"I keep on hearing the police have caught me but they wont fix me just yet. I have laughed when they look so clever and talk about being on the right track". Taunting words dragged from the 'Dear Boss' letter, presumably sent by Jack the Ripper and mailed on September 27th 1888, exactly 81 years prior to the Lake Berryessa attack on Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard. In this letter he taunted the police by stating "The next job I do I shall clip the ladys ears off and send to the police officers just for jolly wouldn't you. Keep this letter back till I do a bit more work, then give it out straight. My knife's so nice and sharp I want to get to work right away if I get a chance. Good Luck. Yours truly. Jack the Ripper".

Bearing in mind the wording on the Ripper letter, the 'next job' the Zodiac Killer undertook after the Lake Berryessa attack, was the murder of Paul Stine in the wealthy district of Presidio Heights on October 11th 1969. Despite the callousness of the crime, the Zodiac Killer did refrain from the unthinkable, despite removing several items from the crime scene and tearing off a section of Paul Stine's shirt and sending it to authorities. Two days after the murder, this letter, not dissimilar to the 'Dear Boss' letter, arrived at the San Francisco Chronicle on October 13th 1969. It said "The S.F. Police could have caught me last night if they had searched the park properly instead of holding road races with their motorcicles seeing who could make the most noise. The car drivers should have just parked their cars and sat there quietly waiting for me to come out of cover". He then backed this up in similar fashion one month later with the 'Bus Bomb' letter on November 9th 1969, stating "I gave the cops som bussy work to do to keep them happy. I enjoy needling the blue pigs. Hey blue pig I was in the park -- you were useing fire trucks to mask the sound of your cruzeing prowl cars".

Then, nine years later, another letter mailed to the Vallejo Times-Herald on October 28th 1987 arrived with wording all too familiar. It again emphasized that the Zodiac Killer was "still here", almost reminding us of the fact he had never gone away. In many people's eyes this letter was deemed a poor imitation, crafted from the inspiration of previous correspondence. Nevertheless, this letter also signed off with the words 'yours truly' once again, in extremely similar fashion to the 1978 letter. See here. In the 1978 letter the author stated  "I am waiting for a good movie about me" and in the 1987 letter the author stated "Cars make nice weapons. The pigs can catch me if they can find me out there. Just like in the movie The Car". The Zodiac Killer, if we take these two letters as genuine, appeared to be reminding the American public that he was definitely far from dead, as some press speculation had considered - due mainly to the Zodiac Killer's lack of correspondence subsequent to the 'Exorcist' letter in early 1974. But now he was back..... in fact he had never gone away.

Yours Truly-Jack the Ripper was a short story by Robert Bloch, published in Weird Tales in July 1943 and was made for television on 11th April 1961, directed by Ray Milland and starring Boris Karloff, John Williams and Beverly Powers. See here.
In the story Sir Guy (John Williams) attempts to convince the police that Jack the Ripper is far from dead - in fact, he is very much alive and still claiming victims - this time in New York. (see Albany Letter). In one line he says "Now none of these Ripper murders received the notoriety of those in London, many went almost unnoticed, but they did occur" and went on to elaborate "I've studied everything about them, especially the dates and the pattern made by those dates, I've studied their rhythm, the solar and lunar rhythm". See here. The police thought these new murders were a copycat, attempting to replicate the murders of Jack the Ripper, and poured scorn on the idea he was still around. Could the Zodiac Killer have read the book or viewed this television episode and deliberately signed off these later letters with the phrase 'yours truly' to again ridicule the police and authorities, who thought that he was dead also.       

"Today, when I think about all the different types I met in that excuse for a penitentiary, this man remains my most uncomfortable memory". Striking words from a convicted serial killer, who in 1961 became one of America's most wanted fugitives, appearing on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. That man was Edward Wayne Edwards - and the man he was talking about was Donald Lee Bujok - promulgated as a prime candidate for the murders of five people in Northern California in the late 1960s by Zodiac researcher Kevin Robert Brooks. This extract was taken from an Edward Edwards autobiography entitled Metamorphosis of a Criminal, and left you in no doubt that there was more to Donald Lee Bujok than could possibly be imagined.

