Unlocking the Code: Occult Symbolism, Tarot Archetypes, and the Truth Behind the Son of Sam Letters
The “Son of Sam” case remains one of the most enigmatic and debated criminal investigations in U.S. history. While was arrested and confessed to the shootings, deeper layers of the case — including occult references, coded messages, and unexplained connections — continue to provoke suspicion that he was not acting alone. Central to this mystery is the , mailed to journalist Jimmy Breslin on May 31, 1977 — the anniversary of the death of , the famed French occultist and ceremonial magician.
The Breslin Letter: A Coded Manifesto
Unlike the earlier Son of Sam letter found at the Esau–Suriani crime scene which had Berkowitz’s fingerprints, the Breslin letter was mailed anonymously and contained no fingerprints. The FBI never conclusively proved Berkowitz authored either letter. Berkowitz himself continues to deny writing any of the Son of Sam letters, maintaining that he was part of a larger group, a cult.
The Breslin letter featured four monikers for the killer or killers:
- The Duke of Death
- The Wicked King Wicker
- The Twenty Two Disciples of Hell
- John Wheaties — Rapist and Suffocater of Young Girls
Each of these names may be more than just random flourishes. The author of this blog points to deep symbolic and occult meanings, particularly rooted in tarot, numerology, and mythological archetypes.
Tarot, Numerology, and the Power of Four
Several aspects of the Breslin letter encode recurring patterns of “4”, suggesting a numerological signature:
- “Death” Tarot Card: The 13th card of the Major Arcana. 1+3 = 4.
- “King” Cards: In many tarot decks, the King represents position 4 in each suit.
- “22 Disciples of Hell”: 2 + 2 = 4, or possibly a reference to the Fool card or the Aeon card, numbered 0 or or 2–2 = 0 or 22. There are 22 cards in the major arcana and the Fool card can either be the first card in the deck or the last card.
- “John Wheaties”: A symbolic tie to the Fool card and possibly Dionysian symbolism through the wheat motif.
These recurring fours, combined with layered , suggest a killer — or killers — deeply immersed in ritual symbolism, likely attempting to deliver hidden messages through archetype and allegory.
Wicker Street, Dogs, and Symbolic Geography
Two dogs named Duke and King were kept at the Wicker Street residence, an address that is starting to look fishy as hell, a nearby neighbor of Berkowitz. These names correlate directly with the letter’s monikers — Duke of Death and Wicked King Wicker — suggesting that the dogs themselves were intended as cues for law enforcement or simply complicated Dionysian symbols.
The area was also plagued by the mutilation of German Shepherds, many skinned or killed — often considered symbolic “sacrifices” in occult rituals. The Breslin letter’s dog references may be layered signals pointing law enforcement to Wicker Street or the general vicinity of the killer.
Moreover, Wicker Street is located near Pine Street, and in esoteric traditions, the pinecone (and pine in general) is a symbol of enlightenment, , and Dionysian ritual — another symbolic breadcrumb.
John Wheaties: Alias or Archetype?
John Carr, son of Sam Carr, was allegedly known by the nickname “Wheaties”. Multiple sources confirmed this in the 1989 edition of Maury Terry’s in the chapter “A Matter of Murder”:
- Linda O’Conner (girlfriend)
- Lee Slaughter (therapist)
- Phil Falcon (friend in North Dakota)
In contradiction, John’s sister Wheat Carr has repeatedly publicly claimed that Wheaties wasn’t a nickname — but in a , dated 26-Oct-1979, Wheat Carr admitted to joking with John that he was “cannibalizing himself” when eating Wheaties, strongly implying it was used as a nickname.
This points toward a chilling implication: the “John Wheaties” name in the letter was not a creative flourish.
The 22 Disciples: Gambling, Cults, and The Carrs’ Answering Service
A little-known but explosive detail: the Carr family ran an answering service that was:
- Allegedly tied to a gambling ring
- Staffed by 22 female employees
This matches the “22 Disciples of Hell” phrase from the Breslin letter. Whether symbolic or literal, the reference could be pointing to the answering service as a hub — either for illegal activity or as a metaphor for a cult-like group, functioning as disciples to a leader (possibly “Sam”).
The Wicked King Wicker: Is It Sam Carr?
The author of this blog believes “Wicked King Wicker” may refer to Sam Carr, patriarch of the Carr family, and whose name (“Sam”) was invoked by the killer. Apartment wall writings found in Berkowitz’s home included phrases such as “I am the son of Sam”, “Sam Carr is God,” and “Sam Carr is the Devil,” revealing a dual worship and loathing. Please refer to “Behind the Apartment Walls: David Berkowitz, Satanism, and the Zodiac of Chaos” for further analysis on the name Wicked King Wicker.
