The infamous 'Son of Sam' serial killer goes before the parole board for the 5th time, meanwhile one of his alleged victims is calling on police to reopen the investigation.

On Tuesday, May 4th, 56 year old David Berkowitz was denied parole for the 5th time. For the past 33 years, the ‘Son of Sam’ serial killer has been in prison and is currently housed at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York.

Berkowitz has been denied parole each time in the past because of the brutal nature of his crimes. In 1976 he admitted to using a .44 caliber gun to kill 6 people and wound 7 others. When arrested, Berkowitz plead guilty and was sentenced to 6 consecutive life terms but after serving only 25 years state law allows him a chance for parole every 2 years.

On February 24th, 2010 Berkowitz told me exclusively he had already decided what he would do during his May parole hearing. Two months before sending a letter to his Parole Officer he mailed a copy to me. It states, “Please be advised that I am not seeking parole consideration at this time.” signed David Berkowitz.

In March I located one of the ‘Son of Sam’ survivors. For the first time in 15 years Carl Denaro spoke about the time he was shot in the head back in 1976. Denaro recalls, ”I thought the car exploded.” Instead, a shooter had just emptied five .44 caliber rounds into the car, hitting Denaro in the back of the head. He was rushed to a hospital and surgery saved his life.
Police eventually determined that David Berkowitz was the one who shot him but now Denaro has serious doubts. He has done some of his own investigating in the years since he was shot and now he’s calling on police to re-open the Berkowitz case and prove it was all a conspiracy.

At the time police didn’t know who David Berkowitz was. Then a year later though, the infamous ‘Son of Sam’ serial killer was arrested and Berkowitz plead guilty to the killings and attempted murders which included Carl Denaro. Today, however, Denaro states, “I’d like to know who shot me”. When asked if he truly beleives Berkowitz didn't pull the trigger Denaro replied, “I’m 99.9% sure it wasn’t him.”

Denaro says he has good reason to believe Berkowitz was not acting alone. He states, “I’ve run into up to 30 detectives that 'off record' will tell me they know other people were involved”. Denaro also remembers how detectives confiscated the Volkswagen he was shot in so they could conduct forensic testing. He says when police returned the car a couple of weeks later the car’s owner was cleaning it out and found a .44 caliber bullet that police somehow overlooked. That bullet was then turned over to the police department’s ballistics experts. Denaro cites this as a clear case of shoddy police work and he also believes officials rushed to close the investigation for political reasons. After Berkowitz's arrest police officers and city officials were promoted and the press glorified them as the heroes who caught New York’s most infamous serial killer.

Denaro believes Satanic cult members were also part of the 'Son of Sam' killings. Berkowitz himself contends his murderous rage was fueled by his involvement with a cult, “I really thought I was some kind of soldier in a Satanic army and we had determined to bring NYC to its knees.”

In the mid ’90’s Berkowitz admitted there were indeed others who also committed the murders. During an on-camera interview he claimed, “I did not pull the trigger at every single one of them.” Since then he has once again changed his story.

Denaro says this should convince police to revisit the investigation, ”I believe they should reopen the case because I think there are people who were involved who are still out there.”

Officials at the New York City Police Department say the case is closed and there is no reason to open it back up. However, the Berkowitz case was reportedly reopened in 1996 after the Yonkers Police Department received some credible ‘new leads’. Since then there have been no reports as to exactly what those leads were or the result of the investigation. On February 26th, 2010 I asked the Yonkers P.D. to provide me with the case file so I could review the information. Now, more than two months later, officials claim they still have been unable to locate that file in their archives. Yesterday Detective Sergeant Patrick McCormack with the Yonkers Police Commissioners Office told me he, “just spoke with the Captain of the Intelligence Unit, they are still searching for any files associated with that investigation.”

Watch Mike Mason's Investigative Television Reports which aired on WPIX-TV in March:

Son of Sam Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNPKnRiq-BE&feature=related

Son of Sam Part Two: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFn3zCCPK14&feature=related

Exclusive interview: ‘Son of Sam’ shooting survivor believes David Berkowitz did not shoot him and he’s now calling on police to re-open New York City’s most infamous murder investigation.

