ZODIAC CIPHERS
RICHARD GRINELL, COVENTRY, ENGLAND
  • Home
    • Search This Site With Google
    • The Mount Diablo Map and Code Solution
  • Zodiac News
    • Zodiac News Archive
    • Santa Barbara Attack
    • Cheri Jo Bates
    • The Confession
    • Riverside Desktop Poem
    • Bates Letter
    • The Forgotten Victims
    • Welsh Chappie - Zodiac News
  • Lake Herman Murders
    • Blue Rock Springs Attack
    • Vallejo Times Letter
    • Examiner Letter
    • Chronicle Letter
    • Complete 408 Cipher
    • Vallejo and Benicia Map
    • Kathie Snoozy and Debra Furlong Murders
    • Debut of Zodiac Letter
  • Lake Berryessa Attack
    • Presidio Heights Attack
    • Call to Chat Show
  • 340 Cipher
    • Bus Bomb Letter
    • Betsy Aardsma Murder
    • The Fairfield Letter
    • Melvin Belli Letter
    • Santa Barbara Murders 1970
    • Modesto Attack
    • My Name is Cipher
    • Dragon Card and Button Letter >
      • Phillips Road Map
    • The Sleeping Bag Murders
    • The Little List Letter
  • The Halloween Card
    • Lake Tahoe Disappearance
    • Los Angeles Times Letter
    • The Monticello Card
    • The Exorcist Letter
  • SLA Letter
    • Red Phantom Letter/American Greetings Card
    • The 1978 Letter
    • Los Angeles Times Newspaper Articles
    • Zodiac Letters Real or Fake
    • Zodiac Documentary
    • Unsolved Mysteries
    • The Colonial Parkway Murders
  • Suspects
    • Arthur Leigh Allen
    • Rick Marshall
    • Lawrence Kane
    • Theodore Kaczynski
    • Richard Gaikowski
    • Gareth Penn
    • Jack Tarrance

SEVENTY ONE DAYS OF TERROR

7/12/2019

 
On October 20th 1969, nine days after the murder of Paul Stine in Presidio Heights, somebody made a threatening phone call to the Palo Alto Times newspaper saying he intended "to pick the kids off as they get on the school bus". The San Bernardino County Sun reported on the threat, stating "Patrol cars convoyed school buses around Palo Alto yesterday after a telephoned murder threat by a man claiming to be the Zodiac Killer of five persons. The weird slayer who signs himself "The Zodiac" made a similar threat in a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle last week after the Oct 11 shooting of a taxi driver. The district transportation supervisor said an armed guard might ride with each of the system's 25 buses. Officers in Napa and Vallejo, areas of the first three murderous attacks, some 45 miles north of Palo Alto, have been convoying police officers. Palo Alto Police Chief William Hydie called the new threat "extremely serious," but warned against over reaction to what might be a crank call".
PictureSaturday, December 20th 1969
On November 8th 1969, the Zodiac Killer mailed the 'Dripping Pen' card and 340 cipher to the San Francisco Chronicle claiming the "Aug" murders of Debra Gaye Furlong (14) and Kathy Ann Snoozy (15), who were found brutally stabbed on August 3rd 1969 in the Bay Area of San Jose.

On November 21st 1969
, somebody claiming to be the Zodiac Killer wrote to the San Jose Police Department​ threatening the life of a widow, accompanied by the words "There's no doubt I will do my Thing". The brief text in the letter clearly contained enough information for police to identify the woman and implement 24-hour surveillance on her residence.

On December 7th 1969, a letter was mailed from Fairfield stating "I just need help. I will kill again, so expect it any time the will be a cop".

On December 16th 1969, another letter arrived from Fairfield threatening to kill "government life" and "cops" in Sacramento, Fairfield, Napa, Vallejo, Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose. A future geographic profiling technique was applied to the locations in which he 'threatened murder' (as detailed in the Fairfield letter), and noted that "Interstate 80 begins at an interchange with U.S. Route 101 (US 101) in San Francisco, and then crosses the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge into Oakland. It then heads northeast through Vallejo, Fairfield, Sacramento, and the Sierra Nevada mountains before crossing into Nevada". The idea was to identify the areas the Zodiac Killer was prepared to target, based on their accessibility to him using a main commuter route he regularly traveled. If he regularly used the I-80 for his profession, then six of these seven destinations are directly passed by the I-80, with Napa only a few miles off route.

