ZODIAC CIPHERS
RICHARD GRINELL, COVENTRY, ENGLAND
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PROXIMITY

7/7/2019

 
The circumstances of a payphone call 40 minutes after the Blue Rock Springs attack, being made from a location only 10 minutes journey time from the crime scene, has generated the idea of a killer who lived extremely close to the Springs and Tuolumne intersection in Vallejo. The over-detailed description of a negro-male eyewitness, generously offered by the author in his August 4th 1969 communication, appeared to corroborate that the murderer was making the phone call accompanied by his car, His unnecessary use of phraseology such as "when I hung the phone up the damn thing began to ring & that drew his attention to me + my car", can be construed as a man attempting to sell us the idea that he was not on foot. This formulated the notion of a ruthless killer who separated himself from his vehicle, weapon and clothing, before making the risky phone call so near to the Vallejo Police Department. He also admitted to hearing the 'trace' on the payphone, indicating that he was still within earshot of the payphone when it rang. This is important, because if the ring-back hadn't occurred within approximately 20 seconds, he would have been long gone in his vehicle. 
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There is also a distinct possibility the slayer of Darlene Ferrin had blood transfer on his t-shirt, as he leaned over the passenger side seat of the 1963 brown Corvair in order to shoot Michael Mageau as he took refuge in the rear of the vehicle. Michael Mageau later described a heavyset man of 26-30 years, standing at about 5'8'' tall, beefy build, but not blubbery fat, possibly 195-200 pounds, short curly light brown hair, almost blond. He stated the assailant's vehicle was similar to Darlene's brown Corvair, possibly lighter in color. The accuracy of these statements must be seen in context to the very brief time he was given to view the subject. Nevertheless, these were his recollections documented in the police report. 

Nearly one month after the attack on July 31st 1969, three letters were mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner and Vallejo Times-Herald threatening more murder and mayhem. Speculation inevitably arose after the Blue Rock Springs attack, as to whether Darlene Ferrin was specifically targeted by the killer, after three further suspicious phone calls were received in the early morning hours of July 5th. 
Much has been discussed regarding these phone calls, received at the 1300 Virginia Street residence of Darlene Ferrin, and the 930 Monterey Street residence of Mr Arthur J Ferrin and Mrs Mildred Ferrin at approximately 01:30 am, just one and a half hours after the murder of Darlene Ferrin and attempted murder of Michael Mageau at Blue Rock Springs.

Using the descriptors above, I went in search of a young male, heavyset, brownish hair, around 5'8", driving a vehicle similar or the same as the brown Corvair of Darlene Ferrin. This subject must also have had the ability to drive from Blue Rock Springs to a residence close to the payphone, so he could ditch his vehicle, weapon and clothing, and still walk to the payphone by 12:40 am and place the call to police dispatcher Nancy Slover. The murderer issued the message "I want to report a double murder. If you will go one mile east...... on Columbus Parkway to the public park, you will find the kids in a brown car. They were shot with a 9 mm Luger. I also killed those kids last year.... Good-bye". The wording of the killer gave the impression that he was unaware of the crime having already been discovered. Was he a resident close to the Vallejo Police Department and had not heard or seen the 'surge' of patrol cars heading along Solano Avenue to Springs Road?- which didn't happen. The answer to all the above observations already lay on page 42 of the Blue Rock Springs police report.  

PictureDarlene Ferrin
Page 42: At 12:55 pm on 9-9-69 an anonymous letter was received at Vallejo PD stating "Badly rusted beat up Corvair getting a bright green paint job at 909 Georgia. Owner about 25, 5'9", over 200 lbs, brownish thinning hair, sloppy fat, strange acting. Lives with parents. Calif BTU 179". Sgt Kramer observed this car parked in the Mobile Station at the corner of Georgia and Monterey Streets, BTU 179. Car has maroon (brownish red) top, light green hood and dark green panels. Car is 1963 Corvair 2-door. Checked the registration of the car and it reflects that Patrick, 909 Georgia Street. Went to that address and contacted Patrick Dennis, WMA, 23 years, dob 3-19-46. Is employed as a stevedore at Port Chicago.

