In the previous article it was considered whether the Zodiac Killer traveled through the park in a north-easterly direction to a home (or business) in the Marina District of San Francisco. I took a closer look at the statement of Zodiac in the November 9th 1969 letter, when he claimed that while in the park "the motor cicles went by about 150 ft away going from south to north west". Bearing in mind he was likely walking east, there was only one satisfactory location that matched this description. It was Presidio Boulevard which began in the south by Pacific Avenue and headed north for 333 meters, before turning to the northwest for approximately 275 meters. in other words, any vehicle coming from Pacific Avenue into Presidio Boulevard was traveling from the south before turning to the northwest.
If the Zodiac Killer had parked a vehicle on the eastern side of the park along Lyon Street, the quickest route with complete cover from trees and shrubbery the entire distance, is path A shown in the map diagram below. The distance from Spruce Street to the intersection of Lyon Street & Broadway taking this route is 766 meters. Path B, also affording cover the entire route, from Spruce Street to Union Street is 871 meters..Both routes avoid residential areas. If the Zodiac Killer wanted to escape the park to the eastern edge and enter a vehicle, path A appears the quickest and most obvious choice. Lyon Street also seems like the perfect place to park, with its western side largely absent of houses. However, the Zodiac Killer may not have had a vehicle parked anywhere that night. It all depends on whether the Zodiac Killer was recalling his details in the November 9th 1969 letter purely from memory, or he aided his recollections by using a map.
If the Zodiac Killer had parked a vehicle on the eastern side of the park along Lyon Street, the quickest route with complete cover from trees and shrubbery the entire distance, is path A shown in the map diagram below. The distance from Spruce Street to the intersection of Lyon Street & Broadway taking this route is 766 meters. Path B, also affording cover the entire route, from Spruce Street to Union Street is 871 meters..Both routes avoid residential areas. If the Zodiac Killer wanted to escape the park to the eastern edge and enter a vehicle, path A appears the quickest and most obvious choice. Lyon Street also seems like the perfect place to park, with its western side largely absent of houses. However, the Zodiac Killer may not have had a vehicle parked anywhere that night. It all depends on whether the Zodiac Killer was recalling his details in the November 9th 1969 letter purely from memory, or he aided his recollections by using a map.
If he was physically watching the motorcycles go by from about 150 feet away and recalling from his memory of that night, stating "the motor cicles went by about 150 ft away going from south to north west", then the Zodiac Killer is describing the motorcycles passing him as he is watching from a close distance. Therefore, this may rule out the Zodiac Killer taking path A to Presidio Boulevard, because the motorcycles wouldn't have been going from south to northwest at this point (as they passed by). But if he had taken path B, he could have been on either side of Presidio Boulevard, watching "first hand" the motorcycles turn from the south side of the road and head in a north-westerly direction (shown by the orange circle on the map). If we look at this section of Presidio Boulevard on its eastern edge, we see a distinct clearing through the trees. If you switch between 2D and 3D on the map it becomes more apparent. This clearing, with adequate coverage from the road, would allow the Zodiac Killer to see the motorcycles turning from the south to the northwest. This clearing is about 150 feet from Presidio Boulevard.
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The phrase by the Zodiac Killer is difficult to interpret. If we alter the phrase of "the motor cicles went by about 150 ft away going from south to north west" to "the motor cicles went by me going from south to north west, about 150 ft away", does it become any clearer? Could the Zodiac Killer have been on path A, 150 feet from Presidio Boulevard, watching the motorcycles enter the south end from Pacific Avenue and pass by him, knowing the layout of the road and reasoning that they would eventually have to turn northwest after traveling a short distance? Or was the Zodiac Killer physically watching the motorcycles turn from the south to the northwest in real time? This ambiguous phrase would be important to clarify.
If the Zodiac Killer had chosen Lyon Street to park his getaway vehicle, then path A is the logical choice (being the shortest distance). If the Zodiac Killer had taken path B and physically saw the motorcycles change course from the south to northwest, then it is unlikely he had a vehicle parked anywhere that night. Why would you park a vehicle further than necessary from your entry point by Julius Kahn playground? If path B was the route he took, it's probably because this was the most direct route to his residence (or business) in the Marina District on foot, just beyond the eastern edge of Presidio Park. Why not use the concealment that the park offered as you headed home?
If the Zodiac Killer had chosen Lyon Street to park his getaway vehicle, then path A is the logical choice (being the shortest distance). If the Zodiac Killer had taken path B and physically saw the motorcycles change course from the south to northwest, then it is unlikely he had a vehicle parked anywhere that night. Why would you park a vehicle further than necessary from your entry point by Julius Kahn playground? If path B was the route he took, it's probably because this was the most direct route to his residence (or business) in the Marina District on foot, just beyond the eastern edge of Presidio Park. Why not use the concealment that the park offered as you headed home?
To get to the bottom of the phrase "the motor cicles went by about 150 ft away going from south to north west", we can remove "about 150 feet away". We now have "the motor cicles went by, going from south to north west". If the Zodiac Killer had taken path A to Presidio Boulevard, isn't it more likely he would have written "the motor cicles went by, going from south to north", because he would have seen the motorcycles passing by his location and heading north into the distance (unable to see the northwest turn). But he didn't. He wrote "the motor cicles went by, going from south to north west", which suggests that from memory he last saw the motorcycles heading south to northwest. The phrase used by Zodiac appears moment oriented and could indicate his likely route of travel was path B that night.
This being the case, a vehicle positioned here (somewhere by Union Street), seems an extremely distant location to facilitate a hasty retreat, when the Zodiac Killer had the better option of path A with cover, or other much closer alternatives such as Pacific Avenue or Jackson Street to park his getaway vehicle, In fact, the Zodiac Killer had innumerable locations to park a vehicle closer to the crime scene (or intended crime scene) that night. If he really had taken path B and was watching from 150 feet away in the trees at motorcycles heading from the south to the northwest, then I highly doubt any vehicle was involved in proceedings on October 11th 1969. He was simply walking home using the shortest route possible.
EXTRA READING: WALKING TOWARDS THE MARINA DISTRICT?
This being the case, a vehicle positioned here (somewhere by Union Street), seems an extremely distant location to facilitate a hasty retreat, when the Zodiac Killer had the better option of path A with cover, or other much closer alternatives such as Pacific Avenue or Jackson Street to park his getaway vehicle, In fact, the Zodiac Killer had innumerable locations to park a vehicle closer to the crime scene (or intended crime scene) that night. If he really had taken path B and was watching from 150 feet away in the trees at motorcycles heading from the south to the northwest, then I highly doubt any vehicle was involved in proceedings on October 11th 1969. He was simply walking home using the shortest route possible.
EXTRA READING: WALKING TOWARDS THE MARINA DISTRICT?
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