On December 19th 1969, somebody claiming to be the Zodiac Killer again threatened cops, making a phone call to Sergeant Robert Rengsdorff of the San Jose Highway Patrol (see article above), stating "I am going to kill five of you officers and a family of five between now and Monday". This threat towards San Jose police and a family of five was issued on a Friday, exactly as was the November 21st 1969 letter, mailed to San Jose police threatening harm on a widow. After the threat on the widow was thwarted by 24-hour police surveillance on her residence, was this the response, to once again instigate fear in the San Jose community? Were the widow and 'family of five' of the same residence? We know he was threatening the lives of numerous police officers, but the threat on five members of a family appears rather specific.           

Picture
On December 20th 1969, the Zodiac Killer mailed the 'Melvin Belli' letter containing a piece of murdered Paul Stine's shirt, effectively proving the author was the murderer of the taxicab driver on October 11th 1969. This letter mimicked the December 7th 1969 Fairfield letter by stating "please help me", which in some way helps to authenticate both Fairfield letters not released to the newspapers.

​The purpose of this article is to show the targeted areas of the Zodiac Killer (if responsible for these letters and phone calls) from the standpoint of geographic profiling. These events spanned from the October 11th 1969 murder of Paul Stine, to the mailing of the 'Melvin Belli' letter on December 20th 1969 (71 days). The areas shown in red above, highlight the locations the Zodiac Killer targeted by murder, proposed murder, as well as by his threatening phone calls and letters - and they are all connected by one direct route of travel.

During these 71 days in October, November and December the Zodiac Killer focused his attention on Sacramento, Fairfield, Vallejo, Oakland, San Francisco, Palo Alto and San Jose. Interstate 80 and U.S. Route 101 provide one seamless journey from Sacramento to San Jose. Was the Zodiac Killer a traveling salesman which took him through each of these locations - and therefore he had a familiarity with? Do these commuter route tell you anything about his home residence during this time period? 
When you commit, or intend to commit these acts, accessibility to and from a main commuter route could be invaluable.

Equidistant (as the crow flies) to Sacramento and San Jose is the waterfront city of Vallejo, believed by many to be the home residence of the Zodiac Killer. It is 53 miles from Sacramento and 57 miles from San Jose. The Springs and Tuolumne payphone, where Zodiac placed a call to police dispatcher Nancy Slover on the morning of July 5th 1969, sits 728 metres from Interstate 80.

Picture
Click to enter Google maps
Rubislaw 32 link
7/12/2019 06:11:21 am

Nicely illustrated,in words and pictures,Richard....of what I see as ''Zodiac in meltdown'',following the euphoria of Stines execution.

The Zodiac,desiring to perpetuate his reign of terror...but ''somewnat'' all over the place,in a figurative sense,as well as literal.

Your map,does tend to hint of,again,compelling reasons to believe that Vallejo was his ''base'' of terror,and more than likely,therefore,his residence.

To me,anyway,in this period of 71 days....there is really,one further,outstanding ''multiple question'' :

Did the Zodiac,as,by inference ''referred'',acquire an 8th victim [?].

And,was that victim,'' Elaine Davis '' [?].

Rubislaw 32 link
7/12/2019 06:20:54 am

....naturally,I mean ''a sixth victim'',whom the Zodiac would be referring to,in his mind,as '' No.8 ''.

Richard
7/12/2019 06:57:04 am

Or Leona LaRell Roberts and the "forecast for Leo". We could be looking for a figment of Zodiac's imagination regarding the eighth victim. As you hypothesized, on December 19th 1969 the body of a young woman (in 2000, eventually identified as Elaine Davis) was discovered floating off Light House Point near Santa Cruz, CA The next day Zodiac mailed the Belli letter, sarcastically stating "help me I'm drownding". There are several options for number 8, if it exists at all. I doubt he murdered anyone, but it's more the working out who he might have claimed.

