David Faraday 1961 Rambler The Lake Herman Road presence on December 20th 1968 of Robert Connelly (27), Frank Gasser (69) and Bingo George Wesner (33) can be confirmed by the testimony of each. Raccoon hunters, Robert Connelly and Frank Gasser saw Bingo Wesner at the Lake Herman Road turnout and vice versa. Robert Connelly stated that "when they arrived there at 9:00pm a white 4-door hardtop, a 1959 or 1960 Impala, was parked there, and also, a truck coming out of the gate". Bingo Wesner stated "that when he came out of the gate he saw the same Impala and also saw the red pick-up truck go by".
However, Bingo Wesner was also quoted as saying that "last night he was checking his sheep at approximately 10:00pm (east of the Benicia Pumping Station) and he observed a white Chevrolet Impala Sedan, parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station. He also observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area (the pick-up was later identified as the one Frank Gasser and Robert Connelly were riding in)".
However, Bingo Wesner was also quoted as saying that "last night he was checking his sheep at approximately 10:00pm (east of the Benicia Pumping Station) and he observed a white Chevrolet Impala Sedan, parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station. He also observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area (the pick-up was later identified as the one Frank Gasser and Robert Connelly were riding in)".
Ermine white 1960 Chevrolet Impala. The color can vary. The question has always been, did Robert Connelly or Bingo Wesner get their time wrong by a whole hour, and the two statements of "saw the red pick-up truck go by" and "observed a red Ford pick-up with wood side boards in the area", had been the same sighting by the turnout?. Or had Bingo Wesner seen the red pick-up truck pass the turnout, and later saw it parked "in the area" by the entrance of the Marshall Ranch? It would be important to qualify these ambiguous statements, because it would mean we either have a Chevrolet Impala seen at the turnout only once at either 9pm or 10pm, or twice at both 9pm and 10pm.
The testimony of William Crow, who stated he was in the turnout with his girlfriend between 9:30pm and 10pm, was unable to be confirmed by an impartial eyewitness, so we cannot be certain whether his version of events are correct. Regardless, in a much later statement he claimed "I never told the sheriff who interviewed me that the car I encountered was a Valiant. As I recall, as I was attempting to describe the car and the sheriff came up with a “Valiant”. In the years that have passed, when I have shared the events of that night, I have described the car as a four-door light-colored Chevy. I could not see the passenger seat, but the driver was a man with short hair and glasses. I did not see his specific facial features". His earlier statement on December 22nd 1968 described two subjects "who were both Caucasians".
The testimony of William Crow, who stated he was in the turnout with his girlfriend between 9:30pm and 10pm, was unable to be confirmed by an impartial eyewitness, so we cannot be certain whether his version of events are correct. Regardless, in a much later statement he claimed "I never told the sheriff who interviewed me that the car I encountered was a Valiant. As I recall, as I was attempting to describe the car and the sheriff came up with a “Valiant”. In the years that have passed, when I have shared the events of that night, I have described the car as a four-door light-colored Chevy. I could not see the passenger seat, but the driver was a man with short hair and glasses. I did not see his specific facial features". His earlier statement on December 22nd 1968 described two subjects "who were both Caucasians".
Ray Grant, Zodiac researcher Ray Grant, long-time Zodiac researcher, points out that the Helen Axe statement may be erroneous. Miss Axe claimed that the Faraday Rambler was facing south towards the gate when she passed the turnout at 10:15pm, but when she returned 15 minutes later it had turned around. However, she only reported this after reading the newspaper reports, so may have convinced herself that the light-colored Chevrolet Impala she saw facing gate #10 was actually the Rambler.
If Ray Grant is correct that Robert Connelly, Frank Gasser and Bingo Wesner saw the empty white Chevrolet Impala facing south towards the gate at 10pm, then it is extremely noteworthy that Helen Axe saw a tan-colored vehicle also facing the gate only 15 minutes later (that she believed to be the Rambler). The 1959/1960 Chevrolet Impala was made in "ermine white", which when viewed in the headlights of Bingo Wesner exiting gate #10, would have looked off white, but when viewed in darkness, such as by Michael Mageau at Blue Rock Springs, it would have appeared tan-colored or light to medium brown (which is how he described the vehicle). Therefore, if Helen Axe saw an "ermine white" Chevrolet in the turnout in darkness, she could have easily mistaken it for tan-colored or light brown, just like the Rambler. The 1961 Faraday Rambler was two tone, dark tan over light tan. Ray Grant has stated that Frank Gasser had approached the Chevrolet Impala in the turnout and illuminated it with a flashlight (so would have moticed its white color). He and Robert Connelly, after they parked up at the Marshall Ranch about 10pm, had walked by Sulphur Springs Creek and the turnout on their way towards Benicia Pumping Station and the Dotta Ranch for a spot of raccoon hunting..