Patrick states that on 7-4-69 he went to the fireworks display at the waterfront and from there he went home. States that he parked his car in front of the house at 11:30 pm and did not leave after that time. Patrick's mother Delores was present and verified Patrick's statement. Patrick doesn't own a gun and he did not know Darlene Ferrin. Patrick states that the car can be started without a key but he is sure no one else used the car as it was in the same place in the morning as it was the night before. This car apparently has a bad oil leak as the street in front of the house showed oil on the pavement as though the car was leaking oil.

The similarities are likely unconnected, but 909 Georgia Street is the type of residence we should be looking for - if you buy into the notion of a killer walking to the payphone that morning. An approximate 10 minute drive home, 10 minutes to ditch the vehicle, weapon and clothes, before readying onself for the 15-20 minute journey to the payphone and placing the 12:40 am call to Nancy Slover. And... in a location to have not seen or heard the patrol cars leaving the Vallejo Police Department up Solano Avenue. This location (as the crow flies) is 400 meters from the Vallejo Police Department, 600 meters from Darlene Ferrin's residence, 400 meters from Solano Avenue, 500 meters from the old Vallejo Times-Herald office and 5/8 of a mile from the Springs and Tuolumne payphone. However, if the August 4th 1969 letter wasn't selling us one big red herring, then all of the above is superfluous.  

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Click to enter Google maps
Rubislaw 32 link
7/7/2019 11:39:47 pm

Interesting to see a map of South Vallejo,again,Richard.

I note,as symbolically marked,the JFK Library,200 metres west,on from Alibi Clock,along Georgia Street.

The Mikado LP,taken out,between Feb.5th 1968 and Mar.17th 1970.

''Check ins'' include Dec.22nd 1969,two days after the ''Belli'' letter sent.

Richard
7/8/2019 01:09:41 am

Yes, the address is 505 Santa Clara St, Vallejo, CA. Certainly useful for a bit of research by Zodiac.

"After two political rabble rousers were wrongly accused of setting off a bomb during a parade it took a picture with the small clock tower now known as the Alibi Clock to get one of them off the hook".
https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-alibi-clock-vallejo-california.

Rubislaw 32 link
7/8/2019 01:37:25 am

Fascinting tit-bit,Richard.

With the double-LP,Lafferty was able to verify that,it had never been taken out before Feb.5th 1968....and was never taken out again,until Lafferty's discovery,in 1975.

A librarian,had placed it back in a plastic library ''sleeve'',and written ''scratched condition'',on its accompanyng dates,of ''check ins ''.

One wonders if the FBI got some prints [?].

In addition,it seems to me that,whoever borrowed the double-LP,was residing in ''private'' housing [?],whether it be ''bought'' or ''rented''.

As opposed to hotel or guesthouse.

So..not ''such'' a transient worker,though not necessarily a permenant resident [?].

Tom1
7/8/2019 05:32:37 am

It seems quite likely that Mr. Z lived in a group home or setting. That does not preclude your privately owned scenario.

Rubislaw 32 link
7/8/2019 08:19:04 am

Naturally it may be possible,Tom.

My inclinations are that Vallejo was a ''home'' away from his real home.

That Vallejo,was for work purposes,nearby,and also represented where,the Zodiac could be a bachelor again.Somewhere where he need not have to account for himself,on a ''day to day'' living arrangement,to a ''cohabitee''.

''Somewhere'' where he could play his music ''loud'',if he so wished [?].

Of course,accepting the library finds,at the JFK and Civic influences,as well as other factors.

''That library user''....a ''one and the same'' WJGrant impersonator,was leaving big time gaps,in his ''check ins'',at times,and must have accumulated a few library fines....even though apparent,that he lived locally.

The truth may be that,''he'' didn't actually live locally,and Vallejo,or possibly even Fairfield,was his ''secondary'' home.....broadly based,between the beginning of 1968,and sometime into 1970,or a little beyond.

Richard
7/8/2019 03:07:21 pm

It would be helpful to know his profession. This would govern his ability on the housing market. Did he own his own home, rent, share or even have two. Impossible to know, just guess. I just wish somebody had asked Nancy Slover or the AT&T Operator the pertinent question - how long after Zodiac hung up the phone was the payphone rang back. This to me is the most important question of all. The police report suggests minutes, but is open to interpretation. After all, he rang the operator first that night, so they probably had the payphone number.