Rubislaw 32 link
7/12/2019 08:03:52 am

'' ...figment of Zodiac's imagination,regarding the eighth victim.''

....is probably the ''favoured'' interpretation.

It's just with Ms.Davis not being identified,until May 2001,the proverbial door,has been left ajar,on the seemingly ''traditional'' interpretation,of '' 5 '' Bay Area murders.

Apart from suspect eliminations,in 2002/2003,the authorities haven't confirmed anything,since an ''infamous'' April 1978 letter,and its distastrous public relations consequences.

Yes,I go along with your suspicions,Richard....but Ms Davis could go some way,to explain the Zodiac's overall perceived December 1969 behaviour [?].

[...I think part of me ''wants'' him to have been culpable,since it must increase her family's chances of justice....I ''see'' no other suspects,in that case [?]....]

Rubislaw 32 link
7/12/2019 08:28:01 am

I'm looking at this possible angle,that the Zodic had no guns left,after Stine's murder.....that '' a No.8 '',may have been,the Zodiac's first venture ''into the unknown'' [?].

At Lake Berryessa,the Zodiac had the ''comfort'' of a gun with him,even though he didn't use it.

So then,''that'' Lake Berryessa gun,was used on Stine.....and if the Zodiac had decided to test himself,after Stine's murder then,he would know that he would be relying largely,on ''animal instincts''.

''Unchartered waters''.[?].And did not feel comfortable.

Hence : '' I'm drownding ''....as well as the circumstances,and timing of the recovery of Ms.Davis's body.

Rubislaw 32 link
7/13/2019 01:30:49 am

This ''71 Days'',to which you refer,Richard,is,I believe,of particular importance,to highlight.

Effectively,from Paul Stine's murder,to Melvin Belli's letter.I believe that two days later,the Zodiac would check in his Double LP of the Mikado,at JFK Library,Vallejo....and,he was gone,for Chistmas,and beyond....not returning until March....three months later.

On confirmed correspondences,a ''welter'' arrived at SF Chronicle offices,November 8th/9th,with card,cipher and 6-page letter.Then ''officially'',we jump forward to the Belli letter,six weeks later.

The ''unconfirmed'' letters and phone calls,in that Nov.10th - Dec.20th period,tend to show '' a Zodiac '' at his most frantic...perhaps,moving his terror on to a different level,and ''up and down'',like a yo-yo,in mood swings.

By the time of the Belli letter,the Zodiac,I believe,had two major concerns.

Firstly,that he had lost the plot,in why he was actually pursuing a terror campaign....and feared that he had acquired ''bloodlust'',for its own thrill....perhaps confronting the sadist,in him,that he had so far avoided.

Secondly,that he feared that if he did give himself up,then he would be conveniently ''disposed of'',in custody,as he believed had happened to Lee Harvey Oswald.

One thing,I think the Zodiac was certain of...

He would never be the same person,again.

Richard
7/13/2019 02:03:38 am

This period was effectively the end of his reign of terror regarding murder and beginning of his full blown letter writing campaign, that now switched to making what turned out to be idle bomb threats. The premise of the article is to show that these threats in the form of phone calls and letters that are highly questionable, all fit the roadmap of I-80 and U.S. Route 101, rather than a divergence to somewhere off route, thereby attempting to show a pattern of one responsible. The switch certainly occurred in the latter months of 1969, when Zodiac took a less hands on approach, to the distant terrorism of letter writing. But in order to keep the interest of the police and newspapers (without murder) the threats had to be more grandiose. When he wrote the Bus Bomb letter on November 9th 1969, this may have marked the day he considered murder was far too risky from here on in. That is not to say he couldn't have continued, but in his eyes he had laid the bedrock for his letter writing campaign with 5 murders in 10 months. The switch to bombs, coupled with extending his tentacles to Lake Tahoe and San Jose all geared to increasing and spreading the fear. The problem, is that you cannot maintain this illusion forever - you eventually have to prove your still capable of murder. These outlier letters and calls are routinely dismissed, but the threat to kill 5 cops and a family of 5 fits nicely with the November 21st 1969 letter, continuing the San Jose theme and backing up his flurry of 1971 letters, including the Sacramento DMV letter. The key is looking for patterns that correlate, from the commuter routes he chose to the victims he selected.

