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David Berkowitz became known as “Son of Sam” because he used that name to sign letters connected to the shootings—not simply because the press invented a label. The name appeared in taunting notes sent to police and a journalist, then became the public shorthand for the case. His later story about a neighbor’s dog named Sam was a separate, disputed explanation for the name.
Why was David Berkowitz called “Son of Sam”?
Berkowitz used “Son of Sam” as a signature on letters associated with the shootings. The Library of Congress says he sent letters under that name to New York Daily News columnist Jimmy Breslin; the Associated Press reports that he used it in taunting notes to police and a journalist. Netflix Tudum also describes it as the name used on letters left at crime scenes or mailed to journalists.
That distinction matters: the signature is the documented link between Berkowitz and the nickname. The available accounts do not establish a verified explanation for why he originally chose those particular words.
Who was “Sam” in Berkowitz’s later account?
After his arrest, Berkowitz claimed that a neighbor’s dog named Sam was possessed by a demon and had commanded him to kill. That was Berkowitz’s account, not an established fact about the shootings or the origin of the name.
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Netflix Tudum reports that in audio interviews in 1980, Berkowitz said he had fabricated the dog story to create confusion and evade capture. That later statement is also his account; it does not independently establish his private motive for choosing “Son of Sam.” The record therefore contains two claims by Berkowitz: the dog-and-demon story, followed by his claim that he made it up.
How the nickname fits the case
The shootings began in July 1976. The Associated Press reports that six people were killed and seven wounded before Berkowitz was arrested on August 10, 1977. He also became known as the “.44 Caliber Killer,” a label tied to the weapon described in contemporary case coverage. “Son of Sam,” by contrast, came from the name he put on his letters.
The Library of Congress records Berkowitz’s sentencing appearance on May 22, 1978. These dates provide context for how a letter signature became the name widely associated with the case.
Did Berkowitz later reject the name?
Yes. In a 2017 interview with CBS News correspondent Maurice DuBois at Shawangunk Correctional Facility, Berkowitz said: “As far as I’m concerned, that was not me. That was not me. Even the name, I hate that name, I despise the name.” This was his later reaction to the moniker, not evidence about how he first chose it.
Were there accomplices or a satanic cult?
Later theories alleged that Berkowitz had accomplices, including a satanic-cult theory popularized by journalist Maury Terry. Netflix Tudum describes these as persistent theories, not established findings. The documentary’s director, Joe Berlinger, says the facts and forensic evidence did not point to another suspect. The theories should not be presented as proven explanations of the crimes or the nickname.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Further reading
Lawrence Klausner’s Son of Sam is a true-crime account drawing on recorded conversations, official documents, diaries, and accounts from survivors and victims’ families, according to publisher Simon & Schuster. Its publisher describes the work as based on more than 300 recorded conversations; that is the publisher’s description of the book’s source material, not an independent case statistic.
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