One of the ‘Son of Sam’ survivors speaks out for the first time in 15 years. Police told Carl Denaro that David Berkowitz is the one who shot him but now Denaro has serious doubts. After watching our first report, Denaro now wants to tell his story.
He has done some of his own investigating since he was shot in the head back in 1976. Now he’s calling on police to re-open the Berkowitz case and prove this was all a conspiracy. In October of 1976, 20-year old Carl Denaro was on a late night date. He and his girlfriend parked their car in Queens and a few minutes later their whole world changed. Denaro recalls, ”I thought the car exploded.” Instead, a shooter had just emptied five .44 caliber rounds into the car, hitting Denaro in the back of the head. His girlfriend wasn’t hit so she quickly sped off. Denaro survived but his scars will never heal. Carl Denaro points to his head stating, “It’s a big horseshoe scar and there’s a couple of staples, 8 staples going around and like 250 stitches.”
At the time police didn’t know who David Berkowitz was. Then a year later though, the infamous ‘Son of Sam’ serial killer was arrested and Berkowitz plead guilty to killing 6 people and wounding 7 others. That included Carl Denaro. Denaro –“I’d like to know who shot me. Mike Mason – You don’t know if it was Berkowitz? Denaro – I’m 99.9% sure it wasn’t him.” Denaro says he has good reason to believe Berkowitz was not acting alone. Denaro says, “I’ve run into up to 30 detectives that 'off record' will tell me they know other people were involved”.

Denaro also remembers how detectives confiscated the Volkswagen he was shot in so they could conduct forensic testing. He says when police returned the car a couple of weeks later the car’s owner was cleaning it out and found a .44 caliber bullet lodged in a blanket that was still in the wheel well of the VW. That bullet was then turned over to the police department’s ballistics experts but Denaro cites this as a clear case of shoddy police work.

Robert Violante is also a survivor and was told by police that Berkowitz is the one who shot him.Violante remembers, “I was shot in the head I was shot right in my right eye.” Viloante says he’s not convinced Berkowitz pulled the trigger, “The guy that was parked in front of me he described somebody totally different.” Witness descriptions and police sketches of the Son of Sam were also different.

In the past, former Queens District Attorney John Santucci has said even he thinks Berkowitz did not act alone. Santucci stated, “It has crossed my mind that this 44 caliber pistol that was the weapon used in the shootings that we witnessed was passed around among a number of people.”

In the mid ’90’s Berkowitz himself has said there were others who also committed the murders. David Berkowitz claimed,“I did not pull the trigger at every single one of them.” Since then he has once again changed his story.  Berkowitz also blames his murderous rage was fueled by his involvement with members of a Satanic cult. That’s why many wonder if they were also involved. Berkowitz says from his prison cell, “I really thought I was some kind of soldier in a Satanic army and we had determined to bring NYC to its knees.”

Denaro suspects cult members conspired with Berkowitz during the killing spree, ”I believe they should reopen the case because I think there are people who were involved who are still out there.”

Denaro was shot in a residential area of Flushing, Queens. There are other residents there who share his opinion that there more than one gunman involved. Mike DeAngelo lives in Flushing and doesn’t buy the lone gunman theory, “They pinned it on one guy basically.” Asked if he thought there was more than one person involved he states, “I do yeah I do.”
Despite the circumstances, Denaro says he has managed to move on with his life. “It just kind of gives you a whole new different outlook on taking every day as it comes.” And Berkowitz also has a different outlook.

Today he says he’s a Born again Christian. Berkowitz claims, “I had a personal encounter with God almighty right inside the prison house.”   When asked if Denaro believes Berkowitz has had a religious transformation he replied, ”Yes I do I do.”

Carl Denaro has never spoken with Berkowitz but he does have one question for him, ”Why don’t you come out and say who else is involved?”

Bronx District Attorney Mario Merola worked the case and before his death he remained adamant that the infamous ‘Son of Sam’ was the sole shooter. Berkowitz is set to go before the parole board again this May but he told me exclusively that he has no desire to seek parole this time around.
Here is the Link to my television report on WPIX in NYC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFn3zCCPK14&feature=related

The infamous 'Son of Sam' serial killer is coming up for parole and he now has thousands of supporters who say he's no longer a threat to society. In this special report David Berkowitz tells me exclusively what he plans to do when he goes before the parole board.

The infamous serial killer David Berkowitz, also known as the 'Son of Sam', will soon be up for parole for the fifth time. Berkowitz says he’s since found God and his supporters believe he’s no longer a threat to society. That’s why many fear he may soon be released from prison.

