This so-called poem, measuring in its entirety just under 5.5 inches in length, was found written inside a foldable desk at the Riverside City College Library in December of 1966, describing a sense of foreboding or impending murderous intent. The author signs off the poem with the letters RH, believed to be their initials. The Riverside Desktop Poem has somehow become entwined with the murder of Cheri Josephine Bates on October 30th 1966 and just like the November 29th 1966 Confession Letter there remains skepticism as to whether this was the work of the Zodiac, despite similarities in the handwriting and phrases used in later authenticated correspondence. Cheri Jo Bates was a graduate of Ramona High School in Riverside and it could be suggested the author of the desktop poem was also a graduate or pupil of this school and signed off by placing the initials of his school. Ramona High School is situated at 7675 Magnolia Avenue and boasts a nationally acclaimed band and color guard as part of its Creative and Performing Arts program that has been featured in major motion pictures, television shows and commercials worldwide.
A California questioned documents examiner Sherwood Morrill formed the opinion that the handwriting was consistent with that of the Zodiac Killer, however like most inexact sciences, others would disagree.
Cheri Jo Bates was discovered savagely stabbed to death in an alleyway close to the Riverside City College Library. The middle distributor wire of her Volkswagen Beetle had been torn out, effectively disabling her car. There were no direct eyewitnesses to the murder, although people living in close proximity to the library recalled hearing screams around 10.15-10.45 pm and shortly thereafter the sound of a vehicle driving off, However nobody alerted the police and it wasn't until 6.30 am the following morning her body was discovered by a Riverside City College caretaker. SEE CHERI JO BATES MURDER |
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A recent theory I have discovered for the rh written at the foot of the Riverside Desktop Poem is this:
The Zodiac Killer finished many of his communications with the running victim total. The Dripping Pen card gave us the time, in the form of a month, and the total. The Bus Bomb letter stated "up to the end of Oct I have killed 7 people."
The July 31st 1969 San Francisco Chronicle letter warned us of future murders "If you do not print this cipher by the afternoon of Fry.1st of Aug 69, I will go on a kill ram-Page Fry. night." The Halloween card is also believed by many to be a future threat towards Paul Avery.
What if we apply the same model to the Riverside Desktop Poem, where he signs off the poem with "Just wait till next time. rh." The Riverside Desktop Poem was discovered in the December of 1966. But it might very well have been written prior to the murder of Cheri Jo Bates on October 30th 1966, and the warning of "Just wait till next time. rh." was referring to the time and place of his next murder. Remember, the author of the Confession letter had suggested he was trying to lure Cheri Jo Bates into his vehicle. This may possibly indicate he had planned to murder Cheri Jo Bates later than the believed 10.30 pm, when screams emanated from the alleyway, likely on Halloween Day itself, but something clearly had resulted in the unplanned struggle in the alleyway and her 'premature' murder from the perspective of the killer. Had he achieved his objective in luring the young woman into his vehicle, the likely prediction of the Riverside Desktop Poem would have come true. "Just wait till next time. riverside, halloween."
The Zodiac Killer finished many of his communications with the running victim total. The Dripping Pen card gave us the time, in the form of a month, and the total. The Bus Bomb letter stated "up to the end of Oct I have killed 7 people."
The July 31st 1969 San Francisco Chronicle letter warned us of future murders "If you do not print this cipher by the afternoon of Fry.1st of Aug 69, I will go on a kill ram-Page Fry. night." The Halloween card is also believed by many to be a future threat towards Paul Avery.
What if we apply the same model to the Riverside Desktop Poem, where he signs off the poem with "Just wait till next time. rh." The Riverside Desktop Poem was discovered in the December of 1966. But it might very well have been written prior to the murder of Cheri Jo Bates on October 30th 1966, and the warning of "Just wait till next time. rh." was referring to the time and place of his next murder. Remember, the author of the Confession letter had suggested he was trying to lure Cheri Jo Bates into his vehicle. This may possibly indicate he had planned to murder Cheri Jo Bates later than the believed 10.30 pm, when screams emanated from the alleyway, likely on Halloween Day itself, but something clearly had resulted in the unplanned struggle in the alleyway and her 'premature' murder from the perspective of the killer. Had he achieved his objective in luring the young woman into his vehicle, the likely prediction of the Riverside Desktop Poem would have come true. "Just wait till next time. riverside, halloween."
