LAKE HERMAN ROAD - THE BALLISTICS REPORT

7/26/2016

Click the image above to view the other bullet hole in the headliner of the Rambler

With the events at Lake Herman Road for the most part built around eyewitness statements, we shall delve a little deeper into the ballistics evidence gathered from the turnout that fateful night, asking ourselves the question, were David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen murdered by one or more assailants? Ten casings were itemized at the crime scene and 8 bullets were recovered; five that targeted Betty Lou Jensen, one from David Faraday and two were retrieved from the Rambler station wagon, with the other two never located. Of the ten casings, nine were scattered on the turnout floor and one was discovered on the front passenger floorboard of the Rambler. These bullets and casings were retrieved and sent off for examination to determine the likely weapon used in the murders, and indeed, if they were actually fired from the same weapon.

Bullets and casings exhibit identifiable markings. In regards to the casings, there are notable features imparted before and as the casing is ejected from the weapon, including firing pin impressions, breech marks, ejector marks and extractor marks. The bullets will exhibit class characteristics such as lands and grooves, that include number, depth and width, all dependent on the barrel rifling unique to that firearm. These lands and grooves, cut left or right, cause the bullet to spin as it is fired from the weapon, creating left or right class characteristics visible on the ejected bullet.

The police report states that 'Five Super X .22 cartridge cases found at scene by coroner Dan Horan were turned over to RO at the crime scene' and 'Four Super X cartridge cases found at scene by Sgt Silva were turned over to RO at mortuary'. These casings along with the bullets were sent to the Department of Justice, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation, where they were examined. This document again details these 9 casings only in an itemized list: [1] Bullet from Faraday's body. [2] Two bullets from Jensen's body. [3] Bullet found in panties of Jensen. [4] Five Super X .22 cartridge cases found at scene by coroner. [5] Four Super X cartridge cases found at scene by Sgt Silva. [6] One bullet found on top of 1961 Rambler. [7] One bullet found in floor mat, left side storage area of 1961 Rambler. [8] One bullet found on ground near Jensen's body. [9] Purple dress of Jensen.

There were ten casings discovered at the crime scene but only nine were itemized to be tested, which were the ones found by Sgt Silva and Dan Horan. It is of high probability that these 9 casings were the ones recovered from the turnout floor and not the casing situated on the front passenger side of the Rambler. It was essential the casings were ultimately retrieved from the turnout floor, but was the casing inside the Rambler and marked on the police sketches inadvertently or deliberately left in situ when the Rambler station wagon was towed away for closer examination, ultimately separating this cartridge from the other nine. Hence the Department of Justice report only highlighting nine casings for testing; "Examinations have been conducted of all the bullets and cartridge cases present in items 1 through 8". This means that likely only nine casings were tested, leaving the possibility that the tenth casing found in the front passenger side floorboard of the Rambler was never compared to the other casings. This may be extremely important if we can link this casing to the bullet used in the murder of David Faraday, and identify that the firearm used in this instance was separate to the one used to discharge the other nine bullets, and thereby possibly implicating a second weapon and second shooter.

Click Image above to expand

The Department of Justice report stated that the submitted items corresponded with the use of a J C Higgins 80 pistol, "although it must not be assumed that the exhibits must have been fired in such a weapon". However, it does state a crucial piece of information - that the bullet fired into David Faraday did not contain the same class characteristics as the other six submitted bullets. What it actually said was 'All bullets submitted were Western copper coated .22 long rifle bullets, although some were damaged, it was possible to determine ALL but Item [1] had 6 right hand groove class characteristics'. Item [1] was the bullet recovered from David Faraday. This does not indicate the bullet as distinct and separate, but it certainly couldn't be definitively linked either, opening up the possibility it may have originated from a second firearm. If any one bullet recovered that night was to show different characteristics to the others, it could be argued that it is not surprising it came from David Faraday, if there were two assailants that night.

