David Berkowitz Research Paper
“All victims were strangers to him, all murders had been done in the middle of the night except for one. While he was nervous and fearful at the first shooting; he took great pleasure in it. He alone knew who killer was. He was omnipotent. The “demons” had transformed the unassuming and quite ordinary David Berkowitz into one of the most sought-after killers of modern times” (Abrahamsen, 1985). During childhood an individual goes through phases, events, emotions that shape his or her adulthood, David Berkowitz was not an exception like many other murders he was the product of his formative years. Notorious for the spree of killings committed in 1976-77 in New York City of young women, whom he stalked, and preyed on after dark. For one year
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the “.44 caliber killer,” or self proclaimed “Son of Sam,” created terror in the heart of New Yorkers leading to the largest manhunt ever mobilized by the New York Police, despite that fact David Berkowitz murderous rampage was not stopped until a year after the first event (Abrahamsen, 1985). In March 1979, Dr. David Abrahamsen was chosen by the Brooklyn district attorney as the sole psychiatrist to examine David Berkowitz and to make a decision on whether or not he was mentally capable of going through trial. Dr. David Abrahamsen, a forensic scientist his field with many years of experience concluded that David Berkowitz was competent of standing trial. Dr. Abrahamsen was not fooled by David Berkowitz’s “demon” stories in which he used to attempt to fake insanity. Ironically, the individual who made the decision on his mental state for trial was chosen to be the guy who he revealed information to. The following information was retrieved from the book, Confessions of Son of Sam by David Abrahamsen, M.D., in which David Berkowitz gave first hand account of his life from child to adulthood. The notorious slaying of young women by David Berkowitz began on July 29, 1976. At about 1 in the morning Donna Lauria, 18, was sitting in a car with her friend Jody Valente when a individual approached the car and shot several rounds in the car resulting in Donna Lauria’s death but Jody Valente miraculously survived although with injuries. On November 27, four months after the first incident Donna DiMasi and Joanne Lomino were having a normal conversation on the porch of Lominos’ house when an individual approached from nowhere and opened fire.
Joanne Lomino, 18, survived the brutal attack but was left paralyzed from the waist down. Media coverage of these two first incidents terrorized New York; parents did not feel their daughters were safe as the killer was still roaming the streets. On January 30, 1977, a couple parked their car on Forest Hills Street when suddenly an individual approached and the car and opened fire killing Christine Freund. Two months later, in March, a half a block away from the third incident Virginia Voskerichian was walking down the street when an individual shot her to death. All four incidents were interrelated, the victims were young women and the same .44 caliber gun was used for all the shootings. One month after the fourth incident Valentina Sauriani and Alexander Esau were gunned down while they were in their car parked in the Bronx. This time the murderer left a note for the police: “Come and get me.” signed “Son of Sam.” It was clear the murderer wanted to be known to the public by the name he signed, and the mass media coverage did a great job in spreading the fear of “Son of
Sam.” That summer after the couple was shot in the Bronx, “Son of Sam,” attacked again at a couple leaving a disco. An unknown individual shot at Judy Placido and Salvatore Lupo from a blindside, both were lucky in that they survived without any serious injury or death. One month later Stacy Moskowitz, 20 was shot to death when she and her boyfriend Robert Biolante where sitting in their parked car after leaving the movie theater when an individual opened fire. Two shots pierced Robert’s face, which caused him to loose complete sight out of one of his eyes. That night in July, when the last shooting occurred Cecilia Davis who lived near the murder site, was walking her dog when she noticed a car being ticketed for parking to close to a hydrant. Moments later Cecilia Davis heard gunshots then she saw a young man with an object in his hands return to the car after the police left. She reported this to police, which now had a strong lead on the true identity of “Son of Sam.” April 17, 1977 Sam Carr who lived relatively close to David Berkowitz received threatening letters concerning his black labrador retriever, Harvey. In the letter it said to have listed complaints of the writer being tormented by the dog, and since the Sam Carr was not dealing with the complaints, the writer was going to kill the dog. The anonymous writer who signed “H.H., Yonkers,” actually killed Sam Carrs’; it was reported to the police. On June, 1977 Sam Carr sent a get well card to the