Richard
7/13/2019 02:11:23 am

With the outlier letters virtually, if not all covered, there is one really vague Zodiac file I found and sent to Sandy.

"Just thought I'd let you know, even though it's really slim pickings regarding a reference to a dubious Zodiac mailing, postmarked March 12th 1986 Los Angeles. It is in PDF Zodiac FBI FILE 5. It reads rather awkwardly: "Q1: Envelope postmarked Los Angeles, California 900 23B PM 12MAR 1986 and postmarked Los Angeles MAR- 7 '86 CALIF bearing the hand printed address (redacted) Ambler Tours 1010 2nd Avenue, Suite 1900 San Diego, Ca, 92101. Q2: Accompanying hand printed letter bearing hand printing "Hi ---------, We are..........". The wording redacted.

Ambler Travel
1010 2nd Ave , San-Diego-CA 92101 (now closed)

Ambler Tours & Travel Service Inc is a privately held company in San Diego, CA and is a Single Location business. Categorized under Tourist Agency Arranging Transport, Lodging and Car Rental. Our records show it was established in 1953 and incorporated in California. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of 740000 and employs a staff of approximately 4.

Ambler Travel is only 5 miles from Ocean Beach, San Diego, the murder site of the Swindle's.

Richard
7/13/2019 02:19:38 am

I honestly believe that geographic profiling is a much maligned tool in the search for Zodiac - and without DNA remains the best search method. Land registry details and driving license records must remain, but unfortunately out of the reach for the likes of you and me. Vallejo only had a population of 33, 000 males in 1970, and this could be whittled down very quickly with geographic profiling and what we have learned about the Zodiac Killer.

Rubislaw 32 link
7/13/2019 02:34:09 am

Interesting to highlight ''San Diego'' as a possible favoured retreat,for the Zodiac,Richard.

Personally,I have never discounted San Diego,as a feature,in the Zodiac's early life....and believe that this general area of California,was where the Zodiac took himself,in the summer breaks,while at University.

Possibly,to pick up casual work,at gas stations and live out of his motorcar.

Also of interest,the reference to a letter.Examining my personal ''stash'' of exemplars.I have a postcard,that starts :

Hi Everyone....
This place is nice - we only wish we could stay longer.This is a ''one-stop'' resort.....

[....creepy [?]....perhaps,only 'in context' [?]....]

Rubislaw 32 link
7/13/2019 02:57:50 am

I'm all there,and back again,on your demographic references,Richard.

One sometimes has to wonder...what on earth have the authorities been up to,with the Zodic case,in all these years [?].

The ''reality'',I fear is..that for long periods,the case has simply been shelved.And,if we have heard of the odd investigator,in an official capacity.....then it has represented a ''token'' PR exercise,simply to appease interested members of the public.

I believe that ''they'' realize now,that the case isn't going to miraculously ''disappear''.

But,with a realistic 5-10 years remaining,to charge an ''alive'' person,I wouldn't put it past them,to still,by stealth...walk this case into folklore.

It is on this point,that I believe that the internet has ''value'' ...to ''dissuade''.Therefore,''so'' important that Zodiac contributors come down hard,on the ''hoaxers'' and ''ego merchants'',that occsionally turn up,amongst us.

Rubislaw 32 link
7/13/2019 05:56:05 am

....in fact,and entirely up to you,Richard,I will make the full contents of ''that'' postcard,available to your site,here.[...apart from address,and signatory,of course...].

Any ''constructive'' observations are welcome,since I may be oblivious to a ''specific'',that might be,at least,noteworthy.

