Son of Sam
Who is Son of Sam?
The Son of Sam, also known as the .44 Caliber Killer, is the infamous moniker given to David Berkowitz, a serial killer who terrorized New York City during the summer of 1976. Berkowitz committed a series of shootings, targeting young couples parked in cars. His reign of terror resulted in six deaths and numerous injuries. The term "Son of Sam" originated from the cryptic and menacing letters Berkowitz sent to the media and police during his crime spree. In these letters, he claimed that a neighbor's dog named Sam was compelling him to commit the murders. Berkowitz was eventually apprehended in 1977 and is serving a lengthy prison sentence for his crimes. The Son of Sam case remains a dark chapter in the history of criminal investigations and the psychology of serial killers.
Son of Sam motives?
David Berkowitz, the Son of Sam killer, claimed that his motives for the series of shootings in the summer of 1976 were rooted in a complex web of delusions and personal demons. Berkowitz later asserted that he believed a neighbor's dog named Sam was instructing him to commit the murders. This bizarre claim, however, is widely regarded as a manifestation of Berkowitz's mental health issues rather than a genuine motive. Psychiatric evaluations suggested that Berkowitz suffered from a personality disorder and paranoid schizophrenia. While he initially gave varying reasons for his crimes, it became evident that Berkowitz's motives were deeply entangled with his mental health challenges, making the Son of Sam case a chilling example of the intersection between psychosis and criminal behavior.