The first assailant triggers the events that night, firing off warning shots into the Rambler. The couple exit the vehicle and are contained by assailant [1] and assailant [2]. Without speculating on the order of the murders, the first assailant who fired into the Rambler secures Betty Lou Jensen, then unleashes a further barrage of gunfire as she flees westwards, accounting for nine casings. The second assailant who has secured David Faraday, murders him with a single shot to the head, accounting for one casing and the bullet that didn't exhibit 6 right hand twist characteristics. There is every reason to believe that the assailant responsible for firing into the Rambler from close quarters is the same person who secured Betty Lou Jensen, as she was first to exit the Rambler as he was approaching the vehicle.

Click image above to expand

This is where the 'missing' casing comes into play - the tenth casing not documented in the Department of Justice report, and the one observed lying on the front passenger floorboard of the Rambler station wagon. With David Faraday standing on the right side of the Rambler (by the right rear wheel), facing away, a weapon pressed up to his head from this position by a right-handed shooter, would likely eject the casing to the shooter's rear, in a direct line with the open door of the Rambler, either deflecting off the door or landing unimpeded onto the passenger side floorboard. If the bullet that killed David Faraday was distinct and separate to the other tested bullets, this 'missing' casing may hold all the answers. If the markings on this casing are similarly unique compared to the other nine casings, then it is not inconceivable that a link exists between the bullet and casing used to murder David Faraday, and may implicate a second assailant on December 20th 1968.

There should have been a further item listed in the Department of Justice report: [10] 'One Super X cartridge case found on the front passenger side of the Rambler station wagon.' But there wasn't.

This website contains no advertisements. To help keep it running, any donations, however small, would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Richard.

25 Comments

Ray Grant link

7/26/2016 11:54:29 pm

I emailed Scott Bullock immediately after reading Richard's article, since Scott is infinitely more knowledgeable about ballistics than I am. I hope Scott doesn't mind if I quote his tentative responses here:

"I will say that it's not unreasonable to seek clarity on the 10th shell casing and the bullet recovered from Faraday. I don't know if there's enough information available to determine conclusively that the 10th casing was never compared to the other nine, especially by another agency, or if the bullet recovered from Faraday just wasn't too distorted for comparative purposes."

That's the problem. I suspect Solano County just assumed that a single gun was used, particularly when the nine slugs had the same markings, and as a result of that, didn't take a close look at Shell Casing #10, partly because it was collected later and not grouped with the other nine.

"If it could be shown that two different guns were used, serious consideration would have to be given to the multiple assailant theory. Of course, it's also possible that one assailant had two guns."

Well, I tend to come down on Richard Grinell's side with the two guns, since both the shot into David Faraday's head and the shots into Betty Lou's back would have required considerable accuracy and control. In other words, I tend to believe all the shots were fired by the shooter's dominant hand, and if the evidence shows there were two guns, considering the pitch dark circumstances and the short window of time, I doubt seriously that a single shooter was juggling weapors between his hands.

This is the sort of thing that might be worth contacting CI&I about. If Richard wants me to do that, I can do a domestic Express Mail request, essentially copying his argument and reminding CI&I of the implications of the Two Gun Theory. They'll probably just ignore it, but it wouldn't hurt to try.

Alex Lewis

8/7/2016 01:51:09 pm

Hi Ray, hope all is well with Yourself.

Just wanted to ask Ray, have you got an email addy I can contact you at? It's not anything of a 'Top Secret' Nature, I just don't want discuss it here and clog up a thread with unrelated communications.

I basically want to have a question put to one, maybe two people over on your side of the pond and as I'm sure you understand and appreciate, I as A Brit don't have the options open to Me that someone such as yourself, over in the relevant areas & Country, May have available to them.

Cheers Ray, hope to speak soon.

Richard

8/7/2016 02:00:21 pm

http://www.zodiackillersolved.com/2016/01/06/my-email-address/

Alex Lewis

8/31/2016 03:41:45 pm

Ray, can you confirm that ZodiacKillerTalk.com is your Site? If so, One has submitted a membership request and am Awaiting Sit's Admin Approval. I stumbled across your very good, and if I may say so, extremely accurate assessment of Miss Tahoe27.

