Rich Zahradnik

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 the cracks.” The News, in a brilliant promotional move, teased the column in articles on the Friday and Saturday leading up to the Sunday paper, the most profitable edition of the week chock full of retailer inserts, rather than publishing the letter as soon as it could. Son of Sam had written one previous letter, this to the captain then heading the task force hunting the murderer.