Kim Rossmo, a Canadian criminologist, stated "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". It is these unsuccessful search attempts we should consider prior to the murders of David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen on December 20th 1968. It is perfectly conceivable that the murderer was stalking the area of Lake Herman Road and Blue Rock Springs Park in excess of two hours that night, based upon eyewitness sightings at the turnout and notable statements by the killer in subsequent letters.
In his July 31st 1969 letters he threatened the search for more victims: "I will cruse around and pick of all stray people or coupples that are alone then move on to kill some more untill I have killed over a dozen people." He also alluded to his hunting capabilities in the 'Debut of Zodiac' letter on August 4th 1969: "What I did was tape a small pencel flash light to the barrel of my gun. If you notice, in the center of the beam of light if you aim it at a wall or ceiling you will see a black or darck spot in the center of the circle of light about 3 to 6 inches across. When taped to a gun barrel, the bullet will strike in the center of the black dot in the light". One has to question why a person would require the use a pencil flashlight attached to his weapon at Lake Herman Road, when he could simply have used the headlights of his vehicle or a flashlight to illuminate the target, as demonstrated at Blue Rock Springs Park. However, can we be certain that the assailant Michael Mageau observed approaching from the rear of Darlene's Corvair even had a handheld flashlight, as opposed to a 'pencil flashlight' attached to his gun. It may be the case, that the sighting implement (if used) was part of the fantasy in hunting for prey, and not necessarily required or integral to the completion of each of these attacks. But first, we will focus on the white Chevrolet Impala that may have been witnessed in or around the Lake Herman Road turnout on at least three occasions.
In his July 31st 1969 letters he threatened the search for more victims: "I will cruse around and pick of all stray people or coupples that are alone then move on to kill some more untill I have killed over a dozen people." He also alluded to his hunting capabilities in the 'Debut of Zodiac' letter on August 4th 1969: "What I did was tape a small pencel flash light to the barrel of my gun. If you notice, in the center of the beam of light if you aim it at a wall or ceiling you will see a black or darck spot in the center of the circle of light about 3 to 6 inches across. When taped to a gun barrel, the bullet will strike in the center of the black dot in the light". One has to question why a person would require the use a pencil flashlight attached to his weapon at Lake Herman Road, when he could simply have used the headlights of his vehicle or a flashlight to illuminate the target, as demonstrated at Blue Rock Springs Park. However, can we be certain that the assailant Michael Mageau observed approaching from the rear of Darlene's Corvair even had a handheld flashlight, as opposed to a 'pencil flashlight' attached to his gun. It may be the case, that the sighting implement (if used) was part of the fantasy in hunting for prey, and not necessarily required or integral to the completion of each of these attacks. But first, we will focus on the white Chevrolet Impala that may have been witnessed in or around the Lake Herman Road turnout on at least three occasions.
1960 Chevrolet 4-door hardtop
There is a discrepancy in the Lake Herman Road police report regarding the sighting of Robert Connelly and Frank Gasser (the two raccoon hunters) and local sheepherder Bingo Wesner. Robert Connelly stated that "when they arrived there at 9:00 pm a white 4-door hardtop, a '59 or '60 Impala, was parked there, and also, a truck coming out of the gate". Bingo Wesner stated "that when he came out of the gate he saw the same Impala and also saw the red pick-up truck go by" - this was the red pick-up truck occupied by Gasser and Connelly.
Robert Connelly, in his second interview, confirmed the 9:00 pm arrival time, reiterating that "they arrived in the area of the pump station around 9:00 pm. They parked the car about 25 feet inside of the Marshall Ranch property off the road".
Bingo Wesner stated that "last night he was checking his sheep at approximately 10:00 pm (east of the Benicia Pumping Station) and he observed a white Chevrolet Impala Sedan, parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station. He also observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area (the pick-up was later identified as the one Frank Gasser and Robert Connelly were riding in)".
The sightings of each other were considered one event - Gasser and Connelly arriving to go raccoon hunting, as Wesner was coming out of gate #10. Unfortunately the times are an hour apart. However, Bingo Wesner said two different things: Firstly; "when he came out of the gate he saw the same Impala and also saw the red pick-up truck go by," and secondly; "observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area". This is not the same thing. He may have left the turnout gate at 9:00 pm and drove away, spotting Gasser and Connelly arriving for their raccoon hunt at 9:00 pm, which Connelly testified to. All three men saw the white Chevrolet at this point. Later, Bingo Wesner arrived back shortly before 10:00 pm and entered the gate to tend his sheep. He again saw the white Chevrolet, as well as Gasser and Connelly parked "25 feet inside of the Marshall Ranch property off the road", In other words, he "observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area." The times of 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm would suggest that Bingo Wesner saw the red pick-up truck twice that night - in two different locations - not once, as implied by the police report.
