Kriti Mehrotra
Helmed by renowned filmmaker Joe Berlinger, Netflix’s ‘Conversations With a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes’ is a docuseries that incorporates not only archival footage but also dramatic recreations, exclusive interviews, as well as never-before-heard recordings to really explore the life and crimes of serial killer David Berkowitz. Accordingly, Joseph Borrelli is a significant feature on the show considering he was the man who led all the police efforts into identifying, finding, and arresting this “monster” who reigned terror in the 1970s.
Joseph Borrelli Lived to Serve His Nation and Its People
Joseph Borrelli was reportedly born into a loving household in Brooklyn, New York, in 1931. His childhood was actually marked by the Great Depression and the resilience of people to overcome it, driving him to have that same ambition, determination, and willpower. Quite early on, he developed an interest in the different local and national forces owing to the country’s standing. Thus, upon graduating from high school, he spent 2 years in the Army, followed by several years in the Giants baseball system as a first baseman, before joining the police in 1959. It appears as if he was already happily married by this point and gradually raising four young daughters.
It didn’t take long for Joseph to steadily rise through the ranks of the New York Police Department because he proved his mettle at every step of the way, solving some of the most significant cases the city ever saw. This included the Son of Sam case, wherein David Berkowitz murdered six young individuals and wounded seven others across all five boroughs over two summers between 1976 and 1977. The then-captain was among the first to realize that every single one of these shootings was connected owing to the same .44 caliber weapon used, resulting in him leading the investigations. That’s why the killer once wrote a taunting letter addressed directly to him and left it near one of his crime scenes in April 1977, only to ignite a fire that culminated in his apprehension in August.
Moreover, Joseph was a part of the probe into the 1986 Howard Beach racial attack in Queens, wherein 3 young black men were attacked by a group of white youths outside a pizza parlor. One of them, 23-year-old Michael Griffith, sadly died, ultimately leading to the arrest of 12 locals, out of which three were convicted of manslaughter, six were found guilty of other related charges, and one was acquitted. As if that’s not enough, this officer led the inquiries into the 1988 assassination of police officer Edward Byrne, following which he was promoted to Chief of Detectives in 1989. It was while he held this position that he helped solve the 1993 kidnapping of Harvey Weinstein and was assigned to look into the 1993 World Trade Center bombing before eventually choosing to retire in 1995.
Joseph Borrelli Passed Away in 2025
Joseph retired from the New York Police Department as the Chief of Detectives after 36 years of service, but what his former co-workers most remember about him is who he was as a person. They all concede that he was indeed a brilliant law enforcement officer with a killer gut instinct, which made him rather irreplaceable. Yet, he was also a caring, kind human being who knew how to manage people. This says more about him than anything else. In fact, even retired detective Marlin Hopkins shared similar sentiments in the aforementioned original production, stating, “With Joe Borrelli, we all gravitated towards him because he was a seasoned guy. He knew his men, and he knew how to treat detectives. He knew how to use them.” Arguably, this was his best quality.
Following his retirement, Joseph continued to reside in New York and seemingly served as a consultant whenever needed, all the while also sharing his experiences with the world. He actually featured in ‘Murder Trail’ (2001), ‘Deranged’ (2009), ‘Son of Sam: The Killer Speaks’ (2017), ‘The Mark of a Killer’ (2020), ‘Very Scary People’ (2020), and ‘The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness’ (2021). Unfortunately, Joseph passed away before the last project he was ever involved with – Netflix’s ‘Conversations With a Killer: The Son of Sam Tapes’ – premiered on July 30, 2025. According to reports, while surrounded by his family, he succumbed to an unspecified illness after a brief battle on May 7, 2025 – he was 93 at the time. He is survived by his loving wife, Frances Borrelli, but his personal legacy is being carried on by his four daughters, their spouses, 8 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren.
Read More: Carl Denaro: Where is the Son of Sam Survivor Now?
