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LAKE HERMAN ROAD-THE CORRECTION

2/26/2017

I was revisiting the Lake Herman Road crime scene pictures and realized that one of the images widely available on the internet is a composite posted by a contributor on the zodiackiller.com message board, constructed using 3 different crime scene photos. This image is in fact totally wrong and has been the basis on which I have argued that Betty Lou Jensen was discovered 8-10 feet from the rear of the Rambler. In addition this composite gives the impression that Betty Lou Jensen was lying at a virtual right angle to the Rambler, which is also false. Betty Lou Jensen was found 28 feet from the rear of the Rambler, her feet facing west. The Rambler was facing southeast. Using original black and white photographs of the crime scene, the true picture can be revealed. Below I have placed two red dots on the lower blood trail from David Faraday. When joined together it gives us a directional marker (blue line) pointing directly to the front wheel of the Rambler.

Next I will take the widely available composite image from the forum post and perform the identical task. It can be clearly seen that the blue line is pointing nowhere near the front wheel of the Rambler, indicating it has been constructed incorrectly.
The author of the forum post was justifiably trying to create a better feel of the scene at Lake Herman Road, which he did. The error was on my part for not realizing it was a composite or reconstruction, believing it to be a real crime scene photograph.

Below is a real photograph of the crime scene from the back of the turnout. The policeman in the distance is pointing his flashlight at the bloodstains of Betty Lou Jensen, at the northwest side of the turnout. The fence posts can be seen on the left of the image. The yellow line shows the relationship of her body to the lower blood trail from David Faraday. It is at an approximate right angle of 90 degrees. Betty Lou Jensen is only marginally off line to the axis of the Rambler.
In the composite photograph above, the lower blood trail from David Faraday is directed towards Betty Lou Jensen's head. One can see in the photograph below, it is pointing nowhere near Betty Lou Jensen.

How do we know that the policeman is directing his flashlight at the bloodstains of Betty Lou Jensen? Here is the image (below) taken from the newspaper of the day. Detective Sergeant Les Lunblad is pointing at the blooded area where David Faraday was felled by one gunshot to his head. In the distance Russ Butterbach is looking at the bloodstains from Betty Lou Jensen.

It can be seen that the position of Betty Lou Jensen is approximately 90 degrees from the lower blood trail of David Faraday, in complete unison with the wide angled photograph taken from the rear of the turnout. Below I have enlarged the policeman holding the torch and placed it next to the Russ Butterbach photograph (above) from the newspaper. Although a marginally different angle, you can see the first two fence posts in both images. Both men are standing in a virtually identical position in the turnout, looking at the same patch of ground. In the foreground we can see the lower blood trail from David Faraday's head in both instances. Both men are surveying the scene where Betty Lou Jensen was found. The Rambler would have been situated to the right of David Faraday's bloodstains

Although a slightly different camera angle, I have superimposed the Russ Butterbach and policeman image, using the first fence post as the guide. The yellow line depicts the shift in the photograph due to the angle. But the shift of the two men and the relative bloodstains is identical. Both men are standing in the Vallejo side of the turnout and both are examining the exact same piece of ground,
Using the newspaper image of Russ Butterbach and the wide angled view of the turnout, we can now reconstruct the composite image to how it should really look.
Betty Lou Jensen is now aligned roughly on the same axis as the Rambler. I have positioned her body approximately 28 feet from the rear bumper of the Rambler. The view across the blood trail of David Faraday in the left photograph and all the above photographs is identical to the perspective you would see if positioned by the red circle, at ground level in the picture below

The final piece in the jigsaw is to show an overhead view of the turnout, using an image from Google maps. Although the turnout has changed over the intervening years, the following are the relative positions of the Rambler, David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen, that now tally almost identically to the police sketch shown here. The Rambler is facing southeast.

If a line is drawn through the bloodstains of David Faraday to Betty Lou Jensen's head, the white arrow above heads north northwest, offline to the direction of the road (following the path of the green line below left). The Rambler is virtually parallel to the white line. This too can be seen here in the photograph below right.

The Rambler's back wheel would be by the red circle above virtually parallel to the green line.
Hopefully this finally sets the record straight.

View from inside the turnout facing Vallejo.
View from inside the turnout facing Benicia.

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XEN-THIRD REDACTED FBI FILE

2/22/2017

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Here is the redacted version of FBI PDF2 file 11/41, revealing the names Xenophon Lusby Anthony and Robert Hale West.
"LATENT FINGERPRINTS AND IMPRESSIONS THIS CASE NOT IDENTICAL FINGERPRINTS OF XENOPHON LUSBY ANTHONY, BORN 01/28/1931 OR ROBERT HALE WEST. BORN 09/02/1935."

