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David Berkowitz, infamously known as the Son of Sam, carried out a shocking shooting spree in New York City from mid‑1976 to mid‑1977, killing six people and injuring several others. After a massive manhunt, he was arrested in August 1977, soon confessed to the crimes, and in 1978 was sentenced to six consecutive life terms (25 years to life each).
He remains incarcerated today at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in New York State, repeatedly denied parole, most recently in May 2024, with the next hearing not expected until 2026. Berkowitz has since converted to Christianity, renounced his former identity, and participates in prison ministry while expressing ongoing remorse and accepting his life sentence.
The story is revisited in the Netflix series Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes, which premiered on July 30, 2025. The documentary features rare interviews conducted in 1980 by journalist Jack Jones and additional commentary from survivors, journalists, and investigators. Viewers can stream the three-part series exclusively on Netflix.
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Who was David Berkowitz, and where is he now?
David Berkowitz (born Richard David Falco, June 1, 1953) was a US Army veteran turned serial killer. Between July 1976 and July 1977, he committed a series of shootings in New York City, targeting young women or couples in parked cars, using a .44‑caliber Bulldog revolver. Six people were killed and at least eleven were wounded, as per People.
Initially vilified as the .44 Caliber Killer, he later used the alias Son of Sam in taunting letters sent to police and the press, as per People. Arrested on August 10, 1977, after police traced a parking ticket to his vehicle, he immediately confessed, saying, “Well, you got me”, according to The New York Times.
In May 1978, he pleaded guilty to six counts of second‑degree murder and seven counts of attempted murder. He received six consecutive life sentences with parole eligibility after 25 years, according to A&E. Now in his early seventies, David Berkowitz became a born‑again Christian in the late 1980s. He assists with prison ministry, runs a blog, declines parole, and expresses deep remorse for his crimes—stating he believes he deserves to remain in prison, as per People.
What happened to the Son of Sam?
David Berkowitz's Son of Sam moniker referred to a neighbor’s dog named Sam. He claimed the dog was possessed by a 6000 year old demon and had ordered him to kill, a dramatic tale he eventually admitted was fabricated to confuse police and manipulate the media, as per People.
In later interviews featured in the Netflix series, he openly said the demon story was a ruse grounded in revenge and frustration rather than actual occult involvement, according to The Sun.
The story behind the case: investigation, confession, and aftermath
The killings began in July 1976 with the murder of Donna Lauria and the injury of Jody Valenti in the Bronx, escalating public fear across the city. Similar shootings occurred throughout Queens, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, mostly targeting couples in parked cars. Berkowitz sent taunting letters to newspapers and police, signing them Son of Sam and inflaming media attention, as per The New York Post.
Investigators formed a task force of about 200 officers. The breakthrough came when they linked a parking ticket issued near the final crime scene to Berkowitz’s car. A search of his apartment uncovered the .44‑caliber revolver and correspondence matching the taunting letters, as per CBS News.
After his arrest in August 1977, he confessed to all shootings. In court, he waived trial, pleaded guilty, and received maximum consecutive prison terms. During sentencing, he threatened violence again and caused a court disturbance, prompting further psychiatric evaluation, but he was found competent, as per A&E.
In the late 1980s, he converted to Christianity and began speaking publicly through prison ministry. He has been denied parole repeatedly (12 times by May 2024) and remains behind bars.
Watch Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes available on Netflix.
