Thursday, July 07, 1977

Rock Album by Hendrix Is Examined for a Clue On “Son of Sam’s Name

Detectives hunting the killer known as the “Son of Sam” have looked into a suggestion that he might have taken his name from a rock music lyric.

Captain Borrelli said yesterday that one member of the special task force investigating the case had studied a 1967 album by the Jimi Hendrix Experience trio. Mr. Hendrix, a singer-guitarist died in 1970. One number, “Purple Haze,” can be heard with a faint incantation, “Help me, help me, help me, son of Sam, son of Sam.” Captain Borrelli said: “It’s interesting. It could be a coincidence. At this particular moment I don’t believe it deserves special attention.”

Interest in the case was swelled by two $10,000 rewards offered for the killer’s arrest and conviction – one by The Daily News and the other by WABC-TV.

Investigators have been trying to track all 28,000 .44-caliber Charter Arms Bulldog revolvers manufactured since 1972. Captain Borelli said that it turned out that many had yet to be sold by gun dealers, but that about 600 have been reported stolen nationwide.

Excerpt from July 7, 1977 New York Times

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