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DID CHERI JO BATES KNOW HER KILLER?

2/17/2017

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One question has always persisted in the murder of Cheri Jo Bates in Riverside on October 30th 1966 - did she know her killer? The attack has many hallmarks of anger and impulsion, suggestive of a killer seeking retribution for a perceived injustice on his part, although not all crimes are always as cut and dry as they may seem on first inspection. In this instance however there are good reasons to believe the killer knew Cheri Jo Bates in some capacity and had an intimate knowledge of the area in question.

The first thing we shall take a look at is where the killer parked his vehicle, having likely followed Cheri Jo Bates to the Riverside City College Library that evening or knew that she was attending. Cheri Jo Bates Volkswagen Beetle was ultimately found parked approximately 75 yards east of alleyway, parked on Terracina Drive - and it is likely her murderer parked close by - probably slightly west of her location on the same street. In the 'Confession' letter mailed a month after the attack, believed to be from the perpetrator, it stated "Then I waited for her in the library and followed her out after about two minutes. The battery must have been about dead by then. I then offered to help. She was then very willing to talk to me. I told her that my car was down the street and that I would give her a lift home. When we were away from the library walking, I said it was about time she asked me, "about time for what? ". I said it was about time for her to die. I grabbed her round the neck with my hand over her mouth and my other hand with a small knife at her throat". The part detailing her leaving the library annex early is likely true, but the inference that his vehicle was parked on the other side of the alleyway was patently false.

In a magazine article dated January 1969 one key line shows this falsehood "At the murder scene, drops of dried blood leading from the body to Terracina Drive were discovered indicated to the detective that the murderer had walked to the street following the slaying". In other words, the killer was backtracking from the alley not passing through it to the adjacent street. If he had a vehicle, it was likely parked on Terracina Drive within visibility range to Cheri Jo Bates Volkswagen Beetle.

The 'Confession' letter portrays a killer seeking revenge for all the "brush offs" he had endured down the years. Would he really be that brazen, to center the investigation towards himself if he knew her? Well probably - after all, the police probably thought that as well and could easily have interpreted this statement as a double edged sword. He may very well have been on the fringes of her circle of friends, as opposed to being a close friend of Cheri's. It was mentioned in the article that she received a lot of attention from male admirers.

The idea a random killer, unknown to Cheri and Riverside City College seems unlikely - there are much easier ways to lie in wait for a random female victim than commit a prolonged attack in the heart of a college campus, only a matter of yards from the library annex during or near opening hours. The crime appears ill thought out and impulsive. Whomever the murderer was, he specifically targeted her Volkswagen Beetle, not knowing how long she intended remaining inside the library that evening. Was this indicative of the determination on his part?

Another possibility, is that the killer knew Cheri Jo Bates was only entering the library for a couple of minutes to discharge her reading material and was waiting close to her vehicle as she did so. That is because he may have already spoken to her prior to her entering the library. The murderer follows Cheri Jo Bates to the library that evening and approaches her as she is leaving her vehicle. He is likely an admirer of Cheri Jo Bates.

The 'Confession' letter stated "I then offered to help. She was then very willing to talk to me. I told her that my car was down the street and that I would give her a lift home. When we were away from the library walking, I said it was about time. She asked me, about time for what?. I said it was about time for her to die". The friends of Cheri Jo Bates pointed out she was very proud of her Volkswagen Beetle and that she was afraid of the dark. These two factors make it extremely unlikely she would head down a dark alley with a stranger, especially considering she could have returned to the library to seek assistance, which was only a matter of yards away. Leaving her vehicle unlocked with the windows rolled down and the keys in the ignition is perplexing. Had she gone willingly, why would Cheri Jo Bates have left her vehicle in such a manner? It may suggest coercion at a much later time.

click to enlarge

The attack, judging by its ferocity, likely lasted up to a minute long between two buildings that were unoccupied. This could have been something the killer was fully aware of, further suggesting his familiarity with his surroundings and possibly the college itself.

The pathologist F. Rene Modglin stated "the gastric contents suggest she had eaten a supper type meal probably not more than 2 to 4 hours before death". In addition, the stomach contents contained "at least 100 ml of thick fluid, with particulate food particles in which are easily recognized reasonably large pieces of beef, along with vegetable particulates and/or celery and onion, and what appears to be milk or cottage cheese".

Cheri Jo Bates had eaten at approximately 4:00-4:30 pm, placing her time of death between 6:00 pm and 8:30 pm based on the autopsy findings. Students acquainted with Cheri Jo Bates said they were in the library between 6:30 pm and 6:40 pm and never saw her. In addition, no confirmed sightings can be corroborated by any other person thereafter, despite the popularity of Cheri Jo Bates and further indicating her time spent in the library was brief, having likely left prior to 6:30 pm. Something the killer may have already known in advance had he spoken to her.

