It is now 56 years since the brutal slaying of Robert George Domingos (18) and Linda Faye Edwards (17) at Canada Del Molino on June 4th 1963. The area was 25 miles west of Santa Barbara. The young couple had driven to the beach in their copper and black 1956 Pontiac, parking alongside Highway 101, before taking the 6 to 10 minute descent to the water's edge. It was believed they arrived at the beach at about 3:00 pm. Sometime after they arrived they were approached by one or more people, by whom they were thought to have been forced under gunpoint to be restrained using pre-cut lengths of rope. However, there may have been resistance from Robert Domingos and possibly a brief exchange of blows, before the couple fled for their lives. Their bid for freedom was short-lived, having been gunned down by 19 bullets from a .22 caliber weapon. Robert Domingos was shot eleven times and Linda Edwards was struck eight times, in which the killer reloaded at least once. Robert was dragged face down 30 feet to a nearby shack, while Linda was dragged face up and her body placed atop of Robert. Her bathing suit was found cut open exposing her breasts, but there appeared to be no sexual interaction. Several boxes of .22 ammunition was found inside the shack, along with spent matches.  

There have been the obvious parallels drawn to the Lake Berryessa attack on September 27th 1969, but despite the reports of pre-cut lengths of rope, there appears little else to connect this crime to the knife attack on Cecelia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell, other than a waterfront scene (although detectives may have information unavailable to the public). However, there is much more reason to connect the murder of Robert Domingos and Linda Edwards to the recent sniper reports only two days prior to this attack, on June 2nd 1963.

There were at least two reports of gunfire either side of the area where Robert and Linda were eventually murdered. Eleven teenagers in total reported two bullets whizzing past them as they were standing by their vehicles in a remote area of Gaviota State Park. They had been surfing at the beach that day. They reported that the shooting took place at around mid-afternoon. In another incident seven miles east, three teenagers camping at Tajiguas Creek reported hearing gunshots coming from the beach, just south of their location. The time was given as daybreak. Both sets of earwitnesses descrbed what they thought was the sound of a .22 gun.

There are obvious similarities in these events to the Domingos and Edwards story, in that the ammunition used in their murders was .22 caliber. They too were teenagers hanging out close to the coastline - and two of the attacks were believed to have occurred in mid-afternoon (about 3:00 pm in the case of Domingos and Edwards). The sniper attack at Gaviota State Park occurred 3.38 miles west of Canada Del Molino, and the teenagers at Tajiguas Creek heard gunshots coming from the beach approximately 3.84 miles east of Canada Del Molino. Then, two days later Robert and Linda were killed in an area bisecting these two points. What is extremely interesting (if correct) is Sheriff Webster stated that the lot number of the ammunition used in the murder of Robert and Linda was the same as the lot number of ammunition sold at a Santa Barbara store in April. The lot numbers also matched ammunition sold at Vandenberg Air Force Base, but the boxes at the crime scene were devoid of the price tags usually sold at the Air Base. The ammunition was Western Super X .22 caliber long rifle with a lot number TL-21. A lot number is an identification number assigned to a particular quantity or lot of material from a single manufacturer. Lot numbers can typically be found on the outside of packaging. Western Super X .22 caliber was used by the Zodiac Killer at Lake Herman Road.

Even though there were reports that the murderer of Robert and Linda attempted to burn down the shack where he placed the bodies, determining when these matches were struck, along with the tarpaulin scorch marks noted, is impossible to correlate with the murders. But why would the murderer or murderers waste valuable time dragging two bodies over difficult terrain, at least 60 feet in total? Why not just exit the area as soon as possible and immediately separate yourself from the crime scene? The stacking of the bodies one on top of the other must have been done for purpose. Likely a male killer, it is probably no surprise that Linda was discovered on top of Robert with her breasts exposed. Unless her bathing costume had been torn during the dragging of the bodies, then it's extremely likely there was a sexual component to this crime. The killer may have wanted to spend time with the bodies in the seclusion of the shack. The hunter bringing home the prey to satisfy his necrophilic tendencies (a fascination with dead bodies). There seems little other purpose to relocate the bodies in such a fashion. If the killer had worn gloves and shot the couple at distance, there appears no barrier stopping the person just leaving the scene.

