ZODIAC CIPHERS
Richard Grinell, Coventry, England
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AT THE CROSSROADS OF EVIL

5/9/2018

 
Kim Rossmo is a Canadian criminologist who pioneered the art of geographic profiling - a technique used to compliment conventional police work in the tracking of criminals. He has used data from the Zodiac Killer case to narrow down the likely residence and possible commuter routes of the murderer, and even a suggestion of where he may have worked. When the details from the Zodiac case were placed into the Rigel crime mapping software it created significant zones of interest in Rancho Vallejo, northern Vallejo, American Canyon and Benicia. These areas have one critical commuter route relevant to all - that of California State Route 37 - which the significance of regarding Zodiac's knowledge of courting couples, his base location and possible workplace will become apparent. Some of Kim Rossmo's ideas will be presented here, but to read his excellent analysis of the Zodiac case, please visit here. 
​
Below is a map showing all the relevant locations concerning the killer's first two crimes - the red circle at the northern end of Tuolumne Street being of significant interest, as it also brings into focus the easy access to and from the payphone after his murder and attempted murder of Darlene Ferrin and Michael Mageau at the Blue Rock Springs parking lot on July 5th 1969. The journey time to the payphone from the crime scene of less than 10 minutes, and the phone call to police nearly 40 minutes after the attack lends good weight to the premise the killer was a native Vallejoan, and possibly returned home to ditch his weapon and/or clothes before returning to place the call to police dispatcher Nancy Slover.  
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What better way to have knowledge that Lake Herman Road and Blue Rock Springs were frequented regularly by courting couples, than if you routinely traveled this route to reach your place of work, not unlike eyewitness James Owen who lived at 1735 Mini Drive and would have likely used California State Route 37 at the beginning of his journey, to arrive at Humble Oil in Benicia. The same applies to an area around Mare Island Shipyard and Rancho Vallejo, where Tuolumne Street nears State Route 37. Lake Herman Road on the eastern fringes of Vallejo and Benicia, is a dark, unlit stretch of rural road infrequently used. It is, however, a logical choice for somebody living in Ranch Vallejo (north Vallejo) or American Canyon to use, if they worked in the industrial area of Benicia.

The northern side of the green line on the map above, shows that access to State Route 37 would take somebody towards the northern side of Columbus Parkway, before heading southeast along Lake Herman Road towards Benicia, and crucially encompassing both crime scenes. If the killer lived in the northern region of Vallejo and worked in Benicia, his 'compass' knowledge of specific locations would not be surprising. This was evident in his first attack when he stated in the July 31st 1969 letters, that Betty Lou Jensen "was on her right side feet to the west." Of course, he had six and a half months to work this out, but had only 36-38 minutes after the Blue Rock Springs attack, in which he was able to direct Vallejo police to the crime scene along Springs Road and Columbus Parkway with completely accurate directions when he called Nancy Slover, stating "I wish to report a double murder. If you will go one mile east...... on Columbus Parkway to the public park, you will find the kids in a brown car. They have been shot with a 9 mm Luger. I also killed those kids last year.... Good-bye." 

Knowledge such as this, could suggest complete familiarity with the public park, golf course, Lake Herman Road and the location of the police station with respect to the Springs and Tuolumne payphone. The killer would have one direct route, to and from his residence to the payphone at the intersection of Springs Road and Tuolumne Street. His route to work (possibly a night-shift) also giving him first hand knowledge of courting couples and where to trawl for victims at the weekend.   
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Kim Rossmo, referring to Lake Herman Road and Blue Rock Springs Park, stated "In contrast, his target selection at Lake Berryessa and San Francisco did not show any evidence of local area knowledge. Also, the time lapse between the Blue Rock Springs shooting and the Zodiac’s telephone call was approximately 40 minutes, even though the distance between these two locations is only 3.5 miles (7 minutes normal driving time). What did he do for that other half hour? One possibility is that he returned home and disposed of his weapon. If so, that means he most likely lived within a five-mile radius of the crime site. The Zodiac also knew to telephone the Vallejo Police Department, even though the Blue Rock Spring Golf Course and park area was an unusual offshoot of municipal jurisdiction, totally surrounded by Solana County. The Zodiac’s comfort zone clearly includes the Vallejo area."
​

However, there is one thorn in our side - the testimony of Michael Mageau. He stated in the police report "as he fell out onto the ground the vehicle the subject was in backed up in a turning movement and then took off toward Springs Road in Vallejo at a very high rate of speed." The obvious route back home for the killer, had he lived somewhere by the top of Tuolumne Street, and wanted to ditch his weapon and clothes before making the call to police, would have been to head north and west along Columbus Parkway - the opposite direction that he chose for work. There may be several explanations for this.
Michael Mageau was simply mistaken, the killer's initial intention was to make the phone call immediately but changed his mind, preferring to remove his weapon and possibly bloody clothing from the equation, or the intended payphone at the initial time of his arrival had potential eyewitnesses, forcing a hasty change of plan. This may have been his preferred choice of payphone, as it provided easy access to and from his home residence, yet allowed a reasonable 'buffer zone' of just over two miles. It had the added benefit of a voyeur killer who wanted to remain in his vehicle and watch responding officers scurry into action from the police station, along Springs Road to the crime scene. It may actually have been the primary reason he chose this particular payphone so close to the police station, despite it seemingly being an added unnecessary risk on his part.        
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There may be another reason why the Zodiac Killer chose the 'wrong way' after leaving the Blue Rock Springs parking lot. A reason that involved near eyewitnesses to the murder in the parking lot..