William Crow claimed he and his girlfriend were in the area sometime between 9:30 and 10:00 pm - parked up at some point in turnout, as well as being chased along Lake Herman Road - something that wasn't part of Bingo Wesner's police statement. This could lend weight to the idea that Bingo Wesner left the turnout at around 9:00 pm and didn't return until approximately 10.00 pm. William Crow would obviously have left the area a short time earlier. It has been suggested that Robert Connelly and Frank Gasser were mistaken about the time they arrived - and it was actually 10:00 pm. That would require both men to be mistaken, and for Bingo Wesner to have spotted the white Chevrolet Impala just once, while leaving the turnout and while checking on his sheep. Is it more likely that Gasser and Connelly arrived at 9:00 pm for two hours of raccoon hunting, or a mere one?
If Bingo Wesner had left the turnout at 9:00 pm and arrived back sometime around 10:00 pm, then we would have to infer that the white Chevrolet left the turnout and returned, otherwise William Crow would have seen it in the turnout in which he was parked, sometime between 9:30 pm and likely 9:55 pm. If we place any credence in his second statement about the events that night, then the white Chevrolet was still in the area, as he described it chasing him down the road: "I never told the sheriff who interviewed me that the car I encountered was a Valiant. As I recall, as I was attempting to describe the car, the sheriff came up with a “Valiant”. In the years that have passed, when I have shared the events of that night, I have described the car as a four-door light-colored Chevy".
Robert Connelly, Frank Gasser and Bingo Wesner recalled seeing no occupants inside the white Chevrolet at either 9:00 pm or 10:00 pm. The driver of this car could have arrived in the turnout anytime before 9:00 pm and vacated the vehicle, then returned around 9:30 pm to leave before William Crow turned up. Then, he would have had to return shortly before 10:00 pm, likely parked in the same spot, to then be spotted by Bingo Wesner returning. Why was the driver twice vacating his vehicle in pitch darkness? Was he stalking the periphery of the lake looking for victims with his pencil flashlight, in similar fashion to Lake Berryessa? This may seem unlikely on a freezing cold night in December. The idea of a white Chevrolet hovering around the turnout, leaving and returning, seems to fit with a killer "engaging in extensive hunting activities," but requires many variables to fall into place.
Robert Connelly, in his second interview, confirmed the 9:00 pm arrival time, reiterating that "they arrived in the area of the pump station around 9:00 pm. They parked the car about 25 feet inside of the Marshall Ranch property off the road".
Bingo Wesner stated that "last night he was checking his sheep at approximately 10:00 pm (east of the Benicia Pumping Station) and he observed a white Chevrolet Impala Sedan, parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station. He also observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area (the pick-up was later identified as the one Frank Gasser and Robert Connelly were riding in)".
The sightings of each other were considered one event - Gasser and Connelly arriving to go raccoon hunting, as Wesner was coming out of gate #10. Unfortunately the times are an hour apart. However, Bingo Wesner said two different things: Firstly; "when he came out of the gate he saw the same Impala and also saw the red pick-up truck go by," and secondly; "observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area". This is not the same thing. He may have left the turnout gate at 9:00 pm and drove away, spotting Gasser and Connelly arriving for their raccoon hunt at 9:00 pm, which Connelly testified to. All three men saw the white Chevrolet at this point. Later, Bingo Wesner arrived back shortly before 10:00 pm and entered the gate to tend his sheep. He again saw the white Chevrolet, as well as Gasser and Connelly parked "25 feet inside of the Marshall Ranch property off the road", In other words, he "observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area." The times of 9:00 pm and 10:00 pm would suggest that Bingo Wesner saw the red pick-up truck twice that night - in two different locations - not once, as implied by the police report.
William Crow claimed he and his girlfriend were in the area sometime between 9:30 and 10:00 pm - parked up at some point in turnout, as well as being chased along Lake Herman Road - something that wasn't part of Bingo Wesner's police statement. This could lend weight to the idea that Bingo Wesner left the turnout at around 9:00 pm and didn't return until approximately 10.00 pm. William Crow would obviously have left the area a short time earlier. It has been suggested that Robert Connelly and Frank Gasser were mistaken about the time they arrived - and it was actually 10:00 pm. That would require both men to be mistaken, and for Bingo Wesner to have spotted the white Chevrolet Impala just once, while leaving the turnout and while checking on his sheep. Is it more likely that Gasser and Connelly arrived at 9:00 pm for two hours of raccoon hunting, or a mere one?
