
Who is David Berkowitz, where is the Son of Sam serial killer now and what do we know about his victims?
One of America's most infamous serial killers,
2
Police mug shot of David Berkowitz, who killed six people and wounded seven
Who is David Berkowitz
and why was he called the Son of Sam?
Gunman David Berkowitz carried out a killing spree that terrorised New Yorkers for 12 months, killing six and wounding seven, sparking the biggest manhunt in the city's history before he was finally arrested in 1977.
Before being identified, the '.44 Caliber Killer' was also known as the 'Son of Sam' for the signature he left on letters at crime scenes and sent to media outlets.
After a year-long reign of terror which left six dead and seven more wounded, cops were relieved to have brought down the gunman.
After David Berkowitz was apprehended and put on trial, he claimed that his neighbour's dog, named Sam, was possessed by a demon and commanded him to kill.
With Berkowitz behind bars, the Son of Sam case was closed — until a bizarre theory about a Satanic cult threw new light on the killings.
Not everyone is convinced Berkowitz had acted alone, while some fear that others involved in the spree could still be out there.
In 1993, Berkowitz gave a series of shocking TV interviews to Inside Edition in which he claimed that he had not acted alone during his 1970s bloodbath.
Who were David Berkowitz's victims?
Donna Lauria and Jody Valenti shooting (July 1976)
The first shooting attributed to the Son of Sam occurred in the Pelham Bay area of the Bronx.
Most read in The US Sun
At about 1.10am on July 29, 1976, Donna Lauria, an emergency medical technician, 18, and her friend Jody Valenti, a nurse, 19, were sitting in Valenti's double-parked Oldsmobile, discussing their evening at Peachtree's, a New Rochelle disco.
Lauria opened the car door to leave and noticed a man quickly approaching the car, he produced a pistol from the paper bag and aimed his weapon with both hands, and fired.
Lauria was struck by one bullet that killed her instantly.
Valenti was shot in her thigh and survived her injury.
2
Oliver Cooper playing David Berkowitz in Mindhunter
Carl Denaro and Rosemary Keenan shooting (October 1976)
Most of Berkowitz's activity was in Queens, though he lived farther north in Yonkers.
On October 23, 1976, a similar shooting occurred in a secluded residential area of Flushing, Queens, next to Bowne Park.
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.
Keenan quickly started the car and sped away for help.
The panicked couple did not realise that someone had been shooting at them, even though Denaro was bleeding from a bullet wound to his head.
Keenan had only superficial injuries from the broken glass, but Denaro eventually needed a metal plate to replace a portion of his skull.
Donna DeMasi and Joanne Lomino shooting (November 1976)
High school student Donna DeMasi, 16, and Joanne Lomino, a student at Martin Van Buren High School, 18, walked home from a movie soon after midnight on November 27, 1976.
They were chatting on the porch of Joanne'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.
He quickly produced a revolver and he shot each of the victims once and, as they fell to the ground injured, he fired several more times.
DeMasi had been shot in the neck, but the wound was not life-threatening. Lomino was hit in the back and hospitalized in a serious condition.
She was ultimately rendered paraplegic.
Christine Freund and John Diel shooting (January 1977)
At about 12.40am on January 30, 1977, Christine Freund, a secretary, 26, and her fiancé John Diel, a bartender, 30, were sitting in Diel's car near the Forest Hills LIRR station in Queens, preparing to drive to a dance hall after having seen the movie Rocky.
Three gunshots penetrated the car and in a panic, Diel drove away for help.
He suffered minor superficial injuries, but Freund was shot twice and died several hours later at the hospital.
Virginia Voskerichian shooting (March 1977)
At about 7.30pm on March 8, 1977, Columbia University student Virginia Voskerichian, 19, was walking home from school when she was confronted by an armed man.
She lived about a block from where Christine Freund had been shot.
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.
Alexander Esau and Valentina Suriani shooting (April 1977)
At about 3am 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.
Suriani died at the scene, and Esau died in the hospital several hours later without being able to describe his attacker.
Sal Lupo and Judy Placido shooting (June 1977)
On June 26, 1977, there was another shooting.
Sal Lupo, a mechanic's helper, 20, and Judy Placido, a recent high school graduate, 17, had left the Elephas disco in Bayside, Queens, and were sitting in Sal's parked car at about 3am, when three gunshots blasted through the vehicle.
Sal was wounded in the right forearm, while Judy was shot in the right temple, shoulder, and back of the neck, but both victims survived their injuries.
Sal told police that the young couple had been discussing the Son of Sam case only moments before the shooting.
Stacy Moskowitz and Robert Violante shooting (July 1977)
Berkowitz's final killing happened in Brooklyn.