It is highly unlikely that a killer would carry boxes of ammunition to a crime scene to perpetrate one or two murders. A clip or two is more than enough. If this person was a hunter who enjoyed taking pot-shots at wildlife (including birds), a day by the ocean in relative seclusion would be the ideal day out - and somebody arriving at the shack with several boxes of ammunition could certainly keep themselves entertained for a long period of time. If this hunter of animals had an over zealous intersest in killing (or was maybe the sniper taking pot-shots at teenagers), then when Robert and Linda inadvertently walked into his lair, their fate was effectively sealed. This time he could get close up and personal. His eventual slaying of the couple was certainly overkill by any standards - suggesting he enjoyed the act of killing - and his enjoyment continued with his interaction with the bodies far longer than the crime scene necessitated. The notion of a killer attempting to burn down the shack to destroy evidence makes little sense. It would have actually drawn attention to the area and any vehicle he may have parked nearby. However, separating yourself from the boxes of ammunition makes far more sense. It is also extremely likely the killer was familiar with this area - off the beaten track, away from prying eyes and ideal for a spot of shooting practice, inanimate or otherwise.

These beach side locations were the perfect spot for somebody wanting a degree of privacy and cover, while shooting at unsuspecting beachgoers, as was the case with the surfers at Gaviota State Park. An area such as the one shown here provides ample cover as well as an exposed target. The same can be seen at the beach area by Tajiguas Creek. It is difficult to say with any certainty that a sniper was operating at Gaviota State Park and Tajiguas Creek, however, these two reports so close to the murders of Robert and Linda are extremely pertinent with respect to their untimely deaths. As with serial killers, the employment of a buffer zone from residence to crime scene can be resourced as a valuable tool in narrowing down the offender's home location, so somebody traveling from Goleta or Santa Barbara would be leaving a buffer zone of 18 and 25 miles respectively to Canada Del Molino.

205 miles southeast of Canada Del Molino and eight months later,  John and Joyce Swindle, a newlywed couple were brutally gunned down on Wednesday February 5th 1964 as they were enjoying an evening out on Ocean Beach, San Diego, near Narragansett Avenue. It appeared the killer had shot them from distance first, perched near a retaining wall overlooking the sea, before moving in to deliver the final shots at close range. Five shots from a .22 caliber weapon had been discharged from his sniper position by the rocks, with the last two as he approached the felled couple. "On the ledge of the retaining wall police found a box of Valentine candy. Police assume the Swindles bought the candy while on their stroll but they said it could have been left behind as a deranged killer's calling card".

Early on in the investigation of the Domingos and Edwards murders, a 17-year-old boy from Lompoc was arrested due to intoxication and revealed to investigators that he knew the murdered couple, having been jealous of Robert Domingos - and it was noted by investigators that the boy had a badly bruised hand and knuckles "pushed in", consistent with a fight. It was believed that Robert Domingos may have struggled with the assailant before being shot. He explained to officers he had been at Refugio Beach on the Tuesday of their murder and Refugio Beach is 5.65 miles east of the crime scene. Under questioning the teenager was combative and belligerent, indicative of somebody who was already known to Lompoc police, having a previous arrest record.

On June 5th 1963, investigators traveled to Santa Cruz to apprehend two teenagers, James L. Coleman and J, C, Reed for the fatal stabbing of Vernon Charles Smith (63) in Lompoc during a robbery. They claimed their vehicle had ran out of gas and asked Vernon Smith for his assistance. Neither were considered suspects in the Domingos and Edwards slayings, but implicated a third person called "Sandy" in the murder of Vernon Smith. The two youths admitted their part in the robbery, but claimed it was "Sandy" who perpetrated the murder of Vernon Smith at San Miguelito Canyon, approximately 3 miles south of Lompoc. He was discovered lying on his back in a gravel ditch, towards the front side of his green 1951 Willy's Jeep pick-up. Close by was the gasoline can and fuel that he had acquired at a nearby gas station to help the teenagers. His cause of death was a knife wound to the back which penetrated his heart. Coleman and Reed were eventually convicted in a Santa Barbara County court and sentenced to 5 years to life for second-degree murder. "Sandy" was then sought for questioning in relation to the Domingos and Edwards murders. Santa Barbara detectives later stated that they discovered a vehicle stolen by the three youths and inside retrieved some clothing thought to have been owned by "Sandy". The clothing contained the names "Robert Coffman" and "William Carr", one of which they believe could be the true identity of "Sandy".

