ZODIAC CIPHERS
RICHARD GRINELL, COVENTRY, ENGLAND
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DNA AND THE DAVID TOSCHI CONTROVERSY

3/11/2019

 
Mike Rodelli wrote in his book, 'The Hunt for Zodiac:The Inconceivable Double Life of a Notorious Serial Killer', that Alan Keel, Criminalist at the San Francisco Police Department, San Francisco, California from 1996 to 1999 "revealed that there were two letters in possession of the department that, in contrast to the "true" Zodiac letters, had abundant saliva and DNA-containing oral epithelial cells on them, that DNA was easily extracted from these two letters, and that the DNA extracted from these two letters matched between them. These two letters were considered forgeries, since the "true" Zodiac verifiable letters had not been licked by the sender." Mike Rodelli also stated "In contrast (to earlier communications), Keel analyzes two other letters, one of which is the 1978 forgery, and finds that this letter and one of the 1974 letters are loaded with saliva and cells. He then easily extracts DNA from both of these letters using the more primitive DNA technology of that time and finds that the DNA matches between those two letters, thus proving that one person sent both."  

The San Francisco Police Department DNA report clearly states that the 1978 letter was tested for DNA (which was obtained) and deemed 'not an authentic Zodiac letter'. The only other letter in 1974 processed for DNA (where cells were found), was the Exorcist letter. Therefore, the two letters described by Alan Keel "as matching between them" had to be the 1978 letter and the Exorcist letter. If the 1978 letter is 'not an authentic Zodiac letter', then the Exorcist letter is 'not an authentic Zodiac letter' either. But how can the San Francisco Police Department claim that the 1978 letter is not an authentic Zodiac communication, when you don't have the Zodiac Killer's DNA to test it against? The only two possible answers, are that (Inspector) David Toschi, accused of forging the 1978 letter, had his DNA compared to the 1978 letter and it matched, thus proving it couldn't have been written by Zodiac, or the DNA markers on the 1978 letter confirmed it was written by a woman. Females typically have two of the same kind of sex chromosome (XX), and are called the homogametic sex. Males typically have two different kinds of sex chromosomes (XY), and are called the heterogametic sex. 
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If we conclude that David Toschi hadn't forged either the 1978 letter or the Exorcist letter, and the "DNA matched between them" as stated by Criminalist Alan Keel, then we are left to conclude that both were authored by a woman. However, if this had been determined to be the case, why not release this to the public and officially exonerate David Toschi beyond any doubt and clear this perceived stain on his character. This would be the least you would do for a respected and dedicated law enforcement officer, who served the San Francisco Police Department from 1952 to 1987. The fact they didn't do this, suggests that both the 1978 letter and Exorcist letter were not authored by a woman. But this once again places the spotlight back onto David Toschi as the only other option. 

It has been claimed that a palm print discovered on the Exorcist letter has ruled out Arthur Leigh Allen as the contributor. Michael Butterfield wrote "The San Francisco Police department also announced that Allen’s palm print did not match the palm print found on the Zodiac’s “Exorcist” letter of 1974". Zodiac Killer Facts. If this palm print ruled out Arthur Leigh Allen as the author of the Exorcist letter, then it could also be used to rule out David Toschi. If the Exorcist letter and 1978 letter are inextricably linked through DNA and therefore the stamps and envelopes were licked by the same individual, as inferred by Mike Rodelli (from the findings of Criminalist Alan Keel), then by logical extension, if David Toschi was ruled out as the author of the Exorcist letter by palm print, he would also be ruled out as the author of the 1978 letter. 

Deputy Police Chief Clement DeAmicis stated on July 14th 1978, regarding the Exorcist and 1978 letter "We are looking into the authentication of the letters. We have submitted a number of specimens of handwriting. Toschi's is one". Referring to other Zodiac correspondence he continued "We want to know whether they are authentic or whether they are written by somebody we know." Why wouldn't you just compare David Toschi's palm print to the Exorcist letter, as they had apparently done to rule out Arthur Leigh Allen. The San Francisco Police Department stated in 1999 "The Police Department has never made a statement regarding accusations that Toschi faked a Zodiac letter one way or another. We will confirm that not all Zodiac letters are authentic". This final line tells you everything you need to know. The only way they can claim definitively that "not all Zodiac letters are authentic", is if they have confirmed this with DNA. Efforts to harbor DNA from these communications began in the late 1990s - the same time this SFPD statement was released. This lack of transparency from the San Francisco Police Department, the bold claim of ruling out the 1978 letter through DNA (without having confirmed Zodiac DNA), the failure to openly rule out David Toschi using the palm print, and the reluctance to publicly exonerate David Toschi using the 'apparent DNA match between the 1978 letter and Exorcist letter', unfortunately tells you everything. If the San Francisco Police Department have ruled out the 1978 letter through DNA, and not because it's a woman, then it doesn't leave too many other options.

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Shawn
3/11/2019 07:59:46 pm

Graysmith claimed in his book "Zodiac Unmasked" that the police check the envelopes for saliva back in 1969 and found none.

I think basic info could be gained from Saliva like blood type and gender....back in the 1960's.

I would need to research what the state of saliva testing was in the late 1960s to be sure.

If Zodiac was as cautious as he seems to be he would have not licked the envelope or stamps. Giving the police nothing to work with.

Richard
3/12/2019 01:50:23 am

Graysmith claimed a lot of things, like the taxicab glove was left by a female passenger, but then used the size 7 glove as corroborating circumstantial evidence to implicate Allen.