Early on July 31, 1977, Stacy Moskowitz, a secretary, and Robert Violante, a clothing store salesman, both 20, were in Robert's car, which was parked under a streetlight near a city park in the neighbourhood of Bath Beach, on their first date.
They were kissing when a man approached within three feet of the passenger side of Robert's car and fired four rounds into the car, striking both victims in the head before he escaped into the park.
Robert lost his left eye but Stacy died from her injuries.
Netflix drops trailer for harrowing new true crime doc The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness
Where is David Berkowitz now?
In 1978, Berkowitz was convicted of the murders of two men and four women, ranging in age from 18 to 25, and sentenced to six consecutive life sentences in prison, which he is still serving.
How was David Berkowitz caught?
Berkowitz grew up as a difficult child with occasional bouts of violence but his real troubles began after the death of his adoptive mother in 1967.
His adoptive father remarried in 1971 and moved to Florida without him, forcing him to join the army.
Claiming to be pushed to kill by demons, Berkowitz attempted to murder a woman in December 1975, but she survived with several stab wounds, beginning his year-long killing spree.
He named himself Son of Sam, a reference to a demon he believed lived inside the black labrador owned by his neighbour, Sam Carr.
David Berkowitz was caught when a young woman named Cacilia Davis unwittingly walked past his crime scene, and past Berkowitz himself in his car.
Davis tipped off the police and the officer who had been ticketing cars in the area that night, including Berkowitz's.
He was arrested on August 10, and in his car they found a rifle, a bag of ammunition, maps of the crime scene and further threatening letters. Then, the police uncovered the .44 gun.
What did David Berkowitz say after being caught?
During his arrest, Berkowitz said with a smile on his face: 'Well, you got me.'
He confessed to all his crimes while in police custody, changing his story several times, claiming to be part of a cult and falsely confessing to the murder of a young woman in New York.
In the new series, viewers are given an insight into his state of mind at the time.
Ahead of one court appearance, Berkowitz told prison guards: 'I guess the press is waiting with their cameras … can you comb my hair?'
About Netflix's The Son of Sam Tapes
The three-part series delves into the mind and troubled past of Berkowitz, featuring newly unearthed audio interviews recorded with him by reporter Jack Jones in 1980 at Attica Correctional Facility in Wyoming County, New York.
Alongside interviews with detectives, journalists, and survivors of Berkowitz's attacks, it claims to offer new insights into the investigation and the enduring impact of Berkowitz's crimes on the local community.
The series is directed and produced by Emmy-winning and Academy Award-nominated director Joe Berlinger (Cold Case: Jon Benet Ramsey, Crime Scene: The Texas Killing Fields, and Hitler and the Nazis: Evil on Trial).
Berlinger told Netflix: 'With The Son of Sam Tapes, we delve into the world of David Berkowitz and his chilling influence on 1970s New York City.
'These rare tapes reveal unnerving insights into his psyche, shedding light on the intricate details of the case and the pervasive fear that gripped the city.
Read more on the Irish Sun
'Through these tapes, we hope to not only revisit history, but to bring clarity and depth to a narrative that has long intrigued and unsettled the public.'
The Son of Sam Tapes airs on Netflix on July 30.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Parents of twins & bro, 8 & 10, held captive in nappies in Spanish ‘House of Horrors' since Covid face 25 years in jail
THE parents of three children who were allegedly trapped in a hellish "House of Horrors" since the Covid pandemic face 25 years in prison. The three boys were found by cops after parents 7 The parents of three children held in a 'house of horrors' face 25 years in jail Credit: Solarpix 7 German-born Christian Steffen, 53 faces the charges along with his wife Melissa Ann Steffen, 48 Credit: Solarpix 7 The house was full of rubbish and pet excrement Credit: Solarpix The young German boys, two eight-year-old twins and one 10-year-old, were said to have been Each of them had allegedly been forced to wear three Pictures from inside the But despite the piles of rubbish and excrement inside the house it is thought that the two parents were terrified of germs getting into their home. READ MORE WORLD NEWS Referring to the They are The prosecutor confirmed speculation that the children were "locked up due to an unfounded fear of contracting some disease" at the home in the small Asturian town of Fitoria. Authorities also demanded that the parents be barred from ever contacting their children ever again, as well as pay a £13,000 fine. Most read in The US Sun The parents have also reportedly recently filed an appeal against their pre-trial detention - but it was rejected, It was previously revealed that the Connecticut woman who allegedly held stepson captive for over 20 years pleads not guilty The female neighbour, called Silvia, handed cops a 'forensic detective' diary made up of a series of data which showed kids were being held at the Steffen's home. Silvia, who lives just 65ft away from the home, first jotted down claims that she witnessed a little girl playing in the garden. This later evolved into a slew of evidence as Silvia continued to note what she saw going on in the home. They included details of the days and times the curtains on the second floor moved and even when the blinds were opened or lowered. Notes even kept tabs on every occasion the man believed to be Christian left the house to meet delivery drivers or collected food deliveries. She said she never saw a child leave the home or playing around in the time since making the diary. Her suspicions continued to grow after she saw the amount and size of supermarket deliveries which the homeowner was receiving. 