I do believe Ray, although I have no proof, that I am one the The 'Jerks' of this community that she makes reference to. Difficult to know who specifically She is referring to due to Her either not having the confidence or more than likely, is not allowed due to The Wonderful Censorship that goes on over there at that site.. . Well, depending on who you are that is. The Dear Leader of the Site decides who is important enough to argue back/defend oneself.

What T-Hoe_27 what has essentially said to you Ray is: "We here, in light of not wanting to offend or insult known Z sleuths We have created h A Private thread we Call 'Top Secret' to gossip about and slag you off behind your back'

Tahoe think's this is something We should Respect and Admire, must do by Her proudly declaring the existence of such a thread. At Least Ray if I, and I know you yourself will also, have issue with someone or personal dislike etc, We won't create A secret society to gossip and name call, we'll just save time & tell you directly.

Alex Lewis

8/31/2016 03:53:29 pm

Tahoe_27, You had better be talking about Me in your little 'Top Secret' Thread! If I am not the topic of discussion on The You know what My ego is like! I'll run you an add too if you like?

"Bored of your secret society? Lost it's appeal? Then you need a change,, and Boy do we have just what your looking for in a newly created secret society. It Goodbye Skull & Bones... Hello Tahoe's Stick's & Stones! Join now and talk about other people with Her and Her 'Secret Pals' called Seagul, Smithy and Morf."

Any chance you could re-name your thread 'Area 51'? Oooh Go on, Pleaseeee! For My own amusement

I am not surprised though that Tahoe supports such private mud slinging 'Lest we Offend someone' idea. She, along Morfs Black Hand Death Mods over there don't seem to understand the basic principle of Free speech as A protected Right.

Freedom of Speech is not needed to protect the popular and happily accepted theories, ideas and opinions because it needs no protection. The Freedom to speak freely is there for that speech that is not popular,and it must and does include the right to offend whether deliberately or not. Tahoe and Co. fail to understand it's basic concept.

I mean, I always make the point that I cannot stand Jeremy Kyle and His absolute Hypocritical, 2 faced double standards and every single Morning His face is on My TV Screen which I am offended at! What if I run to my Telephone to dial the Number of ITV Studios and upon them answering began demanding that they remove The Jeremy Kyle show from their channel and cease broadcast immediately & without delay for I have become offended!
They'd hang up on Me very quickly.

Then I shall use Legal Threats: "I must warn you, One shall file litigation alleging you broadcasting Jeremy Kyle's His face into My TV every day has now left My Emotionally Damaged with a Fear of the TV Set. I shall claim I am in Therapy to talk about when I first became psychologically damaged after finding out that My taking Offence cannot be cause to shut down A Broadcasting Cooperation! But the Physiotherapy is coming along well as I have to completely Re learn how to approach a TV Set and Hit the on button

Richard

9/1/2016 01:13:13 am

It is Ray's site, but he is running it as a non-forum, so nobody can join and no existing member can post.

Richard

7/27/2016 02:44:31 am

Any extra information on this topic would be welcome. From my standpoint I find it more likely regarding two shooters two guns, as opposed to one shooter two guns. In the Debut of Zodiac letter the author wrote "What I did was tape a small pencel flash light to the barrel of my gun," indicative of one shooter adapting a weapon for targeting, not the requirement of two firearms, possibly both adapted for 'in case' purposes. The shot to David Faraday's left ear left stippling or gun shot residue, a point blank shot certainly not requiring any sort of aiming attachments. I don't know the answer to this, but I have always wondered what sort of effect (if he was killed first) this would have on a pencil flashlight's accuracy regarding back spatter and therefore its ability to function accurately. It is designed for target shooting, not close quarter murder.
What was interesting in the Debut of Zodiac letter is his statement "All I had to do was spray them as if it was a water hose; there was no need to use the gun sights." He remarks that he sprayed 'them', although David Faraday was shot within inches of his head. He may loosely have sprayed her, but as he implied didn't need the sighting implement, as he began shooting Betty Lou close quarters and she ultimately fell (if we go by her feet) at about 13 feet from the rear of the Rambler. It just seemed an interesting link that the bullet fired into David may possibly have ejected the cartridge into the Rambler itself, and if this cartridge had explicitly different markings, it may lend weight to the bullet recovered from David Faraday being independent to the others. Thank Scott for me.

