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Richard Grinell, Coventry, England
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KEN WILLIAMSON AND THE DMV LETTER

8/3/2019

 
Serial killer Karl Francis Werner may have found himself in the ignominious position of not only having been considered brieifly as a contender for being the Zodiac Killer, as well as the man who inspired the Zodiac Killer to his Lake Berryessa attack on September 27th 1969, but also the man who ultimately brought down the Zodiac Killer and ended his reign of terror, when he was booked for the murders of Kathy Snoozy, Deborah Furlong and Kathy Bilek on April 29th 1971. However, none of this would have been possible if it wasn't for the keen observations of park ranger Ken Williamson at Villa Montalvo in Saratoga. This man noticed that the bespectacled Werner was attending the Villa Montalvo park and woods by himself virtually every day, until such time as Kathy Bilek's brutally stabbed body was discovered down a ravine in the woods. Finding this particularly suspicious, park ranger Williamson took it upon himself to track down the man known only to him as Karl and the search began in earnest. Knowing he was a college student due to previous interactions with the young man, he visited the nearby campus and traced the vehicle he remembered Werner driving, and subsequently noted the vehicle's registrtion. This information and the excellent observation skills of Ken Williamson gave police the vital lead, that ultimately led to the capture and conviction of serial predator Karl Francis Werner. Without the astute detective work of this observant park ranger, there is no doubt whatsoever that other girls and women would have lost their lives to this heartless killer. Werner (69) is currently incarcerated at the California Medical Facility in Vacaville    
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Ken Williamson may also be responsible for the premature end of the Zodiac Killer's letter writing campaign in 1971. By the October of 1971, the Zodiac Killer had mailed two cards and two letters that year (one including a cipher), but it was the fifth and final communication of 1971 that may have been the elusive DMV letter - the correspondence that may eventually usurp the Exorcist letter as the final confirmed Zodiac communication - and long overdue, expose a killer for claiming the murders of another. He intimated he murdered Snoozy and Furlong by the inclusion of "Aug" in the November 8th 1969 'Driping Pen' card, and also claimed the murder of Kathy Bilek in the July 13th 1971 'Montcello' card, despite the fact that Karl Francis Werner had already been charged with all three murders. The Zodiac Killer was driven to claim the Bilek murder from Werner, because for nearly two years he had laid claim to Werner's other two victims (Snoozy and Furlong). This, in essence, is what drove him to reply to a 1971 San Francisco Chronicle article by Paul Avery regarding the questioning by police of Karl Francis Werner. The Zodiac wrote to the Chronicle stating "Stop listening t(o) phonys. If this is not on your front page in a week I will skin 3 little kids and make a suit from the skin". In other words, don't listen to Werner, I killed those three females. The threat of a further three kids doesn't require explanation - the correlation is there to see.   

None of these events would have transpired but for the diligence of Ken Williamson, who would ultimately inspire the last puff of defiant hot air from the Zodiac Killer before he was shamed and discredited into anonymity. He may have got away with claiming the abduction of Kathleen Johns, the murder of Richard Radetich and the disappearance of Donna Lass by virtue that none of these crimes had been solved. He was gifted the murder of Cheri Jo Bates by the column inches of Paul Avery - and not surprisingly accepted this gift with open arms, before throwing in a few more unnamed murders for good measure. None of which he revealed any information only pertinent to him and the police. He was only too willing to supply extra details in the July and August of 1969, make phone calls to the police after his second and third attack, write on a car door by a lake and send a blooded piece of shirt to the San Francisco Chronicle - yet any evidence thereafter was sadly lacking.

The dying fumes of the Zodiac Killer may have transpired in the latter months of 1971, or early months of 1972, when the Zodiac Killer was driven to communicate to the chairman of the DMV in Sacramento. A communication facilitated by the excellent work of Ken Williamson, whose 'vehicle license plate' details of Karl Francis Werner, resulted in the police identifying the home address of Werner at Shawnee Lane in San Jose and his eventual arrest. Bearing in mind the Zodiac Killer had directly and indirectly included San Jose in a total of five communications to date, with two consecutive ones in 1971, then it wouldn't be too surprising if the one mailed to the DMV in Sacramento (likely in the November or December of 1971) had a San Jose connection also.        

