David Berkowitz - Serial Killers, Career and Life
David Berkowitz's Personal Details
David Berkowitz is an infamous American serial killer
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | June 1, 1953 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Criminals, Serial Killers |
| City/State | New Yorkers |
| Known as | David Richard Berkowitz, Son of Sam, .44 Caliber Killer, Richard David Falco |
| Birth Place | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Religion | Christianity, Judaism |
| Height | 173 |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Joseph Klineman |
| Mother | Elizabeth |
| Sun Sign | Gemini |
| Born in | Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Famous as | Serial Killer |
// Famous Criminals
Edmund Kemper
Edmund Kemper is a convicted serial killer from America who murdered ten people. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, crimes and other facts about him.
Irma Grese
Irma Grese was a notorious German Nazi concentration camp guard during the Second World War. This biography profiles her childhood, life, horrifying acts, death and other facts.
Mirtha Jung
Mirtha Jung is the ex-wife of former drug smuggler George Jung. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family, personal life, crimes, etc.
David Berkowitz's photo
Who is David Berkowitz?
One of the most infamous serial killers in the history of the United States, David Berkowitz terrorized America like very few have before. He is convicted of killing six people and brutally injuring seven others during the second half of the 1970s. Nicknamed ‘Son of Sam’ and the ‘.44 Caliber Killer’, because of his choice of weapon - a .44 Caliber Bulldog Revolver, Berkowitz eluded the police on multiple occasions and continued his shooting spree. A huge manhunt, probably the biggest in the New York history, was initiated for the capture of the notorious killer but he successfully eluded it for a long time. In the process, he left letters for the police mocking them at their inability to catch him. Newspapers and tabloids covered his activities in great details and he achieved a somewhat celebrity status during the time. Terror reigned supreme, especially in New York, as the number of his victims kept rising with time. He was finally apprehended by the New York Police Homicide Department and sentenced by the Court of the land.
// Famous Serial Killers
Edmund Kemper
Edmund Kemper is a convicted serial killer from America who murdered ten people. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, life, crimes and other facts about him.
Aileen Wuornos
Aileen Wuornos was a serial killer who was sentenced to death for killing seven men in Florida. This biography of Aileen Wuornos provides detailed information about her childhood, life, crimes & timeline.
Karla Homolka
Karla Homolka is one of Canada’s most infamous female serial killers. Check out this biography to know more about her childhood, family, personal life, crimes committed, etc.
Childhood & Early Life
David Berkowitz was born Richard David Falco on June 1, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, Elizabeth Broder, was first married to Tony Falco but the marriage didn’t last. She conceived David with her new partner, Joseph Klineman, but chose to give him the surname Falco for reasons best known to her.
A few days after his birth, he was adopted by a middle-aged, childless Jewish couple, Nathan and Pearl Berkowitz. They altered his name to David Richard Berkowitz.
His childhood was a troubled one. Although he was a child of above-average intelligence, he was caught up in dishonorable activities like petty theft and bullying. He was distraught after the death of his adoptive mother, whom he adored, when he was just 14.
He joined the US Army in 1971 when he was 18 years old. After three years of service, he was discharged honorably from the force in 1974, following which he came back to New York. He got a job at the Postal Service and stayed at a rented apartment in the city. It was during this time that he located his biological mother and discovered that she has a half-sister by the name of Roslyn. Some psychologists believe that the primary cause of his mental troubles is rooted in the abandonment issues that he faced from his biological parents.
Major Life Events & Crimes
Berkowitz’s violent spree started in the mid-1970s. His primary targets were young women and couples. His profiling stated that he preferred women with long, dark and wavy hair the most.
According to Berkowitz, his first act of serious violence occurred on December 24, 1975, when he tried to stab two women with a hunting knife. This story has remained unconfirmed and the police have failed to establish a concrete link between him and the victim, Michelle Forman.
His first confirmed attack took place on July 29, 1976, near Pelham Bay, Bronx. Two women, Donna Lauria and Jody Valenti, were sitting in a car outside Lauria’s apartment when he fired bullets on them. Lauria died on the spot after a bullet hit her on her chest, but Valenti, who was shot on her thigh, survived. She later gave a description to the police of the man who she thought was the shooter. According to her, the shooter was a white male in his thirties, about 1.75m tall and weighing around 160lbs, with short and curly hair.