Richard

7/27/2016 09:37:13 am

I think we can agree on two things Ray, that if more than one assailant was involved at Lake Herman Road, the Chevrolet Impala and the two Caucasians identified by William Crow are integral to the mechanics of this crime. Of course I don't want go off the deep end, but the question of the vehicle pulling up behind Darlene Ferrin's Corvair, leaving and then returning approximately 5 minutes later does not necessarily indicate the same vehicle, Michael was a less than reliable witness. However in the police report he clearly stated "the driver turned the lights off on the car and pulled around to the left or east side of their car approximately 6 or 8 feet away and sat their for a minute. Then it left. Shortly thereafter a vehicle arrived and parked 10 feet to the right behind their vehicle. This time however the vehicle's headlights were left on and the assailant carried a large handled flashlight, either to pretend to be the police or simply to mask their approach. These could easily have been two separate vehicles, after all Mageau had no knowledge of vehicle identification. It is interesting that one may have been the precursor to the second, identification if you will. However the first vehicle would have passed the driver side, the second vehicle and subsequent attack targeted the passenger side. If the first and second vehicle were in fact the same vehicle, the killer may as well have struck the first time, he had the means, opportunity and parking lot all to himself. Of course the first vehicle may have nothing to do with the crime, but it reminds me of Lake Herman Road with William Crow, suspicious activity shortly before the crime. If the occupant/s of the first vehicle was separate to the occupant of the second, then you have a planned and coordinated strike, the first sighting the target, the second the trigger man. I have a strange and wonderful idea for Presidio Heights I'm working on, I shall get back to you. Now don't forget Ray I am only mulling over these ideas for consideration.

Richard

7/27/2016 10:57:46 am

I read your Kindle again on Presidio Heights again and I have another take. I don't necessarily subscribe to this, but I will lay it out nonetheless. I shall work backwards through the events that night. Donald Fouke spots a man walking on Cherry 35-45 years of age, 5'10", blond hair, brown wool pants, he described as older and heavier. The teenagers describe a man 25-20 years of age, 5'8"/5'9", reddish-brown hair, dark trousers. Let us assume these are separate individuals both connected to the taxicab. The young suspect spotted by the teenagers and the older suspect who effectively implicates himself by sending the coppers off looking for a man with a gun and stating he saw the police by Jackson and Maple in the letter, which turned out true. So both can be traced back to the taxicab. The teenagers never heard a shot and only came to the window when the 'assailant' was seen leaning over Stine on the front seat. We don't know the time that had elapsed from the taxicab arriving to the time the teenagers looked out of the window. The two accomplices arrive at Washington and Cherry in the taxicab, one of the occupants shoots Paul Stine, likely the older man and leaves with the firearm up Cherry and travels along Jackson where he stumbles into Donald Fouke and directs him away from the taxicab, the second younger man enters the front of the taxicab to remove the piece of shirt, Stine has been shot, but this subject has no weapon. If anybody arrives he can simply say he saw the shooting and entered the taxicab to help the driver, removing the shirt piece to plug the wound, or ripped it in trying to haul Stine from the floorboard, whatever. He has the perfect cover story, he has no weapon on his person. If police now arrive he can direct them away from his partners direction. They didn't however so he didn't need the cover story and departed up Cherry. The teenagers never saw the first man leave the cab, only the second. The shirt piece was the prized souvenir to send to the Chronicle, so the key was to separate the gun from the scene as quickly as possible, leaving the co-conspirator to remove the shirt piece with a back-up cover story just in case. The older man spotted by Fouke inadvertently helped the accomplice by directing Fouke away from Cherry. But regardless, the younger accomplice left shortly after his cohort, maybe even saw his friend stopped and concealed himself somewhere, possibly behind a car on the south side of Jackson, had he even got that far. The younger man could easily have stuffed the shirt piece down his trousers or underwear, again if the worst was to happen, he was stopped and had been patted down no weapon would have been felt by the police. To have killed Paul Stine and removed the shirt, while still holding the smoking gun seems the less desirable option. This however is just a throw away idea, not to be given too much consideration.

