INSPECTOR DAVID TOSCHI On September 13th 1973, the San Jose Mercury reported on the September 10th 1973 murder of Yellow Cab driver Roland J. Canfield (41) of 551 Manor Drive, Pacifica, who was shot behind his right ear at 4:00 pm while parked at the intersection of 27th and Noe streets in San Francisco. The wallet of Roland J. Canfield, although empty, was still in his back pocket, with investigators concluding that robbery appeared not to be the motive. The taxicab strongbox was described as undisturbed. Homicide inspectors David Toschi and William Armstrong, investigatng the case, indicated a lack of evidence to form a Zodiac Killer connection to that of Paul Stine on October 11th 1969. However, a lack of evidence to form a Zodiac link, doesn't mean there wasn't one.
Somebody had phoned the Yellow Taxicab Company and requested a pick up at 27th and Noe streets in Noe Valley, a family-friendly, wealthy, upper-middle-class neighborhood in central San Francisco, known for its charming Victorian homes and vibrant 24th Street with local shops and restaurants. The caller had clearly given this location to the Yellow Cab Company operator, but had provided a non-existent address. When Roland Canfield arrived at the intersection he was immediately flagged down by a lone male walking on the street, who apparently entered the rear of the taxicab and shot the driver behind the right ear. Witnesses nearby heard the shot and saw a man enter a vehicle and leave the scene.
Somebody had phoned the Yellow Taxicab Company and requested a pick up at 27th and Noe streets in Noe Valley, a family-friendly, wealthy, upper-middle-class neighborhood in central San Francisco, known for its charming Victorian homes and vibrant 24th Street with local shops and restaurants. The caller had clearly given this location to the Yellow Cab Company operator, but had provided a non-existent address. When Roland Canfield arrived at the intersection he was immediately flagged down by a lone male walking on the street, who apparently entered the rear of the taxicab and shot the driver behind the right ear. Witnesses nearby heard the shot and saw a man enter a vehicle and leave the scene.
It is virtually impossible to dismiss the notion that the phone caller and murderer were the same individual. On first look, it is safe to conclude that the taxicab driver was deliberately lured to this location for the sole purpose of murder. The fictitious address (likely a house number) probably designed to keep Roland Canfield at that location temporarily as he radioed back to headquarters to notify them that the address didn't exist and he was available for hire once again. This information was obviously given to police by the Yellow Cab Company, who were likely informed by Canfield shortly after his arrival at the intersection. This short window of time would have given the eventual murderer, who "just happened to be walking" in close proximity to the taxicab, the opportunity to wave down the taxicab driver, who was probably grateful he hadn't wasted a journey. If the phone call, fictitious address and murder happening within a few minutes of one another was just a coincidence, then it's an unlikely one.
27TH AND NOE STREETS, SAN FRANCISCO. CLICK IMAGE TO ENTER GOOGLE MAPS.
KATHIE SNOOZY (15) After the Zodiac Killer's "Monticello" postcard on July 13th 1971, over two years had elapsed before a mini revival in "Zodiac" activity, beginning on August 1st 1973 with the arrival of the Albany letter, mailed to the Albany Times Union newspaper in New York, with the Zodiac Killer threatening he was "going to start killing again". Just under six weeks later, Roland Canfield, a taxicab driver, was killed at an intersection in San Francisco by an unknown assailant - seemingly directed to a location for nothing more than murder. Eight days later, on September 18th 1973, the Zodiac Killer surfaced in San Jose, removing the tombstone (of likely Kathie Snoozy) from the Oak Hill Memorial Park & Cemetery at 300 Curtner Avenue, where Kathie Snoozy (15) was buried. The tombstone being placed at the front gate of the cemetery with the pseudonym "Zodiac" written on it in crayon.
A cemetery located in the Monticello neighborhood of San Jose, which the Zodiac Killer referenced in his "Monticello" postcard after claiming the murder of Kathy Bilek, who "in the woods died April" (stabbed on April 11th 1971). Less than four months would pass, when on January 11th 1974, somebody claiming to be the Zodiac Killer phoned the police and newspapers stating he had killed a woman and placed her body in a Daly City church in San Mateo County. Only 18 days later, the Zodiac Killer mailed the "Exorcist" letter to the San Francisco Chronicle on January 29th 1974, threatening that if his latest letter wasn't published in the newspaper he would "do something nasty" which everyone knew he was capable of. We have five actual events, three of which can be proven to be Zodiac activity, in the space of six months. Question marks obviously remain regarding September 10th 1973 and January 11th 1974.
The Albany letter mailed on August 1st 1973 was the only communication since the Paul Stine letter on October 13th 1969 to carry small crosshairs on the address side of the envelope, despite the Paul Stine envelope not having been released to the public, so it's uncanny that the next event to be associated with the Zodiac Killer was the murder of Roland J. Canfield on September 10th 1973, the following month. There is limited information on the Roland Canfield murder in the newspapers to forge any substantial link to the Zodiac Killer, but the mere fsct he was mentioned in connection to the murder, may have been the catalyst that drove him to the Monticello neighborhood in San Jose on September 18th 1973.
A cemetery located in the Monticello neighborhood of San Jose, which the Zodiac Killer referenced in his "Monticello" postcard after claiming the murder of Kathy Bilek, who "in the woods died April" (stabbed on April 11th 1971). Less than four months would pass, when on January 11th 1974, somebody claiming to be the Zodiac Killer phoned the police and newspapers stating he had killed a woman and placed her body in a Daly City church in San Mateo County. Only 18 days later, the Zodiac Killer mailed the "Exorcist" letter to the San Francisco Chronicle on January 29th 1974, threatening that if his latest letter wasn't published in the newspaper he would "do something nasty" which everyone knew he was capable of. We have five actual events, three of which can be proven to be Zodiac activity, in the space of six months. Question marks obviously remain regarding September 10th 1973 and January 11th 1974.
The Albany letter mailed on August 1st 1973 was the only communication since the Paul Stine letter on October 13th 1969 to carry small crosshairs on the address side of the envelope, despite the Paul Stine envelope not having been released to the public, so it's uncanny that the next event to be associated with the Zodiac Killer was the murder of Roland J. Canfield on September 10th 1973, the following month. There is limited information on the Roland Canfield murder in the newspapers to forge any substantial link to the Zodiac Killer, but the mere fsct he was mentioned in connection to the murder, may have been the catalyst that drove him to the Monticello neighborhood in San Jose on September 18th 1973.
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