Three young kids, Debbie, Jerry and Roger were the first to find Michael Mageau just after he had extracted himself from the brown Corvair and was lying adjacent to it. They must have arrived extremely close to the time of the attack - possibly as little as a minute or two after the brutal shooting. The time of the attack can be calculated with a fair degree of confidence to 12.02 am on July 5th 1969. See here. 
​
Police dispatcher Nancy Slover received a phone call from Jerry's house at  938 Catlewood Drive, Vallejo from Debbie at 12.10 am. The drive to 938 Castlewood Drive from Blue Rock Springs is approximately 6 minutes, indicating they would have had to leave the parking lot by about 12.04 am to make this phone call in time.
​Yet, this isn't the time they arrived at the parking lot, which must have been around a minute earlier at 12.03 am - just after the attack at 12.02 am. The Zodiac Killer may literally have been leaving the Blue Rock Springs parking lot as they were approaching it. This may have influenced the direction Zodiac exited from the crime scene.

Debbie, Jerry and Roger stated in the police report that "they had been downtown to see the festivities for the 4th of July. After this was over, at about 11 pm, they decided to look for this girl that Roger knows. They drove around town and did not see her and decided to go to Blue Rock Springs Park to look for her. They went out the freeway to Columbus Parkway and came into the park the back way. While they were driving in toward the park neither boy recalls seeing any vehicle coming out, none parked along the road, nor did they pass any vehicle."  They must have been almost on top of Zodiac as they approached from the north side of Columbus Parkway. Had Zodiac intended to travel home before making the phone call, his obvious route north and then west along Columbus Parkway, was now not so obvious if he didn't want himself or his vehicle spotted by the three kids. They obviously didn't see him, but he may have spotted their vehicle approaching in the distance. This may have forced a change of plan and coerced Zodiac south toward Springs Road. The Zodiac Killer's journey time heading in this direction to somewhere close to the green circle at the top of Tuolumne Street, would take approximately 11-12 minutes. The Zodiac Killer would arrive home at about 12.14 am - leaving him approximately 20 minutes at his residence before driving back to the Springs and Tuolumne payphone to make the call. Once doing so, his escape home is a mere 4 minutes. 
​ 
Calfornia State Route 37 and Highway 101 may have played a decisive factor when selecting a quick and easy separation from San Francisco after the murder of taxicab driver Paul Stine on October 11th 1969. Whether or not the murderer had entered the Presidio Park is a moot point today, but in 1969 the Zodiac Killer would certainly have wanted to escape from the area in as little time as possible. A vehicle parked somewhere along West Pacific Avenue or to the east of the park in Cow Hollow, would provide immediate access to Highway 101 across the Golden Gate Bridge, and in a handful of minutes out of San Francisco. The killer can then head north and eventually east just before Novato, taking California State Route 37 right onto his doorstep.  

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The selection of a taxicab driver to take him to a predetermined destination so close to an exit route from San Francisco, one could argue was the perfect choice for a resident of Vallejo. The killer has a nearby park in case things don't go to plan, along with an immediate escape and separation from the crime scene via Highway 101 and the Golden Gate Bridge. Even Inspector Dave Toschi thought this a viable proposition: "The detectives heard from neighbors that a stocky figure was seen dashing across Julius Khan playground and into the dense undergrowth of the Presidio. The dog patrol units, seven of the best search dogs in the country, gathered at the front entrance of the Presidio and were deployed one at a time in various directions. Armstrong and Toschi considered the possibilities. Had the killer gone quickly through the dark woods and emerged from the Presidio at Richardson Avenue, and taken Highway 101 past Fort Point onto the Golden Gate Bridge and vanished into Marin County."