Alex Lewis

7/24/2019 06:30:25 am

While it is still unsolved & a mystery .… Everything remains a possibility untill it is conclusively proved to be excused by irrefutable evidence.

For me personally, Don's Un-Sub and WMA on Jackson is to my own mind, most definitely the suspect. If he isn't then he is so unfortunate to just happen to be 50 yards from a Zodiac homicide scene that occurred in the previous ten/fifteen minutes while also and rather astonishingly is also wearing an almost exact clothing description that the Zodiac wars also described as sporting two weeks previous at lake B.

For that to be non linked and happen by coincidence?? What . . . 1, maybe 1.5 million to 1?

Richard

7/27/2016 03:42:25 pm

Thanks Ray for your help on this topic.

Alex Lewis

7/24/2019 03:37:48 am

The tenth casing Rich, maybe they know all too well it's a seperate brand of ammo, different Calibre or a shell casing fired from a second sepetate weapon and, as police often do, keep this back from the public so that when as Law Enforcement went in to do, question the authenticity of the author claiming responsibility as being the murderer of the girl on 4th July and the two teenagers on Lake Herman last Christmass, they can as they subsequently did, state they are not convinced he is the true killer and request additional proof from said writer?

The claimant responded by delcaring he would be happy to supply them with their request additional details with even more facts about his 'good times.'

Maybe that was the very reason cops via the press specifically asked for additional details as they were throwing out the chance for him to state that one very specific and withheld fact about the tenth bullet being different. The fact he didn't may have been telling for LE enough to remain highly sceptical of this writer and his claims.

Ray Grant link

7/27/2016 09:12:31 pm

In my book, I suggest that a second Zodiac, likely the female, rode along in the cab and got out at Washington & Maple, thus the trip book entry, with the male then saying that he just lived a block further along Washington. This would also help explain Paul Stine's not being suspicious of a single male in the back of his cab. We know the shooter was in the back, because when Stine's body was pulled out by the morgue stewards, his bloody city map fell onto the pavement with the movement, which means Stine had his city map on the front passenger seat, which means no one was sitting there during the ride. We also know that Stine wasn't wary of his rider(s), because he was listening for and then responded to the dispatch to 500 9th Avenue that was made at 9:45pm, when he had to be enroute to Washington Street.

I use the second (female) Zodiac to explain the misidentification of a Negro Male Adult, which could have been set up by someone calling in the Presidio Heights murder to the police dispatcher from a pay phone without actually naming the intersection, and saying that a Negro Male Adult was the perpetrator. Then, when the teenagers made their call at 9:58pm, the dispatcher was already programmed to believe the killer was black.

However, your idea would explain one aspect of the murder that has always puzzled me: How could the killer—how could anyone—just sit inside a car tending to the body when the police were likely to show up any minute? It was clearly the intent of the Zodiac(s) to get that swatch of shirt so he/they could mail it with the letters, but how could they do that without risking ignominous capture by a patrol car that just happened to be in the area?

Zodiac 1 is the shooter, an older man.

Zodiac 2 is the younger man who gets into the front seat.

Zodiac 1 shoots Stine at Washington & Maple. After Stine's head is pushed down toward the front passenger side floorboard, Zodiac 2 quickly gets into the front seat and drives the cab an additional block. This puts a block between where the gun was fired and where the cab was found. Just in case a witness heard the muffled gunshot—muffled because, with a contact wound to the head, the skull itself acts as a silencer—or saw the muzzle flash, it effectively moves the crime to a secondary location.

