitz's part is largely symbolic. She's resting in our ladies house but I'll see her soon. On the night of August 10, 1977, Berkowitz was taken into custody by New York City Police Department homicide detectives in front of his Yonkers apartment building; he was subsequently indicted for eight shooting incidents. David Berkowitz was born as Richard David Falco. Circulation increased dramatically for the New York Post and Daily News, newspapers with graphic crime reporting and commentary. American. [124] He said that he and several other cult members were involved in every incident by planning the events, providing early surveillance of the victims, and acting as lookouts and drivers at the crime scenes. [99], At his sentencing two weeks later, Berkowitz caused an uproar when he attempted to jump out of a window of the seventh-floor courtroom. Papa Sam keeps me locked in the attic, too. [61] The letter was initially withheld from the public, but some of its contents were revealed to the press, and the name "Son of Sam" quickly replaced the old name.[61]. David Richard Berkowitz (born Richard David Falco, June 1, 1953), also self-proclaimed with the name Son of Sam and christened by the media as .44 Caliber Killer due to the weapon he used, is an American serial killer who pled guilty to eight separate shooting attacks that began in New York City during the summer of 1976. Sometimes he ties me up to the back of the house. Return me to yahoos. [16][17][18][19] After an honorable discharge in June 1974,[20] he located his birth mother, Betty. "Go out and kill" commands father Sam. Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press. I feel like an outsider. Upon my capture I promise to buy all the guys working the case a new pair of shoes if I can get up the money. Passenger Lists5,000+ Crew Lists5. Followed to Calif. Stanford University. … But I am a monster. 2015 - present. Whatever, if I shall be fortunate enough to meet you I will tell you all about Sam if you like and I will introduce you to him. Berkowitz described life in Attica as a "nightmare. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations. However, the next and final .44 shooting occurred in Brooklyn. Yours in murder Mr. Monster[63][64], At the time, police speculated that the letter-writer might be familiar with Scottish English. An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Berkowitz ancestors lived in harsh conditions. The criminal is currently single, his starsign is Gemini and he is now 67 years of age. Dr. Berkowitz earned his medical degree from State University of New York at Buffalo School of Medicine followed by a residency in internal medicine at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY. All Categories; Immigration & Emigration. For the veterans among your Berkowitz ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions. The two men were sons of the dog-owner Sam Carr, and they lived on nearby Warburton Avenue. I live for the hunt—my life. [1]:11–13 After a brief and wordless encounter, he announced to the media: "The people of the City of New York can rest easy because of the fact that the police have captured a man whom they believe to be the Son of Sam. [6] Neighbors and relatives would recall Berkowitz as difficult, spoiled, and a bully. Behind our house some rest. Other times he locks me in the garage. [8][9], Berkowitz's adoptive mother died of breast cancer when he was 14 years old,[1]:18 and his home life became strained during later years, particularly because he disliked his adoptive father's second wife. Forward them to the inspector for use by N.C.I.C: "The Duke of Death" "The Wicked King Wicker" "The Twenty Two Disciples of Hell" "John 'Wheaties' – Rapist and Suffocator of Young Girls. Detective John Falotico approached the driver's side of the car. Click. There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Berkowitz. Berkowitz mentioned the Perry attack in other letters, suggesting that he knew details of it from the perpetrator himself. I don't belong on Earth. The Yonkers police dispatcher who first took Justis' call was Wheat Carr, the daughter of Sam Carr and sister of Berkowitz's alleged cult confederates John and Michael Carr. [71], The New York Daily News published the letter a week later (after agreeing with police to withhold portions of the text) and Breslin urged the killer to surrender himself. His mother gave him up for adoption to Nathan and Pearl Berkowitz who named him David Berkowitz … [42][86], The next day, August 10, 1977, police investigated Berkowitz's car that was parked on the street outside his apartment building at 35 Pine Street