Mailed from Santa Clara or San Mateo County on December 27th 1974, the "Mary Pilker Christmas Card" became the second obvious communication about Donna Lass that has been connected to the Zodiac Killer case (she was the sister of Donna). The "Pines" postcard on March 22nd 1971 was clearly mailed by the Zodiac Killer, but what can be reasonably concluded about this festive offering 3 1/2 years later? A comprehensive argument has been put forward to reason that the Zodiac Killer was responsible for the deposition of Donna Lass' remains by Chubb Lake, near Yuba Gap and Camp Spaulding in Placer County, despite not being conclusive.
If the Zodiac Killer was not the murderer of Donna Lass in 1970, then it would seem rather fortuitous that he used phrases like "pass Lake Tahoe areas", "around in the snow", "Sierra Club" and "Peek through the Pines", pasted onto an advertisement of Incline Village and directing us westwards, if he didn't know the burial site of Donna Lass. Not withstanding the fact that measurements between the Clair Tappaan Lodge "Sierra Club" and the punchhole in the postcard pinpointed the exact location her skull and jawbone were found in 1985/1986. This location in September 1970 was covered in several feet of snow amidst the pine trees, and was only accessible by vehicle from Highway 20 via Chubb Lake Road, Forty-Niner Way and Gonelson Canyon Road. Access to this area from Highway 20 looked extremely similar to the imagery present on the "Mary Pilker Christmas Card". Below I have added a little snow to the entrance of Chubb Lake and placed it alongside the Mary Pilker greeting card for comparison. We had to "peek through the pines" to discover the burial location.
If the Zodiac Killer was not the murderer of Donna Lass in 1970, then it would seem rather fortuitous that he used phrases like "pass Lake Tahoe areas", "around in the snow", "Sierra Club" and "Peek through the Pines", pasted onto an advertisement of Incline Village and directing us westwards, if he didn't know the burial site of Donna Lass. Not withstanding the fact that measurements between the Clair Tappaan Lodge "Sierra Club" and the punchhole in the postcard pinpointed the exact location her skull and jawbone were found in 1985/1986. This location in September 1970 was covered in several feet of snow amidst the pine trees, and was only accessible by vehicle from Highway 20 via Chubb Lake Road, Forty-Niner Way and Gonelson Canyon Road. Access to this area from Highway 20 looked extremely similar to the imagery present on the "Mary Pilker Christmas Card". Below I have added a little snow to the entrance of Chubb Lake and placed it alongside the Mary Pilker greeting card for comparison. We had to "peek through the pines" to discover the burial location.
MARY PILKER CHRISTMAS CARD COURTESY OF HOWARD DAVIS
The body of Donna Lass could have been disposed of in many ways by her killer, but both of these cards on March 22nd 1971 and December 27th 1974 featured snow and pine trees, which is exactly where her skull and jawbone were ultimately found "in 2 inches of snow" surrounded by pines. A killer such as Zodiac, who emphasized the afterlife in numerous communications throughout his campaign of terror, appeared to be suggesting that the spirit of (Saint) Donna Lass was now acting as a "Guardan of the Pines" - and by extension - was buried "around in the snow" close to somewhere resembling the imagery in the Mary Pilker greeting card.
I have scoured the internet for further clues to this mystery but have come up empty-handed, other than one reference to a Saint Domna of Nicomedia, who was a priestess of idols in the imperial palace in Nicomedia. She converted to Christianity after reading the Epistles of Saint Paul and was baptized by Bishop Cyril along with her servant. When Emperor Maximian discovered her true identity, he ordered her arrest and execution. The precise circumstances vary in different accounts, but she was ultimately martyred, often associated with the persecution that led to the martyrdom of 20,000 Christians on Christmas Day in Nicomedia. Despite the spelling of her name being slightly different, it must be noted that she was executed by beheading, with her life being commemorated every year on December 28th, the day the author of the Mary Pilker greeting card might have expected his December 27th 1974 offering to arrive at Sioux Falls in South Dakota by air mail. Although disturbing to contemplate, we know that the only remains of Donna Lass to be found was her head (skull and jawbone), so we don't know for certain if the entirety of her remains were transported to the area of Chubb Lake in Placer County.
If the roadway entrance to Chubb Lake was impassable due to the fall of snow in September 1970 (and assuming the remains were found in 1985/1986 where the killer deposited them), it would be almost impossible for the responsible to carry a body from Highway 20 to the location just east of Chubb Lake, which is described as "a mile northeast of Interstate 80" in the newspaper cutting above. The killer would have had to carry (or drag) Donna Lass 500 meters across mountainous and snowy terrain from the nearest access point on Highway 20..However, carrying just a head would be relatively easy. I don't want to belabor this grisly thought, but the Zodiac Killer didn't need to direct law enforcement to the entirety of her remains to prove he was responsible for her murder. The transport of an "offering" such as this from an area close to the Sahara Tahoe Hotel to Chubb Lake (about 70 miles) would have carried far less risk.
If the Zodiac Killer was responsible for the Mary Pilker greeting card, was it a deliberate choice to send this communication at Christmas time, when he was able to deliver a veiled and sinister communication inferring the burial location of Donna Lass that would incorporate a festive scene to include "pines" and "snow"? Or was the date of December 28th an overriding factor in the author's decision to mail this greeting card just after Christmas day?
If the roadway entrance to Chubb Lake was impassable due to the fall of snow in September 1970 (and assuming the remains were found in 1985/1986 where the killer deposited them), it would be almost impossible for the responsible to carry a body from Highway 20 to the location just east of Chubb Lake, which is described as "a mile northeast of Interstate 80" in the newspaper cutting above. The killer would have had to carry (or drag) Donna Lass 500 meters across mountainous and snowy terrain from the nearest access point on Highway 20..However, carrying just a head would be relatively easy. I don't want to belabor this grisly thought, but the Zodiac Killer didn't need to direct law enforcement to the entirety of her remains to prove he was responsible for her murder. The transport of an "offering" such as this from an area close to the Sahara Tahoe Hotel to Chubb Lake (about 70 miles) would have carried far less risk.
If the Zodiac Killer was responsible for the Mary Pilker greeting card, was it a deliberate choice to send this communication at Christmas time, when he was able to deliver a veiled and sinister communication inferring the burial location of Donna Lass that would incorporate a festive scene to include "pines" and "snow"? Or was the date of December 28th an overriding factor in the author's decision to mail this greeting card just after Christmas day?
ANALYZING THE PINES POSTCARD WITH RESPECT TO THE LOCATION OF DONNA'S REMAINS
PLOTTING THE DISTANCE OF THE DEAD ZONE
ZODIAC KILLER THREATS TO INCLINE VILLAGE IN NOVEMBER 1969
PLOTTING THE DISTANCE OF THE DEAD ZONE
ZODIAC KILLER THREATS TO INCLINE VILLAGE IN NOVEMBER 1969
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