Donna Ann Lass (25), born on November 3rd 1944 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was the youngest of eight children who spent her formative years in Beresford, attending Beresford High School and eventually graduating as a registered nurse in 1965. She worked as a private nurse prior to traveling to San Francisco and setting up residence in Balboa Street, before commencing her duties as a Staff Nurse at the Letterman General Hospital in the Presidio. However, her employment at the Letterman General Hospital was short lived, spanning February 1970 to May 1970, before she took a job at the Sahara Tahoe Hotel and Casino on June 6th 1970. She initially moved in with a couple, Larry and Ann Lowe, before renting her own apartment at 3893 Pioneer Trail at the beginning of September. Six days later she would go missing.
The connection of Lawrence Kane to Donna Lass, claimed by retired law enforcement officer Harvey Hines, we are familiar with. Lawrence Kane, it was claimed, lived at 217 Eddy Street at the time of the Paul Stine murder. This location is less than a quarter of a mile from the Mason and Geary intersection, the presumed pick up point of Zodiac on October 11th 1969. Donna Lass moved to Lake Tahoe in June 1970, as did Lawrence Kane, with both ending up working at the Sahara Tahoe Hotel. However, this is not about Lawrence Kane, it is about the connection between Donna Lass and the hotly disputed 'Pines' card mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle on March 22nd 1971, the first anniversary of the Modesto abduction of Kathleen Johns.
This card is regarded a hoax by many Zodiac investigators, particularly puzzling, because it states on the card in pasted lettering "Sought victim 12". This tally of likely only eleven victims and searching for a 12th, is totally out of sync with the rest of Zodiac's correspondence. He had already claimed 12 victims as far back as June 26th 1970 when the 'Button' letter was mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle, along with 13 victims, ranging to 17+ victims, by the time the 'Los Angeles' letter arrived on March 13th 1971. Then nine days later the 'Pines' card surfaces, searching for 12 victims. The problem we have, is that even a half-decent hoaxer, who knew only the bare minimum about the case, is unlikely to have bypassed at least five pieces of correspondence and the multitude of newspaper articles. This person would have to be the worst hoaxer this side of Lake Tahoe, unless of course, it was the killer and the "sought victim 12" had particular significance. The word 'sought' may be suggestive of a killer that had previously targeted Donna Lass at an earlier time.
The connection of Lawrence Kane to Donna Lass, claimed by retired law enforcement officer Harvey Hines, we are familiar with. Lawrence Kane, it was claimed, lived at 217 Eddy Street at the time of the Paul Stine murder. This location is less than a quarter of a mile from the Mason and Geary intersection, the presumed pick up point of Zodiac on October 11th 1969. Donna Lass moved to Lake Tahoe in June 1970, as did Lawrence Kane, with both ending up working at the Sahara Tahoe Hotel. However, this is not about Lawrence Kane, it is about the connection between Donna Lass and the hotly disputed 'Pines' card mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle on March 22nd 1971, the first anniversary of the Modesto abduction of Kathleen Johns.
This card is regarded a hoax by many Zodiac investigators, particularly puzzling, because it states on the card in pasted lettering "Sought victim 12". This tally of likely only eleven victims and searching for a 12th, is totally out of sync with the rest of Zodiac's correspondence. He had already claimed 12 victims as far back as June 26th 1970 when the 'Button' letter was mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle, along with 13 victims, ranging to 17+ victims, by the time the 'Los Angeles' letter arrived on March 13th 1971. Then nine days later the 'Pines' card surfaces, searching for 12 victims. The problem we have, is that even a half-decent hoaxer, who knew only the bare minimum about the case, is unlikely to have bypassed at least five pieces of correspondence and the multitude of newspaper articles. This person would have to be the worst hoaxer this side of Lake Tahoe, unless of course, it was the killer and the "sought victim 12" had particular significance. The word 'sought' may be suggestive of a killer that had previously targeted Donna Lass at an earlier time.
The question is, was Donna Lass targeted specifically by somebody with a grievance, or by a male who had been rejected or "brushed off", as the Confession letter might say? She did after all go missing from her place of work.