"Mabel Keener, manager of the Royal Motel, Arroye Grande, testified a boy resembling "Sandy" came to her hotel at 4 a.m, June 3 and registered as William Carr, of Bakersfield. He stayed until the next morning and left, she said. She declared the sheriff's composite drawing of "Sandy" as made by Hal C. Clark, resembled "Sandy" in some ways but not exactly about the mouth and hair. Raymond W. Kissian and Gilberto Serros, Lompoc gas station attendants, also testified. Serros said he waited on Smith (Vernon) that night when Smith drove up in his jeep, which also contained a youth resembling "Sandy". Smith, who was playing the part of "Good Samaritan" filling up a gas can to take to the youths stalled car in Miguelito Canyon, drove off with a full can of gas, said Serros".

We have just passed the 52nd anniversary of the brutal slaying of Robert George Domingos and Linda Faye Edwards on a remote Santa Barbara beach 22 miles southeast of Lompoc, CA. One man, John Averitt, has fought diligently to keep the case in the public eye, hoping that one day justice will be served on the killer, or will at the very least be identified and bring some form of closure to all that knew the young couple. It is a tragic case of two young sweethearts who had set off around noon to a remote beach on June 4th 1963 for a spot of sunbathing - yet it was to have devastating consequences. The following day the bodies of Domingos and Edwards were discovered by Highway Patrolman Paul Schultz in a shack close to the beach stacked on top of one another. Within the shack police found several lengths of pre-cut cord, several boxes of Winchester Western Super X long rifle ammunition and strewn matches, along with scorch marks to the shack, indicating there may have been an attempt to set fire to the shack once the bodies had been placed there.

From the crime scene evidence it was believed the killer may have attempted to bind the couple, probably forcing Linda Edwards to restrain Robert Domingos. However, as the killer moved in to tie Linda, it was thought Robert freed himself and after a brief struggle with the killer the young couple made a break for freedom before being fired upon and struck several times in the back. In total the killer fired off 20 rounds, 19 of which found their target. It is thought the killer reloaded at least once.

It has been ascertained that once the couple had been felled by the original onslaught, the killer reloaded his weapon and stood over the victims before he fired off the remaining rounds at point blank range. Robert was struck 11 times and Linda 8 times. The killer was particularly merciless. Their bodies were then dragged at least 30 feet (10 yards) to the position they were found inside the shack. Drag injuries to the bodies suggested Robert Domingos was dragged face down and placed in the shack first, before Linda was dragged face up and positioned on top of Robert. The killer then cut the bathing suit of Linda Edwards exposing her breasts, despite the fact it is documented that no sexual interference took place. The modus operandi of this crime has inevitably drew parallels to the Zodiac Killer's Lake Berryessa attack on Bryan Hartnell and murder of Cecelia Shepard just over six years later on September 27th 1969. 

The most unusual aspect of this crime is the killer's need to have hauled each victim up an incline a distance of 30 feet. In other words, the perpetrator dragged both bodies a minimum of 60 feet (20 yards) in total through rough terrain. This is certainly not an easy task by any means, suggesting the killer was physically in good shape, or there was more than one assailant. Why not just leave the scene of the crime immediately? If the purpose of dragging the couple to the shack was to imply concealment, then why set fire to the shack and effectively draw attention to the location. The positioning of the bodies in the shack with Linda Edwards breasts exposed seemed designed to illicit a reaction when they were eventually discovered, however, the attempted destruction of the shack by fire effectively nullifies this premise. If the perpetrator/s were attempting to destroy evidence by burning down the shack, then it ultimately failed - so why did they just leave the boxes of ammunition and rope behind? Why would a killer carry boxes of ammunition to commit a crime, when a couple of clips would have sufficed (as testified to by the rounds fired), or was the responsible already at this location when Robert and Linda arrived? There are many unusual aspects of this crime that take some explaining.  

But what is clear, is that the shack was frequented by railroad hobos and a nomadic drifter called George Edward Gill (49 at the time of the murders), who constructed the lean-to shack. The shack was also not particularly visible from the area where the couple had been shot.

The couple had accessed the beach area by parking in the median of the northbound and southbound routes of Highway 101, which would have accommodated a few cars back in 1963. They would then have traversed the Southern Pacific Railroad tracks, before negotiating the decline to the beach, a journey time of approximately 6 to 10 minutes (approximately 600 feet). It is notable that access to this remote beach area would not have been widely known to a stranger unfamiliar to the area, let alone the shack, suggesting our killer or killers may have had previous knowledge of this location. 

Would Linda and Robert, seeking privacy have entered the beach location with an unfamiliar car already parked in the median or other persons in the area? Was their 1956 black and copper Pontiac the only car in the median when they arrived? Did the killer arrive later, or were they trailed from Lompoc? The burning of the shack makes little sense from the perspective of the killer wanting a covert exit from the crime scene, unless performed primarily for evidence destruction. Additionally, there is nothing to suggest the attempt to burn down the shack was done by the killer immediately after the murders. The scorch marks evident on the shack may have been done at a previous time by children, transients or any visitor to the area and subsequently assimilated into the crime scene of July 4th 1963. 