The 'Confession' and Bates letters were purportedly sent by the killer - and these may further connect the killer to the college.
The following is from a 1966/67 Riverside City College catalog "The present library is located on the Terracina Avenue side of the Quadrangle. Its collection includes more than 35,000 books, 400 current periodicals and newspapers, 1,950 reels of microfilm and 2,000 pamphlets. Its indoor and outdoor facilities can accommodate 225 students. The library staff, which includes five professional librarians, offers students and faculty individual assistance. The services of the College Library are available to students and residents of this area without charge. Students have free access to any of the books and magazines in the collection and are encouraged to use the library for their recreational reading as well as for academic pursuits. The circulation period is flexible and is determined by the demand for the material in question. Usual loans are for three weeks, but shorter periods may be required for assigned reading in limited materials. Longer loans may be made upon request. Borrowers are held responsible for any library materials which are lost or damaged while in their care. A photocopying machine, where students can secure 8 1/2 X 11 inch black and white copy of printed or typed material, is available at the library for ten cents. Hours of service are: Monday through Thursday 7:45 a.m - 10:00 p.m; Friday 7:45 a.m - 4:30 p.m; Sunday 1:00 - 5:00; 6:00 - 9:00 p.m".

The Riverside City College would purchase vast quantities of lined and unlined paper for the students and staff alike. It is therefore not unreasonable that the photocopier in the library would be also purchased to accommodate this paper size for ease of use. The three Bates letters sent by the killer on April 30th 1967, as seen in this FBI document, were written using 8 1/2 X 11 inch lined paper, the same dimensions as the paper used in the photocopying machine and likely paper used by the college.

Earlier, the killer had sent the 'Confession' letter, which he typed and photocopied. Sheriff Earl Randol described this letter, "The original of this letter was evidently destroyed or kept by the suspect, as the Press and our department received a carbon copy of the original. These carbon copies were a fourth and fifth copy and difficult to read. A photograph of this letter and the envelope is attached. A reproduction of the confession letter is also attached. It should be noticed that the copies received by the Press and our department were on plain white paper of poor quality. Width of paper is 8 inches. The length of the paper is unknown as the suspect (a peculiarity) tore off the bottom and top of the paper".

Not such a peculiarity if the suspect was attempting to disguise the dimensions of the paper or remove any anomalies or distinguishing features left by the photocopying process, that could possibly link him to the photocopier in question and maybe the college itself. The idea the killer would disable Cheri Jo Bates vehicle with no knowledge whatsoever on her likely return from the library to the said vehicle, could have placed him in area for at least three hours, observing the Volkswagen Beetle in close proximity. Not the actions of a master criminal, but possibly somebody who was primarily focused on Cheri Jo Bates as his choice of target.

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THE BUTTON LETTER CODE AND PHILLIPS 66 MAP

2/3/2017

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In analyzing the Button letter map and code, mailed on June 26th 1970, it is imperative we take a close look at the Zodiac Killer correspondence in the preceding few months to this communication for any clues to his mindset and intentions. There will be no definitive solution to the 32-Symbol code presented here, although a location for where his bomb was "to be set" can be argued with confidence, using four pieces of Zodiac material.

On April 20th 1970, the killer mailed 'The My Name is..Cipher' and stated "I hope you do not think that I was the one who wiped out that blue meannie with a bomb at the cop station. Even though I talked about killing school children with one. It just wouldn't doo to move in on someone else's teritory. But there is more glory in killing a cop than a cid because a cop can shoot back". The Zodiac Killer was referring to the murder of San Francisco police officer Brian McDonnell on February 16th 1970, two months earlier, when a bomb exploded on an outside ledge of Park Police Station in the Upper Haight neighborhood.

He would back up this correspondence with the Dragon Card just one week later on April 28th 1970, declaring "I hope you enjoy yourselves when I have my blast". This card featured elements of the book Don Quixote, a novel by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, in which Alonso Quijana, a prolific reader of books, became so mesmerized by the chivalry contained within them, that under the assumed name of Don Quixote, along with his squire Sancho Panza, began a quest to revive this virtue. What the Zodiac Killer was inferring with this particular card can be debated, but the 1899 Waller Street Police Station is situated on the boundary of the San Francisco Golden Gate Park and in close proximity, also situated in the park, is the memorial statue of Miguel de Cervantes, featuring Don Quixote and Sancho Panza. Was the Zodiac Killer insinuating an attack close to the police station and park, similar to the murder of police officer Brian McDonnell?