The date and content of the 'Pines' card may indicate this very notion. If we look at the Zodiac timeline and slot this card in where it should belong, it therefore has to come after 11 victims and before 12. The '13 Symbol' cipher or 'My Name is' cipher was mailed on April 20th 1970 claiming 10 victims, followed by the 'Button' letter on June 26th 1970 claiming 12 victims. Assuming the Pines card was not a mistake by a forger and actually crafted by the Zodiac Killer, it is logical that its meaning must be referring to the time period between April 20th 1970 and June 26th 1970, before victim 12 was confirmed. A newspaper article after the disappearance of Donna Lass stated that "the site depicted on the 'Pines Card' was from an advertisement published last Sunday by several newspapers. It was an artist's rendition of houses among the trees at a Boise Cascade Company project at Incline Village, where construction has just begun on the development. While much of the Sierra area is under several feet of snow, Incline Village has only two feet on the ground. Police went to the area to determine if a search is possible". Chief Lauritzen added "There's no point to a search at this time. It's unlikely a victim would be uncovered before spring." So its clear that this particular postcard was not designed prior to September 6th 1970, but sometime in the March of 1971.
Donna Lass' date of employment by the Sahara Tahoe Hotel and Casino fell in between the dates of April 20th 1970 and June 26th 1970 - she started work on June 6th 1970. The Zodiac Killer may have been targeting Donna Lass when she announced her forthcoming plans to move to South Lake Tahoe. Was he connected to the Letterman General Hospital - the direction he may have been heading after the murder of Paul Stine on October 11th 1969? Was he rejected by Donna Lass as an undesirable suitor, or was it simply time to do his 'thing'? Donna Lass, either by necessity or the lure of a better job, prepares her move to South Lake Tahoe and the Zodiac Killer's plans are thwarted.
If the murderer of Donna Lass is the Zodiac Killer (and this is by no means certain), then there is a connection between San Francisco and South Lake Tahoe. There may also be a connection between "sought victim 12" and the time between April 20th 1970 and June 26th 1970, with respect to the Donna Lass move to Nevada on June 6th 1970, to begin her job at the Sahara Tahoe Hotel. When the Zodiac Killer decided to make good on his intention to abduct and murder Donna Lass, he would eventually travel to South Lake Tahoe to finalize what he began, then mail the 'Pines' card, pasting the words "sought victim 12", possibly suggestive of a killer who had targeted the young woman several months ago when she lived in San Francisco.
The date and content of the 'Pines' card may indicate this very notion. If we look at the Zodiac timeline and slot this card in where it should belong, it therefore has to come after 11 victims and before 12. The '13 Symbol' cipher or 'My Name is' cipher was mailed on April 20th 1970 claiming 10 victims, followed by the 'Button' letter on June 26th 1970 claiming 12 victims. Assuming the Pines card was not a mistake by a forger and actually crafted by the Zodiac Killer, it is logical that its meaning must be referring to the time period between April 20th 1970 and June 26th 1970, before victim 12 was confirmed. A newspaper article after the disappearance of Donna Lass stated that "the site depicted on the 'Pines Card' was from an advertisement published last Sunday by several newspapers. It was an artist's rendition of houses among the trees at a Boise Cascade Company project at Incline Village, where construction has just begun on the development. While much of the Sierra area is under several feet of snow, Incline Village has only two feet on the ground. Police went to the area to determine if a search is possible". Chief Lauritzen added "There's no point to a search at this time. It's unlikely a victim would be uncovered before spring." So its clear that this particular postcard was not designed prior to September 6th 1970, but sometime in the March of 1971.
Donna Lass' date of employment by the Sahara Tahoe Hotel and Casino fell in between the dates of April 20th 1970 and June 26th 1970 - she started work on June 6th 1970. The Zodiac Killer may have been targeting Donna Lass when she announced her forthcoming plans to move to South Lake Tahoe. Was he connected to the Letterman General Hospital - the direction he may have been heading after the murder of Paul Stine on October 11th 1969? Was he rejected by Donna Lass as an undesirable suitor, or was it simply time to do his 'thing'? Donna Lass, either by necessity or the lure of a better job, prepares her move to South Lake Tahoe and the Zodiac Killer's plans are thwarted.
If the murderer of Donna Lass is the Zodiac Killer (and this is by no means certain), then there is a connection between San Francisco and South Lake Tahoe. There may also be a connection between "sought victim 12" and the time between April 20th 1970 and June 26th 1970, with respect to the Donna Lass move to Nevada on June 6th 1970, to begin her job at the Sahara Tahoe Hotel. When the Zodiac Killer decided to make good on his intention to abduct and murder Donna Lass, he would eventually travel to South Lake Tahoe to finalize what he began, then mail the 'Pines' card, pasting the words "sought victim 12", possibly suggestive of a killer who had targeted the young woman several months ago when she lived in San Francisco.
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