David Berkowitz, long branded the "Son of Sam," says he expects to go to heaven and recently chose not to show up for a scheduled parole board appearance. The 72-year-old, who has spent nearly five decades behind bars, now describes himself as a prison minister who preaches to other inmates. His latest comments have stirred up old pain for victims' families and rekindled debate over how New York handles parole for some of its most notorious inmates.
In a Saturday night email to the New York Post, Berkowitz said he was not seeking release and predicted he would "go to heaven," writing that Jesus had "set him free from the power of sin and satan." The New York Post reported that he skipped a parole board appearance earlier this month and portrayed him as overseeing a small congregation inside his housing unit. His message cast the missed hearing as a matter of conscience instead of an attempt to win freedom.
How His Crimes And Sentence Are Recorded
Berkowitz terrorized New York City in 1976–77, killing six people and wounding others before his arrest in 1977 and guilty pleas the following year. Contemporary coverage described his punishment as an array of consecutive terms that added up to 547 years, while later summaries often frame the judgment as six consecutive 25-years-to-life sentences. The Associated Press provides detailed accounts of the convictions and sentencing.
Parole Reviews And What Skipping A Hearing Means
By state law, Berkowitz is entitled to parole reviews every two years, and his record shows a series of denials that have kept him in prison. At some hearings he has appeared to apologize and describe his religious conversion; at others he has declined to show up. Skipping a scheduled parole board appearance does not change his underlying sentence, it affects only when the next routine review will take place.
Victims' Families Push Back
For survivors and relatives, Berkowitz’s remarks were like ripping the scab off an old wound. Robert Violante, who was shot in 1977 and later lost much of his vision, told the New York Post, "He should rot in hell," and said he estimates Berkowitz has lost roughly 90 percent of his eyesight. His response underscores how the case still weighs on victims' families nearly five decades after the attacks.
Faith, Ministry And Where He Is Held
Berkowitz has for years identified as a born-again Christian and is reported to lead religious services for other inmates. He is currently held at Shawangunk Correctional Facility in Wallkill, N.Y., where state records describe the prison as housing maximum-security inmates. The New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision maintains public information about the facility’s location and operations.
For now, Berkowitz remains in state custody and will continue to move through the routine mechanics of parole review, whether or not he chooses to appear at future hearings or ask for release. His latest exchange with the New York Post is unlikely to alter the formal outcome of those reviews, but it has once again stirred public debate about the long shadows cast by high-profile violent crimes and the families left to live with the aftermath.