Kim Rossmo made an extremely salient point regarding the murder of Paul Stine. He stated: ​​"The San Francisco murder differs significantly from the Zodiac's other crimes. Up to this point he was hunting in locations that had a good probability of containing his desired victims. Target selection was a function of area, not of an individual. However, it is unlikely the Zodiac was successful in all his searches; serial killers typically engage in extensive hunting activities, and for every attack there are many unsuccessful search attempts. In San Francisco, however, the Zodiac controlled the situation through his selection of victim type. The need for such control could be indicative of the distance the Zodiac had to travel to the crime site. Criminals who travel longer distances to offend are less likely to use uncertain target selection techniques."  Control your location and you control your escape route.
​
The Lake Berryessa attack on September 27th 1969 speaks for itself. The killer headed to downtown Napa and the payphone at 1231 Main Street. He may have been only 12 miles from California State Route 37 and home, had he continued the trajectory he had set for himself. Was the Zodiac Killer's apparent knowledge of a road on the fringes of Vallejo more indicative of his recreational habits or a route he traveled daily..... particularly when the sun went down? 
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Shawn
5/9/2018 09:09:43 am

What is interesting about the Golden State Killer is that he seem to start his ransacking in a area not close to home. (If he was the Viscalia Ransacker)

It is 11 miles from Exeter (where he worked on the police department) to Viscalia.

The Rapes in Sacramento occurred while he lived in Auburn (while on the police force there).

It is 33 miles from Auburn to Sacramento.

He then moved to Sacramento in 1979 and started traveling even further to murder.

The Golden State Killer appears to go against the norm of standard Geographic Profiling. Where the criminal starts close to home.

Sorry if this is off topic.

Richard
5/9/2018 09:40:08 am

No, that is a fair point Shawn. I've no doubt that not all serial killers fall under this model, but coupled with other studies, serial killers tend to commit their early crimes within a 6 mile radius of their home. This of course may not apply in all cases, but I have always believed it's better chasing areas than suspects. Narrow the search field first, so to speak.
I believe the biggest reason of all for a Vallejo based killer, like Rossmo, is the delay on the phone call. There appears no incentive to hang around if you don't live there. I could be wrong, but this is to me anyway, is the strongest lead on the killer. But without identifying residents who lived in the areas of interest through driving license ID's, I am not sure this case has much more traction. This, and DNA are the last great hopes in my mind. If the DNA testing never produces any viable results, then this case is practically unsolvable.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/9/2018 09:47:29 am

Some great graphics,Richard,and will take more time,absorbing your article.

I am in mild shock to realise how easy it was for Zodiac,if a Vallejo resident,accessing Highway 101 on a regular basis,travelling to and from Greater Los Angeles....which I believe to have been the case.

Richard
5/9/2018 01:49:02 pm

I think Benicia could be relevant after all- I know you favour this area Rubislaw.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/9/2018 03:44:54 pm

Indeed.Richard,Zodiac commuting 5 days a week to the Benicia Oil Refinery construction project,with his employer's head office in Sacramento.

It's all in the bag [!].

Drew
5/9/2018 10:20:48 am

Great article Richard! I haven't joined the discussion on the last several articles because I haven't yet formed anything particularly constructive to add but I wanted to show my support here for outlining some of the travelling logistics of this very solid Vallejo area residence theory. Comments have been really interesting as well! Cheers

Richard
5/9/2018 01:46:43 pm

Thanks folks. I thought I'd try the graphics so no one noticed the article lol. It's getting more difficult Drew to find anything new on the Zodiac case, but we all keep bashing away. You always add something good Drew.

BB
5/11/2018 12:59:43 pm

Richard
I have see where you have
done compare and contrast on
many other murderers to that of the Zodiac murders. If you'd permit a request I think you should do same for the Texarkana Moonlight Murders. I am probable wrong, as usual, but similarities are so shocking that there could be a link in my humble opinion. Thanks

Rubislaw 32 link
5/11/2018 02:08:10 pm

I agree on the similarities with the Texarkana Moonlight Murderer,BB.

I reckon an influence on the Zodiac.Possibly also indicating that Zodiac was a ''Southern Boy'',since news,at the time of T.M.M. tended to travel,exclusively east [....to even,London,England...].

Matured age of T.M.M. is against him becoming Zodiac,also,but neither were ever caught.....so,who knows [?].

Richard
5/11/2018 02:36:26 pm

I promise BB I'll have a look in the next couple of weeks.

BB
5/11/2018 07:44:05 pm

Thank You - Richard

You make valuable information available to the whole world.

John
5/9/2018 03:20:54 pm

Very good article, Richard. Regarding the Blue Rock Springs attack: I know the general consensus is that he likely went home after the attack then walked to the nearest payphone. My thinking is that he didn't go home but rather went somewhere where a large crowd was present-- late night burger joint, all night diner, etc. There was no need to go home since Zodiac was probably confident that no one saw him and most likely there wasn't any blood on him...so no need to change clothes. But what he needed was an alibi in case things went wrong... his little back up plan to tie up any loose ends if needed. And since the call was placed 40 minutes after the attack, he could easily have said if questioned that he was at the "Dexule hamburger joint" during and after the attack. How could investigators prove otherwise? No CCTV in 1968, and since it was July 4th, people were in a celebratory mood and paid no attention to their surroundings. Just my two badly worn out cents.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/9/2018 03:54:12 pm

Well that's our four cents worth,John.

