Knowing that the Zodiac Killer was a narcissist who bathed in the spotlight of notoriety, it wasn't surprising that by 1974, after several of his communications failed to be published in the newspapers, that he ultimately harbored resentment towards the headline grabbers and decided to change course. Three consecutive letters on January 29th 1974, April 24th 1978 and March 2nd 1978 all focused on the movie industry and its associated award ceremonies The "Exorcist" letter on January 29th 1974 responded to the recent Golden Globe film awards at the Beverly Hilton, Beverly Hills, California on January 26th 1974, where "The Exorcist" film won four awards for "Best Film", "Best Director", "Best Supporting Actress" and "Best Screenplay". The Zodiac Killer wrote "I saw + think "The Exorcist" was the best saterical comidy".
He followed this up on April 24th 1978---dissatisfied with being in the shade---by addressing his audience with "I am waiting for a good movie about me. Who will play me". Three weeks earlier, the 50th Academy Awards of cinematic achievement took place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles on April 3rd 1978, with Oscar winning films subsequently benefitting at the box office in cinemas and theaters across the country. Nine days after the April 24th 1978 letter, on May 2nd 1978, the Zodiac Killer began taunting the actors paraded at the ceremony, insisting that they needed to raise their game if they wanted to take on the role of the Bay Area murderer, by stating "Hey-you actors-this is your lucky Break. Remember-whoever plays me has his work cut out for him, I have decided to start killing again-please hold the applause". It really came as no surprise that his "Channel Nine" letter was addressed to KHJ-TV Studios at 5615 Melrose Avenue, as the Los Angeles television station was only 4.5 miles from where the Academy Awards were held one month earlier--- a television station that held its 13th annual 2-hour voting ceremony called "Your Choice for the Oscars" on the eve of the Academy Awards.
He followed this up on April 24th 1978---dissatisfied with being in the shade---by addressing his audience with "I am waiting for a good movie about me. Who will play me". Three weeks earlier, the 50th Academy Awards of cinematic achievement took place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion in Los Angeles on April 3rd 1978, with Oscar winning films subsequently benefitting at the box office in cinemas and theaters across the country. Nine days after the April 24th 1978 letter, on May 2nd 1978, the Zodiac Killer began taunting the actors paraded at the ceremony, insisting that they needed to raise their game if they wanted to take on the role of the Bay Area murderer, by stating "Hey-you actors-this is your lucky Break. Remember-whoever plays me has his work cut out for him, I have decided to start killing again-please hold the applause". It really came as no surprise that his "Channel Nine" letter was addressed to KHJ-TV Studios at 5615 Melrose Avenue, as the Los Angeles television station was only 4.5 miles from where the Academy Awards were held one month earlier--- a television station that held its 13th annual 2-hour voting ceremony called "Your Choice for the Oscars" on the eve of the Academy Awards.
In amongst the slew of Academy Award winning films hitting the big screen in March and April of 1978, was the movie "Blue Collar" starring Richard Pryor and Harvey Keitel. Advertisements for this movie littered the newspapers alongside the Academy Award winning films---described as "A Damned Good Movie" in every publication. Contrast this with a newspaper hungry Zodiac Killer, who couldn't have failed to notice this advertisement when stating "I am waiting for a good movie about me. Who will play me". Well, I can certainly guarantee that it wasn't going to be Richard Pryor.
It really is quite amazing how David Toschi managed to author all of these letters under one common theme of award ceremonies, while generously taking time away from being a detective to mail the January 29th 1974 and April 24th 1978 letters from San Mateo/Santa Clara County, and take the short 6-hour journey to mail the "Channel Nine" letter from Los Angeles. This would have been unprecedented commitment from a serving detective, who with plenty of imagination and endeavor, had the foresight to manufacture such elaborate schemes over a 4-year period.
Inspector David Toschi even went so far as to investigate his own sinister phone call to the Mission District on March 13th 1978, when his voice was recorded on an answering machine, warning "This is the Zodiac. Tell the press that I am back in San Francisco". This came 42 days before the April 24th 1978 letter, which read "I am back with you. Tell herb caen I am here". After an extensive investigation into this phone call, David Toschi concluded that he didn't recognise his own voice and the case was closed, yet he still decided to mimic the language used in the phone call for his April 24th 1978 letter.
Not satisfied with being demoted to pawn detail after he was suspected of writing the April 24th 1978 letter, he decided to do a further impression of the Zodiac Killer on July 19th 1978, when he mimicked the language used in the unreleased May 2nd 1978 letter, which continued the theme of the April 24th 1978 letter. They read in chronological order "I am waiting for a good movie about me. Who will play me" (04/24/78), "whoever plays me has his work cut out for him" (05/02/78} and "Maybe you play chess with me" (07/19/78). All three used the verb "play" and the singular pronoun "me" in the same sentence. The third author could not have copied the second author if different individuals, but they could have been the same person. If David Toschi managed to accomplish all of the above---taking the time to scour the newspapers and travel around the country to fashion this elaborate hoax---then he deserves an Oscar and a massive posthumous round of applause. I doubt even I could have found these connections.
A PAWN IN A GAME OF DEATH
It really is quite amazing how David Toschi managed to author all of these letters under one common theme of award ceremonies, while generously taking time away from being a detective to mail the January 29th 1974 and April 24th 1978 letters from San Mateo/Santa Clara County, and take the short 6-hour journey to mail the "Channel Nine" letter from Los Angeles. This would have been unprecedented commitment from a serving detective, who with plenty of imagination and endeavor, had the foresight to manufacture such elaborate schemes over a 4-year period.
Inspector David Toschi even went so far as to investigate his own sinister phone call to the Mission District on March 13th 1978, when his voice was recorded on an answering machine, warning "This is the Zodiac. Tell the press that I am back in San Francisco". This came 42 days before the April 24th 1978 letter, which read "I am back with you. Tell herb caen I am here". After an extensive investigation into this phone call, David Toschi concluded that he didn't recognise his own voice and the case was closed, yet he still decided to mimic the language used in the phone call for his April 24th 1978 letter.
Not satisfied with being demoted to pawn detail after he was suspected of writing the April 24th 1978 letter, he decided to do a further impression of the Zodiac Killer on July 19th 1978, when he mimicked the language used in the unreleased May 2nd 1978 letter, which continued the theme of the April 24th 1978 letter. They read in chronological order "I am waiting for a good movie about me. Who will play me" (04/24/78), "whoever plays me has his work cut out for him" (05/02/78} and "Maybe you play chess with me" (07/19/78). All three used the verb "play" and the singular pronoun "me" in the same sentence. The third author could not have copied the second author if different individuals, but they could have been the same person. If David Toschi managed to accomplish all of the above---taking the time to scour the newspapers and travel around the country to fashion this elaborate hoax---then he deserves an Oscar and a massive posthumous round of applause. I doubt even I could have found these connections.
A PAWN IN A GAME OF DEATH
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