Cassara family in New Rochelle, but nobody in the family was sick or ever heard of Sam Carr. When the family got in contact with Sam Carr they noticed that the handwriting from the card and the threatening letters matched. The Cassara family remembered that they once had a tenant, David Berkowitz who hated dogs. This information was reported to the police, and when Stacy Moskovitz was murdered the Cassara family told the police that they believe that David Berkowitz might be the “Son of Sam.” In August 1977, Craig Glassman began to receive threatening letters relating to “Satan” and “demons.” That same week Craig woke up to a fire outside his door. After futher investigation by the police they confirmed that the handwriting in the letters he received matched the handwriting in Sam Carr’s letter and the Cassara’s get well card. On August 9th, 1977, one moth after the killers getaway car was ticketed it was known that the car belonged to David Berkowitz. On August 10th, 1977, at around six thirty p.m. the suspects auto mobile, a 1970 Ford, yellow and black sedan was under heavy police surveillance, at nine forty five that evening a white male opened the door and entered the diver side door with a paper bag in hand. Detective Falotico and Sargeant Gardella pulled their guns out and stated, “Freeze, you’re under arrest.” David Berkowitz remained calm. When the detective asked him “who do I have?” Berkowitz replied, “You know.” After a short pause he stated, “Well, you got me. How come it took you such a long time?” After the arrest they discovered that he possessed eight .44 caliber bullets, in the car police found a .44 caliber handgun and a .45 caliber machine gun with ammo in the rear. After inspecting Berkowitz’s apartment they recovered two rifles and ammo. Chief Keenan asked Berkowitz what his name was and he responded with a smile, “I am Son of Sam.” Throughout the whole process after David Berkowitz’s arrest he was was very cooperative with police officials and was enthusiastic to find out about the media coverage his arrest but was not given the pleasure he desired of reading about himself in the newspaper. The mayor of New York stopped in the of police headquarters after the arraignment to see the killer for himself; this impressed David Berkowitz. When Dr. Abrahamsen had his first interview with David he was fascinated by the fact that a murder had read his book, The Murdering Mind. David admitted that he enjoyed reading about murders and murderers. Someone without Dr. Abrahamsen’s expertise would believe that David’s interest would show that he is a confused insane man. However, to Dr. Abrahamsen it showed the complete opposite, this demonstrated that David was, “highly intelligent, alert, and perceptive. His eagerness to read and explore the subject of homicide indicated his need to reach an intellectual understanding of his own behavior.” David knew that Dr. Abrahamsen had a specific job, and that was to report to the judge and the district attorney after examining if he was competent enough to stand trial, therefore there was no doctor-patient privacy as well as he knew that he had the right to remain silent. Dr. Abrahamsen knew this interview would not end in silence and began to question him about his childhood. David Berkowitz was born on June 1, 1953. He lived with his adoptive mother and father, Pearl and Nathan Berkowitz in the Bronx. Pearl and Nathan adopted David in 1953 when he was still an infant, at the time Peal was 37 and Nathan 43. David states that his adoptive parents told him he was adopted at six or seven years old, however when Dr. Abrahamsen asked Nathan he said they told him when he was three, which is significant factor. After his mother Pearl died when he was fourteen years old he said he felt, “both happy and sad.” When asked why he replied, “It was freedom. She was a pest sometimes. She was nagging.” David graduated high school at the age of 18, but states he never liked school and remembers playing hooky all the time. As a child David recalls shoplifting for the excitement and prided himself in never getting caught. From the excitement he got from retelling story David told when a car hit him when he was seven and eight shows that he had “exhibitionistic behavior; desire to be center of attention and through heroics, draw everyone’s eyes to himself.” David wanted to be a hero, he never wanted help from anyone; was independent. David says that when he was friends with death; this surprised Dr. Abrahamsen because Nathen stated that David was a normal, lovable, affectionate child who never gave them trouble. This showed that Nathan Berkowitz did not truly know whom David was, and that David was good at being secretive in keeping his emotions and thoughts to himself. From the answers he gave to the questions he was asked you could assume that although he was given plenty of affection and love he felt neglected. Dr. Abrahamsen needed to answer to understand to decide whether David Berkowitz was sane or insane if he believed he was the