Pretty much how I see things,as well.

We could be close to a citizen's arrest [?].

Richard
5/9/2018 04:10:18 pm

Well, the mind of a serial killer certainly takes some unpacking John. I think we can both agree we will likely never know for sure, other than he did something else for approximately 30 minutes. I always used to think he had no blood on him until a few months back, when I noticed he was only wearing a blue t-shirt that night when he shot the couple. We know he shot Michael Mageau in the back seat twice, and with 2 expended bullet casings retrieved on the back floorboard, could indicate that Zodiac leaned in the window and over the front seat to take aim at Mageau in the back. He thought he had shot Mageau in the knee, so likely had leaned into the vehicle by a fair degree. At this point he had already shot both Mageau and Ferrin at least four times, so I would expect a reasonable transfer of blood onto Michael Mageau's seat as he clambered over it, as well as some around the rest of the vehicle interior. If Zodiac leaned into the window and over the seat while taking aim at a moving Mageau in the rear, there may be a strong possibly of blood transfer to his shirt from the passenger seat or window sill. This may have forced his hand in returning home to change his clothes. This, however, would be a point of conjecture John. But even if this weren't the case, I wouldn't put anything past the Zodiac Killer. Getting inside the brain of a sociopath, I guess you need to be one.

John
5/9/2018 04:20:57 pm

Fair point, Richard. Let's say he did get blood on his shirt, he could have had an extra shirt in his car for such scenario. Changes his shirt, throws it in the back of his trunk...along with the gun...and continues his journey to his next destination.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/9/2018 06:20:23 pm

I recognise that it is ''our'' tendency to edge for a ''fit'' on how we perceive events....but I'm sure that Zodiac would have needed a brief period to cool off,and let his adrenaline subside,after the attack at BRS.

He might have driven somewhere,for a couple of 555 smokes.

He might even have earmarked an observation point,to watch the emergency services action unfold [?].

Shelli
5/10/2018 11:23:36 am

What is 555 Mean?

Rubislaw 32 link
5/10/2018 12:37:19 pm

''555'' is a brand of British cigarettes,Shelli,more usually available for purchase at outlets,such as airports.

If Zodiac was the creator if the ''Cancer Day-to-Day forecast'',then it is very likely that these cigarettes,were his chosen smoke,since the creator alludes to them,in cryptic fashion.

Lyndon Lafferty discovered that William Grant smoked ''Pall Mall'',an Anglo-American cigarette.If,as I maintain,Zodiac was persecuting Grant,including shifting his,Zodiac's actions,in the form of blame,on to Grant's shoulders,then Zodiac may have switched brands to ''Pall Mall''.

But,all indications are,that Zodiac smoked ''Triple 5''.

Something that L.E. are not willing to reveal to the public.

Tom
5/11/2018 06:05:07 am

Good point. The more I think about it, the less likely it seems that a criminal would go straight home after commiting a crime and then head back out. The problem with that line of reasoning is that it suposes an understanding of the murderer’s thought process.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/11/2018 08:19:24 am

Yes Tom,and in a much greater sense,I can see where John is coming from,with a suggestion that Zodiac may have had a change of shirt available.

I believe that Zodiac saw in his car,the opportunity it could give him,to live out ''time'' as it suited the moment.Whether it be a required hour,or a day.. or even more.

In Zodiac's [albeit unconfirmed] letter of October 1987,he talks about ''....driving around Halloween in my death machine...''.This inferring no time limit,on his predatory intentions.And,one presumes,a ''death machine'' that he would be proud of....as if decked out with extras,that might entail a bit more than a gun and a knife.

I am still inclined to believe that a ''younger'' Zodiac was responsible for the murders of ''Domingos/Edwards'' in 1963.This,on a fairly remote beach,for which access was only really available by a nearby road.

A young couple,find a makeshift beach hut,as a place for secluded ''canoodling''.Little did they realise that they were trespassing on someone's nominated home.That ''someone'' being a person,who was willing to live out of a car,but had found somewhere,more relaxing,for nights.

Then,he finds that two people are ''using his home'',while he is out for the day,finding part-time work,just to get by.

A ''younger Zodiac'' goes ''Apesh*t'' [?].

Judith
5/9/2018 08:36:06 pm

So Peter lived in Contra Costa County and he carefully avoided committing crimes in his own backyard. He mentioned on more than one occasion how different police jurisdictions had no power when they cross county lines. It is likely the Zodiac sat and waited and watched and enjoyed the Calamity of the police arriving after he committed his crimes. My suspect Peter could have easily casually sat and had a cigarette at any hamburger place or even in his car. He was a very cool cat. Plug 620 Andrews Way El Sobrante in to your diagram. Contra Costa County sits smack in the middle of the zodiac crimes.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/11/2018 10:21:42 am

Was Peter a ''drinker'',from an early age,Judith ?

Did he have a tendency to ''drink and drive'' ?

What was his general attitude to motorcars ?