The penitentiary Edward Edwards was referring to was Old Montana State Prison, approximately three and a half miles west of Deer Lodge. Donald Lee Bujok had spent eleven years at the prison, serving time for the brutal slaying of Deputy Otto Fossen, who was shot five times in the neck and chest in the small town of Joplin, Montana on October 5th 1957. Built in 1871, Old Montana State Prison suffered badly with overcrowding, and prisoners daily life mirrored the bleak walls that confined them. The only solace was sought through work related activities and occasional visits to the W.A. Clark Theater, built in 1919 under the governance of Warden Conley. It seated around 600 and hosted a variety of events that included traveling theater groups, movies, concerts and religious services, providing temporary relief to inmates, who for the most part relied heavily on introspection to wile away the harsh realities that became an everyday occurrence. Donald Lee Bujok was no exception to this rule, performing many jobs within the prison, notably a kitchen clerk, upholsterer and garment maker, but in an attempt to escape his reality may have ascended to an altogether different level of existence, driven by a fascination for Egyptian literature and science fiction, apparent in the striking memoirs of Edward Wayne Edwards. Donald Lee Bujok, strangled by the rigors of daily life in prison sought his escape into the non-material realm of fantasy, embracing an afterlife that would eventually be realized a few years later in the very real world of Northern California, one dark December night in 1968.

The shadow of Old Montana Prison became the embodiment of all things evil, when the headlights of the car driven by Donald Lee Bujok flickered across the dark twisting road of Lake Herman on December 20th 1968 and his route to paradise, that he had sought for eleven years, was just moments away, Sadly it came at great cost and the paradise sought by the Zodiac Killer was the paradise lost by so many, in the the wake of Northern California's most reviled and elusive killer. A chapter that has left its mark for over four decades and one that began in memories recalled within the writings of Edward Wayne Edwards autobiography, Metamorphosis of a Criminal.  

Kevin Robert Brooks has examined in depth the early life of Donald Lee Bujok, that may have seeded the very inception of the Zodiac Killer, through to the numerous letters and cards he mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle, along with other associated publications - and believes his search for America's most notorious serial killer may be coming to an end. One such letter he has analyzed may possibly have marked the final chapter of this story, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle on January 29th 1974 - that of the Exorcist letter, believed by many to be the Zodiac Killer's final letter and impending epitaph.               

The Zodiac Killer throughout his correspondence exhibited an overt interest in the theatrical, never more so than the Little List letter he mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle on July 26th 1970, paraphrasing extracts from The Mikado, a two-part comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan, which opened to the paying public on March 14th 1885, and was hugely successful running for 672 performances at the Savoy Theatre in London.

In his later correspondence, his interest in the movies came to the forefront, mentioning the film Badlands, Red Phantom (El Espectro Rojo), possibly The Car (in a now unauthenticated letter sent on Wednesday October 28th 1987) and the Exorcist letter, ridiculing the William Friedkin horror film released in 1973. But the Exorcist correspondence encompassed both - reciting lines from The Mikado's Tit Willow, as well as embodying the movie angle into its design. The author also added Asian style characters at the foot of the letter, reminiscent of Japanese stylism. The Zodiac Killer used a blue felt tip pen when writing this letter, causing occasional filling on the circular letters. Kevin Robert Brooks believes the F style symbol to be the word "To", so when the symbols are reorganized, they spell the words "To Kill". Just above the symbols he wrote "PS if I do not see this note in your paper, I will do something nasty, which you know I'm capable of doing".