Son of Sam, or was his real self more complex and manipulative. Dr. Abrahamsen began to focus on David’s previous answer that stated that he and death were friends. Dr. Abrahamsen states, “Among children, concern with death is especially significant because it establishes a matrix for future behavior. Their anxiety may be a desire to die, fear of dying or causing death to others or the need to escape from the reality of life itself.” David recalls with joy a number of events in which he saw individuals get hurt or killed with great detail. David never thought about committing suicide but begged for God to kill him, after Pearl died he still wanted to die but with heroism and honor. David always wanted to be a fireman and die saving someone from a fire. His parents wanted him to be a doctor but he rejected their ideas, when Dr. Abrahamsen said that doctors save lives too he did not have a response. It was obvious to Dr. Abrahamsen that David wanted the public attention that comes with being a hero with a job such as a fireman. As a child David had really bad nightmares that caused him to sleep in his parents room until he was ten. Common for most parents, they did not research further into why their son suffered from nightmares. Dr Abrahamsen stated that David’s nightmares, “played a predominant role in shaping his reactions and behavior as a child.” The relationship he had with girls from childhood showed how his personality would evolve. When David was seven he recalls two older girls slapping his friend Bruce in the face and nose which caused Bruce to bleed and the girls just laughed with no remorse. When David was five he recalls another time when two older girls put cups of sand in his hair and when he got home his mother saw all the sand and slapped him, he realized, “they had made a fool of me.” David, until the day he was interviewed imagined himself with girls and being in relationships but he was always shy to talk to them and believed he was not good looking enough. His educational records show that from kindergarten to high school he was absent often. When questioned he told the story of how he used to manipulate his mother into thinking he was sick. “Truancy is an important early indicator of criminal behavior. About 60 percent of all criminals, thieves, rapists, muggers, murderers, or robbers have been truant from school, manifesting rebellious or defiant attitudes toward parental authority and the law” (Abrahamsen, 1985). David remembers starting fires in vacant lots with no motive just for the excitement, from never getting caught. David killed and tortured animals. He killed his mother’s parakeet Pudgy, whom she loved because he was envious of the attention his mother gave to the bird. “When anything interfered with his (David’s) status, as happened with the bird, he brutally removed the obstacle.” Pearl never suspected David of killing the bird and they both grieved over the death, which was to become his trademark. He used to steal from his parents and friends; he recalls crushing his grandmothers crackers for fun he kept all his actions secretive and never told anyone anything. “At a very early age, David Berkowitz had come to feel he stood outside his family, outside the law, outside of society itself.” David revealed the good deeds he has done such as donating to charity, doing favors for the elderly tenants; it showed that David had two personalities. David knows his facial features seem innocent but he knows he hides a lot, he states “. . . I was very aware of its usefulness during my crime spree.” David was very close to Pearl, unlike with Nathan who spent most of his time working. David felt like he was competing with Nathan for Pearl, since he slept in the same room with them he became interested in their sex life. The sex situation, sexual feelings, conscious and unconscious are important factors in determining his mental health and behavior. David’s long lonely bike rides and mountain climbing at a young age show how he was strong, mature and independent. David loved Pearl’s brother Harry. David described Harry as wonderful, quiet and mysterious man whom loved mountains and disappeared for days, he never had a friend; he was a loner and died a loner. His traits from a young age included suspiciousness, manipulation, impatience, cautiousness, control, and cruelties, which are all tools, used in the murdering of young women. David hated being Jewish because he was made fun of by the Catholic kids. When David lost his mom to cancer, he lost the only person in the household who showed him the type of affection he wanted. Soon after Pearl’s death Nathan remarried in spring of 1971 to Mary, she had twenty-five year old daughter Carol. The new family moved to Co-op City in the Bronx. David was not happy with the two new girls in his life. He became angry with the girls in the new neighborhood because they did not find him attractive; he began to hate them. He decided to join the Army in 1971 because he wanted to die to for a cause. He wanted to be