Judith
5/11/2018 09:34:29 pm

Alcohol was his first and last love. He died from alcoholism at the age of 52. It was quite hard on our children. He frequently drove under the influence and was convicted in 2000 for DUI in Shasta county. He never showed up to do his time. He was the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral. See Peter O'Toole...

Rubislaw 32 link
5/12/2018 12:54:13 am

Thanks for being honest about him.

Zodiac,by all accounts that we have,seems to have taken a pride in his car,and enjoyed the thrills of speed and manoeuvre,with a car.

A motorcar ''purist'',and not the sort of person,one would think,that would allow alcohol to obstruct that devotion [?].

But,would inevitably have picked up traffic violations,like speeding tickets,over time.

Of course the predilection to alcohol does not discount Peter,as being Zodiac,Judith.....but it is not great for a ''Zodiac CV'' [?].

The term ''functioning drunk'' does come to mind,and these are often intelligent people,that appear to have the knack for fulfilling the regular obligations in day to day life....and indulge in their addiction.

But never far away,from a mishap or minor accident,that makes them stand out in the crowd,for the wrong reasons.

Personally,I couldn't manage drinking,and doing what Zodiac did....even putting the cruelty element aside.[..tobacco and tea has always been my ''poison'' of choice..].

An interesting dilemma....Peter O'Toole was certainly a ''strange one''.An extraordinarily attractive man,and one the greatest actors of his generation.Drink probably did harm his career.But he seemed to overcome it,later in life [?].

Judith
5/12/2018 02:56:23 pm

Painful subject indeed. He wasn't always drunk. In fact he got up and worked a very strenuous construction job for years on end. There were different personalities which could manifest whether or not he was drunk. The evil Peter while straight was really the worst one of all. He loved his cars to the point of coveting. Vehicles were very important to him. There were times when I believed he was the utmost authority on all things in the world, in complete control. Drunkenness frequently occurred while in our home. He was arrested in his twenties and did weekends at the county jail for driving under the influence. It would be 20 years later, after I left him, that the DUIs and arrests would begin again. I married him in 1978, so to me, looking back, there was a huge remorse and guilt that caused a lot of the drinking. But it was while he was drunk when he would say things like, "I'm the mother fucken Zodiac Killer" "Tit Willow, tit willow, tit willow."

Rubislaw 32 link
5/13/2018 04:09:45 am

I had not realised that you left him,in the end.You had no choice [?].

So,those last four years,Peter was on his own.

i have had trouble with alcoholics,but nothing as bad as appears that you had with Peter,Judith.

It becomes impossible to share their lives,unless they can overcome their problem.

Only they,themselves can do it....remonstrating with them,becomes a futile exercise.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/12/2018 08:15:08 am

Just to spark up some interest,perhaps....surely L.E. must have a veritable heap of cigarette ends,to possibly extract DNA,from [?].

Richard or anyone know of the viability of this ?

[...so disappointed in Det.Poyser's recent claim....that will come to precisely nothing..]

BB
5/12/2018 01:58:02 pm

Rubislaw 32 - I don't know how helpful I can be but here is a site that could lead you down the primrose path.

https://nij.gov/topics/forensics/evidence/dna/basics/pages/identifying-to-transporting.aspx

I am going down a philosophical rabit hole
at this time. Which I am finding to be extremely informative
and would recommend everyone to watch these on YouTube:
Classical Criminology in a Nutshell
positivist school of criminology
Auguste Comte: Positivism and the Three Stages
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhVamhT4Q3s

From Wikipedia
Auguste Comte is regarded as the first philosopher of science in the modern sense of the term. His followers established the Church of Humanity in 1878 (a religion for scientists) after his death. Comte developed a solar calendar with 13 months of 28 days, and an additional festival day commemorating the dead, totaling 365 days.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positivist_calendar

This of course is where the 1992 new age calendar was taken not the Mayans

Rubislaw 32 link
5/12/2018 05:08:32 pm

Thanks for the information,BB

I joke to Richard,that it is all ''in the bag''....but it could well be...just a further ways to go....''top tip'' is ''Operation Bynum'' [Google news category].

Every human life should be sacred,granted....but all this fuss over one prostitute [?].

Just one card required to collapse the house if cards.

[.....sorry,can't be less cryptic....]

Rubislaw 32 link
5/12/2018 01:04:17 pm

An interesting geographic profiling piece,Richard,and always worth a look.

Naturally,it is given that we accept that the Bay Area murders,were committed by someone residing in the Bay Area.So,we tick the box.

Surprising though,that given this analysis work was carried out in 2007,and almost 40 years after the crimes,that a more overview approach wasn't attempted.

In all the subsequent years,I would have thought that few wouldn't have considered a ''Before Bay Area'' and ''After Bay Area''.

Indeed,an analysis to attempt to establish the killer's residency,for a given time frame.

