On June 12, 1978, David Berkowitz, despite needing four mental health tests to prove sanity, was convicted of six charges of murder in the second degree and eight charges of attempted murder in the second degree. Pleading guilty to all the charges, Berkowitz would receive his first parole hearing in 25 years and every two years after it. Who is Berkowitz, what has he done to receive his 365-year sentence? Get ready for a blast to the past as we look at the case of the .44 caliber killer.
David Berkowitz was a standard boy in the 60s: loner, bully, petty thief. Did I forget to mention how he is also a pyromaniac? He was a smart kid, but after his adoptive mother died when he was fourteen, his home life became strained. His new step-mom did not get along with him well causing his family to distance themselves from him. During his
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Before his fatal mistake on July 31, 1777, a parking ticket linking him to the crime. Having been seen walking away from crime scenes by a few people you would think he would be on edge. He let the parking ticket go as it was a way to “free him” as he was supposedly not killing of his free will. This fateful parking ticket gave the police the ability to find where he lived and go to this house. On arriving at his home, the police found a rifle in the back seat of his car, leading them to wait there for David to exit his home. When David had stepped into his car the two officers held him at gunpoint as they arrested him for a .44 caliber Bulldog revolver on his person, the exact weapon used to kill his victims. When caught David simply said “Well, you got me. How come it took you so long?”(August 10, 1977). After his arrest, the police searched his apartment to find it in disarray with Satanic Graffiti on the walls. Along with the notebooks of arsons David claims to have caused all around New