Virginia Voskerichian   ( 1956-1977) Section  H -73 D

 

Virginia Voskerichian was the  second victim of serial killer Sam Berkowitz, also know as Son of Sam in New York City neighborhoods in the mid seventies. She was a 20 year old Columbia University coed who lived in Forest Hills at  69-11 Exeter Street.  Her and her family were Armenian. She was on her way home  from the Continental Avenue subway station when she was attacked on March 8, 1977 at around 7:30 p.m. She was shot once at close range with a .44 pistol. Her body was  found face down in shrubbery near the sidewalk near 4 Dartmouth Street not far from the Forest Hills Stadium. She was clutching her purse and some books. She used the books as a shield to her face, but the bullet penetrated the book.

On January 30th, just  half a block away, the first .44 victim was shot. Christine Freund  at age 26 was sitting in a car with a male companion. It was later that Berkowitz was  penned as the Son of Sam.

Sam Berkowitz created havoc and fear  in these neighborhoods by shooting young women and their companions in parked cars. Young ladies were afraid to go out at night.

He  shot 13 people, killing six and wounding 7 in a one year spree from July of 1976 to July of 1977. He was apprehended on August 10, 1977 and is serving multiple life sentences for these murders.