But surely becoming apparent by now that Zodiac ''came,saw,conquered,and then departed'' [?].

And,before I brace myself for brickbats,BB comes closest...for Zodiac,in my estimation was a Texan.

Remember the Alamo ?

How could we ever forget.

John
5/12/2018 03:41:18 pm

Rubislaw, his residency was in an area where he had easy access to San Francisco ...and with the least amount of driving time. He either worked there, commuting from Vallejo five days a week, or was a regular visitor...weekend getaway type of visitor. In the beginning I believed he also lived there, but now I am not too sure about that.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/12/2018 03:59:53 pm

Yes focusing specifically on Bay Area,for Zodiac's reign of terror,John,we all have our ''set equation'',I presume.

For me,Vallejo was for residency,Benicia for work,and San Francisco for weekend recreation.

If Zodiac's work was industrial related,it is a ''banker's bet'' that he worked outside the big city,and that the big city,was his potential ''playground'' [?].

The evening of Zodiac's Presidio ''project'' appears so much to be about the ''Midnight Cowboy'' entering the urban arena,with two certainties on his mind.

To misquote Benjamin Franklin :

'' Death and Taxis ''.

Tom
5/13/2018 06:58:21 pm

Great point. Kind of a reverse commute. Commute to the City for the weekend. Were the letters postmarked on the weekend or during the week? Or he lived in San Fran and commuted out. Working people could afford to live in the “City” before the real-estate boom that started in the 70’s. Too many variables!

Rubislaw 32 link
5/14/2018 03:58:54 am

An interesting point,on the letters and their postmarks,Tom.

A more in depth study,could yield further clues,to his residency and place of work.

My inclination is that he spread the posting of mail,about a bit,so as not to give too many clues away.But,on sheer quantity of correspondence,he was bound to have had ''favoured'' posting points,out of convenience.

Yes,indeed....the ''set equation'' can come down to preconceived notions,about Zodiac.

I believe that there are enough indications that he seemed to ''come out of nowhere''.....a visitor,from somewhere else.The primary reason,if so,would be because of a work placement.

Apart from my own instincts,I think that Richard,time and again,successfully ''telegraphs'' that Zodiac was a Vallejo resident,during the former half,at least,of the Bay Area reign of terror.

So,where did Zodiac work ? Well,if Zodiac had been in the service industry,like banking,there is a good chance that it would be SF.

But,since likely to be a relatively young man,then surely would choose to live in SF also....where it was culturally and artistically exciting.

So,given we accept that Zodiac was a Vallejo resident,it would be prudent to look closer,at hand [?].

The Exxon financed Oil Refinery construction project,was to construct one of the ;largest refineries in California.It attracted a large workforce from outside Bay Area,as well as locals.The main period of the construction was from 1968 to 1970.

Precisely the time of Zodiac's highlighted serious crimes.

So,Benicia could be considered a favoured place,for Zodiac's work.

And,of course,at that very time in particular,all relatively young people,would wish to visit SF,regularly.

Coincidentally,SF just happened to be the most ''happening'' place,in the whole world.

BB
5/15/2018 06:41:50 pm

Wikipedia
Though it was never officially adopted in any country, entrepreneur George Eastman adopted it (the 13 month calendar) for use in his Eastman Kodak Company, where it was used from 1928 to 1989.

Did the Zodiac ever work at one of the Kodak many locations?

It is not clear to me if the Cotsworth calendar is the same version used by Auguste. In 1849 the French philosopher Auguste Comte proposed the 13-month Positivist Calendar. This seems to have 29 Wednesday datums in the first half of the Gregorian year and 23 Thursday datums (datum is a point of reference) in the last half of the year. 52 total in a year. It is a perennial calendar which applies to any year. And, basically all of the murders were on that datum day. It is a Monday on this Kodak calendar.

In his final two years, Eastman was in intense pain caused by a disorder affecting his spine. On March 14, 1932, Eastman shot himself in the heart, leaving a note which read, "To my friends: my work is done. Why wait?" 3/14 is also on a datum day.

Thanks to Richard we have this very strong 13 month calendar lead to follow.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Fixed_Calendar

Rubislaw 32 link
5/16/2018 03:50:44 pm

Clearly,you have done a lot of research on 13 month calendars,BB.

Do you have an opinion on the Lunar Calendar,and its similarities to 13 month calendars.Adopted by religious faiths,such as Islamism....but also Christians,to establish varying dates of festival days,like Easter Sunday.Even though Christians created the Gregorian Calendar for regular use.

What I am really getting at is....the possibility that Zodiac's religion might well have been ''conventional Christian'',and he may not have had strong interests in mysticism or astrology.

Where his interests may have lain was actually in the real world study of ''Astronomy'',including lunar cycles.

The terror reign of Zodiac did coincide with the culmination of the ''Space race'',and the first moon landings.There was bound to be an upsurge of interest in amateur Astrology,at that time.....with many caring to look skywards,with interest.