sent to Vietnam but was sent to Korea, he never entered the battlefield. “Adopted children who have been told too early often feel shameful, anxious, and confused. They may show hate and rage and often establish poor family relationships and retreat into an intense fantasy life. Frequently they are troubled and distrustful, with their intelligence disturbed.” The emotional shock from receiving the news that he was adopted at the age of three “prevented him from being able to rely on his mother to help him maintain his psychological balance during the critically sensitive time of emotional separation.” What David felt was never love it was anxiety, uncertainty, and fear but always feared losing it. After his father and new wife moved to Florida, David felt lonely and became interested in finding his biological family. After complete dedication and spending most of time doing research he was able to come into contact with his biological mom Betty Falco. David and his mother met for the first time in the apartment of his half sister Barbara. From the interview he found out that Tony Falco was not his biological father although it says it on his birth certificate. Joseph Klineman, a married man with several children was in fact his father, he felt rejected for two reasons; he was illegitimate because he received a fake name on his real birth certificate and second because he did not receive his fathers last name. David states, “I went through too much with this adoption business to simply say, “ all is forgiven, Mom.” I had so much agony over the thoughts that I somehow caused her death.” David compares himself to his mother as they both are “sneaks” because they are a mysterious and secretive. Betty had no legitimate reason to give David (Richard) up for adoption since she claims that her and Joe’s relationship was good. “My mother, Falco, was sitting in those parked cars with Klineman. Freedy, wild-tempered Klineman. It was that bastard who took after – his temper, his impatience, he hated crowds and probably people too. David only grew more resentful toward his biological mother because he began to tell himself she chose to keep Barbara while abandoning him. Now there was five women who he feared and hated, his stepmother Mary, who took Nathan away and left David alone, Carol, Mary’s daughter, his stepsister who out beats him, Barbara, his half sister who was chosen over him, Pearl, who left him alone when he was fourteen and his Betty who would be the cause for his murdering spree. When David met Betty it was a bad but important time, this is when his sentiments of believing that he was an “accident, mistake, never meant to be born – unwanted.” David wrote a poem titled “Mother of Satan” who he was referring to his mother who has lied and made a fool out of him.
In New York City there are approximately 2000 murders ever year, 65% lead to an arrest and one of every three perpetrators are not caught (Abrahamsen, 1985). In 1979, David Berkowitz single handily brought about the largest manhunt in New York history consisting of three hundred men; seventy-five detectives and 225 uniformed policemen. Although his brutal murders will never fade away in this case as well as many other murder cases the killer is the product of his childhood.
Reference
Abrahamsen, D. (1985). Confessions of son of same. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.
the “.44 caliber killer,” or self proclaimed “Son of Sam,” created terror in the heart of New Yorkers leading to the largest manhunt ever mobilized by the New York Police, despite that fact David Berkowitz murderous rampage was not stopped until a year after the first event (Abrahamsen, 1985). In March 1979, Dr. David Abrahamsen was chosen by the Brooklyn district attorney as the sole psychiatrist to examine David Berkowitz and to make a decision on whether or not he was mentally capable of going through trial. Dr. David Abrahamsen, a forensic scientist his field with many years of experience concluded that David Berkowitz was competent of standing trial. Dr. Abrahamsen was not fooled by David Berkowitz’s “demon” stories in which he used to attempt to fake insanity. Ironically, the individual who made the decision on his mental state for trial was chosen to be the guy who he revealed information to. The following information was retrieved from the book, Confessions of Son of Sam by David Abrahamsen, M.D., in which David Berkowitz gave first hand account of his life from child to adulthood. The notorious slaying of young women by David Berkowitz began on July 29, 1976. At about 1 in the morning Donna Lauria, 18, was sitting in a car with her friend Jody Valente when a individual approached the car and shot several rounds in the car resulting in Donna Lauria’s death but Jody Valente miraculously survived although with injuries. On November 27, four months after the first incident Donna DiMasi and Joanne Lomino were having a normal conversation on the porch of Lominos’ house when an individual approached from nowhere and opened fire.
