David Berkowitz's letters revealed: Disturbing words from the Son of Sam

David Berkowitz, also nicknamed as Son of Sam, is an American serial killer who committed a series of six murders and eleven attacks in New York City in the time between 1975 to 1977. Reportedly, David was also known as the .44 Caliber Killer for using a .44 Special caliber Bulldog revolver during most of his crimes.

David Berkowitz sent a series of handwritten letters to the Police, claiming that a demon black dog named "Sam" ordered him to commit the crimes. It was on August 10, 1977, when Berkowitz was arrested and charged with eight counts of shooting. He was sentenced to six consecutive life sentences, with the possibility of parole after 25 years.

Netflix docuseries titled Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes explores the complete story of David Berkowitz. The three-part docuseries was released on July 30, 2025.

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What is the story of David Berkowitz?

David was enlisted in the army at the age of 17 (Image via Pexels)

As per the Netflix docuseries, David Berkowitz was born as Richard David Falco in 1953 in Brooklyn. Reportedly, his mother, Elizabeth Broder, gave him away for adoption within days after his birth. He was eventually adopted by a Jewish couple named Pearl and Nathan Berkowitz.

As reported by Fortean Times, from an early age, David started committing larceny. He had a temptation to start fires, which led his parents to consult a psychotherapist. As per the Netflix docu-series, David joined the United States Army in 1971 at the age of 17.

David started committing his shootings with a .44 Special caliber Bulldog revolver (Image via Pexels)

During his time in the military, David served at Fort Knox and additionally with an infantry division in South Korea. In June 1974, David was released from his army service with an honorable discharge. As per the docuseries, it was in the mid-1970s when David Berkowitz started committing his series of violent crimes.

Reportedly, he first started attacking people with a knife, and then eventually switched to the .44 Special caliber Bulldog revolver. Most of his crimes took place in public places, especially targeting young female victims around New York, especially in Brooklyn, Queens, and the Bronx. David showed no fear of crimes and showcased excitement in committing the attacks.

Investigators identified two victims who were killed by Berkowitz (Image via Pexels)

Reportedly, he often revisited the places where he had attacked people. As per People, the six murder victims of David Berkowitz include Donna Lauria, Christine Freund, Virginia Voskerichian, Valentia Suriani, Alexander Esau, and Stacy Moskowitz.

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The letters of David Berkowitz

A letter was found near the bodies of Valentia Suriani and Alexander Esau.

Investigators discovered a letter beside the bodies of Valentia Suriani and Alexander Esau (Image via Pexels)

As per Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes, the first letter of David Berkowitz was discovered near the bodies of Valentia Suriani and Alexander Esau. The letter was mostly written in block capitals and was addressed to Captain Joseph Borrelli from the NYPD.

Soon, the letter from the infamous serial killer caught media attention, and David Berkowitz received the name "Son of Sam". Reportedly, in the letter, David mocked the police department for their inability to catch him. Additionally, he claimed that he will continue his crimes in the future.

Reportedly, in the misspelled letter, David introduced himself as the "Son of Sam". David claimed that his actions are influenced by commands from his imaginary father, Sam. It was on May 26, 1977, when the police released a psychological profile of David Berkowitz. He was predicted to be a patient of paranoid schizophrenia.

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A letter was sent to Journalist Jimmy Breslin.

Investigators discovered a letter that was sent to Journalist Jimmy Breslin (Image via Pexels)

As per Conversations with a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes, it was on May 30, 1977, when Journalist Jimmy Breslin received a handwritten letter from a man who claimed himself as the .44 Caliber Killer. Investigators discovered that the letter was sent on the same day from Englewood, New Jersey.

Reportedly, on the reverse of the envelope, four handwritten lines were reading: Darkness and Death, Blood and Family, Absolute Depravity, and .44. However, authorities suspected the letter to be from someone else since the wording and presentation in Breslin's letter were more curated and sophisticated.

Detective James Justis revealed David as a potential suspect to the police (Image via Pexels)

Reportedly, it was on August 9, 1977, when NYPD detective James Justis contacted the Yonkers Police Department and revealed David as a potential suspect. On the following day, his car was tracked parked outside of his apartment in 35 Pine Street, Yonkers.

He was arrested at gunpoint by Detective Sgt. William Gardella. As reported by the Las Vegas Sun, it was on August 11, 1977, when David confessed to all his crimes after thirty minutes of interrogation.

David was arrested at gunpoint outside his apartment (Image via Pexels)

As reported by The New York Times, it was on June 12, 1978, when David Berkowitz was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison, to be served consecutively for six murders. His guilty plea gave him eligibility for parole after 25 years. As reported by Lehigh Valley Live, David is currently incarcerated at the Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Ulster County, New York.

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Edited by Bharath S