7 The children were allegedly forced to wear nappies and sleep in caged beds Credit: Solarpix 7 The boys were saved after four years in captivity Despite only one person appearing to live in the house, Silvia noted that there was enough family each time. At one point, Silvia even claims she started to hear children's voices coming from across the street. After collecting the detailed dossier, the professor handed her notes over to the cops on April 14. They started to investigate the serious accusations and soon discovered nappies were being purchased. This sparked a major search inside the property so police could see what was going on inside shortly before Police would go on to thank Silvia for noticing the peculiar shopping list as they labelled the spot as the key clue which helped them arrest the parents. A city hall source told respected Spanish daily 'The shopping list was the clue that set it all off. 'It was the list of a family, not a single person, and there was something that didn't fit at all which was the striking amount of nappies.' The source added: 'Without that neighbour, the children would almost certainly have gone undetected in that house for many more years." It was also revealed that many of the neighbours didn't even realise that the house was being lived in at all due to how secretive the dad had been. 7 A skull and cross bones drawn on the bed by one of the children Credit: Spanish Police 7 The family's house in Oviedo, northern Spain Since the arrests, cops have spoken out about the horrors inside the home as well as the treatment of the young children. Police who raided the property told local press the youngsters were made to wear nappies and told when and how many times they could use the toilet. The three boys were reportedly told they could only lower the blinds in their bedrooms at 5.10pm each day after being allowed to raise them exactly halfway up the windows during daylight hours. Prosecutors say filthy diapers were even piled up in one of the bedrooms. A shocking paediatric report on the kids later identified they were suffering from 'severe constipation', El Español reports. This is reportedly due to them only being allowed to go to the toilet at specific times. An unnamed investigator Spanish media quoted said: 'The children's parents claimed the youngsters didn't know how to control their bowel movements but the paediatric report has shown that to be false.' Police say once the children were freed one of them knelt down on the grass and 'touched it with amazement'. Oviedo Police Chief Inspector Francisco Javier Lozano said: 'We have given three children back their lives.' German freelance tech recruiter Christian and his US-born wife are both now facing 25 years and four months behind bars if found guilty. They are currently being investigated on suspicion of domestic violence, psychological mistreatment and child abandonment.


Extra.ie
9 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Irish viewers gripped by Amy Bradley doc — Here are the 3 theories everyone's talking about
When Netflix premiered Amy Bradley Is Missing on July 16, 2025, it reignited global interest in one of the most perplexing cold cases of the past three decades. The three-part docuseries, a #1 hit in Ireland, delves into the baffling disappearance of 23‑year‑old Amy Lynn Bradley, who vanished in the early hours of March 24, 1998, from her family's cruise cabin balcony aboard Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas while en route to Curaçao. Nearly 27 years later, the mystery endures, and the series reframes the case through fresh interviews, previously unseen footage, and new leads. When Netflix premiered Amy Bradley Is Missing on July 16, 2025, it reignited global interest in one of the most perplexing cold cases of the past three Netflix From port-access logs suggesting IP activity around Barbados on family anniversaries to rare firsthand accounts from witnesses who believe they saw Amy living under duress, the theories explored are as chilling as they are varied. The gripping series has turned Irish viewers into armchair detectives almost overnight, flooding social media with theories, timelines, and map analyses. However, these top three theories have sparked the most debate and speculation. Amy Bradley and her brother Brad. Pic: Netflix One of the most widely discussed and disturbing theories is that Amy Bradley was abducted and forced into human trafficking—a suspicion that's only intensified due to multiple reported sightings over the years. Just months after her disappearance, US Navy petty officer William Hefner claimed he saw a woman resembling Amy in a Curaçao brothel, who told him she was in need of help. Later sightings placed her in shopping malls and hotels, often with men who appeared to be controlling her. While none of these accounts were ever officially confirmed, the consistency and urgency in the witnesses' descriptions have led many to believe Amy may have been sold into a trafficking ring operating in the Caribbean—a theory that the Netflix series treats with sobering seriousness. Nearly 27 years later, the mystery endures, and the series reframes the case through fresh interviews, previously unseen footage, and new leads. Pic: Netflix Another theory gaining traction is