in Yonkers. "[108] His lawyer, Mark Heller, noted that prison staff considered Berkowitz to be a "model prisoner." You can see how Berkowitz families moved over time by selecting different census years. After the arrest, Berkowitz was briefly held in a Yonkers police station before being transported directly to the 60th Precinct in Coney Island, where the detectives' task force was located. I must be the water they drink. The news greatly disturbed Berkowitz, and he was particularly distraught by the array of reluctant father figures. [106] Berkowitz does not receive any royalties or profit from any sales of his works. [94][95][96] Berkowitz stated in a series of meetings with his special court-appointed psychiatrist David Abrahamsen that he had long contemplated murder to get revenge on a world that he felt had rejected and hurt him. "You know," the man said in what the detective remembered was a soft, almost sweet voice. "[112][113] Officials at the Sullivan facility rejected his demand. [138][139] Similar laws have since been enacted in 41 states and at the federal level. [7] He attended Public School #123 and Public School #77. "[129] John Diel's recollection is that he physically bumped into Berkowitz outside the Wine Gallery restaurant as he and Christine Freund departed and walked to his car where the shooting occurred; Berkowitz, in contrast, told police that he passed within a few feet of Diel and Freund shortly before they entered the car. Carl Denaro, a Citibank security guard, 20, and Rosemary Keenan, a Queens College student, 18, were sitting in Keenan's parked car when the windows suddenly shattered. Son of Sam[68], Underneath the "Son of Sam" was a logo or sketch that combined several symbols. DeMasi had been shot in the neck, but the wound was not life-threatening. His mother had him out of wedlock when she had an affair with a married real-estate agent named Joseph Klineman. Like a spirit roaming the night. [34][35][36], The first shooting attributed to the Son of Sam occurred in the Pelham Bay area of the Bronx. [21][1]:76–9 Forensic anthropologist Elliott Leyton described Berkowitz's discovery of his adoption and birth details as the "primary crisis" of his life, a revelation that shattered his sense of identity. Her death, and the notorious abuse of her corpse in a Christian chapel on campus, was a widely reported case. [85], Justis asked the Yonkers police for some help tracking down Berkowitz. The phrase "me hoot it urts sonny boy" was taken as a Scottish-accented version of "my heart, it hurts, sonny boy"; and the police also hypothesized that the shooter blamed a dark-haired nurse for his father's death, due to the "too many heart attacks" phrase, and the facts that Lauria was a medical technician and Valenti was studying to be a nurse. [107] While in the Sullivan facility, he pursued education and graduated with honors from Sullivan Community College. I'll be back! He quickly confessed to the shootings and expressed an interest in pleading guilty. She was a very, very sweet girl but Sam's a thirsty lad and he won't let me stop killing until he gets his fill of blood. "[42], Skeptics include a former FBI profiler, John E. Douglas, who spent hours interviewing Berkowitz. David Berkowitz was born Richard David Falco on June 1, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York. [153], For other people named David Berkowitz, see, "Son of Sam" redirects here. [27] All but one of the crime sites involved two victims; he infamously committed some of his attacks while the women sat with boyfriends in parked cars. [117], In 1979, Berkowitz mailed a book about witchcraft to police in North Dakota. [98] He appeared calm in court on May 8, 1978, as he pleaded guilty to all of the shootings. [42], From prison Berkowitz continues to assert and expand upon his claims of demonic possession. Jewish (Ashkenazic) : patronymic from the Yiddish male personal name Berke, Germanized form of either the Polish spelling Berkowicz or eastern Slavic Berkovich. Berkowitz was born David Falco, the son of Betty Broder. He was given two weeks to work on the Moskowitz and Violante case as a normal murder investigation—if it could not be solved in that timeframe, it was to be given to the Son of Sam task force. "[144] Berkowitz was reported to be disturbed by what he called exploitation of "the ugliness of the past. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Berkowitz census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more. In 1940, Salesman and Bookkeeper were the top reported jobs for men and women in the US named Berkowitz. Kushner, who is Trump's son-in-law, and Berkowitz, who was the Middle East envoy, were key figures in negotiating deals between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco. [72] Police received thousands of tips based on references in the publicized portions of the letter, all of which proved useless. Matthew Berkowitz. The panicked couple did not realize that someone had been shooting at them, even though Denaro was bleeding from a bullet wound to his head. "Ugh, me hoot it urts sonny boy." I am the "Monster"—"Beelzebub"—the "Chubby Behemouth." [120], After his admission to Sullivan prison, Berkowitz began to claim that he had joined a Satanic cult in the spring of 1975. They pushed it really hard. [133], Berkowitz's later claims are dismissed by many. "[88][89] Detective John Falotico was officially credited by the NYPD as the arresting officer of the Son of Sam. To be interrpreted as—bang, bang, bang, bank, bang—ugh!! Tell me Jim, what will you have for July twenty-ninth? Jared Kushner (left) and his deputy, Avi Berkowitz (top right), were both nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize on Sunday by Alan Dershowitz (bottom right), attorney and Harvard professor. [109][110][111] Before his first parole hearing in 2002, Berkowitz sent a letter to New York Governor George Pataki demanding that it be canceled. David Berkowitz's Killing Spree Happened 40 Years Ago", "Court Hears 'Son of Sam' in Dispute Over Personal Mementos", "Detective searches for 1974 Stanford church killer", "Sheriff: Grisly 1974 Stanford murder solved", "Serial killer David Berkowitz, aka Son of Sam, tells professor "I was once an evil person" in prison conversation", The Son of Sam Speaks: The Untold Stories, "Report Says Berkowitz Had Aid, But Police Dismiss the Account", "New 'Son of Sam' Film Reawakens Painful Memories", "Cuomo signs new 'Son of Sam' law for crime victims", "These Are the Real-Life Murderers of Mindhunter Season 2", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Berkowitz&oldid=1005546454, American people convicted of attempted murder, American prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment, People convicted of murder by New York (state), Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by New York (state), Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from October 2012, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Articles with dead external links from February 2019, Pages using infobox criminal with unknown parameters, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, 6 killed, 10 wounded (including one stabbing), This page was last edited on 8 February 2021, at 06:36. [137], After rampant speculation about publishers offering Berkowitz large sums of money for his story, the New York State Legislature swiftly passed a new law that prevented convicted criminals (and their relatives) from making any financial profit from books, movies, or other enterprises related to the stories of their crimes. [49] Another unnamed person was the gunman in the Moskowitz–Violante case, a male cult member who had arrived from North Dakota for the occasion, also without explanation. His adoptive parents consulted at least one psychotherapist due to his misconduct, but his misbehavior never resulted in a legal intervention or serious mention in his school records. [27], A few weeks after his arrest and confession, Berkowitz was permitted to communicate with the press. As with the Lauria–Valenti shooting, however, there seemed not to be any motive for the shooting, and police made little progress with the case. [58][59] Suriani died at the scene, and Esau died in the hospital several hours later without being able to describe his attacker(s). [1]:161 Two more months were spent at the Central New York Psychiatric Center in Marcy before his admission to Attica prison. [1]:211–5 Berkowitz refused to identify his assailant, and he only claimed that he was grateful for the attack—it brought a sense of justice or, in Berkowitz's own words, "the punishment I deserve". Kushner, Berkowitz nominated for Nobel peace prize for Israel deals Metro US 11 hrs ago. Matthew Berkowitz is an American film … [101], After his arrest, Berkowitz was initially confined to a psychiatric ward in Kings County Hospital where the staff reported that he seemed remarkably troubled by his new environment. The most Berkowitz families were found in the USA in … [1]:16 The Jewish-American couple were hardware store retailers of modest means, and childless in middle age. Breslin rejected his story of Satanic cult accomplices, stating that "when they talked to David Berkowitz that night, he recalled everything step by