“Wicker” could also be a reference to “”, a 1973 film about pagan sacrifice, or even a clue directing authorities to Wicker Street. One source the author directly interviewed and previously associated with Magickal Childe giftshop believed it could be a reference to “The Wicker Man,” was frightened to contact law enforcement and Jimmy Breslin, requested her boyfriend contact Jimmy Breslin, and the call was escalated to Breslin who then turned it over to law enforcement for investigation. The author of the blog has this in writing from the individual and will not publish the source for privacy purposes. The film was released in the United States on 7-Aug-1974.
The Duke of Death: Is it Michael Carr?
The title “” is often misunderstood. In traditional European nobility, “Baron” is a rank of nobility, typically lower than a Viscount or Count. In contrast, a Duke is a much higher rank — usually just below royalty. So, while both are noble titles, Baron does not translate directly to Duke; rather, they exist at different levels within the hierarchy of nobility.
Regarding Michael Carr allegedly using the name “Baron”: it suggests that he may have either adopted a noble-sounding title or alias, potentially to imply status or for other reasons such as deception or self-styling. Regardless, the name suggests royalty. Maury Terry believed that Michael Carr was the Duke of Death due to the royalty symbolism and Michael Carr allegedly stating to others that he was from a lineage of Russian royalty. It is also alleged that he used this name during questionable business transactions.
Process Church, Cult Activity, and the Bahamas Connection
— an apocalyptic cult once rumored to associate with — has also been tied to the Son of Sam case by independent researchers.
Author who published “Before Son of Sam: The Submerged History of a Yonkers Cult,” published approximately five years ago, documents that 22 members of the Process Church were recorded traveling to the Bahamas, possibly for ritualistic purposes. Another Process church researcher, Allan Baxter, states it could tie into the church members trip to Xtul due to 22 disciples making the trip. Maryann DeGrimston and Robert DeGrimston should not be included due to their titles: oracle and the teacher.
Between 1975 and 1977, according to Allan Baxter who is thoroughly familiar with the organization, the Process Church began generating income not through street-begging but by licensing their properties to vendors of parapsychological goods, performing tarot readings, and producing their magazine. One issue of their magazine also prominently featured Death card imagery. These activities mirror the themes found in the Breslin letter and suggest a shared symbolic and operational ecosystem.
Dionysian Symbolism and the Fool Card
The moniker “John Wheaties” may be far more than a nod to John Carr. The reference to wheat opens the door to the rich symbolic universe of , the Greek god of madness, wine, ritual ecstasy, and rebirth. These attributes mirror the Fool card in tarot — often numbered 0 or 22, the same number of “Disciples of Hell” in the letter.
Symbols Associated with the Fool Card:
- : Fertility, agriculture, the harvest — symbolic of rebirth and new beginnings.
- / Thyrsus: Ritual staff tipped with pinecones, used in Dionysian ceremonies to induce trance and frenzy.
- : Fertility, abundance, and sensuality.
- : Vehicles and symbols of Dionysian chaos and wildness.
- : Instruments of ecstatic music, associated with Maenads and ritual madness.
- and : Symbols of intoxication, divine madness, and spiritual surrender.
- : Ritual dissolution of ego and boundaries.
- : Represent life cycles, fertility, death, and rebirth.
- / Nymphs: Dionysius was raised by nymphs — wild, maternal figures representing untamed nature.
- : Followers entered trances, believed to be divine possessions.
- : Emphasizes cyclical death and rebirth — core to Dionysian and Fool symbolism.
- Sacred to Dionysius; represents immortality and sacred intoxication.
- : Worn by Maenads, representing primal chaos and spiritual liberation.
- : Associated with transformation; Dionysius turned pirates into dolphins. Timothy Wyllie, a membr of the Process, also had a thing for .
- : Dionysius was also god of performance, illusion, and dramatic role-playing.
This archetype paints the killer as a ritual actor — a Fool stepping off a cliff into a blood rite, immersed in myth and madness. The name “John Wheaties” may serve as an esoteric archetype as much as it is likely a real reference to John Carr.
Conclusion: A Ritual Blueprint?
Taken together, the symbolism, names, numbers, and mythological references in the Son of Sam letters — especially the Breslin letter — appear not as erratic madness, but a coded blueprint. It may reflect a network of ritual behavior, mythic self-identification, and organized participation. From the Carr family and their answering service to the tarot and Dionysian archetypes it appears this was never the work of a lone madman.
Until the next time: So long, and thanks for all the fish.