If Ray Grant is correct that Robert Connelly, Frank Gasser and Bingo Wesner saw the empty white Chevrolet Impala facing south towards the gate at 10pm, then it is extremely noteworthy that Helen Axe saw a tan-colored vehicle also facing the gate only 15 minutes later (that she believed to be the Rambler). The 1959/1960 Chevrolet Impala was made in "ermine white", which when viewed in the headlights of Bingo Wesner exiting gate #10, would have looked off white, but when viewed in darkness, such as by Michael Mageau at Blue Rock Springs, it would have appeared tan-colored or light to medium brown (which is how he described the vehicle). Therefore, if Helen Axe saw an "ermine white" Chevrolet in the turnout in darkness, she could have easily mistaken it for tan-colored or light brown, just like the Rambler. The 1961 Faraday Rambler was two tone, dark tan over light tan. Ray Grant has stated that Frank Gasser had approached the Chevrolet Impala in the turnout and illuminated it with a flashlight (so would have moticed its white color). He and Robert Connelly, after they parked up at the Marshall Ranch about 10pm, had walked by Sulphur Springs Creek and the turnout on their way towards Benicia Pumping Station and the Dotta Ranch for a spot of raccoon hunting..
At approximately 10:30pm, a 14-year-old male called "Stan" and his friend spotted what they described as a 1963 blue Chevrolet Impala with two occupants exiting Lake Herman Road and entering Columbus Parkway. The front end characteristics of a 1963 Chevrolet Impala can be compared to a 1960 Chevrolet Impala below. The approximate time of 10:30pm given by Helen Axe when she last saw a vehicle in the Lake Herman Road turnout and "Stan" at Columbus Parkway, could be shifted 5 minutes either way to allow the same vehicle to make this journey. But how does an "ermine white" Chevrolet Impala become blue in 5 minutes?
By the mid-20th century, increasing motorization necessitated better illumination, particularly in business districts where there was more mixing of cars and pedestrians, as well as along commercial thoroughfares. Streets needed to be illuminated more evenly, and a minimum level of lighting needed to be maintained throughout the night. Street lighting became a major expense for US cities, which sought to control costs in various ways. From the point of view of a municipal lighting department, the fact that incandescent lamps "radiate with very low efficiency, producing relatively little light at visible wavelengths", made them less and less attractive for public street lighting. Mercury vapor streetlights started to be used more widely in the United States after 1950, mainly due to their cost efficiency. By then, the lifespan of mercury vapor lamps had been extended to 16,000 hours, and they could provide up to 40 lumens per watt, whereas incandescent lamps could only deliver 16 to 21 lumens. I must confess, I don't know if Columbus Parkway was illuminated by Mercury Vapor streetlights in 1968, but "ermine white" under these conditions takes on a blue tinge. Wikipedia.
So was the Zodiac Killer (or Zodiac Killers) driving an "ermine white" Chevrolet Impala around on December 20th 1968, cruising between Lake Herman Road and Blue Rock Springs Park looking for victims, the latter which he would murder for a third time just over 6 months later?
RAY GRANT'S ROBERT CONNELLY TIMELINE
THE CONNELLY AND GASSER SIGHTING OF THE CHEVROLET IMPALA WAS 9PM
HUNTING BY THE BENICIA PUMPING STATION
CONNELLY AND GASSER NEVER SAW WESNER
WAS THE HELEN AXE SIGHTING WRONG?
So was the Zodiac Killer (or Zodiac Killers) driving an "ermine white" Chevrolet Impala around on December 20th 1968, cruising between Lake Herman Road and Blue Rock Springs Park looking for victims, the latter which he would murder for a third time just over 6 months later?
RAY GRANT'S ROBERT CONNELLY TIMELINE
THE CONNELLY AND GASSER SIGHTING OF THE CHEVROLET IMPALA WAS 9PM
HUNTING BY THE BENICIA PUMPING STATION
CONNELLY AND GASSER NEVER SAW WESNER
WAS THE HELEN AXE SIGHTING WRONG?
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