Another striking comparison can be found in authenticated correspondence Donald Lee Bujok mailed to the Billings Gazette in Montana on June 2nd 1974, just over four months after the receipt of the Exorcist letter. It also ridiculed the idea of demonic possession stating "If his work was impressive enough, we could then extend his services to Deer Lodge. Just think of the money we could save by releasing de-possessed people who would no longer require confinement" and "Exorcism? Evil Spirits? Possession? I have a word to describe this so called phenomenon, but I'll use the initials BS, because I don't think the editor would print my expletive".

Of course, Donald Lee Bujok wrote many letters to the Billings Gazette and while some showed parallels to the Zodiac Killer letters, many did not. However, this correspondence to the Billings Gazette held a little more. He began this letter with the wording "I have been reading and hearing all about the Exorcist in Billings". In the Exorcist letter the Zodiac Killer began with "I saw and think the Exorcist was the best satirical comedy that I have ever seen". Very similar in phraseology. He also makes reference to Deer Lodge Prison. Significant, as this was purportedly mentioned by the attacker at Lake Berryessa on September 27th 1969.    

On October 5th 1970, exactly thirteen years after the murder of Deputy Otto Fossen in 1957, '13 bullet holes' punched through the fabric of the 13 Hole Postcard arrived at the San Francisco Chronicle with the words "FK I'm Crackproof, What is the price tag now?". But this is another story. See  http://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/thirteen-holes-in-time

Below is a sketch created by Kevin Robert Brooks, taken from a photograph of Donald Lee Bujok aged in his late 40s.

The Zodiac Killer appeared to have artistic leanings, not only in the design of his cards and ciphers, but also the possibility he was connected to the theater due to their content, as explained in the previous article Exit Stage Left. His interest seemed unconstrained by his age, having alluded to The Most Dangerous Game, a short story by Richard Connell, published on January 19th 1924, and The Mikado, released to the paying public on March 14th 1885. Furthermore, there have been suggestions of a Charlie Chan link, in the role of detective fiction, first put to film in 1926. The Dragon card mailed on April 28th 1970 appeared to depict the characters Don Quixote and Sancho Panza, created by author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra in 1605 and 1615. And finally, the subtle reference in the accompanying text to 'Melville Eats Blubber', pointed towards Herman Melville, an American novelist, famous for his penning of Moby Dick in 1851.. The Zodiac Killer placed the line "I hope you enjoy yourselves when I have my blast" on the card, in reference to his concealed bomb, and in the attached letter, implored the public to wear "some nice Zodiac buttons". The greetings card and text seemed to reveal little, but it is conceivable there was a lot more. 

The Dragon card was mailed on April 28th 1970 and the Button letter soon followed on June 26th 1970, both continuing the theme of bombing in the text. The Zodiac Killer also gave us a fourth code, along with a Phillips 66 route map, stating that together they would reveal the location of a 'hidden' bomb.

The novelist Herman Melville took elements from Don Quixote into the Captain Ahab character of Moby Dick, both driven in their desire to achieve their ultimate goal. Captain Ahab was gripped with his pursuit of the whale, whereas Don Quixote's pursuit of chivalry seemed boundless. Indeed, Herman Melville was a fan of Don Quixote, referencing the Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra novel in his diary while writing Moby Dick. Herman Melville not only wrote novels, but published poetry in his later life and was the author of many short stories. Surprisingly, despite the worldwide recognition of Moby Dick today, it was not warmed to by the public at the time and effectively ended his career as a revered novelist.          

In a previous article it was shown how Kevin Robert Brooks and his team of investigators had formulated a plausible reason behind the design of the Button letter and its associated Phillips 66 Petroleum Map. The Button letter was mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle on June 26th 1970, accompanied by a map of San Francisco and its vicinity. On the map, the Zodiac Killer had added his traditional crossed circle centered over Mount Diablo, however, on this occasion he added the numbers 0, 3, 6 and 9 around its circumference - or to be more specific - on the cardinal points. Crucially though, he also added a directional marker on the north facing compass point as a positional indicator. 