Once they pull up at Washington & Cherry and put the cab in PARK, Zodiac 1 gets out and begins walking up Cherry Street. Zodiac 2, back at the car, hacks off the back of Paul Stine's shirt. He then begins wiping down the dashboard and steering wheel, to eliminate his own prints, so if the cops do pull up, they don't realize that he actually drove the cab.

Zodiac 2 doesn't want to have to deal with the cops, but if they do arrive, he has a perfect alibi: he happened to be walking in the area, saw that the driver had been shot, and immediately attempted to revive him. Since he didn't fire the gun, his hands will not have any gunshot residue or blood blowback from the shot.

Zodiac 2 gets out of the cab and wipes down the outside, but does leave his own prints in blood on the door divider—again, if he's caught, that's not a problem, because he can prove he's not the shooter. He walks up Cherry Street to his own car, replaces his bloody jacket with one from the trunk or back seat, gets behind the wheel, and slowly pulls out and makes the right on Jackson Street.

In the meantime, Zodiac 1, with a significant head start, has taken care to ditch the gun in a prearranged spot where they can later come back for it (if possible). He may also have made the phone call from a pay phone that misdirects the police dispatcher to look for a black man. He then makes the right turn onto Jackson Street. He is walking along the north curb when Fouke and Zelms pull up. Fouke doesn't see any blood on his clothes because there is none; Zodiac 1 never got into the front seat where the blood was.

Zodiac 1 looks like he belongs in the area: an older man who has nothing to fear from being stopped, since he's ditched the gun and isn't bloody, and only has to worry about having his hands checked for GSR, which isn't likely under the circumstances. He redirects the police to drive PAST Cherry Street, to lessen the likelihood they will see Zodiac 2. After the police speed away, Zodiac 2 pulls up in his car, and Zodiac 1 gets in.

The sketches? Let's assume the two men both wore glasses. The teenagers describe Zodiac 2 at the cab. Since the sketch artist and police assume they're describing the same man, Fouke merely says, "No, he was older, and his face was flabbier, etc," and they merely make adjustments to the original sketch.

Richard

7/28/2016 02:12:55 am

James Owen was the only eyewitness to view a second vehicle in the turnout, parked approximately 10 feet to the right of the tan Rambler. In the police report titled Sheriff's Office Solano County, despite it being in close proximity to the Faraday vehicle he states "He could not give a description of the make or color of the other car." However the 'Crime Report' on page 6 indicating the time stamp or range from 11.14-11.20pm, under vehicle used by suspect(s) it indicates the make is unknown, but the witness observed "a dark car, lacking in chrome, not large and not compact." Because it is referencing the suspect vehicle and the description clearly isn't the Rambler, then we now have a dark vehicle, medium size. The only relevant eyewitness on the report is Stella Medeiros, bearing in mind the time of 11.14-11.20pm indicated top left of page. This crime report suggests Stella Medeiros saw a suspect vehicle on her journey that night and this report indicates the location of the turnout.
Her statement on page 20 of the police report states "She saw only one car at the scene. It looked like a Rambler, grayish in color, it had a chrome rack on the top." The question therefore is, why on page 6 do we have Stella Medeiros on a crime report, linked to a suspect vehicle, dark in color, lacking in chrome. Different in both respects to the Rambler which clearly had chrome and was generally light tan in color.