"In the late 1990s, San Francisco police submitted the suspected “Zodiac” communications to the crime lab for forensic testing. Robert Graysmith, author of the book Zodiac, wrote a story published on the website APB.com titled “The Day They Thought They Nailed Zodiac.” Graysmith claimed that police obtained a “Zodiac” DNA sample which matched “the prime suspect,” convicted child molester and Vallejo resident Arthur Leigh Allen. Graysmith also claimed that SFPD Inspector Vince Repetto then stated that the match was a “false positive” result. According to Graysmith’s account, SFPD Lieutenant Tom Bruton explained that the suspected “Zodiac” DNA was obtained from a letter sent to the San Francisco Chronicle in April 1978. Several handwriting experts had concluded that this letter was a forgery and not an authentic Zodiac communication. In his article, Graysmith expressed his dismay that police had used the 1978 for DNA testing and wrote, “They had tested a hoax letter,” despite the fact that Graysmith was one of the few individuals who claimed that the April 1978 letter was authentic". Zodiac Killer Facts

Richard
3/12/2019 01:56:23 am

"If Zodiac was as cautious as he seems to be he would have not licked the envelope or stamps. Giving the police nothing to work with". I assume Shawn you therefore believe the Exorcist and 1978 letter to be hoax letters.

Shawn
3/12/2019 06:30:39 am

I have a much easier time believing the 1978 letter is a hoax. The exorcist letter is harder to accept as a hoax.

I cannot say the exorcist letter is a true Zodiac communication if the below is true and the one 1974 letter is the Exorcist letter.

"Keel analyzes two other letters, one of which is the 1978 forgery, and finds that this letter and one of the 1974 letters are loaded with saliva and cells. He then easily extracts DNA from both of these letters using the more primitive DNA technology of that time and finds that the DNA matches between those two letters, thus proving that one person sent both."

Richard
3/12/2019 06:49:48 am

I suppose it partly boils down to the validity of the statement of Alan Keel Shawn.

art
3/12/2019 08:15:03 pm

Richard, have you tried contacting Alan Keel?

Richard
3/12/2019 11:37:43 pm

No I haven't Art, but it may be a possible avenue.

https://www.facrimelab.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/KEEL-Alan-CV-1-8-19.pdf

Drew
3/16/2019 03:14:04 pm

Hi Richard, this is one of the big Zodiac mysteries that I hope will be solved someday. If DNA from 74&78 is all they have it would be nice to at least learn what they make of it. As you've outlined the logic in concluding that one individual who could not have been Zodiac was responsible for both correspondences can't be ignored. Toschi seems the obvious answer but I still find it difficult to accept.

Alright here is my diatribe of doubt. Toschi knew there was no matching Zodiac fingerprints, that the letters were virtually saliva-free, and that they had been chasing a phantom who may well be long gone from the area, free society, or the earth. After years of Zodiac silence, amidst whatever other homicide investigations he was conducting in early 74, he hoaxes the Exorcist letter to kick up a public panic and increase the continuous onslaught of Zodiac tips, presumably hoping to facilitate an opportunity to resume his Zodiac hunt under an intense media microscope. Attributable murders do not follow but he interprets the other letters from 74 as a response from Zodiac, and thusly repeats this hoaxing/coaxing method four years later.

Toschi had studied the characteristics of Zodiac's letters and knew no hoax could convict Zodiac or frame his favourite suspect, especially if fingerprints or saliva were detected, yet both were prepared without gloves and sealed without a saliva alternative. If Police had accepted his letters as legit then they would obviously exonerate any old or new suspects. This is all to pour doubt on Toschi being the author but I have no other narrative to suggest.

Perhaps most difficult to believe is that when Maupin read the letter in the newspaper he was 100% correct in his recognition of Toschi's ghost writing style.

It seems like the Exorcist is still regarded as authentic but perhaps officially it is not. The report implies to me that Police used Exorcist to investigate (rather than to clear) Allen because it was the only test they were capable of conducting. Why they apparently did not test the other letters from 74 remains a mystery. I am not convinced that the other 74s are Zodiac (especially after your recent SLA analysis) but clearly they should have been tested.

Perhaps what bugs me most about allowing everything to turn on Keel's assertion is his claim to have forgotten which 74 letter was a match if they only tested one - and it was the only one even alluding to Zodiac. Authentic or not the bizarre Exorcist letter seems like kind of a hard one to forget.

At any rate I guess in the meantime I will continue to sit here not having a blood clue about that darn Exorcist letter or whether they have Zodiac's DNA on file!

Cheers

Richard
3/16/2019 04:16:42 pm

Although I totally trust Mike Rodelli in regards to his discussion with Alan Keel, I would much prefer these observations and details provided by Keel to be documented officially. Then we know any arguments made have a solid foundation. I too, like you, find it difficult to dismiss the Exorcist letter and find it equally unlikely that David Toschi was the architect of the 74 and 78 letters. I know Keel stated lots of biological material was found on the 78 letter, but can we make an argument it wasn't ruled out via DNA in the SFPD report, but simply deemed a "not authentic" correspondence by handwriting, and just included in the SFPD report under this banner. In regards to the SLA letter, this never featured in the DNA report and have not found it mentioned in the newspapers at the time. I am certain even the police dismissed this as a Zodiac correspondence. Did the police and FBI fail to notice the "a friend" connection? I find that hard to believe. I have now dismissed all but the Exorcist letter as being from the hand of Zodiac. But as a standalone correspondence after nearly 3 years does little to for me to bolster its authenticity Drew. I cannot disagree with any of your thoughts, which as always, are well thought out arguments.


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