The Son of Sam struck for the second time on October 23, 1976, when he took an aim at a couple near Bowne Park in Queens. The couple, Carl Danero and Rosemary Keenan, was sitting in a parked car when Berkowitz took a shot at them. Although both of them survived the shooting, Danero’s skull was severely damaged and required major surgery to heal.
In the November of the same year, he targeted two young girls, Donna DeMasi and Joanne Lomino, as they were returning home after a movie. DeMasi was shot in the neck but she recovered in a few days. Lomino, on the other hand, was shot in the back and the injury ultimately left her a paraplegic.
Berkowitz struck again in the wee hours of January 30, 1977, when he shot Christine Freund and her fiancé John Diel near the Forrest Hills LIRR station in Queens. Diel survived the attack but Freund, who was shot twice, succumbed to her injuries in a few hours. It was after this attack that the police finally acknowledged that this might be the work of a serial killer.
His next victim was a college student, Virginia Voskerichian. On March 8, 1977, she was shot in the head with a .44 caliber on her way back home from school. After the details of this incident were revealed, the press and media went berserk with the story of the serial killer roaming the streets of New York.
On April 17, 1977, yet another couple turned into the victim of the .44 Caliber Killer. Alexander Esau and Valentina Suriani, were both shot twice in their car. Neither survived the attack. The police found a letter at the crime scene addressed to the captain and warning them that he will be back. The writer of the letter identified himself as the ‘Son of Sam’.
The next attack took place on June 26, 1977, on Sal Luppo and Judy Placido. Fortunately, both of them survived their injuries.
The final attack, before he was arrested, took place in Brooklyn on July 31, 1977. The victims, Stacy Moskowitz and Bobby Violante, were in a car when they were attacked. Moskowitz died in hospital later but Violante survived, although he was blinded in one eye.
Arrest & Trial
There were many witnesses at the Moskowitz-Violante shooting site. The police took their testimony and discovered a partial number plate of the car that the murderer was driving. Upon further investigation, the car was found to be registered to David Berkowitz. On August 10, 1977, the police arrested him from outside his house at 35 Pine Street in Yonkers.
He confessed to all the shootings on the next day in custody and claimed that he was made to do everything by his neighbor Sam Carr’s dog, which spoke to him and demanded young girls’ blood.
Berkowitz pleaded guilty on all charges against him and was sentenced to six 25 years to life sentences to be served consecutively. He would have been eligible for parole after serving 25 years.
Personal Life
Little is known about the people in Berkowitz’s life, if any. He hasn’t married and has no close relatives. He claimed that at the time of the crimes he was a Satanist and a member of a violent cult, whose members were still out there killing people.
Of the works of fiction based on him, ‘.44’, a fictionalized novel and ‘Summer of Sam’, a feature movie, deserve mention. He has also been the inspiration for songs like ‘Son of Sam’, Looking Down the Barrel of a Gun’ and ‘Sam, son of man’.
// Famous American peoples
Wentworth Miller
Wentworth Miller is an American actor and screenwriter who achieved recognition for his role in the TV series ‘Prison Break’.
Jason Simpson
Jason Simpson is the son of former NFL running back, broadcaster and actor O. J. Simpson. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family, life, and little known facts about him.
Melissa Brim
Melissa Brim is the ex-girlfriend of former professional boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.
David Berkowitz biography timelines
- // 1st Jun 1953David Berkowitz was born Richard David Falco on June 1, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York. His mother, Elizabeth Broder, was first married to Tony Falco but the marriage didn’t last. She conceived David with her new partner, Joseph Klineman, but chose to give him the surname Falco for reasons best known to her.
- // 1971 To 1974He joined the US Army in 1971 when he was 18 years old. After three years of service, he was discharged honorably from the force in 1974, following which he came back to New York. He got a job at the Postal Service and stayed at a rented apartment in the city. It was during this time that he located his biological mother and discovered that she has a half-sister by the name of Roslyn. Some psychologists believe that the primary cause of his mental troubles is rooted in the abandonment issues that he faced from his biological parents.
- // 24th Dec 1975According to Berkowitz, his first act of serious violence occurred on December 24, 1975, when he tried to stab two women with a hunting knife. This story has remained unconfirmed and the police have failed to establish a concrete link between him and the victim, Michelle Forman.