step by step. Baby Names Baby Names Last Names Last Names Baby Name Inspiration Baby Name Inspiration [10][11][12][13][14][15], In 1971, at the age of 17, Berkowitz joined the United States Army and served in Fort Knox in the United States and with an infantry division in South Korea. In the Seinfeld episode "The Diplomat's Club", Kramer uses the mailbag of David Berkowitz, owned by Newman, as collateral for a bet on airplane arrival times. [3][4][5], Journalist John Vincent Sanders wrote that Berkowitz's childhood was "somewhat troubled". ... Michael’s paternal grandfather was named Burton/Burt Berkowitz/Brooks (the son of Isidore Berkowitz and Rose). [1]:76, In 1950, Broder started a relationship with a married man named Joseph Klineman. He says he is no longer to be referred to as the "Son of Sam" but the "Son of Hope. [43], Police determined that the bullets embedded in Keenan's car were .44 caliber, but they were so deformed that they thought it unlikely that they could ever be linked to a particular weapon.[44]. "[52][53] Composite sketches were released of the black-haired Lauria–Valenti shooter and the blond Lomino–DeMasi shooter, and Conlon noted that police were looking for multiple suspects, not just one. His own official website is maintained on his behalf by a church group, since he is not allowed access to a computer. Although of above-average intelligence, he lost interest in learning at an early age and became infatuated with petty larceny and starting fires. Psychologists observed that many serial killers gain gratification by eluding pursuers and observers. [27], Berkowitz claimed that when he was 22 years old he committed his first attack on Christmas Eve, 1975, when he used a hunting knife to stab two women in Co-op City. "[91], Berkowitz was interrogated for about 30 minutes in the early morning of August 11, 1977. David Berkowitz was born in New York, United States on Monday, June 1, 1953 (Baby Boomers Generation). The killing spree terrorized New Yorkers and gained worldwide notoriety. Diel thus reasons he was shot by someone other than Berkowitz. "[119] The Arlis Perry case has since been solved. The wemon of Queens are z prettyist of all. At about 3:00 a.m. on April 17, 1977, Alexander Esau, a tow truck operator, 20, and Valentina Suriani, an aspiring actress and model, 18, were sitting in Suriani's car near her home in the Bronx, only a few blocks from the scene of the Lauria–Valenti shooting, when each was shot twice. She married Tony Falco, an Italian American, in 1936. Berkowitz grew up in New York City and served in the United States Army before committing his crimes. [1]:161 Berkowitz served about a decade in Attica until he was relocated (c. 1990) to Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, where he remained for many years until he was transferred to Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Ulster County. Bruce R. Berkowitz is an American equity fund manager and registered investment adviser. In a panic, Diel drove away for help. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. Diel contends he and Freund passed no one on their way to the car and further that the placement of the car parked at the curb would have made it impossible for Berkowitz to have snuck up on them in the few minutes between their encounter outside the restaurant and the shooting at the car. He said that the "Sam" mentioned in the first letter was his former neighbor Sam Carr. He died on August 12, 1994 at age 54. Discover Avi Berkowitz's Biography, Age, … The letter was postmarked early that same day in Englewood, New Jersey. The Berkowitz family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. I love my work. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. Sam loves to drink blood. Richard Berkowitz (born October 6, 1955) is a gay American author and activist best known as an early advocate of safe sex in response to the AIDS crisis among gay men in the 1980s. Years active. Denaro had shoulder-length hair, and police later speculated that the shooter had mistaken him for a woman. [82][83][84], That night, Detective John Falotico was awakened at home and told to report to the 10th Homicide Division at the 60th Precinct station house in Coney Island. 19% of Berkowitz men worked as a Salesman and 9% of Berkowitz women worked as a Bookkeeper. After a few visits, she disclosed the details of his birth. This was about 43% of all the recorded Berkowitz's in the USA. Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in your family tree, This page needs Javascript enabled in order to work properly. [49] He claimed that Michael Carr fired the shots at Lupo and Placido. Mr. Breslin, sir, don't think that because you haven't heard from me for a while that I went to sleep. Or should I say you will see my handiwork at the next job? [27] Nonetheless, Berkowitz was again found competent to stand trial. Occupation. This is an open forum to discuss the origin, the meaning and the family stories of the surname BERKOWITZ. Moments after the traffic police had left, a young man walked past her from the area of the car, and he seemed to study her with some interest. He has had too many heart attacks. The Berkowitz family name was found in the USA, and the UK between 1880 and 1920. He was described as neurotic and probably suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, and believed himself to be a victim of demonic possession.[67]. [21] His communication with his birth mother later lapsed, but for a time he remained in communication with his half-sister, Roslyn. [45] Keenan's father was a 20-year veteran police detective of the New York City Police Department (NYPD), causing an intense investigation. As the number of victims increased, Berkowitz eluded the biggest police manhunt in the history of New York City while leaving letters that mocked the police and promised further crimes, which were highly publicized by the press. The guy has 1,000 percent recall and that's it. John Santucci, Queens District Attorney at the time of the killings, and police investigator Mike Novotny both expressed their convictions that Berkowitz had accomplices. The most Berkowitz families were found in the USA in … [69] All the shooting victims to date had long dark hair, and thousands of women in New York acquired short cuts or brightly colored dyes, and beauty supply stores had trouble meeting the demand for wigs. I am a little "brat". May God bless you in this life and in the next and for now I say goodbye and goodnight. Debbie Berkowitz, NELP’s Worker Safety and Health program director, joined NELP in 2015, following six years serving as chief of staff and then a senior policy adviser for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) (2009-2015). I am the "Son of Sam." Police said that the weapon used for the crime was the same as the one which they had suspected in the earlier shootings. Edit Search New Search. ", An alternate version claimed that Berkowitz's first words were reported to be, "Well, you got me. Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Berkowitz surname lived. After he was restrained, he repeatedly chanted "Stacy [his last victim] was a whore" and shouted "I'd kill her again. On the reverse of the envelope, neatly hand-printed in four precisely centered lines, were the words: Blood and Family – Darkness and Death – Absolute Depravity – .44. Summary: Faigy Berkowitz's birthday is 11/04/1974 and is 46 years old. Joseph was born in Kostrzyn nad Odrą, Poland, and survived the Holocaust. [46][47] They were chatting on the porch of Lomino's home in Floral Park, when a man dressed in military fatigues who seemed to be in his early 20s approached them and began to ask directions.[48]. Commissioners denied a parole.[108]. Intermediate Projects with Shaper Origin with Berkowitz-Mitchell & Stilwell July 14-16, 2021 (Wed to Fri) $ 625.00 Steam Bending a Designer-Maker Chair with Charlie Whinney July 17-18, 2021 Donald Berkowitz is an American Business Professional. [56], The crimes were discussed by the local media virtually every day. The letter inside read: Hello from the gutters of N.Y.C. Somebody else was there. How come it took you such a long time? Between 1945 and 2004, in the United States, Berkowitz life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2003. He bungled the first attempt at murder using a knife, then switched to a handgun and began a lengthy crime spree throughout the New York boroughs of the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. [55], In a March 10, 1977, press conference, NYPD officials and New York City Mayor Abraham Beame declared that the same .44 Bulldog revolver had fired the shots that killed Lauria and Voskerichian. Age: 67 Years, 67 Year Old Males. [30][31][32][33][34] Berkowitz was not suspected of these crimes, and soon afterward he relocated to an apartment in Yonkers, New York, just north of the New York City border, 20 to 25 minutes from Co-Op City. Avi Berkowitz was born on 4 November, 1988 in American, is an American attorney and political adviser. Berkowitz then stated flatly, "Well, you got me." J.B., I'm just dropping you a line to let you know that I appreciate your interest in those recent and horrendous .44 killings. [90] Some sources speculate that this