Netflix’s Son of Sam Tapes: Where is David Berkowitz Now?

The summer of 1977 paralyzed New York City. A serial killer prowled the streets, targeting young couples in parked cars with a .44 caliber revolver. He signed taunting letters “Son of Sam” – a name now etched in true crime history. Netflix’s explosive new documentary Conversations With a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes (2025) resurrects this terror through chilling, never-broadcast audio of David Berkowitz himself. But as the credits roll, one question lingers: Where is the man who murdered six and wounded seven others nearly 50 years ago?

The Making of a Monster: Berkowitz’s Fractured Psyche

David Berkowitz’s descent began with profound abandonment. Adopted as an infant, he believed his biological mother died in childbirth—a narrative later debunked. “I felt unwanted from day one,” Berkowitz confesses in the tapes. When he tracked down his birth mother in adulthood, he recoiled at her appearance and the scandal of his conception. This rejection calcified into rage against young couples, whom he perceived as “creating more unwanted children.”

Dr. Michael Caparrelli, a behavioral psychologist who interviewed Berkowitz for the documentary, explains: “His shame metastasized into violence. He targeted intimacy because it represented everything he’d been denied.” Berkowitz’s adoptive parents’ efforts couldn’t counteract his spiraling mental health, documented in Army records showing disciplinary issues years before the killings.

The Summer of Terror: How Son of Sam Held NYC Hostage

Berkowitz’s rampage began in July 1976. His pattern was merciless: approach parked cars, fire through windows with a .44 Special Bulldog revolver, and vanish. Victims like Donna Lauria (18) and Jody Valenti (19, blinded but survived) became symbols of a city under siege.

The killer fueled his infamy through handwritten letters to police and journalists. One sent to the New York Daily News read: “I am the ‘Son of Sam’… I love to hunt. Prowling the streets looking for fair game.” The NYPD’s largest manhunt since the Lindbergh baby case ensued, draining 300 detectives daily.

His capture in August 1977 was almost theatrical. After a witness reported a suspicious man near a shooting, police traced a parking ticket to Berkowitz’s Ford Galaxie. Inside, they found the .44 revolver, a rifle, and a map of planned attacks. “What took you so long?” Berkowitz smirked upon arrest. He later admitted orchestrating his capture for notoriety.

David Berkowitz Today: Prison, Parole, and “Redemption”

Now 72, Berkowitz remains incarcerated at Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Wallkill, New York. He pleaded guilty to six counts of second-degree murder in 1978, receiving six concurrent life sentences. Though eligible for parole since 2002, he long waived hearings, telling the New York Post in 2012: “I deserve to be in prison.”

Recently, his stance shifted. At his May 2024 parole hearing—his 13th—Berkowitz expressed remorse: “I attend to openly apologize for my past crimes.” Dr. Caparrelli notes Berkowitz now identifies as a born-again Christian, assisting prison ministry programs. Yet the parole board remains unmoved, citing the “heinous and predatory” nature of his crimes.

Director Joe Berlinger (Paradise Lost) secured unprecedented 2024 phone interviews for the documentary. Berkowitz reflects: “My life spun out of control… I wish I’d sought help.” While some survivors’ families dismiss his contrition as performative, the series forces viewers to confront the human behind the monster.

Netflix’s The Son of Sam Tapes isn’t just a retrospective—it’s a warning about the roots of rage and the elusive nature of justice. Stream it now to witness the unvarnished audio that redefines America’s most infamous serial killer.

Must Know

Q: What’s new in Netflix’s Son of Sam Tapes documentary?
A: The 2025 series features unearthed audio interviews with Berkowitz from the 1980s, recent psychologist insights, and director Joe Berlinger’s 2024 prison phone calls with Berkowitz discussing remorse.

Q: Why did David Berkowitz target couples?
A: Berkowitz resented young lovers due to lifelong feelings of abandonment. Dr. Caparrelli explains in the documentary that he associated couples with “creating unwanted children” like himself.

Q: Is Son of Sam still eligible for parole?
A: Yes, but unlikely. Berkowitz receives biennial parole hearings but has been denied 13 times since 2002. New York’s parole board consistently cites the brutality of his crimes.

Q: How many victims did the Son of Sam have?
A: Berkowitz killed six people and wounded seven others between 1976-1977. Survivors included Valentina Suriani (paralyzed, died in 2020) and Carl Denaro (severe head injury).

Q: Where is Berkowitz imprisoned?
A: He’s held at Shawangunk Correctional Facility, a maximum-security prison 75 miles north of New York City. He works in the facility’s laundry and attends chapel services.

Q: Did Berkowitz really hear a demon through his neighbor’s dog?
A: He claimed so during his 1977 trial but later admitted it was a hoax. The documentary reveals this was a bid for an insanity defense.

Sources: New York State Department of Corrections (2024), New York Post (May 2024), Netflix’s Conversations With a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes (2025), NYPD Case Files.