Any further thoughts would be appreciated.

BB
5/16/2018 06:45:12 pm

Rubislaw 32 - To attempt to answer Where his (The Zodiac's) interests may have lain was actually in the real world study of ''Astronomy'',including lunar cycles. Perhaps he was linked to the space race through one of the many Air Force Bases here.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
On 4 October 1958, Cooke AFB was renamed Vandenberg AFB, in honor of General Vandenberg.

Is this an axis mundi datum? 10/4 d-day.

Also the base has for many years worked in coordination with the other NASA centric bases Cape Canaveral and Houston.

For example in Early space exploration
Vandenberg launched the world's first polar orbiting satellite, Discoverer I on 28 February 1959. The launch vehicle for this mission consisted of a Thor-Agena combination.The Discoverer series of satellites provided other significant firsts for Vandenberg. For instance, in August 1960, the data capsule was ejected from Discoverer XIII in orbit and recovered from the Pacific Ocean to become the first man-made object ever retrieved from space. 2/28 also d/day

Rubislaw 32 link
5/17/2018 03:06:07 am

Thanks for your references,BB.

It has certainly opened up an area of potential interest,with respect to the case.

And,I find increasingly that ''Texas'' never seems to be to far away from the Zodiac [!].

Judith
5/14/2018 11:55:23 am

So during the classic Zodiac murders, Peter was working at his own Elementary School as a Janitor. El Sobrante No.1, after having dropped out of San Jose State University. I believe the LHR murders occurred during his Christmas break while at home with Mom and Dad. When he came home the Summer of 1969 he moved up the street on Andrews Way from his parents home, to the Big Pink. Gives a new meaning to watching the kiddies come off the Bus...

Rubislaw 32 link
5/14/2018 12:36:31 pm

Just trying to follow your geography,Judith.

Is it the case that Peter,in 1969,moved from San Jose to San Francisco ?

Rubislaw 32 link
5/14/2018 03:34:52 pm

When it comes to the geographical layout of the Bay Area,and Northern California,those who have experience,must hold some advantages,in certain areas of the Zodiac case debate.

My experience amounts to a week in San Francisco,a week in Sacramento,and perhaps half a day in Berkeley.

A sense of the geographic layout,but no substitute for living there.

More contributions from sometime residents,would always be appreciated.

Despite what the laptop age can offer.

Judith
5/14/2018 07:53:45 pm

I grew up in Sacramento moved to the Bay Area when I was 19 years old and married Peter. I lived in the Bay Area for 25 years and then moved back to Sacramento. Peter's parents lived in El Sobrante. so he lived at San Jose State I believe he shared an apartment with a friend of his who lived down there named Bob Carlson, but only stayed for one year and then returned to his parents home and then a house on the same street. he and I bought a house in Pinole California in the year 1979 where he lived until his death in 2001.Contra Costa County.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/15/2018 03:08:54 am

Really interesting,Judith.

Particularly El Sobrante,which I note lies halfway between Vallejo and Berkeley.

About two years ago,I uncovered evidence that Zodiac found his ''very specific'' 8 ball symbol [..my name is ---] from the documents section of Berkeley University.

I reckon he liked to loiter at universities,on occasion.....cheap food and no problems with parking.

Undoubtedly,''Libraries'' were a passion,for Zodiac.

Rubislaw 32 link
5/15/2018 04:25:01 am

Incidentally,Judith....you had mention of the possibility of a presumed Zodiac,''dotting'' his ''O's'' in the Desk Top poem.[....I felt that he may have done this to,at least one ''O''....].

I note on the front of the Dragon Card,the card's inscription starts :

'' SORRY To HeaR ''

It certainly looks as if Zodiac might have dotted the inside of the second ''R'',in ''SORRY''.

Richard...are you able to help out here,with any magnification assistance ?

Richard
5/15/2018 04:37:36 am

https://www.zodiacciphers.com/uploads/4/9/7/1/4971630/50ppp-colorized_orig.png

or just visit Dragon Card on homepage Rubislaw

Judith
5/15/2018 06:32:45 am

O with dots...Capital E's finished off with a Z. These are the handwriting similarities to the Cheri Jo Bates letters and the desktop poem. Sherwood Morrill said it matched the Zodiac Killer's writing. We have various DNA results from Riverside. Let's hope they have submitted their DNA as the law enforcement did for East area rapist. Peter's friends would laugh and talk about how he would come to their classes unregistered at Contra Costa College, sit in the classroom and question the professor. They all thought that was pretty funny... of course he was more intelligent than any professor on most campuses. That's what they told me when they tested our little girl for her IQ. The lady came out and told me our daughter would be the most intelligent person on any campus she ever chose to attend.