Then, on June 26th 1970, this communication arrived, insinuating the murder of another police officer, Richard Radetich (25). On June 19th at 5:25 am he was gunned down by three shots from a .38 caliber revolver at point blank range through the driver side window of his vehicle while in the process of serving a parking ticket by 643 Waller Street, San Francisco, in the Lower Haight District and subsequently died 15 hours later. The murder of Richard Radetich, as of writing, remains unsolved.

The Zodiac Killer appeared to be heavily centering his focus in the Haight District. The statue in the park, 1899 Waller Street and 643 Waller Street all fall within a 2 mile radius, featured through three consecutive mailings. It is therefore this locality of San Francisco we shall again turn our attention to, when considering where the Zodiac Killer may be directing his threat towards in the Button letter, using recent history to predict the future.

There is good reason to believe the Zodiac Killer was threatening an attack on Ingleside Station-San Francisco Police Department, located at 1 Sgt John V Young Lane, named in honor of Sgt. John Young, killed by gunmen in 1971 after they stormed the police station. Ingleside Station is 4.6 miles south of 1899 Waller Street. The Zodiac Killer never followed through on many of his claims, but this may very well be the location he was threatening to bomb on June 26th 1970. So here is the evidence.

When the Zodiac Killer mailed the Button letter, it was accompanied by a Phillips 66 road map and his crosshairs, stating they were "to be set to Mag.N." That is magnetic north, calculated at 17 degrees in 1970. Clearly, he soon realized that the information or code he supplied, coupled with the Phillips 66 map, was insufficient to crack the cipher or determine a location for the bomb. One month later, he rectified the problem with the Little List letter mailed on July 26th 1970, when he incorporated two further crosshairs, with all the clues we needed.

This was the first crosshair (see right).

The Zodiac Killer continually taunted police with his running victim total, always attributing the police with zero. This was nothing new. However here he deliberately brings attention to the zero, marking it noticeably darker, as though it has increased significance. It is also placed within the crosshairs, indicating an area within his sights. Bearing in mind the acronym SFPD, it is clear he has the San Francisco Police Department firmly focused as his target. That police department, we will attempt to show, was Ingleside Station located just off Balboa Park at San Jose Avenue.

The Zodiac Killer sent us a second set of crosshairs in the Little List letter, stating "PS. The Mt Diablo code concerns Radians + inches along the radians". This was the clue we needed.

In a previous article we highlighted a region of San Francisco for particular interest, using the following technique, but with improved map plotting and examining carefully the Phillips 66 map, it has become apparent the amended focus should be squarely over Ingleside Police Station. The phrase "PS. The Mt Diablo code concerns Radians + inches along the radians," clearly tells us to use radians as our degrees from the north axis and is "to be set to Mag.N." So we are looking for whole radians, to which we then add in the magnetic north value of 17 degrees. This will give us our angle on the Phillips 66 map.

The bold circle above is sitting between the 180 and 270 degree axis. In fact, the center of the bold circle is positioned at 246 degrees. This can be confirmed using a compass rose. One radian is valued at 57.296 degrees, so four radians are valued at 4 X 57.296 = 229.184 degrees. Add in the magnetic north value of 17 degrees and our final total is 246.184 degrees. The Zodiac Killer was indicating four radians + magnetic north. He never incorporated this into the Button letter code and Phillips 66 map, telling us the crosshair was to be set to magnetic north, but a month later in the Little List letter, he added the magnetic north value in for us, seen by the positioning of the bold circle next to SFPD. Four radians and 17 degrees is 246 degrees. This bold circle is also positioned at exactly 246 degrees (see below).

This compass rose and SFPD crosshair, angled at 246 degrees can now be placed over the Phillips 66 map. But first we will examine the second crosshair placed at the foot of the Little List letter.

The Zodiac Killer placed 'Diablo', the Spanish word for devil over the 180 degree axis. This may not have any significance, but if we couple the 66 from Phillips 66, with the number 6 on the Phillips map crosshair, we get 666, the number of the beast. By using the same method we can add the number 66 to the 180 degrees and arrive at 180 + 66 = 246 degrees once more. Whether this was by design however, is open to question.

Let us now go ahead and superimpose the compass rose and SFPD crosshair over the Phillips 66 map (below). To be completely accurate, both have been tilted by three degrees to match the original Zodiac crosshair. (shown here).

246 degrees takes us, as the crow flies, 31 miles southwest, passing directly over the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) of Ingleside. The map scale is 6.4 miles to the inch, so if we were traveling inches along the radians, it would be 4.84 inches. If we round off, the phrase "PS. The Mt Diablo code concerns Radians + inches along the radians," would become: "PS. The Mt Diablo code concerns four Radians + five inches along the radians". That is 229 degrees, but set to magnetic north, gives us the 246 degrees shown in the following diagrams.

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