Richard

7/28/2016 03:41:13 am

Putting aside the white Chevrolet Impala for now, the actual description given by Stan on page 52 of the police report was of a "Oldsmobile, 2-door, H.T. 88, blue in color and a 1963 blue 1963 Chevrolet Impala. " William Crow initially described a Valiant and although this may have been suggested to him from the detail of the vehicle he was describing, it seems unusual that his color description would have been suggested to him by an interviewing police officer. His initial description was that of a blue car, exactly like Stan. This coupled with the white Chevrolet Impala clearly identified by Robert Connelly, Frank Gasser and Bingo Wesher in the turnout, may possibly implicate two vehicles that night. The description of the suspect(s) vehicle on page 6 of the LHR police report links Stella Medeiros and a dark (possibly blue) vehicle under one page, a vehicle lacking in chrome somewhere en scene in the vicinity or at the turnout itself. On this same report it indicates the possible weapon used in the crime as a JC Higgins, so obviously this and detail contained within the report including the suspect vehicle may have been garnered subsequent to her initial statement.
Stella Medeiros categorically describes seeing only one car in the turnout, backed up by the police report on page 20, as well as the police sketches, so possibly an alternative exists. Page 6 of the police report details the time of the event at 11.14-11.20pm, contains the firearm information, the shots fired, plus an apparent witness to the suspect vehicle, that presumably isn't Stella Medeiros. This report is a collection of information drafted from different reports and collated. So was the witness to the suspect vehicle "dark in color, lacking chrome, not large and not compact." James Owen, who fits into the 11.14pm time detailed on the top left of the page. The police sketches they drew up had 11.14pm as his arrival, despite reservations of this accuracy to the contrary. Was James Owen interviewed a third time, remembering crucial, yet scant details of the mystery car parked only 10 feet from the Rambler.

Richard

7/28/2016 04:55:01 am

James Owen would later recollect the exact position of that turnout in respect to the bend in the road, although couldn't remember the month of the double murder "it was not normal for me to see any cars there, let alone 2 side by side. You could really see that spot good because of the way the lights shine in there, and because it was around a bend." He stated in the police report he couldn't identify the make or color of the car, only 10 feet from Rambler, although he described that fairly well. He may not have been able to have discerned the color of the suspect(s) vehicle, but maybe he knew it was dark in color, as described in the police report on page 6. He described the Rambler as a "1955 or 1956 station wagon, boxy type, neutral in color." It had a chrome style luggage rack and metallic rear. The police report on page 6 contrasts the Rambler description given by James Owen, as if he was comparing them, the suspect(s) vehicle was dark not neutral, the suspect(s) vehicle was 'lacking in chrome' unlike the Rambler that had a luggage rack, and the suspect(s) vehicle was 'not large or compact' whereas the Rambler was described as 'boxy'. This may be interpretation, but seems to suggest that possibly James Owen described the second vehicle, albeit vaguely.

Alex Lewis

8/7/2016 12:18:16 am

"James Owen would later recollect the exact position of that turnout in respect to the bend in the road."

This is true, He did. He often would recollect the little details of insignificance, such as it taking Mr Owen a whole 96 Hours, gie or take an hour each way, for Him to recollect "Oooo yes, it just come back to me.....I passed scene itself, proceeded on for One quarter of a mile and at that point, I then hear the distinctive sound of a shot fired clear and audible no doubt in my mind. I knew homicides were comitted there within hours of it happening and for some reason, I never connected 'Murder by gun' here with 'audible shot fired heard over there to each other until now!"

It took James from the 20th when hearing it, to Xmas eve's 24th before He remembered and asking J why is fruitless garnering the response of: "Pass, next question please. . ."

Richard

7/28/2016 05:08:53 am

If somebody asks you Ray to describe an individual vehicle you saw earlier that day, you are highly unlikely to state "the vehicle was lacking in chrome", even in 1968. However if you were being asked to describe that vehicle sitting alongside the Rambler (with chrome), you may indicate the second vehicle was lacking in chrome, using the Rambler as a comparison. In other words the description of a vehicle "dark in color, lacking chrome, not large and not compact," must have originated from James Owen, as he is the only eyewitness to have observed two vehicles in the turnout that night. And by extension the second vehicle was dark in color, and possibly not the white Chevrolet Impala.

Richard

7/28/2016 05:22:45 am

This certainly would not be bad news for your four person assailant theory. A suspicious light colored Chevrolet observed by Connelly, Gasser and Wesher in the turnout, and maybe William Crow with two Caucasian males and a second dark vehicle (possibly blue) observed by James Owen that initiated the attack.