Joanne Lomino, 18, survived the brutal attack but was left paralyzed from the waist down. Media coverage of these two first incidents terrorized New York; parents did not feel their daughters were safe as the killer was still roaming the streets. On January 30, 1977, a couple parked their car on Forest Hills Street when suddenly an individual approached and the car and opened fire killing Christine Freund. Two months later, in March, a half a block away from the third incident Virginia Voskerichian was walking down the street when an individual shot her to death. All four incidents were interrelated, the victims were young women and the same .44 caliber gun was used for all the shootings. One month after the fourth incident Valentina Sauriani and Alexander Esau were gunned down while they were in their car parked in the Bronx. This time the murderer left a note for the police: “Come and get me.” signed “Son of Sam.” It was clear the murderer wanted to be known to the public by the name he signed, and the mass media coverage did a great job in spreading the fear of “Son of
Sam.” That summer after the couple was shot in the Bronx, “Son of Sam,” attacked again at a couple leaving a disco. An unknown individual shot at Judy Placido and Salvatore Lupo from a blindside, both were lucky in that they survived without any serious injury or death. One month later Stacy Moskowitz, 20 was shot to death when she and her boyfriend Robert Biolante where sitting in their parked car after leaving the movie theater when an individual opened fire. Two shots pierced Robert’s face, which caused him to loose complete sight out of one of his eyes. That night in July, when the last shooting occurred Cecilia Davis who lived near the murder site, was walking her dog when she noticed a car being ticketed for parking to close to a hydrant. Moments later Cecilia Davis heard gunshots then she saw a young man with an object in his hands return to the car after the police left. She reported this to police, which now had a strong lead on the true identity of “Son of Sam.” April 17, 1977 Sam Carr who lived relatively close to David Berkowitz received threatening letters concerning his black labrador retriever, Harvey. In the letter it said to have listed complaints of the writer being tormented by the dog, and since the Sam Carr was not dealing with the complaints, the writer was going to kill the dog. The anonymous writer who signed “H.H., Yonkers,” actually killed Sam Carrs’; it was reported to the police. On June, 1977 Sam Carr sent a get well card to the Cassara family in New Rochelle, but nobody in the family was sick or ever heard of Sam Carr. When the family got in contact with Sam Carr they noticed that the handwriting from the card and the threatening letters matched. The Cassara family remembered that they once had a tenant, David Berkowitz who hated dogs. This information was reported to the police, and when Stacy Moskovitz was murdered the Cassara family told the police that they believe that David Berkowitz might be the “Son of Sam.” In August 1977, Craig Glassman began to receive threatening letters relating to “Satan” and “demons.” That same week Craig woke up to a fire outside his door. After futher investigation by the police they confirmed that the handwriting in the letters he received matched the handwriting in Sam Carr’s letter and the Cassara’s get well card. On August 9th, 1977, one moth after the killers getaway car was ticketed it was known that the car belonged to David Berkowitz. On August 10th, 1977, at around six thirty p.m. the suspects auto mobile, a 1970 Ford, yellow and black sedan was under heavy police surveillance, at nine forty five that evening a white male opened the door and entered the diver side door with a paper bag in hand. Detective Falotico and Sargeant Gardella pulled their guns out and stated, “Freeze, you’re under arrest.” David Berkowitz remained calm. When the detective asked him “who do I have?” Berkowitz replied, “You know.” After a short pause he stated, “Well, you got me. How come it took you such a long time?” After the arrest they discovered that he possessed eight .44 caliber bullets, in the car police found a .44 caliber handgun and a .45 caliber machine gun with ammo in the rear. After inspecting Berkowitz’s apartment they recovered two rifles and ammo. Chief Keenan asked Berkowitz what his name was and he responded with a smile, “I am Son of Sam.” Throughout the whole process after David Berkowitz’s arrest he was was very cooperative with police officials and was enthusiastic to find out about the media coverage his arrest but was not given the pleasure he desired of reading about himself in the newspaper. The mayor of New York stopped in the of police headquarters after the arraignment to see the killer for himself; this impressed David Berkowitz. When Dr. Abrahamsen had his first interview with David he was fascinated by the fact that a murder had read his book, The Murdering Mind. David admitted that he enjoyed reading about murders and murderers. Someone without Dr. Abrahamsen’s expertise would believe that David’s interest would show that he is a confused insane man. However, to Dr. Abrahamsen it showed the complete opposite, this demonstrated that David was, “highly intelligent, alert, and perceptive. His eagerness to read and