- // 29th Jul 1976His first confirmed attack took place on July 29, 1976, near Pelham Bay, Bronx. Two women, Donna Lauria and Jody Valenti, were sitting in a car outside Lauria’s apartment when he fired bullets on them. Lauria died on the spot after a bullet hit her on her chest, but Valenti, who was shot on her thigh, survived. She later gave a description to the police of the man who she thought was the shooter. According to her, the shooter was a white male in his thirties, about 1.75m tall and weighing around 160lbs, with short and curly hair.
- // 23rd Oct 1976The Son of Sam struck for the second time on October 23, 1976, when he took an aim at a couple near Bowne Park in Queens. The couple, Carl Danero and Rosemary Keenan, was sitting in a parked car when Berkowitz took a shot at them. Although both of them survived the shooting, Danero’s skull was severely damaged and required major surgery to heal.
- // 30th Jan 1977Berkowitz struck again in the wee hours of January 30, 1977, when he shot Christine Freund and her fiancé John Diel near the Forrest Hills LIRR station in Queens. Diel survived the attack but Freund, who was shot twice, succumbed to her injuries in a few hours. It was after this attack that the police finally acknowledged that this might be the work of a serial killer.
- // 8th Mar 1977His next victim was a college student, Virginia Voskerichian. On March 8, 1977, she was shot in the head with a .44 caliber on her way back home from school. After the details of this incident were revealed, the press and media went berserk with the story of the serial killer roaming the streets of New York.
- // 17th Apr 1977On April 17, 1977, yet another couple turned into the victim of the .44 Caliber Killer. Alexander Esau and Valentina Suriani, were both shot twice in their car. Neither survived the attack. The police found a letter at the crime scene addressed to the captain and warning them that he will be back. The writer of the letter identified himself as the ‘Son of Sam’.
- // 26th Jun 1977The next attack took place on June 26, 1977, on Sal Luppo and Judy Placido. Fortunately, both of them survived their injuries.
- // 31st Jul 1977The final attack, before he was arrested, took place in Brooklyn on July 31, 1977. The victims, Stacy Moskowitz and Bobby Violante, were in a car when they were attacked. Moskowitz died in hospital later but Violante survived, although he was blinded in one eye.
- // 10th Aug 1977There were many witnesses at the Moskowitz-Violante shooting site. The police took their testimony and discovered a partial number plate of the car that the murderer was driving. Upon further investigation, the car was found to be registered to David Berkowitz. On August 10, 1977, the police arrested him from outside his house at 35 Pine Street in Yonkers.
// Famous New York peoples
Skai Jackson
Skai Jackson is an American child actress with huge fan following. Find more about her family & personal life, relationships, facts and more.
Adam Saleh
Check out all that you wanted to know about Adam Saleh, the famous YouTube Personality; his birthday, his family and personal life, his girlfriends, fun trivia facts and more.
Sexxy Lexxy
Alexis Smith Walker, popularly known as Sexxy Lexxy, is an African-American singer. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements, and fun facts about her.
Devin Gordon
All about American Pop singer and internet celebrity Devin Gordon, including his age, birthday, family life, girlfriends, net worth, and some fun facts.
Sunny Hostin
Sunny Hostin is an American lawyer, social commentator, columnist and journalist. Check out this biography to know about her childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.
Jayla Marie
Jayla Marie is an American hip-hopper and YouTube star. Let’s take a look at her family & personal life including age, date of birth, net worth, and fun facts.
David Berkowitz's FAQ
What is David Berkowitz birthday?
David Berkowitz was born at 1953-06-01
Where is David Berkowitz's birth place?
David Berkowitz was born in Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
What is David Berkowitz nationalities?
David Berkowitz's nationalities is American
What is David Berkowitz's religion?
David Berkowitz's religion is Christianity, Judaism
How tall is David Berkowitz?
David Berkowitz's height is 173
Who is David Berkowitz's father?
David Berkowitz's father is Joseph Klineman
Who is David Berkowitz's mother?
David Berkowitz's mother is Elizabeth
What is David Berkowitz's sun sign?
David Berkowitz is Gemini
How famous is David Berkowitz?
David Berkowitz is famouse as Serial Killer