Infamous “Son of Sam” serial killer David Berkowitz was denied parole for the 12th time last week, according to online records.
Berkowitz, 70, has been in prison since he was arrested on Aug. 10, 1977 for the senseless killings of six people during his reign of terror in New York City between 1976 and 1977.
He was given multiple life sentences and became eligible for parole in 2002 — with parole board hearings every two years since.
“Son of Sam” killer David Berkowitz was denied parole for the twelth time. AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, file
Berkowitz killed six people and injured seven others from 1976 to 1977. New York PostA parole board once again decided to keep him behind bars last week, according to the records.
Ahead of the board decision, the convicted killer told The Post that he knew he had zero chance of getting out, but would attend the hearing regardless.
“To not attend a hearing can be viewed as being defiant towards authority, and that’s not me,” Berkowitz said. “Most of all, I attend in order to openly apologize for my past crimes and to express my remorse,” he added.
Son of Sam was found guilty of eight shootings.
Berkowitz was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison for each of the murders. Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesThe killer’s past crimes include randomly shooting young women and couples sitting in parked cars across the Big Apple — terrorizing residents and sending the city into a panic over a nine-month period.
He became known as the “.44-Caliber Killer” for his weapon of choice in the unprovoked murders before he began calling himself the “Son of Sam” in notes left at the scene and letters to tabloids. He later said his neighbor Sam’s dog ordered him to go on the murderous spree.
“I am a monster. I am the Son of Sam,” bragged Berkowitz in a note left near the bodies of Alexander Esau, 20, and Valentina Suriani, 18, on April 17, 1977.
The New York Post cover after Berkowitz was finally arrested.
“I love to hunt. Prowling the streets looking for fair game tasty meat,” he said of his victims, who were often young women with long, dark hair and couples sitting in cars.
Fear over the random murders caused New York women to cut their hair short and buy blond wigs.
Investigators finally got a lead in the killings through parking tickets that placed Berkowitz’s car near the crime scene of his last murder around the time of the shooting.
They tracked him to his Yonkers home and arrested him.
“I am Sam. David Berkowitz,” he told police.
“What took you so long?”
Since being locked up, Berkowitz has become a Christian and dedicated his life to Jesus and the mentorship of new inmates — who he said see him as a “father figure.”
“Yes, I have a life sentence to do, but I choose to do it well. I always try to help and encourage the younger guys,” he said.
With Post wires