that Amy was murdered aboard the Rhapsody of the Seas and her body disposed of at sea, a chilling possibility, especially given the ship's limited security and surveillance in 1998. Supporters of this theory point to her sudden disappearance from her private balcony, just hours after being seen dancing with a member of the ship's band. Some speculate a violent confrontation may have occurred in the early hours, and that the perpetrator, possibly a crew member, threw her overboard to cover it up. The most tangible piece of potential evidence came years later, when a human jawbone washed ashore in Aruba in 2010. Though never officially linked to Amy, experts featured in the Netflix documentary claim its dental structure closely resembles hers, and criticize the FBI's refusal to allow a full DNA comparison. For many viewers, that unresolved lead adds weight to the theory of an onboard murder, and to the sense that justice may have been obstructed. Amy Bradley and her father Ron. Pic: Netflix A third, more unconventional theory explored in the documentary is that Amy left the ship voluntarily and has been living abroad in secret ever since. While this idea has long been dismissed by investigators, fresh digital evidence has reignited interest. The series reveals a startling pattern of IP addresses traced to Barbados that accessed the forum on key family dates—Amy's birthday, the anniversary of her disappearance, and even on the night her brother got married. These log-ins occurred over several years and originated from the same narrow location range, leading some to speculate that Amy might have fled the pressures of her old life and chosen anonymity. While critics argue this theory lacks motive and dismiss the log-ins as coincidence or manipulation, it remains one of the most talked-about possibilities among amateur sleuths, especially those who believe Amy may still be alive, watching from the shadows.


The Irish Sun
14 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Costa del Sol night crawler fears as £50k Rolex stolen from sleeping influencer… days after creep leered at sleeping mum
FEARS of a Costa del Sol night crawler have emerged after a £50,000 Rolex was stolen from an influencer. The theft happened just days after a creep leered at a Advertisement 7 TikToker Naomi Hopper said a Rolex and Chanel bag were stolen from her home in the Costa del Sol Credit: tiktok/@noemihopper/ 7 She pointed out where the Rolex had been sitting before it was nicked Credit: tiktok/@noemihopper/ 7 Cops are now investigating after the theft Credit: instagram/@/noemihopperr/ Noemí Hopper claims the expensive watch was nicked from a bedroom while her household was sleeping in the swanky Benahavís villa. Hopper, who has more than 1.4m followers on TikTok, posted a clip to social media about the theft. She gave a tour of the luxury home and showed where the Rolex owned by a pal and a Chanel bag of hers was stolen from. The group had been staying in the villa since July 15, but woke up on the 21st to find the missing belongings. Advertisement Read more on world news She said: "I just woke up and just realised that last night some thieves broke into the house we're staying and got my friend's watch and my Chanel bag. "We didn't realise at all. We were asleep, I was sleeping here and they entered through here and got the bag." Hopper walks into one bedroom in the clip and shows where the watch was sitting just meters from where her pal would have been sleeping. "They must be professionals, here is my friend's room, they got in while I was asleep here, and they got the watch. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun "They told us we have to make a report to the police but I'm freaking out. "And on top of that they left us the photo that I had inside the bag. Thank you very much, very nice, thank you. Couldn't you have left me the bag as well?" Burglar leers over a sleeping woman's body while creeping through home At the end of the clip the group speculate they could have even been gassed to keep them asleep during the robbery. The Chanel bag was valued at £7,500, Advertisement The group have now lodged a complaint with the police and the Civil Guard is investigating the crime. It comes after footage emerged of a deviant creeping through a home on CCTV in nearby Marbella. 7 The thief left a photo behind, Naomi said Credit: tiktok/@noemihopper/ 7 The pal whose Rolex was stolen Credit: tiktok/@noemihopper/ Advertisement The thief was seen creeping around in a tracksuit with his face covered as he looked to raid a sleeping couple as they were fast asleep. At one point, he flashes his torch over the pair who were in bed before focusing in on Pilar. The traumatised mom was sleeping naked on her front with the majority of her body uncovered by the duvet due to the Spanish heat. In a blood-curdling moment the sordid burglar bent over and moved closer to Pilar to shine the torch on her body further. Advertisement After watching back the sickening footage - which lasted for 32 minutes - Pilar told local media: "He entered our bedroom eight times to look at my private parts." The brave victim released the video shortly after taking it to the police as she said it was the only way to get justice and catch the "sick predator". Pilar and Alex said they first knew something was wrong when they woke up to see 300 euros had been taken from their home. Their valuables and expensive goods were all exactly where they left them including in the couple's 18-year-old son's room next door. Advertisement 7 The sickening moment a masked burglar flashes his torch to leer at a naked woman as she sleeps 7 The creep took a close look at the sleeping mum