This week Berkowitz sent a letter exclusively to me explaining what he plans to do during his upcoming parole hearing. We’ve also obtained provocative prison journals from the serial killer and interviews never before released to the general public.

56 year old David Berkowitz has spent the past 33 years in prison and is currently housed at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York. For years he has become disenchanted with speaking with reporters. In a letter in September 2009 he writes,"interviews for the most part were disappointing and never turned out as I had hoped."
However, Berkowitz has chosen to write to me for the past six months.

The man known as the Son of Sam says he has become a Born again Christian and proclaims, “I had a personal encounter with God almighty right inside the prison house.”
But there was nothing spiritual about his 13 month shooting spree in 1976 when he killed 6 people - leaving 7 wounded.
When arrested Berkowitz plead guilty and was sentenced to 6 consecutive life terms but after serving only 25 years state law allows him a chance for parole every two years.

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Now that his 5th parole hearing is coming up in May, the Son of Sam swears he’s a changed man, “Today God has said you are now the Son of hope.”

Betty Allen is a Christian who has befriended Bekowitz “He is a totally different human being and that’s what Jesus Christ does in our lives.”  That apparent religious transformation has helped Berkowitz to gather intense support from Church groups and people from across the nation.

In a letter dated February 24th, 2010 Berkowitz tells me about the support he's received from the public. He writes:

“Everyone from college students to those in the military have gotten insight, inspiration, etc. It’s good to touch lives and give people some hope.”

New Yorkers who were there during the Son of Sam murders say they’ll never forget the terror they felt during that time. That chilling effect has left them with strong opinions on whether Berkowitz should ever be released from prison.

"Leave him there in that cage that’s where he belongs," Nina Soffer recalls how Berkowitz targeted women with dark hair. “Women were buying blonde wigs, they were dying their hair blonde I was a platinum blonde for a week."

Berkowitz says he has hurt enough people and has decided what he’ll do during his parole hearing in May. He chose to send this letter exclusively to me, two months before releasing it to his Parole Officer. It states:

“Please be advised that I am not seeking parole consideration at this time.” signed David Berkowitz.

People like Jeffrey Degan says they are not so convinced, “I think he’s a very clever manipulating human being."  Degan and Soffer both lived in New York City at the time of the murders and have since moved to Miami. When asked if Berkowitz should ever be released from prison, Soffer adamently replied. “I think it’s pretty difficult to cure somebody of psychosis, which is what he’s got."

The Son of Sam blames his rage on his involvement with a Satanic cult, "I really thought I was some kind of soldier in a Satanic army and we had determined to bring NYC to its knees.”

Berkowitz feels his previous drug and alcohol use, childhood problems, tendencies to vandalize buildings and set fires all lead up to his killing spree. He says, “ If I could go back I would take that gun and throw it right in the sewer.’

In the past couple of years Berkowitz has begun writing lenghty prison journals. He opines on everything from biblical scriptures to current events.  His latest entry warns kids about singer Susan Boyle.
He writes

“Little children, keep yo:urselves from idols. , Susan Boyle has become an overnight sensation and an idol. But idols come, and they go. We’ve become a nation of people worshippers.”

Berkowitz also refers to the bible's Book of Revelations which states Satan is set to take over the world, he writes:

“Everyone is going to be electronically tracked and monitored. And so tyrannical will this international body be that those who refuse to go along with it will be put to death.”

Soffer contends,“he has transferred his fantasies into religious ones but those fantasies and that disconnect from reality still exists.

Prison officials say Berkowitz has been a model inmate for the past two decades. His last disciplinary action was back in 1989 for having an unauthorized bible in his cell.

The family members and survivors of the Son of Sam's killing spree say they'll never be able forgive him.

In 1977 Stacy Moskowitz and her boyfriend Robert Violante, both 20, were in Violante's parked car . They were kissing when Berkowitz fired several gunshots into the car, striking both victims in the head. Moskowitz died several hours later in the hospital. Many years later Stacy's mother wrote several letters to Berkowitz saying she moved beyond the intense pain he has caused but she can’t forgive him for what he did. Tragically, since Stacey’s death her entire family has died including her mother, younger sister and her father. The mother and daughter had health issues and the father died of a heart attack.

Link to Mike Mason's Television Report on WPIX-TV: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gNPKnRiq-BE&feature=related