Seat belt, sir?
Gerold Benally was arrested on Feb. 3 at 3 p.m. at the intersection of South Lake Street and West Broadway Avenue in Farmington for alleged safety belt use required and open container. —Farmington (New Mexico) Daily Times
Forty years ago today: David Berkowitz arrested for Son of Sam shootings
August 10, 1977: David Berkowitz, a 24-year-old postal worker, was arrested in Yonkers for the Son of Sam shootings in which six young people were murdered and seven wounded. He was traced through his car. Police said Berkowitz was advised of his rights and responded, “Well, you’ve got me.”
Son of Sam writes to Breslin
June 5, 1977: The Daily News published a letter from serial killer Son of Sam to star columnist Jimmy Breslin. The letter’s opening included: “Hello from the cracks in the sidewalks of N.Y.C. and from the ants that dwell in these cracks and feed on the dried blood of the dead that has settled into […]
Vote for A BLACK SAIL in Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice Award competition
A BLACK SAIL is nominated for the Silver Falchion Reader’s Choice Award given by the Killer Nashville mystery conference. Which means you can vote, if you are so moved. Follow the link. Mysteries are in the middle of the page and A BLACK SAIL is listed first because of my strategic decision to start the […]
Forty years ago today: ‘Star Wars’ released
May 25, 1977: “Star Wars” was released. The film cost $11 million and made $1.55 million in its first weekend. It would go on to take in $460 million in the U.S. (I would see it a month or two later at the Roosevelt Theater in Hyde Park on the way home from working as […]
Forty years ago today: Deputy inspector heads operation to catch Son of Sam
NYPD Chief of Detectives John Keenan held a City Hall press conference to name Deputy Inspector Timothy Dowd to head Operation Omega, the group tasked with catching the .44-caliber killer. Dowd took the place of Captain Joseph Borrelli, who had been running a smaller group and was to serve as Dowd’s deputy. The task force was […]
From the police blotter: The old 911 hang up
“911 HANG-UP—Report at 1:18 p.m. Sunday of a 911 hang-up call from the Grand Oaks Town Homes. Officers checked the area, but didn’t locate anyone.” —Brainerd Dispatch, Brainerd, Minn.
Forty years ago today: Two more murdered by Son of Sam, who uses that name for first time
April 17, 1977: Eighteen-year-old Valentina Suriani and Alexander Esau, 20, were shot and killed at 3 a.m. sitting in a car in the Bronx near the Hutchinson River Parkway. Four bullets were fired into the car window. Ballistics linked the deaths to the .44-caliber killer, who had now murdered five and injured four. The couple were parked […]
From the police blotter: Woman wears motorcycle helmet in Mustang as dog runs round
“SUSPICIOUS—Received a call Tuesday that a woman was sitting in a Mustang wearing a motorcycle helmet and a white dog was running loose outside the car. The driver had bloodshot eyes, said she fell asleep and was wearing the helmet because of the setting sun hurting her eyes. She was released without incident.” —Brainerd Dispatch, […]
Forty years ago today: N.Y. gun clubs offer $200 bounty to those who kill assailants
April 13, 1977: New York pistol and rifle clubs with 5,000 members offered $200 to any robbery or assault victim who shoots and kills his or her attacker. “The object, obviously, is to encourage citizens who are properly licensed to defend themselves because of the complete breakdown of the criminal justice system in New York,” […]