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A recent Reddit post has sparked debate in the true crime enthusiast community after a user claimed that notorious serial killer David Berkowitz, known as "Son of Sam," may have a connection to killer Keith Hunter Jesperson, known as the "Happy Face Killer."
"Berkowitz is a pathological liar. Read M. William Phelps’ book, Dangerous Ground, about his relationship with the Happy Face Killer and you’ll hear more about it. The two were pen pals and Happy Face sent Phelps copies. It’s pretty chilling.," the Reddit user wrote.
The post quickly went viral and revived interest in old theories about multiple serial killers and hidden networks. Some users seemingly thought there was indeed a connection between the two serial killers, while others shared their theories and stories about "Son of Sam":
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"I listened to an interview with the Son of Sam Killer and I cant stop thinking about it," commented one user.
"It’s worth remembering that prison can often be the structure guys like him need. So many violent criminals are model prisoners that are let out early on parole. Then, they have a stressful day, someone bumps into them walking down the aisle in a grocery store, and they snap." commented one user.
"He was extremely lonely and felt inadequate because his mother had put him up for adoption. He was constantly joining groups or attempting to join groups, not because he had serious convictions but because he was trying to be part of something, and to have friends and just people to regularly interact with." another user commented.
"I had a friend that used to work with him, this would have been maybe 80s or 90s (2000s when he told me about it). He said he enjoyed something of a celebrity status in jail, not that he was a d*ck about it or anything, just that everyone knew “holy sh*t that’s Son of Sam.” And something about being a barber, like maybe he learned that profession and practiced it in prison." another user wrote.
The post raised questions about whether Berkowitz may have had any direct or indirect contact with Jesperson, either while in prison or through a common contact.
The claim comes as a new episode of the documentary series 48 Hours is set to revisit controversial claims involving David Berkowitz. The episode features old interviews and expert opinions.
Although it does not directly discuss the connection to Jesperson, online discussions have revived interest in these unfinished mysteries. The show will examine David Berkowitz's confessions and whether he was operating alone.
Reddit users debate David Berkowitz's timeline in prison, locations, and theories
Some Reddit users also questioned the timeline and locations of the prisons. According to publicly available Department of Corrections records, David Berkowitz has been incarcerated in New York since 1977, while Jesperson was active in the 1990s and later imprisoned in Oregon.
These facts were brought up by critics who called the theory historically inaccurate. However, supporters of the theory say that indirect connections through prison ministries, correspondence, or intermediaries are possible.
According to user-generated content, the conversation also touched on the controversial claim that David Berkowitz was part of a larger cult group that engaged in ritualistic activities — a theory that has been around since journalist Maury Terry's 1987 book, The Ultimate Evil.
Some Reddit users said that if David Berkowitz was indeed part of a network, other killers like Jesperson may be connected to it in some way. Though this claim is not confirmed by legal documents, it was still a topic of discussion in the thread.
As 48 Hours delves into the complexities of the case and uncovers old evidence, the online community will continue to analyze these speculations and theories.
48 Hours: Son of Sam: A Killer Speaks is set to air on Saturday, August 2, 2025, at 10 pm ET. Viewers can also stream this episode on Paramount+.