Rubislaw 32 link
7/8/2019 04:35:55 am

Indeed..The Alibi Clock.I see that it wasn't designated ''landmark'' status,until 1984....and yet one feels that,it is just the sort of object,for which the Zodiac would have taken notice,and bother himself to look up its history.

I have joked about the Zodiac's seeming obsession with polar co-ordinates awareness,in the past....and I hear,or read,so often,on crimes that might be related to the Zodiac :

'' Oh,but it must have someone that knew the area well...a local.''.

I believe that,with the Zodiac...he went against the norm.Finding himself in new surroundings,his first inclinations were to familiarize himself...out of natural curiosity....and as a hobby,that tied in with his passion for motoring.

''Sail - as a Babila''

''Travel - as a portal to what God offers those,who choose to travel.''

Rubislaw 32 link
7/8/2019 03:46:13 pm

Yes,I understand your point Richard....and indeed,Tom's,

How can one really make a decision on this ''living arrangement'',without more information.It just seems to me that ''Zodiac'''s [?] living ''description'' is given some clues,merely if we were to buy into the likelihood that,he was,indeed,the library user,at both JFK and Civic....who withdrew both The Mikado double LP and David Kahn's ''The Codebreakers'' book...over a period of up to approximately two years.

Down to ''brass tacks'',on a personal level....those ''two years'',plus a bit more....''perfectly mirror'' the Exxon Oil Refinery construction project,going on,just down the road,at Benicia.

I ''suspect'' that the Zodiac was an apprentice ''Construction Manager'',who specialized in the Oil Industry.

Effectively,a graduate engineer,who ''pushed paper'',and was ''learning on the job''.

Now,it certainly is the case that the ''Oil Industry'' has a habit of seeming to appear a bit ''cavalier'' with expenses,at a given time....for the sake of ''convenience''.

My interpretation is,that someone in Zodiac's professional position,might be simply given a residence,on the companies ''books'',that was available,at the time....and may well have been a ''dwelling'' that ordinarily,was much bigger than he,as one person,really needed.

I suspect that,the real ''winner'' for the Zodiac was,that he had a ''double garage'',and could largely conceal a second car,from any neighbour's ''prying eyes''.

Rubislaw 32 link
7/9/2019 02:16:18 am

Just to be,technically accurate,in what I am suggesting.

The Zodiac's living arrangement was,that he resided in rented accomodation,and that it was his employers,whom Exxon were contracting,who were ''picking up the tab''.

A large construction project,such as the one Exxon,were undertaking,involved a number of contracted companies,with various skills to offer.The Zodiac worked for one of these contacted companies.

In 2000,the Oil company ''Volero'' bought the refinering,from Exxon,and it remains in the top 7 ''barrel output'' refineries,in California.

I am uncertain which contracted company,the Zodiac was working for....but believe it may have been,either ''McDermott's''...or ''Chicago Bridge''.

On the point of Fairfield and Vallejo libraries....I believe it likelier,and by a ''stretch'',that the Zodiac resided in Vallejo....not least,because the library user was impersonating WJGrant,who was a ''near resident'' of Fairfield,on Cordelia Road.

Vallejo being ''close'',but not to close,to the man that the Zodiac was impersonating.

Rubislaw 32 link
7/9/2019 08:12:11 am

It would not be ''insistent'' for me,but would recommend that others give the ''library finds'',at JFK and Civic some careful consideration,and examine,in particular,the ''time gaps'' between check ins,both together [...both libraries...]....and separately.

It really does start ''painting pictures''....and more particular,the possible times,that the Zodiac [?],''wasn't'' actually in the Bay Area.

And,overall,a conclusion might be that he was ''away'',as much as half the period of time,circa 1968-1971.

An explanation ? Could be vacations,work courses...and even,the odd trip abroad.Remember that Texas and Louisianna ''gave'' crude oil ''to the world'',and the industry became ''international'' very quickly.

As a ''trainee'' in senior management,he would tend to be exposed to more projects,than just the one at Benicia.


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