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In October 1971, a magazine publication entitled 'True Detective' comprehensively featured the murders of Kathy Snoozy, Deborah Furlong and Kathy Bilek, stating "At about the same moment, Park Ranger Ken Williamson was informing a member of the investigative team that he, too, had noticed a tall, bespectacled young man who had been a frequent visitor at Villa Montalvo. He was a loner and had impressed the Villa's ranger staff with his almost furtive conduct, said Williamson. The ranger had jotted down the license number of the strange youth's auto. The license number was forwarded to the California Department of Motor Vehicles headquarters in Sacramento, the state's capital 150 miles to the north of San Jose. The information teletyped back from the registration bureau was that the auto was the property of a Karl Francis Werner, living at an address on Shawnee Lane in San Jose".

The Zodiac Killer, probably in one last throw of the dice, sent a letter to the chairman of the DMV in a desperate attempt to reclaim some lost pride. It likely read as follows "I am the murderer of the two kids in San Jose in August and the girl on the 11th of April near the park in Saratoga. I drove away quite slowly from both crime scenes so as not to draw attention to my car. Stop listening to phonys". Yet, on this occasion he couldn't supply any extra details known only to him and the police, finally bringing the Zodiac Killer's unabated fortune of claiming unsolved crimes to a crashing halt, and thereby exposing him as the real phony that many suspected he always was. The Zodiac Killer's race was run - and Ken Williamson was the architect in his unthroning.    

BB
8/3/2019 10:47:06 am

More mind blowing stuff. I don't know what else to say!

Richard
8/3/2019 11:21:40 am

Unless the letter is eventually released and I'm wrong BB. Then I'll have to write a disclaimer. We'll have to wait and see. I may try another FOIA request, but unfortunately nowadays you rarely get anywhere.

Rubislaw 32 link
8/4/2019 08:39:36 am

Good for you,Richard.....just going through the proper channels,on a request....and certainly no patronizing,there.

In contrast,a ''certain'' Zodiac site manager,using the DMV letter,to falsely ''re-enforce'' the notion that he still has ''relaiable sources'',and feels unable to start a new thread,on the subject of the DMV letter,until that site manger receives ''permission'',from this ''highly reliable source''.

A load of ''tosh'',to say the least [?].

''Bitching'' aside....what do we actually have,with respect to the DMV letter,itself [?].

Probably not a lot,beyond a more ''speculative'' take [?].

That the DMV letter was sent to a DMV headquarters,in Sacramento,and addressed to [at least] the area manager....is probably ''fact''.

That,hearing of the DMV letter,first came to light,when DMV work colleagues of Claudia Stine,widow of Paul,whispered of its existence,in her ear.

And,that Zodiac investigator,Lyndon Lafferty,''claims'' that the essence of the letter,is a complaint,by ''someone'',who had failed to acquire a driving licence,in the name of William Grant,''twice'' in one day.

Beyond speculation,I would say that our chances of ever seeing the letter,are slim at best.Particularly as Claudia Stine,with ''verified family'' status,never even got a ''look in'',beyond what she was told.

But,anything is possible...and thanks for your efforts,Richard.Few simply try conventional methods....but sit back,dreaming of having ''sources'' again,with which to impress those,that gave up being impressed,a long time ago.

