Detective Ed Zigo, famous for catching serial killer David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz, died on Saturday of cancer on his Long Island home. He was 83. Zigo found Berkowitz by tracing a parking ticked issued to him at the scene of his last murder. He went to Berkowitz's house, and Zigo's son said, "According to my father, he introduced himself and said, 'Hi, David. I'm Detective Zigo.' Berkowitz said to him, 'Hi, Ed. I'm the Son of Sam.' "
Cop Who Caught Son Of Sam Killer Dies At 83
Flashback: The Son Of Sam
David Berkowitz, better known by his psycho killer name: Son of Sam, has just been denied parole for the fifth time. The state Parole Board told him last Tuesday, "Your actions exhibited a total disregard for not only the law but the lives of innocent members of society. Not only did you harm the victims and their families, but the N.Y.C. community as a whole. Your release is not in the interest of the public safety and welfare." So: phew!
Crockefeller's Son of Sam Scam
As the mysteries around Clark Rockefeller, the apparent con man who abducted his daughter during a social worker-supervised visit, are still being unraveled, here's an definitely bizarre addition: The German national actually used the Son of Sam's Social Security number to get his stock broker's license. The NY Post reports that Rockefeller, born Christian Gerhartsreiter, was fired from his firm when it learned he used David Berkowitz's SS#. A German man, a friend of Rockefeller's father, described Rockefeller as "crazy, always crazy He was like Batman before there was Batman, always going into different roles." Some classmates in Bavaria, Germany suspect he fled the country to avoid military service.
Jeb Corliss Responds to Vallone's "No Jump" Bill
Yesterday we noted Council Member Peter Vallone Jr.'s latest mission: putting an end to stunts. Of course, one of the best examples of this daredevil activity is brought to us by Jeb Corliss; after attempting to jump off the Empire State Building in 2006 Bloomberg wasn't too happy with this thrill-seeker. Or the judge that dropped the charges against him. But now the city is revisiting the case and trying to appeal the decision.
Summer of Sam, Again
"Hello from the gutters of N.Y.C., which are filled with dog manure, vomit, stale wine, urine, and blood," these were the opening lines in a letter written by David Berkowitz to columnist Jimmy Breslin thirty years ago.
Video of the Day: NY77
The summer of 1977 was host to a serial killer, a day-long blackout and a crime rate around 75% higher than today's. The NY Sun reports that "politicians, police officers, and reporters are gathering together to remember that time and celebrate." John Jay College of Criminal Justice's Eugene O'Donnell is the one holding the press conference today which will focus on the anniversary of the capture of David Berkowitz, aka the " Son of Sam."
Sweeping the News
There is nothing like the ratings sweeps seasons on the local news. Thankfully, not all the stations go for the overly sensational stories and will present something that is really worthy of your time. There were many stories, like a day in the life of a paparazzi and part 99,991,047 in the saga of the dangers of myspace.com, but we'll take a look at a three noteworthy sweeps stories from last week.
Son of Sam Caught, On Tape
It's been more than 30 years since David Berkowitz began his drawn out killing spree that paralyzed New York City with fear. Perhhaps roused by the release of the movie "Zodiac" in March, which details the pursuit of an infamous west coast serial killer who was never caught, Berkowitz is desirous of some public attention. He sat down with a reporter for WCBS news for an extensive interview in a program that will air in three parts over three nights, beginning Monday. The program will also include interviews with the NYPD detective who took Berkowitz's confession after his arrest and the killer's Attica prison guard. A self-described Satanist at the time of the killings, Berkowitz now claims to have found God during his time behind bars.
Extra, Extra
-- Finally, A Hamburger Today gets an exclusive interview with NYTimes critic Frank Bruni, who claims to eat TWO BURGERS a week! That's a lot of red meat.
Son of Sam: Thirty Years Later
Thirty years is a long time, and yet for many people not long enough. Today, Sunset Parker reminds us, marks the thirty-year anniversary of the first of the Son of Sam killings, one of the most notorious murder sprees in Gotham's history.