Richard

7/28/2016 04:09:03 am

Here is a side by side comparison of two vehicles I found.
1. Stan- Hardtop 88 2-door Oldsmobile, blue in color.
http://topclassiccarsforsale.com/uploads/photoalbum/1967-oldsmobile-delmont-88-2-door-hardtop-1.JPG

2. William Crow (in later interview)-described a light colored Chevy, but let us consider his original description of a blue color (possibly light blue) was correct.
http://cdn.barrett-jackson.com/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/91133/91133_Front_3-4_Web.jpg

Both hardtop, both double headlights, similar in size, sloping rear, front grill slightly shorter in one. But at 10 o'clock at night identification is not an exact science.

Alex Lewis

7/30/2016 04:59:24 pm

My Opinion, if this one casing is missing from the report, it's not omitted by accident. LE keep certain facts and evidence out of the public domain for obvious reasons. This is likely them doing just that but if that is the case (excuse the pun) then it simply must mean that, almost by default, this one casing is somehow different or unique from the rest otherwise, if it were simply another .22 Super X casing, there would be nothing unique about it nor justifiable to without from the press. Unless it was a .22 Super X casing that did not match all the others in that it was fired from a different weapon.

I'm sure one of the initial post event reports by the media declared that one of the casing found was a (I can't recall exact term or descriptive phrase used, I am unfamiliar with ammo. terms and such) long point rifle casing. To me, a rifle is a long barreled weapon, a gun with a butt held into the shoulder while aiming, usually with scope or sight.

That one press report made reference to this rifle cartridge found ad then after that, I never heard it mentioned again.

Richard

8/6/2016 11:52:53 pm

Mike stated on Zodiac Killer Site forum "That missing casing is interesting. I remember being at Russ' home for several days in 2003 and he told me that he had one of the shell casings from LHR. We looked through several ashtrays of junk trying to find it but never did. I wonder if the one he had is the missing one, since the car would have been placed in possession of the SO after the shooting, as seen in several videos. Maybe he took it as a souvenir."
I really hope this is not the case, if so, not only is this the end of any hope of ever locating it, but effectively shuts down any new line of investigation. Surely the DOJ must have said to investigators 'where is the 10th casing', after all ten casings were retrieved. To not question why only 9 were submitted seems odd or unprofessional to me, after all this was the biggest murder case in their history.

Alex Lewis

8/6/2016 11:56:43 pm

The Founding Father, if you will, of Criminal Profiling & the reason today the FBI has today a Behavioral Science Dpt, Mr John Douglas, did state on a TV Documentary the other day something that got my attention when He declared:

"In my research and countless hours spent interviewing Serial Killers it became apparent that A S Killers first crime is significant. They usually commit their first Homicide in area's where they feel confident and comfortable. So, the offender will likely either live there or work there...."

Makes sense seen as Zodiac was out there on foot that night. Ah ah a.....No, Don't consider questioning this & losing one's Title as Creator & Owner of this site. Told you before, I don't want to take it off you but you'll leave me no choice.

I am like this in real life Rich too! I informed the IBF Hvyweight Champion Anthony 'A.J' Joshua that let's not mess about, He & I know He's only the Hvyweight king because I'm allowing it. If I lace up the gloves, everyone is relieved of their titles. I declared "I'd KO you in round 2 most easily AJ, your nothing and punch like a girl and f*&% you chump, ...." And then, well then I put the phone down on Him.

Gerpard

7/22/2019 12:51:54 pm

Can you upload a photo for the Betty Lou Jensen classmates

Richard

7/22/2019 02:06:08 pm

If you want photographs of her classmates, the best place to ask is Zodiac Killer Site forum. But you may have to join. Here are some photographs from Zodiac Killer.com message board.
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/zodiackillerfr/vallejo-and-hogan-high-school-students-t5230.html

LAKE HERMAN ROAD - THE BALLISTICS REPORT

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