Richard
8/4/2019 09:51:56 am

Obviously I am sticking my neck out on this one regarding the San Jose connection and if the letter turns out to be something different I will still leave the articles in place as proof that I was wrong, but add a footnote to each article with the correct date and likely new answer. The Claudia Stine angle is certainly a possibility, as is the Sandra Garcia connection to the DMV. But there was limited coverage in the Bay Area to Sandra working at the California Department of Motor Vehicles, and these murders were never mentioned by the Zodiac Killer. Also, the Zodiac Killer never went after the family members of the victims as far as we can ascertain - and that included Joe Stine who offered Zodiac the opportunity on television. The Zodiac had no beef with the DMV regarding Claudia Stine or Sandra Garcia and I don't recall much newspaper coverage of either working there. However, we know the Zodiac Killer referred to the city of San Jose in numerous correspondences and the newspaper coverage of Ken Williamson was comprehensive regarding his details being sent to the DMV and ultimately nailing Karl Werner. But it didn't just put Werner to bed, it effectively destroyed the facade of Zodiac, who had portrayed the idea he was responsible for the Snoozy and Furlong murders. The one thing we know about Zodiac is that he read the newspapers and replied accordingly. There was more coverage of the DMV in respect to the murder of Kathy Bilek, than anywhere else in the Zodiac case. And we know the Monticello card was Zodiac insinuating his involvement in her murder. The police knew that Werner was responsible for Bilek's murder by the time Zodiac mailed the July 13th 1971 communication, but the mere fact that they placed this card in the San Francisco DNA table in 2000, showed their belief it was Zodiac correspondence. This card detailing the murder of Bilek is essentially now bound to the DMV through Ken Williamson and his efforts through the DMV to secure the arrest of Karl Werner. The DMV identification of Werner's vehicle essentially put to rest Zodiac's lies that he was the murderer of all three girls and hence his animosity and willingness to send them, no doubt, a vitriolic rebuke. He had no animosity regarding Claudia Stine or Sandra Garcia. The extensive newspaper coverage in this case regarding the DMV by statistics alone, make this more likely than the other two. And Zodiac certainly read the newspapers and Paul Avery, who wrote several articles on the San Jose and Saratoga murders. The Zodiac Killer certainly conversed with Avery from the Halloween card onwards, including the Pines card in 1971 and the response to Avery sometime in the middle of 1971, stating "Don't listen to phonys". Look, I may be wrong about the DMV letter if it's ever released, and I will hold my hands up and take my medicine, but as it stands I'm fairly confident it's connected to the Monticello card, which police deemed authentic Zodiac correspondence. I believe, probably as Tom does, that the DMV letter is genuine too. I can see good reasoning for why Zodiac wrote it, but I accept I could be wrong in my assessment.

Rubislaw 32 link
8/4/2019 10:29:35 am

Oh yes....certainly belief of the DMV's existence,Richard.

I just get ticked off,at those that immediately assume that it must have been ''directed'' at least,at Claudia Stine.

I did some research,about a year ago,on all the DMV outlets,in California....about 120...and has changed little,in 50 years.I was looking for clues on the possibility that the Zodiac might have selected a specific outlet,like ''Willows'' or ''Paradice''.

Wherever the Zodiac sent the DMV letter,it would have ended up in Sacramento,anyway....that's where ''complaints'' ended up,for processing.And,can only conclude,rightly or wrongly that he ''probably'' addressed it to the DMV ''boss'',and Sacramento....since it is unlikely that he would pursue personal issues with those related to victims....as you have intimated.

People like Kathleen Johns,may have been an exception to the Zodiac's ''rule''....since he was probably annoyed about the ''abduction'' claim....that ''initially'' suckered the Zodiac.Hence reports that Johns received a Halloween card....though not absolutely confirmed.

Richard
8/4/2019 11:06:38 am

Going to cover that card next Rubislaw, plus a little more.

BB
9/4/2019 04:51:01 pm

Gerald Armond Gallego dob July 17, 1946 and wife Charlene Gallego were busted in Sacramento after they went on a three year killing spree 1978-80.
Gerald's felony arrests began at age 10. Before he degenerated to the full-on 1978 levels - he got away with a lot of other crimes. He was husky 5' 7" with dirty blond hair in the right place at the right time period. We need to DNA him.

Ava
3/7/2020 11:00:13 am

I think Ken Williamson is the Zodiac Killer. Might seem far fetched, but think about it. Would also link the zodiac killer to the Golden State Killer. Remember when the cops found that badge outside one of the victim’s houses? And they determined it was a Park Ranger badge? The only reason Werner went to jail is because of Williamson’s identification. The only reason DeAngelo is in jail is because of a faulty DNA link to demographic data. It is not solid science.

Ava
3/7/2020 03:03:56 pm

Okay, it wasn’t necessarily a park ranger badge. But a badge. This guy likes being some kind of authority figure, or pretending to be. IMO.

Ava
3/9/2020 05:23:06 pm

Nevermind, direct dna eventually linked D’Angelo to his crimes. Still think this Williamson guy should be looked at for the Zodiac killings.

Richard
3/9/2020 05:46:18 pm

"The only reason Werner went to jail is because of Williamson’s identification". And because Werner took them to the blooded knife he used. There is virtually no information on Williamson on the internet, so the chances of attempting to link him to the Zodiac crimes is practically zero. From my perspective, attempting to link people to the Zodiac crimes is an unrewarding and futile venture - we are better off identifying Zodiac's home location and starting there, in absence of DNA. Zodiac was actually claiming the Snoozy, Furlong and Bilek murders, so if Williamson was Zodiac, trying to pin the murders on Werner would be self-defeating. Zodiac would be claiming the murders and putting the murders on somebody else at the same time. This would evidently be an exercise in negation.


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