It is believed, along with the inserted code, to possibly indicate the location of a hidden bomb buried by the Zodiac Killer. However, Kevin Robert Brooks is convinced he has unearthed the true reason behind the killer's motive for the design of the Phillips 66 Petroleum Map, with the answer lying a little closer to his suspect's home. In many Zodiac communications the Bay Area killer repeatedly taunted police and newspapers alike, promising to reveal his name, despite this never being a realistic hope. But it just may be, that despite his reluctance to offer us his name, he quite possibly offered us the next best thing - his residence or place of birth.

Donald Lee Bujok was born on July 6th 1936 in Roundup, Musselshell County, Montana. Kevin Robert Brooks believes the crossed circle design on the Phillips 66 Petroleum Map may indicate the county seat of Roundup, albeit in an extremely subtle way. If we take the crossed circle and superimpose it over the center of Roundup, Montana, the directional north marker points directly to two adjacent counties, that of Petroleum County and Phillips County, thereby giving us the reason behind his choice of map in the first place - and quite possibly the birth place of America's most elusive serial killer.

On the Phillips 66 Petroleum Map, the Zodiac Killer added a notation that his design "is to be set to Mag.N". Taken to be Magnetic North.

In 1970, Magnetic North was approximately 16.5 degrees.
If we adjust the crossed circle accordingly by 16.5 degrees clockwise, it becomes even more significant, with the directional morth marker passing exactly over both county seats of  Winnett and Malta, shown on the map to the left.
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Most of this was addressed in the Phillip Petroleum Map Key article on December 26th 2013, however, there is just a little bit more.
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The county code numbers of Petroleum County and Phillips County are 55 and 11 respectively. These totaled up equal 66, to provide yet another interesting feature in respect to the Phillips 66 Map.

Thanks again to Kevin Robert Brooks. 

Waiting in the wings, the Zodiac Killer was not content with a supporting role and yearned to have his name in the spotlight, determined to act out his deep seated desire on a much grander scale - but unlike the theatrical tragedies that had gone before him, this one was to be performed on the very real stage of Northern California, with dark consequences. This analysis probes into the mindset of the Zodiac Killer and his influences as the driving force behind the numerous communications he orchestrated over a period of nearly five years, to narrow down a profession that, above all, takes center stage. It has been noted on countless occasions that the Zodiac Killer had leanings toward the dramatic, His early correspondence included part inference to The Most Dangerous Game, a short story by Richard Connell, published on January 19th 1924, as well as several references to the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, The Mikado, first viewed by the paying public on March 14th 1885. The Mikado featured heavily in his 'Little List' letter, mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle on July 26th 1970 and was resurrected in the 'Exorcist' letter, his last confirmed correspondence, mailed on January 29th 1974.

In the counterculture revolution of the 1960s, a new breed of expressionism emerged, in alliance with the already existing forces of cinema and theater that permeated the San Francisco culture and provided the backdrop for a diverse cocktail of literary and visual freedom.​

He claimed in his Bus Bomb letter of November 9th 1969 "The police shall never catch me, because I have been too clever for them.  I look like the description passed out only when I do my thing, the rest of the time I look entirle different. I shall not tell you what my descise consists of when I kill". He also made a grand appearance at Lake Berryessa on September 27th 1969, having purchased, borrowed or crafted a black executioner's hood and a waistline bib, emblazoned with the Zodiac crosshairs - but either way, his entrance was of theatrical proportions.

One thing evident throughout his correspondence, was his use of the word shall, leading to speculation that he may have been of British origin, as the word shall, is infrequently used in American English. However, another option exists. As a member of theater production, his exposure to the word shall would have been far more frequent in the performance of stage plays, particularly in traditional works of English origin, which he would seek to take to the next level when he started crafting his own scripts. Embittered by rejection, he mailed his work to the heart of the American people via the San Francisco Chronicle, seeking literary recognition, but sadly only succeeded in creating a tragedy of epic proportions, while hiding behind a pseudonym and mask of sanity.