If Bingo Wesner had left the turnout at 9:00 pm and arrived back sometime around 10:00 pm, then we would have to infer that the white Chevrolet left the turnout and returned, otherwise William Crow would have seen it in the turnout in which he was parked, sometime between 9:30 pm and likely 9:55 pm. If we place any credence in his second statement about the events that night, then the white Chevrolet was still in the area, as he described it chasing him down the road: "I never told the sheriff who interviewed me that the car I encountered was a Valiant. As I recall, as I was attempting to describe the car, the sheriff came up with a “Valiant”. In the years that have passed, when I have shared the events of that night, I have described the car as a four-door light-colored Chevy".
Robert Connelly, Frank Gasser and Bingo Wesner recalled seeing no occupants inside the white Chevrolet at either 9:00 pm or 10:00 pm. The driver of this car could have arrived in the turnout anytime before 9:00 pm and vacated the vehicle, then returned around 9:30 pm to leave before William Crow turned up. Then, he would have had to return shortly before 10:00 pm, likely parked in the same spot, to then be spotted by Bingo Wesner returning. Why was the driver twice vacating his vehicle in pitch darkness? Was he stalking the periphery of the lake looking for victims with his pencil flashlight, in similar fashion to Lake Berryessa? This may seem unlikely on a freezing cold night in December. The idea of a white Chevrolet hovering around the turnout, leaving and returning, seems to fit with a killer "engaging in extensive hunting activities," but requires many variables to fall into place.
The above image shows the entrance to the Marshall Ranch and Benicia Pumping Station.
Bingo Wesner stated "he was checking his sheep at approximately 10:00 pm (east of the Benicia Pumping Station) and he observed a white Chevrolet Impala Sedan, parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station. He also observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area". How does Bingo Wesner spot the red Ford pick-up truck positioned 25 feet inside the entrance of the Marshall Ranch from east of the Benicia Pumping Station, where he is checking on his sheep? He would be a minimum of a quarter of a mile away in pitch darkness. One possible way he could have observed the red pick-up truck in the area, while checking his sheep east of the pumping station, is if he had driven east along Lake Herman Road, passing the Marshall Ranch, before arriving back at the turnout at around 10:.00 pm, where he noticed the white Chevrolet, before checking on his sheep.
Another alternative based on all the statements, is he exited the gate at 10:00 pm after checking his sheep (Gasser and Connelly pass in their truck), he then turned west towards Vallejo and noticed the red pick-up truck in the area pulling into the Marshall Ranch. However, for this to be the case, both Gasser and Connelly would have to be mistaken as to the time they arrived at the Marshall Ranch - at 10:00 pm rather than 9:00 pm. The final possibility, is that Bingo Wesner was mistaken, and he exited the turnout gate at 9:00 pm (Gasser and Connelly pass in their truck), before he turned west and saw the red pick-up truck enter the Marshall Ranch and park up. Take your pick.
Bingo Wesner stated "he was checking his sheep at approximately 10:00 pm (east of the Benicia Pumping Station) and he observed a white Chevrolet Impala Sedan, parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station. He also observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area". How does Bingo Wesner spot the red Ford pick-up truck positioned 25 feet inside the entrance of the Marshall Ranch from east of the Benicia Pumping Station, where he is checking on his sheep? He would be a minimum of a quarter of a mile away in pitch darkness. One possible way he could have observed the red pick-up truck in the area, while checking his sheep east of the pumping station, is if he had driven east along Lake Herman Road, passing the Marshall Ranch, before arriving back at the turnout at around 10:.00 pm, where he noticed the white Chevrolet, before checking on his sheep.
Another alternative based on all the statements, is he exited the gate at 10:00 pm after checking his sheep (Gasser and Connelly pass in their truck), he then turned west towards Vallejo and noticed the red pick-up truck in the area pulling into the Marshall Ranch. However, for this to be the case, both Gasser and Connelly would have to be mistaken as to the time they arrived at the Marshall Ranch - at 10:00 pm rather than 9:00 pm. The final possibility, is that Bingo Wesner was mistaken, and he exited the turnout gate at 9:00 pm (Gasser and Connelly pass in their truck), before he turned west and saw the red pick-up truck enter the Marshall Ranch and park up. Take your pick.
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