Infamous serial killer David Berkowitz, more commonly known as the "Son of Sam" is equating his decades-long prison sentence to Anne Frank's writings, calling her his inspiration behind bars.
Berkowitz added that he sees himself as a sort of "father figure" among other inmates.
His comments come just days before he's set to face a parole board.
"My favorite book is the Holy Bible. But the most inspirational book for me throughout my years of incarceration is 'Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl,'" Berkowitz shared with The New York Post,
"Little did she know the influence her life and her writings would have in the future," said the 70-year-old from the maximum-security Shawangunk Correctional facility in Wallkill.
The Jewish teen author documented her life in hiding from the Nazis in her diary before it was published around the globe following her death during the Holocaust.
Berkowitz reflected on the impact Frank had on the lives of millions using just her pen and asked himself,
"What can I do with my trusty typewriter? Maybe I can change lives, too, with my message of hope in God."
The serial killer paralyzed New York City when he began his murder spree in 1976, leaving six dead and seven wounded in his wake of terror.
The media dubbed the deranged killer, "The.44 Caliber Killer," as he always used a .44 caliber on his victims.
Over the next nine months, an unhinged Berkowitz preyed on the public several more times, but in early 1977, he changed course and left behind a note after killing a young couple.
"I am a monster. I am the Son of Sam."
When finally apprehended on Aug. 10, 1977, he told police,
"I am Sam. David Berkowitz. What took you so long?"
At the time of his capture, Berkowitz was quoted as saying,
"I love to hunt. Prowling the streets looking for fair game tasty meat," most of whom were young women with long, dark hair and couples sitting in cars.
He would later tell psychiatrists that a demonic dog was the driving force behind his killing spree.
Berkowitz converted to Christianity after a court sentenced him to 547 years in prison in June of 1978.
The self-proclaimed father figure claims he has found God.
"Jesus has allowed me to survive and thrive," he told The Post.
In 2002, Berkowitz became eligible for parole, with a board deciding his fate every two years since.
Though he knows he has zero chance of release, he attends the hearings as a way to "openly apologize for my past crimes and to express my remorse," adding that he also wants to share his faith in God and how He can forgive, heal, and restore even the "worst" offenders.
In a 2017 interview with CBS host Maurice Dubois, Berkowitz was asked what he would tell 23-year-old David Berkowitz today.
In response, the notorious killer replied, "Uh, turn around before it's too late because destruction is coming, you know."
