Naman Shrestha
In the 1970s, David Berkowitz, also known as the Son of Sam and the .44 Caliber Killer, preyed on young women across New York and shot them with his .44 caliber handgun. During his killing spree that spanned more than a year, he claimed several victims and critically wounded many more. Netflix’s ‘Conversations With a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes’ delves deep into the horrific crimes committed by Berkowitz, whose unheard recordings are also a part of the three-part documentary series. One of the women who survived an encounter with the serial killer was Jody Valenti, who was a 19-year-old nurse at the time.
Jody Valenti Was With Donna Lauria When She Was Fatally Shot by David Berkowitz
After a fun night dancing at a disco on July 28, 1976, 18-year-old Donna Lauria and 19-year-old Jody Valenti decided to head back to their respective homes in the early hours of July 29. The latter was dropping off the medic-in-training at her house at 2860 Buhre Avenue in the Bronx’s Westchester Heights in her blue two-door Oldsmobile Cutlass. Around 1 am, as the two were parked outside the six‐story apartment building, discussing plans for the coming summer, they were ambushed by an armed man who fired multiple shots inside the car. One of them struck Donna in the back and killed her then and there.
Meanwhile, the 19-year-old nurse of Hutchinson River Parkway had been shot in the leg but managed to survive the attack. As she was an eyewitness, the police questioned her about the incident. She described him as a white man in his late 30s with curly hair. The description she provided also matched the statement provided by Donna’s father, who had seen a man fitting the same description that night. The authorities also determined that the shooting was carried out using a .44 caliber Bulldog. About a year of investigation later, in August 1977, David Berkowitz was apprehended as he was responsible for the murder of Donna and multiple other women in New York.
Jody Valenti’s Courage Helped Her Get Over Her Fears and Trauma
Nearly four decades after the incident, in July 2016, Jody Valenti talked about it in an interview with the New York Post. She stated, “It took probably about six years of my life to be able to get in a car at night. It took a long time to be able to deal with the sounds of popping fireworks and stuff like that…But I faced my fears.” Around the same time, she had just taken a gun class to face her fear of it head-on. “I went and learned how to shoot a gun. It’s my own fear that I faced. I did it myself. I did it to face my fear of a gun, my fear of holding a gun…my fear of the sound of a gun — fear, fear, fear,” she elaborated.
As she looked back at all the havoc that David Berkowitz had wreaked, she said that she felt bad for everyone who lost their lives to the serial killer, including her friend, who would have had a family of her own by then. In her opinion, people battling mental illness should be taken care of, “because I think that’s what’s lacking here…the person who’s holding the gun who has a mental illness. Just think about that Sandy Hook situation. It was horror. I was horrified.” Besides expressing her stance on the gun policy of the country, she also talked about Berkowitz. She shared, “What are we celebrating? The lunatic that’s in prison for life who’s getting benefits. He’s getting three square meals. He’s getting an education. He’s getting everything he needs, and I find it very disturbing.”
Jody Valenti Works in the Healthcare Industry Today
After getting a nursing degree from Iona College, Jody Valenti/Valente bagged a job at Almost Family Inc., AKA Patient Care, as a Care Team Manager/Case Manager in January 2001. Having gained multiple years of experience, she switched to Health Net, where she again took the role of Case Manager for a few months in late 2009 and early 2010. Since January 2010, Jody has been working at UnitedHealth Group. Initially, she served as a Telephonic ICM before moving up the ranks and becoming the Senior ICM. Currently, she is the Manager of Acute Inpatient Utilization Management. Simultaneously, she is also in the position of RN Accredo Cigna of Specialty Pharmacy Management at Cigna, where she has been employed since February 2020.
Jody Valenti’s Life Revolves Around Her Son and Furry Babies
Several years after the shooting incident, Jody Valenti/Valente married Michael James Francia, who was born and raised in the Bronx, New York. Over the following years, the couple welcomed two little bundles of joy into the world in the form of two sons — Daniel M. Francia and Andrew Joseph Francia. After about three decades of marriage, Jody suffered an immense tragedy and heartbreak when her husband, Michael, passed away on November 19, 2017.
While she was still affected by the loss of her partner, she faced another personal blow the following year. On June 28, 2018, her son, Andrew, suddenly met his demise in his house. Looking forward to attending the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, he was the apple of Jody’s eye and the beloved brother of Daniel. In early 2024, she was taking ballroom dancing lessons and even competed in her first competition held by Majesty Dancesport. She has relocated to Orlando, Florida, where she has made many friends and lives with her two adorable furry little pets.
Read More: Robert Violante: Where is the Son of Sam Survivor Now?