BB
5/16/2018 02:35:11 pm

Judith - Was Peter a racist? Was he in any KKK like groups? Did he have southern flags or bed sheet cutouts or spout off the "n" word? The White Knights of the Ku Klux Klan were involved in many murders such as Vernon Ferdinand Dahmer, Sr. who was a leader with the Civil Rights Movement and president of the Forrest County chapter of the NAACP in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. The KKK assassinated him – January 10, 1966 d-day.

Also do you know if Peter went by or study the 13 month calendar?

Rubislaw 32 link
5/17/2018 07:08:52 am

Just to give you some possible ''pointers'',BB.....

In August 1976,a ''presumed'' Zodiac paid for a message in the personal section of the SF Chronicle.This,following the road accident death of teacher Fred Manalli....who was later to found to hold information on ''possible'' victim ,Kim Allen.The message included ''Imperial Wizard'',which is a title for a high ranking member of KKK.[....incidentally,I maintain that I have solved the riddle,contained in the Z263 cipher solution,that includes ''Imperial Wizard''.

In addition....there are good grounds for suspecting that Zodiac,had had a sometime correspondence relationship with Marc Spinelli,the Count Marco columnist,going back to,possibly,well before Zodiac's Bay Area reign of terror.

Uncovered by ''Eloise Keeler'',and not currently available,is a letter sent to ''Count Marco'',which refers to the '' Clu Clucks Clan ''...and ''probably'' sent from Chicago.

If ''Zodiac'',then a ''derisory'' term,since ''Clucks'' suggests that he thinks that KKK members look like chickens [?].

Interesting that you should mention ''Jeffrey's'' father was a leader of the Civil Rights Movement,BB.

I am aware of a Zodiac suspect,who got married in Memphis,on the day of MLK's assassination.

At least he has an alibi....or does he [?] .

Rubislaw 32 link
5/17/2018 11:22:34 am

....it has occurred to me,the outside possibility of the ''extraordinary'' headline :

'' Was the Zodiac Killer a co-conspirator with James Earl Ray ? ''

Back to earth....I am about to contact a ''tiny'' newspaper,which lies between Waco and Dallas,over a possible Zodiac connection,with a cyclist,who was once a victim of a machete attack.

Anyone know the legalities of using familial DNA,from the victim of a separate crime,in order to entrap a suspected criminal ?

BB
5/17/2018 04:13:58 pm

32 - that's a different Dahmer. But, Vernon Ferdinand Dahmer, Sr. was definitely murdered by the KKK.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernon_Dahmer

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ku_Klux_Klan

What was the name of that Zodiac suspect that got married on 4/4?
And, the question about the legalities of using familial DNA - Until the Patriot Act is repealed LE can do whatever they want. To hell with our civil rights! We literally don't have any. The prison industrial complex is big business - and the jailers have lobbied to increase the sentences for every crime. They now have these places they call detention centers which go betweens jail and prison. People here are detained - often not being sentenced for years - many give up waiting and take pleas. It is a mess. I could go on forever. The home of brave is now a police state. The people have been propagandized to a point of complete confusion. We are supposed to be afraid of everything. Big business says we need to fear criminals, and terrorists, and rouge nukes, and crazy leaders (kim jong-il). The fear is toxic. It is all mountains out of mole hills though. Because, big business is the real thing to fear. Corporations are drunk with power.

Howard Miller
5/19/2018 04:14:55 pm

Corporations certainly are not without their sociopaths and psychopaths either. In fact big business seems to have provided a respected haven for people with such personality disorders. Many in fact end up in leadership roles!

Rubislaw 32 link
5/17/2018 06:56:56 pm

Thanks BB....I sort of figured that DOJ can smooth over anything,if necessary,which ''they'' deem as ultimately being in the public's interest.

Even politicians aren't prepared to argue the toss,with them [?].

Zodiac suspect,at a later date,perhaps.

Karen C
5/19/2018 04:11:01 pm

Blinding light from behind! This always strikes me as being extremely cop-like. I have long maintained a gut feeling that Zodiac was a cop or someone who was in training as a cop.

BB
5/20/2018 10:31:48 am

To date; everyone seems to say that officer richard hoffman was too obvious to be a zodiac but sometimes the most probable is the best choice. do you by chance remember if rh has been thoroughly vetted? I have read that he was in a serious fight with fellow cop buzz gordon. And, rh tried to set up buzz as a zodiac.

http://zodiackillertruth.forumchitchat.com/post/suspect-richard-hoffman-new-evidence-6872696

Richard
5/20/2018 12:03:36 pm

Richard Hoffman travelled in the ambulance (without his vehicle) to the hospital. Darlene Ferrin was pronounced dead upon her arrival at 12.38 pm. Unless Hoffman found a vehicle and reached the Springs and Tuolumne payphone virtually instantly, I think we can rule out Hoffman.

BB
5/20/2018 02:09:47 pm

It is a very good alibi - too bad - rh sure looked like the perfect suspect - he checked off all other boxes too. And it would explain so many things if he was our guy. You burst yet another bubble. This painting party popped! Cheers!

.


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