number might be over 1,400. [131], Vigorously denied by police at the time, Terry's articles were widely read and discussed;[131] they were later assembled in book form as The Ultimate Evil (1987; expanded second edition 1999). He pled guilty to second-degree murder and was incarcerated in state prison. Dr. Berkowitz is a board-certified physician specializing in medical oncology and hematology at IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital. P.S: JB, Please inform all the detectives working the case that I wish them the best of luck. [54] In a desperate move to defend herself, Voskerichian lifted her textbooks between herself and her killer, but the makeshift shield was penetrated, the bullet striking her head and killing her. [49] He shot each of the victims once and, as they fell to the ground injured, he fired several more times, striking the apartment building before running away. His next hearing was scheduled for May 2020. Many details of the Denaro–Keenan shooting were very similar to the Lauria–Valenti case, but police did not initially associate them, partly because the shootings occurred in different boroughs and were investigated by different local police precincts. On 1-6-1953 David Berkowitz (nickname: David ) was born in Brooklyn, New York, United States. The dramatic article made that day's paper the highest-selling edition of the Daily News to date—more than 1.1 million copies were sold. "[134], Decades after his arrest, the name "Son of Sam" remains widely recognized as that of a notorious serial killer. [121] In 1993, Berkowitz made these claims known when he announced to the press that he had killed only three of the Son of Sam victims: Donna Lauria, Alexander Esau, and Valentina Suriani. [115], During June 2005, Berkowitz sued one of his previous lawyers for the misappropriation of a large number of letters, photographs, and other personal possessions. [70] The "Wicked King Wicker" reference caused police to arrange a private screening of The Wicker Man, a 1973 horror movie. [100] He was ordered to serve time in Attica Correctional Facility, an Upstate New York supermax prison. An exclusive Tech Tribune Q&A with John Berkowitz, the co-founder and CEO of OJO Labs, which was honored in our: 2021 Best Tech Startups in Austin 2020 Best Tech Startups in Austin Tell us the origin story of OJO Labs - what problem were you trying to solve and why? I have, with God's help, long ago come to terms with my situation and I have accepted my punishment. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Former White House senior adviser Jared Kushner and his deputy, Avi Berkowitz, were nominated by a friendly attorney on Sunday for the Nobel Peace Prize for their role in negotiating four normalization deals between Israel and Arab nations known as the "Abraham Accords." [127], Journalist John Hockenberry asserts that, even aside from the Satanic cult claims, many officials doubted the single-shooter theory, writing, "what most don't know about the Son of Sam case is that from the beginning, not everyone bought the idea that Berkowitz acted alone." You've only scratched the surface of Berkowitz family history. However you must not forget Donna Lauria and you cannot let the people forget her either. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure. David Richard Berkowitz (born Richard David Falco, June 1, 1953), also self-proclaimed with the name Son of Sam and christened by the media as .44 Caliber Killer due to the weapon he used, is an American serial killer who pleaded guilty to eight separate shooting attacks that began in New York City during the summer of 1976. He's the guy and there's nothing else to look at. He attended Bronx Community College for one year, enrolling in the spring of 1975. He is famous for Audrey Landers husband. However, to stop me you must kill me. [147] Oliver Cooper portrayed him in the TV series Mindhunter (2019).[148]. [25] He subsequently had several non-professional jobs, and at the time of his arrest was working as a letter sorter for the United States Postal Service. [60] The press had previously dubbed the killer "the .44 Caliber Killer" because of his weapon of choice. Thank you. [66] After consulting with several psychiatrists, police released a psychological profile of their suspect on May 26, 1977. She ran to her home only to hear shots fired behind her in the street. Police decided to wait for Berkowitz to leave the apartment, rather than risk a violent encounter in the building's narrow hallway; they also waited to obtain a search warrant for the apartment, worried that their search might be challenged in court.