Hi Everyone....
This place is nice - we
only wish we could stay
longer.This is a ''one-stop''
resort....no need to step out-
side the walls for anything
while here.There are 5 diff-
erent restaurants plus several
bar areas where one can also
eat.Entertainment in several
different locations every night,
plus sun and surf during the
day.All the usual sports stuff
as well,including a driving
range and putting course ! We
will be back ! !

[...a bit ''long-winded'' and ''technical'',for a holiday postcard [?]...]

Rubislaw 32 link
7/13/2019 06:08:03 am

....just,to place a time,on the postcard,above :

April 24th 1991...which would be four months after the presumed Zodiac's Eureka Card.

Richard
7/13/2019 06:18:49 am

What are the origins of the postcard?

Rubislaw 32 link
7/13/2019 06:28:31 am

A married man,sending a holiday postcard to his wife's extended family,who were golf fans.


Comments are closed.
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    All
    13 Hole Postcard
    148 Character Cipher
    1978 Letter
    1986 Letter
    1987 Letter
    2001 Happy New Year Card
    Albany Letter
    Allan/Peyton Murders
    Arthur Leigh Allen
    Atlanta Letter
    Betsy Aardsma
    Blue Rock Springs Attack
    Bus Bomb Letter
    Button Letter
    Call To Chat Show
    Carol Beth Hilburn
    Channel 9 Letter
    Cheri Jo Bates
    Cipher Theories
    Citizen Card
    Concerned Citizen Card
    Confession Letter
    Daniel Williams Poisoning
    Debut Of Zodiac Letter
    Deep Real Estate Ad
    DMV Letter
    Domingos/Edwards Murders
    Donald Lee Bujok
    Donna Lass
    Dragon Card
    Earl Van Best Jr
    Eureka Card
    Exorcist Letter
    Fairfield Letter
    Fingerprint Evidence
    Forecast For Cancer
    Forecast For Leo
    Gareth Penn
    General News Articles
    Gilbert And Sullivan
    Good Citizen Letter
    Halloween Card
    Hood/Garcia Murders
    Internet Articles
    Joan Webster
    Johnny & Joyce Swindle
    Judith Hakari
    Kevin Robert Brooks
    Lake Berryessa Attack
    Lake Herman Road Murders
    Lake Tahoe Disappearance
    Larry Kane
    Leona Roberts Murder
    Los Angeles Letter
    Melvin Belli Letter
    Mike Morford (Morf13)
    Modesto Attack
    Molina/Rodriguez Murders
    Monticello Card
    My Name Is Letter
    Nancy Bennallack
    New Canaan Letters
    Novato Letter
    Oakland A's Letter
    Pines Card
    Possible Zodiac Attacks
    Possible Zodiac Letters
    Presidio Heights Murder
    Radians
    Red Phantom Letter
    Richard Gaikowski
    Riverside Desktop Poem
    Robert Salem Murder
    Ross Sullivan
    Saechao/Saelee Murders
    San Jose Code Letter
    Santa Claus Card
    Scorpion Ciphers
    Scotch Tape Letter
    Sla Letter
    Tamalpais Valley Attack
    Ted Kaczynski
    Telegraph Avenue Incident
    The 340 Cipher
    The 408 Cipher
    The Celebrity Cypher
    The Little List
    The Mikado
    Thomas Horan
    You Are Next Letter
    Zodiac Letters Poll
    Zodiac Postage
    Zodiac Theories

    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    The Zodiac Killer may have given us the answer almost word-for-word when he wrote PS. The Mt. Diablo Code concerns Radians & # inches along the radians. The code solution identified was Estimate: Four Radians and Five Inches To read more, click the image.
    Picture
    Picture
    The Zodiac Atlas: The Zodiac Killer Enigma by Randall Scott Clemons. Click image for details.
    Picture
    The Zodiac Killer Map: Part of the Zodiac Killer Enigma by Randall Scott Clemons. Click image for color version
    For black and white issue..
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture
    Picture

    Archives

    June 2025
    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    July 2012
    January 2012

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Photos from Marcin Wichary, zAppledot, vyusseem, Alex Barth, Alan Cleaver, jocelynsart, Richard Perry, taberandrew, eschipul, MrJamesAckerley