explore the subject of homicide indicated his need to reach an intellectual understanding of his own behavior.” David knew that Dr. Abrahamsen had a specific job, and that was to report to the judge and the district attorney after examining if he was competent enough to stand trial, therefore there was no doctor-patient privacy as well as he knew that he had the right to remain silent. Dr. Abrahamsen knew this interview would not end in silence and began to question him about his childhood. David Berkowitz was born on June 1, 1953. He lived with his adoptive mother and father, Pearl and Nathan Berkowitz in the Bronx. Pearl and Nathan adopted David in 1953 when he was still an infant, at the time Peal was 37 and Nathan 43. David states that his adoptive parents told him he was adopted at six or seven years old, however when Dr. Abrahamsen asked Nathan he said they told him when he was three, which is significant factor. After his mother Pearl died when he was fourteen years old he said he felt, “both happy and sad.” When asked why he replied, “It was freedom. She was a pest sometimes. She was nagging.” David graduated high school at the age of 18, but states he never liked school and remembers playing hooky all the time. As a child David recalls shoplifting for the excitement and prided himself in never getting caught. From the excitement he got from retelling story David told when a car hit him when he was seven and eight shows that he had “exhibitionistic behavior; desire to be center of attention and through heroics, draw everyone’s eyes to himself.” David wanted to be a hero, he never wanted help from anyone; was independent. David says that when he was friends with death; this surprised Dr. Abrahamsen because Nathen stated that David was a normal, lovable, affectionate child who never gave them trouble. This showed that Nathan Berkowitz did not truly know whom David was, and that David was good at being secretive in keeping his emotions and thoughts to himself. From the answers he gave to the questions he was asked you could assume that although he was given plenty of affection and love he felt neglected. Dr. Abrahamsen needed to answer to understand to decide whether David Berkowitz was sane or insane if he believed he was the Son of Sam, or was his real self more complex and manipulative. Dr. Abrahamsen began to focus on David’s previous answer that stated that he and death were friends. Dr. Abrahamsen states, “Among children, concern with death is especially significant because it establishes a matrix for future behavior. Their anxiety may be a desire to die, fear of dying or causing death to others or the need to escape from the reality of life itself.” David recalls with joy a number of events in which he saw individuals get hurt or killed with great detail. David never thought about committing suicide but begged for God to kill him, after Pearl died he still wanted to die but with heroism and honor. David always wanted to be a fireman and die saving someone from a fire. His parents wanted him to be a doctor but he rejected their ideas, when Dr. Abrahamsen said that doctors save lives too he did not have a response. It was obvious to Dr. Abrahamsen that David wanted the public attention that comes with being a hero with a job such as a fireman. As a child David had really bad nightmares that caused him to sleep in his parents room until he was ten. Common for most parents, they did not research further into why their son suffered from nightmares. Dr Abrahamsen stated that David’s nightmares, “played a predominant role in shaping his reactions and behavior as a child.” The relationship he had with girls from childhood showed how his personality would evolve. When David was seven he recalls two older girls slapping his friend Bruce in the face and nose which caused Bruce to bleed and the girls just laughed with no remorse. When David was five he recalls another time when two older girls put cups of sand in his hair and when he got home his mother saw all the sand and slapped him, he realized, “they had made a fool of me.” David, until the day he was interviewed imagined himself with girls and being in relationships but he was always shy to talk to them and believed he was not good looking enough. His educational records show that from kindergarten to high school he was absent often. When questioned he told the story of how he used to manipulate his mother into thinking he was sick. “Truancy is an important early indicator of criminal behavior. About 60 percent of all criminals, thieves, rapists, muggers, murderers, or robbers have been truant from school, manifesting rebellious or defiant attitudes toward parental authority and the law” (Abrahamsen, 1985). David remembers starting fires in vacant lots with no motive just for the excitement, from never getting caught. David killed and tortured animals. He killed his mother’s parakeet Pudgy, whom she loved because he was envious of the attention his mother gave to the bird. “When anything interfered with his (David’s) status, as happened with the bird, he brutally removed the obstacle.” Pearl never suspected David of killing the bird and they both grieved over the death, which was to become his trademark. He used to steal from his parents and friends; he recalls crushing his grandmothers crackers for fun he