Research Paper On David Berkowitz

David Berkowitz had risen to recognition with his terror spree throughout New York. When I think of the words serial killer, I think of Ted Bundy or Jeffory Dahmer first. Serial killers all have one thing in common: they killed multiple people in a period. David Berkowitz is classified as a serial killer. Berkowitz had a compelling life from his childhood to his murder spree, to his arrest. There are many theories on why Berkowitz snapped and began a shooting and murder spree.

Early Life

David Berkowitz had a traumatic childhood and some might even say because of his earlier life, he turned into a killer. Berkowitz was born on June 1, 1953, in Brooklyn, New York. His parents' names were Betty Broder and Joseph Klinemen (Turner). His birth

It was not until 1977 that police connected the dots to these shootings. Even though, he used the same .44 caliber for all the shootings (BE 7) (Tuesdell). He was called the “.44-caliber killer;” then later, he received the moniker “Son of Sam,” (“David Berkowitz”). Another way the police connected the shootings was that the female victims usually had long dark hair and were out at night (Tuesdell). Berkowitz shot at another couple in a parked vehicle, Christine Freund and her fiance; Freund died from her injuries. The same year in March, he killed an undergrad student who was going back to her home after a class. The following month he abused Valentina Suriani and Alexander Esau, and at this scene, he left a letter. Berkowitz’s final shooting was on July 31, 1977. His last victims were Stacy Moskowitz and Bobby Violante: Moskowitz later died from injuries, and Violante lost vision in one eye and most of his vision in the other (SC 3) (“David Berkowitz”). The summer of 1977 was a dark time for New York. Many terrible things were happening with a heat wave, economic issues, and the rise of criminal activity. Then the added tragedy and fear of having a serial killer made the time even darker. Many felt unsafe in New York because the shootings and murders spread from a couple to a few different city boroughs. As said in the article, “They were selling T-shirts in Central Park: ‘Get

Then as they were investigating Berkowitz they found he received a parking ticket that night and the reports from his neighbors. This was enough evidence for police to believe he was their suspect. Police arrested Berkowitz, they searched his car, searched his apartment, searched his person (SC 4). They found a semi-automatic rifle when he was arrested, and also they found a .44-caliber revolver (Son of Sam). Police also found satanic drawings on the walls of the apartment and a journal discussing many fires throughout New York (David