True Crime This Week: Media Murders

Podcast: Crime House Daily
Host: Vanessa Richardson
Release Date: September 14, 2025
Episode Theme: Media Murders – How two notorious killers (the Unabomber and Son of Sam) used the press to terrorize, manipulate, and ultimately orchestrate their own downfalls.

Episode Overview

This episode dives into two of the most unforgettable criminal cases in recent history: the Unabomber (Ted Kaczynski) and Son of Sam (David Berkowitz). Both killers craved an audience as much as they craved mayhem—leveraging the media to incite fear, send messages, and, ultimately, cause their own unraveling. Host Vanessa Richardson explores how their need to be heard and the public’s appetite for answers collided, shaping police strategy, public behavior, and criminal justice outcomes.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Unabomber: Ted Kaczynski & the Manifesto

The Reign of Terror Begins

• First Bombs: The Unabomber’s campaign starts in 1978 with poorly-made bombs that injure, but fail to kill. Early victims are linked to academia and airlines (05:05).
• Bombing Evolution: Over nearly two decades, bombs become deadlier, using more sophisticated triggers and shrapnel, escalating in 1985 with the first murder (10:00).

Using the Media

• Manifesto Demand: In 1995, the Unabomber (claiming to be part of “Freedom Club”) sends a 35,000-word manifesto titled “Industrial Society and Its Future” to major newspapers. He offers to halt killings if the essay is published (11:44).
  • “He believed that modern technology was destroying the environment and that he could slow or stop that destruction by killing educated leaders …” – Vanessa Richardson (06:16)
• Ethics Debated: Editors, legal authorities (including Janet Reno), and law enforcement debate if publishing a terrorist’s ideology is responsible journalism (07:20).
• Publication & Tipping Point: On September 19, 1995, The Washington Post publishes the essay, hoping a reader will recognize the writing (08:37).
• Critical Clue: “The phrasing of the manifesto wasn’t the only clue. David’s brother was a troubled soul ... He wanted to separate himself from industrial society …” – Vanessa (16:10)

Downfall via Media

• Recognition by Family: David Kaczynski notices the unique phrase “you can’t eat your cake and have it too,” linking the manifesto to his estranged brother, Ted. David’s suspicions, combined with Ted’s anti-technology history and reclusive Montana lifestyle, prompt him to alert the FBI (16:45).
• Capture: On April 3, 1996, FBI agents arrest Ted at his shack, finding bomb-making materials and a hit list (22:16).
• Aftermath: Ted pleads guilty and is sentenced to life at ADX Florence Supermax. He never forgives David for tipping off police. Ted dies by suicide in prison in 2023 (25:40).

Notable Quotes:

• “To gain one thing, you have to sacrifice another.” — the Unabomber’s manifesto, flagged as a family clue (16:08)
• “All of the death and pain he caused did nothing to save our environment or change how we interact with technology. He just contributed more suffering to a world that already had plenty of it.” — Vanessa Richardson (25:34)

2. Son of Sam: David Berkowitz & Letters of Terror

The Killings & the Mythos

• Serial Shootings Begin: Son of Sam stalks New York City from 1976-1977, killing six and wounding eleven, mainly targeting young women with dark hair (28:31).
• Taunting the Police: He leaves chilling handwritten letters at crime scenes and mails them to journalists, justifying his crimes (claiming demonic influence by a neighbor’s black lab, “a demon from hell”) (28:31).
  • “There are other sons out there. God help the world.” – Son of Sam’s last letter, sowing doubt and fear (29:36)
• Widespread Panic: The city’s media covers the killings heavily, spreading fear and paranoia. Women dye their hair; vigilantes attack men they suspect may be the killer (41:10).

The Media as Weapon and Trap

• Direct to Journalists: On May 30, 1977, Berkowitz sends a letter to New York Daily News columnist Jimmy Breslin, filled with disturbing, poetic language (39:01), including:

  • “Hello from the gutters of NYC, which are filled with dog manure, vomit, stale wine, urine and blood. … Don’t think I went to sleep. I am still here, like a spirit roaming the night.” — Son of Sam, to Jimmy Breslin (39:38)

• Public Mania: His letters trigger citywide panic; tips and rumors overload the police. People change their appearance and form vigilante groups (41:30).

Break in the Case

• Sloppy Mistake: A witness notes a suspicious man and car near the last murder scene; it’s ticketed for illegal parking (45:42). Police track tickets to David Berkowitz.
• Arrest: Upon approach, Berkowitz is nonchalant: “What took you so long?” (47:20). Evidence and satanic graffiti confirm his guilt.
• Aftermath: Diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic, Berkowitz pleads guilty, receives a 365-year sentence, and later becomes a prison chaplain (52:20).
  • In a 2016 interview, he said, “I attend [parole hearings] in order to openly apologize for my past crimes and to express my remorse.” (52:54)

Notable Quotes:

• “When I killed, I really saved many lives. You will understand later." — Son of Sam's letter (29:25)
• “You never know where he’ll hit next.” — Judy Placido, survivor (41:59)
• “What took you so long?” — David Berkowitz at arrest (47:20)

Memorable Moments & Analysis

• Both criminals remained anonymous for years, but were ultimately undone by their own communication needs—the Unabomber’s manifesto and Son of Sam’s letters became the clues that solved each case (53:01).
• The interplay between criminal psychology, public panic, investigative tactics, and media ethics forms the episode’s core:
  • “Their desperation to be heard was their ultimate undoing.” — Vanessa (01:55)
• The episode closes by reflecting on the roles the media and public engagement played in both solving and amplifying fear during each case (53:05).

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Vanessa Richardson: "He believed that modern technology was destroying the environment and that he could slow or stop that destruction by killing educated leaders ...” (06:16)
• Unabomber's Manifesto: “You can’t eat your cake and have it too. To gain one thing, you have to sacrifice another.” (16:08)
• Son of Sam's Letter: “There are other sons out there. God help the world.” (29:36)
• Cecilia Davis (Witness): “You never know where he'll hit next.” (41:59)
• David Berkowitz to police at arrest: “What took you so long?” (47:20)
• David Berkowitz on parole hearings: “To not attend can be viewed as being defiant towards authority. And that's not me. I attend in order to openly apologize for my past crimes and to express my remorse.” (52:54)
• Vanessa Richardson: “Their desperation to be heard was their ultimate undoing.” (01:55)

Major Segments and Timestamps

1. Intro & Themes – [00:11-02:59]
2. The Unabomber: Historical Context & Killings – [03:57-14:43]
3. The Unabomber: The Manifesto, Breakthrough, and Capture – [15:44-26:42]
4. Son of Sam: Media Letters and Public Panic – [27:28-39:00]
5. Son of Sam: Breaking the Case & Arrest – [39:00-47:20]
6. Epilogue & Reflections – [52:54-53:05]

Tone & Language

Vanessa Richardson narrates with measured gravity, blending careful recounting of facts, chilling direct quotes, and empathetic insight. The show’s tone is serious, informative, and subtly reflective—inviting listeners to consider the legacy of fear, sensationalism, and justice in the wake of these infamous cases.

Conclusion

Media Murders masterfully examines how two of America’s most notorious killers relied on the press to feed their egos and direct public terror, but in doing so, inadvertently provided the very clues necessary for their capture. Their stories remind us that criminal spectacle is a double-edged sword—capable of spreading fear, but also exposing the perpetrators behind it.

For those seeking a deep dive into the dark interplay between criminal violence and the media, this episode skillfully covers the psychological, procedural, and societal impacts of the Unabomber and Son of Sam—two men whose ultimate undoing lay in their urge to be heard.