kept all his actions secretive and never told anyone anything. “At a very early age, David Berkowitz had come to feel he stood outside his family, outside the law, outside of society itself.” David revealed the good deeds he has done such as donating to charity, doing favors for the elderly tenants; it showed that David had two personalities. David knows his facial features seem innocent but he knows he hides a lot, he states “. . . I was very aware of its usefulness during my crime spree.” David was very close to Pearl, unlike with Nathan who spent most of his time working. David felt like he was competing with Nathan for Pearl, since he slept in the same room with them he became interested in their sex life. The sex situation, sexual feelings, conscious and unconscious are important factors in determining his mental health and behavior. David’s long lonely bike rides and mountain climbing at a young age show how he was strong, mature and independent. David loved Pearl’s brother Harry. David described Harry as wonderful, quiet and mysterious man whom loved mountains and disappeared for days, he never had a friend; he was a loner and died a loner. His traits from a young age included suspiciousness, manipulation, impatience, cautiousness, control, and cruelties, which are all tools, used in the murdering of young women. David hated being Jewish because he was made fun of by the Catholic kids. When David lost his mom to cancer, he lost the only person in the household who showed him the type of affection he wanted. Soon after Pearl’s death Nathan remarried in spring of 1971 to Mary, she had twenty-five year old daughter Carol. The new family moved to Co-op City in the Bronx. David was not happy with the two new girls in his life. He became angry with the girls in the new neighborhood because they did not find him attractive; he began to hate them. He decided to join the Army in 1971 because he wanted to die to for a cause. He wanted to be sent to Vietnam but was sent to Korea, he never entered the battlefield. “Adopted children who have been told too early often feel shameful, anxious, and confused. They may show hate and rage and often establish poor family relationships and retreat into an intense fantasy life. Frequently they are troubled and distrustful, with their intelligence disturbed.” The emotional shock from receiving the news that he was adopted at the age of three “prevented him from being able to rely on his mother to help him maintain his psychological balance during the critically sensitive time of emotional separation.” What David felt was never love it was anxiety, uncertainty, and fear but always feared losing it. After his father and new wife moved to Florida, David felt lonely and became interested in finding his biological family. After complete dedication and spending most of time doing research he was able to come into contact with his biological mom Betty Falco. David and his mother met for the first time in the apartment of his half sister Barbara. From the interview he found out that Tony Falco was not his biological father although it says it on his birth certificate. Joseph Klineman, a married man with several children was in fact his father, he felt rejected for two reasons; he was illegitimate because he received a fake name on his real birth certificate and second because he did not receive his fathers last name. David states, “I went through too much with this adoption business to simply say, “ all is forgiven, Mom.” I had so much agony over the thoughts that I somehow caused her death.” David compares himself to his mother as they both are “sneaks” because they are a mysterious and secretive. Betty had no legitimate reason to give David (Richard) up for adoption since she claims that her and Joe’s relationship was good. “My mother, Falco, was sitting in those parked cars with Klineman. Freedy, wild-tempered Klineman. It was that bastard who took after – his temper, his impatience, he hated crowds and probably people too. David only grew more resentful toward his biological mother because he began to tell himself she chose to keep Barbara while abandoning him. Now there was five women who he feared and hated, his stepmother Mary, who took Nathan away and left David alone, Carol, Mary’s daughter, his stepsister who out beats him, Barbara, his half sister who was chosen over him, Pearl, who left him alone when he was fourteen and his Betty who would be the cause for his murdering spree. When David met Betty it was a bad but important time, this is when his sentiments of believing that he was an “accident, mistake, never meant to be born – unwanted.” David wrote a poem titled “Mother of Satan” who he was referring to his mother who has lied and made a fool out of him.
In New York City there are approximately 2000 murders ever year, 65% lead to an arrest and one of every three perpetrators are not caught (Abrahamsen, 1985). In 1979, David Berkowitz single handily brought about the largest manhunt in New York history consisting of three hundred men; seventy-five detectives and 225 uniformed policemen. Although his brutal murders will never fade away in this case as well as many other murder cases the killer is the product of his childhood.
Reference
Abrahamsen, D. (1985). Confessions of son of same. New York, NY: Columbia University Press.