In the Los Angeles Letter mailed by the Zodiac Killer on March 13th 1971, he stated "This is the Zodiac speaking. Like I have allways said, I am crack proof. If the Blue Meannies are evere going to catch me, they had best get off their fat asses + do something. Because the longer they fiddle + fart around, the more slaves I will collect for my after life. I do have to give them credit for stumbling across my riverside activity, but they are only finding the easy ones, there are a hell of a lot more down there. The reason I'm writing to the Times is this, They don't bury me on the back pages like some of the others".

This article is intended to highlight the unsolved brutal slaying of two young teenagers in the hope that one day, albeit a fading one, this case may eventually find the resolution it deserves. Any information relative to this case can be shared by contacting the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office.
​Fifty six years ago, a couple were brutally gunned down while fleeing for their lives from a remote beach, situated 3.32 miles east of Gaviota State Park and alongside Highway 101, approximately a five-hour drive from Vallejo, California.
The couple were Robert Domingos (18) and Linda Edwards (17), who had on Senior Ditch Day June 4th 1963 decided to go sunbathing on a remote beach, accessed via a decline trail off the main highway, where they left their 1956 Pontiac.

​It was a sunny afternoon when the killer approached the couple from above, armed with what was thought to be a .22 caliber long rifle, a weapon ideal for target shooting with minimum recoil. The assailant had ready prepared cut lengths of binding rope, characteristics all too familiar in the Lake Berryessa attack on Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard six years later, on September 27th 1969, but the apparel the killer wore on this occasion unfortunately may never be known.
He apparently coerced Linda Edwards to tie the hands of Robert Domingos, but after freeing himself and a possible brief altercation with the assailant, the young couple ran for their lives. Unfortunately it was a brief bid for freedom, as they were cut down by a succession of bullets. The killer then approached the position they fell and finished his cold blooded execution of the defenseless couple.
For reasons known only to the killer, he then proceeded to drag the bodies to a nearby shack, where he placed Linda's body on top of Robert's, cutting open her bathing suit with a knife, before attempting to set fire to a tarpaulin covering on the door of the shack, testified by scorch marks and strewn matches on the floor. Evidence in this crime was carelessly left at the scene, that included spent and unspent ammunition and the cut lengths of rope, by all accounts an excess required for the binding of two victims. This may have been the case during the Lake Berryessa Attack, if we believe that the unidentified mystery man that stood viewing the three girls sunbathing prior to the attack on Cecilia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell, was indeed the Zodiac Killer and had no predetermined number of victims in mind.
Interesting though was the unspent ammunition - 22 Caliber Western Super X long rifle.​

​The murders of Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday with a .22 caliber weapon, exalted by the Zodiac Killer in the San Francisco Chronicle letter on July 31st 1969, declared the use of Western Super X in his first confirmed contact with authorities. The unused ammunition boxes in the Domingos/Edwards murders had a lot number, sold locally, although not exclusively at the nearby Vandenberg Air Force Base, approximately 10 miles north of Lompoc, California, but crucially they were devoid of price tags, suggesting that they were possibly from a larger consignment. This would again raise the idea that the murderer at Lake Berryessa (Wing Walkers) and in this case, may have had a military connection.
The murders of Robert Domingos and Linda Edwards have not widely been accepted as Zodiac Killer victims, probably due to the time period and location, however, many parallels exist between this case and the Zodiac Killer attack at Lake Berryessa. They were a lone couple on a remote beach, approached from above with a gun, the killer had prepared lengths of rope, he was in possession of a knife, robbery and a sexual motive was not the overriding factor, and a military connection was a real possibility. The murders of John Franklin Hood (24) and Sandra Garcia (20) on Saturday 21st February 1970, approximately 30 miles miles east, near Santa Barbara Cemetery also showed similar hallmarks to the above cases.
The Zodiac Killer may have twice previously indicated that the Lake Herman Road double murder may not have been his first brutal crime, stating in the Los Angeles Times Letter mailed on March 13th 1971  "I do have to give them credit for stumbling across my riverside activity, but they are only finding the easy ones, there are a hell of a lot more down there." and on the typed Confession Letter mailed on November 29th 1966 he boasted "She is not the first and will not be the last." 

To view five interesting videos, extensively covering the Domingos/Edwards case click here.