Wendy Savino’s harrowing ordeal on April 9, 1976, has finally been acknowledged as the initial attack by David Berkowitz, the infamous “Son of Sam” killer. For nearly five decades, Savino’s claim went unrecognized, leaving her to grapple with the aftermath of her terrifying encounter and the skepticism of those around her.
Savino’s life changed forever when she was shot five times by Berkowitz in a Bronx parking lot. She recalls the chilling moment vividly: “At the time, I saw him walking toward me smiling. I had locked my doors and thought I was safe. He was smiling, blue eyes, didn’t look at all scary. As I ducked to my left to get my seatbelt, he’s right at my window. And I see, I thought it was two fingers, and he was going to ask me for directions. Instead, my chest exploded and I said, ‘Oh my God. I’ve been shot.’”
The attack left her with severe injuries, including the loss of her right eye. Despite her immediate and detailed identification of Berkowitz, whom she described as having a “heart-shaped face, widow’s peak, sideburns, and rose-bud lips,” her account was dismissed for years. “From the day I was shot, I had my sketches the NYPD made for me, and I carried that around in my handbag every day. I did not know his name, but I certainly knew what he looked like. I said ‘this is the man that shot me.’ And of course, once he was arrested, I knew my sketch was David Berkowitz.”
Savino’s survival was nothing short of miraculous. After being shot multiple times, she managed to crawl out of her car and seek help, despite her grievous injuries. “I said, ‘I can’t let him get to me before I can get out.’ So I laid there with my head in the bucket, pretending I was dead, and with my eyes closed, but peeking through the one eye I could still see from.” Her quick thinking likely saved her life, as she played dead until Berkowitz left the scene.
The psychological scars of the attack ran deep. Savino lived in constant fear, even moving to the UK and adopting a pseudonym to escape the terror that haunted her. “I was absolutely terrified. I wouldn’t go out in the dark. My children would play on the cricket green during the day and I would say, ‘If you don’t come in by dark, I’m not coming out to get you.’ I wouldn’t answer the phone. I wouldn’t answer the front door. When I went shopping, if I got afraid, I’d leave my shopping basket in the parking lot after paying for it. I’d go through a red light if I hit one. I was terrified.”
The recognition of Savino as Berkowitz’s first victim came through the efforts of a YouTuber who meticulously reviewed case files and brought the evidence to the attention of a Bronx homicide detective. Their investigation led to a re-evaluation of the case, and Berkowitz was ultimately confronted about the shooting. While he initially denied the attack, he was eventually tripped up into admitting his guilt. Their full interview can be watched on Manny Grossman’s YouTube channel, “The Grossman Files”.
Reflecting on her ordeal, Savino expressed a mix of relief and lingering anger. “I’m so happy that he’s going to be named as my assailant,” she said. “For so many years, if somebody asked me what happened to me, and I would say ‘I was shot by Son of Sam’ and it was, ‘Oh right, sure you were.’ So, I am very happy that I am going to be listed as one of his survivors.”
Savino’s story is a poignant reminder of the enduring impact of violent crime and the importance of justice, no matter how long it takes. Given the chance to confront Berkowitz, she has a simple message: “You’re a rotten bastard.”
