Where is David Berkowitz now? Son of Sam embraced Christianity in prison

Netflix dropped the fourth iteration of the Conversations with a Killer series, focused on the notorious New York City serial killer David Berkowitz. The convicted murderer, infamously known as “Son of Sam,” terrorized NYC during the ’70s.

The latest Netflix docuseries explores the unearthed audio recordings of exchanges between Berkowitz and crime journalist Jack Jones, who also authored Let Me Take You Down, a book about the killer of The Beatles’ John Lennon. At the time, the Son of Sam killer was incarcerated at Attica Correctional Facility in Wyoming County, New York.

Also known as the “.44 Caliber Killer,” David Berkowitz was convicted of six counts of second-degree murder and seven counts of attempted second-degree murder, according to The New York Times (NYT). Over the years, the NYC serial killer was lodged in different prisons. Based on New York State’s online inmate records, Berkowitz is currently imprisoned at Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Wallkill, Ulster County.

According to the NYT, the former U.S. Army soldier and USPS clerk pleaded guilty to six murder charges and seven attempted murder charges on May 8, 1978. Following his conviction, a hearing for his sentencing took place two weeks later, on May 22. Berkowitz, who reportedly maintained a calm demeanor while pleading, disrupted the hearing and screamed (via The Washington Post):

“Stacy [his last victim] was a w****, Stacy was a w****.”

Berkowitz, who tried to jump through the courtroom’s seventh-story window, also shouted (via The Washington Post):

“I'd kill her again. I'd kill them all again.”

Ultimately, a sentencing hearing was held on June 12, 1978, and David Berkowitz faced 25 years to life for each second-degree murder count. Furthermore, he was sentenced to up to 25 years for each attempted murder count. Due to a minimum sentence of 25 years for each murder charge, the serial killer became eligible for parole after 25 years of incarceration, per New York State laws, the NYT confirmed at the time of sentencing.

David Berkowitz, aka Son of Sam, has been denied parole 12 times since becoming eligible in 2002

It appears that Donald Trump will have to look elsewhere for his vice presidential running mate.
“Son of Sam” killer David Berkowitz, who set New York City on edge with late-night shootings in the 1970s, was denied parole after his twelfth board appearance. pic.twitter.com/Cjw6dyy00s

— James Hughes (@JamesHu29812484) May 28, 2024

The infamous serial killer, who startled NYC in the ’70s, was apprehended in August 1977 and confessed to his crimes in custody. After his sentencing in 1978 to a minimum of 25 years in prison for each murder, Berkowitz became eligible for parole in 2002. The Son of Sam killer wrote a letter to then-Governor of New York, George Pataki, and expressed his remorse for his crimes. Berkowitz, who became a born-again Christian in 1987 while imprisoned, asked not to be freed, per USA Today.

An excerpt from the copy of the 2002 letter obtained by the Associated Press reads:

“In all honesty I believe that I deserve to be in prison for the rest of my life. I have, with God's help, long ago come to terms with my situation and I have accepted my punishment.”

While David Berkowitz wasn’t granted parole, his letter sparked a response from Pataki’s spokesperson, who said (via USA Today):

“The idea that David Berkowitz was even eligible for parole is exactly why the governor sought to end parole for all violent felons. He should stay where he is for the rest of his life.”

According to Ariseandshine.com, a website created on behalf of Berkowitz, he now identifies as “Son of Hope” instead of “Son of Sam” after embracing Christianity. The site also features testimony and an apology from the convicted murderer, sharing his story while condemning the crimes he has committed. A catalog of Son of Sam’s interviews - Inside Edition, Larry King Live, and more - is also available on Ariseandshine.com.

While Berkowitz becomes eligible for parole every two years, he has been denied 12 times in more than two decades, per the AP. Son of Sam’s last parole hearing was in 2024, with the next one scheduled for May 2026.