THE BOASTFUL SLAYER

6/20/2016

Chief Inspector Martin Lee; "He has made some mistakes." Allowing himself to be seen by three witnesses as he fled from the Presidio Heights murder scene. Leaving alive two of his intended victims in the deranged attacks he made on couples in the North Bay region -- two young men who may one day pick him out of a lineup. These mistakes, as well as others police won't elaborate on, show Zodiac not to be the master criminal he apparently considers himself. And, says Lee, he is a liar.
"His boast of being in the area we were searching while we were searching it is a lie," Lee said. "We had the whole area flooded with lights. We had seven police dogs and a large number of patrolmen searching the area tree by tree and bush by bush. The dogs are the best in the country. A mouse couldn't have escaped our attention."
San Francisco Chronicle October 18th 1968.

Clearly Zodiac wasn't a master criminal, but what Chief Inspector Martin Lee failed to appreciate, is that the police were not chasing mice and the Zodiac did escape their attention. Furthermore it is highly likely the Zodiac was in the Presidio Park as he claimed. It has often been stated that the Zodiac Killer enjoyed ridiculing the police and newspapers, so is it fair his claims in the October 13th 1969 mailing and November 9th 1969 'Bus Bomb' letter should be treated as such, dismissed as a pack of lies. An easy game to play in an investigation bedecked with multiple shortcomings and contradictions. So let us examine the lies.

The crime was detailed in the police report at 9.55 pm approx, with responding officers being alerted at 9.58 pm by the dispatcher. The Zodiac Killer exited the taxicab and headed north up Cherry Street at approximately 9.56 pm. It takes 3 minutes at normal walking pace to approach the intersection of Jackson and Maple Street, placing the Zodiac Killer here at 9.59 pm. Donald Fouke and Eric Zelms responded to the 9.58 pm broadcast traveling northbound on Presidio Avenue, having just passed Washington Street. From this location to the intersection of Jackson and Maple, it takes approximately 1 minute, placing the two patrolmen at this location at 9.59 pm. This aligns perfectly with the Zodiac Killer approaching the intersection.
"p.s. 2 cops pulled a goof abot 3 min after I left the cab. I was walking down the hill to the park when this cop car pulled up." So from this simple timeline, the Zodiac appears to be correct about his 'meeting', after all the police movements of Donald Fouke and Eric Zelms that night had not been disclosed publicly prior to his November 9th letter.
As we explained in the last article, the San Francisco Chronicle released a story the following day, October 12th 1969, regarding the sighting of an individual that resembled other descriptions of the killer 'running into the Julius Khan playground.'

Click image for full article

The actual address of Julius Khan playground is West Pacific Ave & Spruce St, San Francisco. The Zodiac Killer in the 'Bus Bomb' letter stated "I was walking down the hill to the park when this cop car pulled up + one of them called me over + asked if I saw anyone acting suspicious or strange in the last 5 to 10 min + I said yes there was this man who was runnig by waveing a gun & the cops peeled rubber + went around the corner as I directed them + I disappeared into the park a block + a half away never to be seen again."
One and half blocks from the location of the Donald Fouke meeting places the Zodiac Killer at Spruce Street, the exact area of the sighting detailed above. As stated previously, this sighting could not have originated from Donald Fouke, as the killer had supposedly already passed him, as testified by both patrolmen, and Donald Fouke never mentioned at any time observing anybody running or entering Julius Khan playground. A witness at this location would have observed the 'running man' or Zodiac Killer approximately 5 minutes after he exited up Cherry Street, confirming a time of 10.01 pm. See here.
Another San Francisco Chronicle article dated October 15th 1969 entitled 'The Boastful Slayer' details the following search "A large contingent of police with dogs and searchlights scoured the area around Cherry Street, which includes the wooded south boundary of the Presidio and Julius Khan playground." A logical starting place bearing in mind the killer may have entered close to West Pacific Avenue and Spruce Street. However the search with dog units was not deployed at 10.01 pm, meaning the Zodiac Killer could have entered the park at this time without detection. The police report states 'Victim was pronounced dead at 10.10 pm. Inspector Krake responded and summoned dog units and a fire department "spotlight" vehicle to assist in the search.' The report continued 'Homicide detectives Armstrong and Toschi responded and took charge. Lt Kiel also responded. The military police headquarters of the Presidio of S.F. was notified and an intense search of the Julius Khan area was made by seven dog units.' The police report mimics the article, but the Zodiac Killer, as one can see, has ample time to enter the park, and secure his location, before any dog units are deployed. Likely upwards of 10 minutes.

Initial sweeps of the area were deployed, including police motorcycles to Arguello Boulevard, West Pacific Avenue and Presidio Boulevard.
The Zodiac alluded to his location in the 'Bus Bomb' letter "Hey blue pig I was in the park -- you were useing fire trucks to mask the sound of your cruzeing prowl cars. The dogs never came with in 2 blocks of me + they were to the west." But was he telling the truth.
As the Zodiac Killer enters the Julius Khan playground at 10.01 pm, he is presented with several choices. He can remain in the exposed area of the Julius Khan playground, head back towards the crime scene traveling westwards through Presidio Park or head into the middle of the park with no immediate escape route, none of which seem to benefit his cause. Or he can head eastwards two blocks to Laurel Street, where a nice healthy coverage of trees provides adequate protection, as they did in the 1969 topographical maps of the area. He would arrive at this location 4 minutes after entering the park at 10.05 pm. Several minutes would pass before dog units were deployed from the north and west, scanning the area of Cherry Street, the south boundary and Julius Khan playground, as the October 15th San Francisco Chronicle article alluded to. The Zodiac was 4 minutes, and over two blocks to the east, ample time to observe the floodlit search and then disappear into the darkness. "The dogs never came with in 2 blocks of me + they were to the west."
In the 'Bus Bomb' letter the Zodiac also remarked "there was only 2 groups of parking about 10 min apart." Here are the two groups parking; [1] By Julius Khan playground, and [2] the second contingent sweeping the densely wooded area by Arguello Boulevard, to which Zodiac has a direct line of sight between the trees. See here. "Then the motor cicles went by about 150 ft away going from south to north west." From the Zodiac Killer's location, in the trees opposite Laurel Street, he is 150 feet from West Pacific Avenue as the motorcycles went by. They then turned into Presidio Boulevard going from south to northwest. See here. The question is though, was the Zodiac Killer lying or was Chief Inspector Martin Lee telling the truth all along,

FOOTNOTE: A passage in Robert Graysmith's book Zodiac appears to corroborate the premise that eyewitnesses at Spruce Street observed a man running into Julius Khan playground, and tallies with the October 12th 1969 San Francisco Chronicle article. Here is the excerpt, "The detectives heard from neighbors that a stocky figure was seen dashing across Julius Khan playground and into the dense undergrowth of the Presidio. The dog patrol units, seven of the best search dogs in the country, gathered at the front entrance of the Presidio and were deployed one at a time in various directions. Armstrong and Toschi considered the possibilities. Had the killer gone quickly through the dark woods and emerged from the Presidio at Richardson Avenue, and taken Highway 101 past Fort Point onto the Golden Gate Bridge and vanished into Marin County."
It can be seen that the October 12th 1969 Chronicle article and Robert Graysmith are relaying similar information, a man seen running, not just into the park, but the Julius Khan playground and the mention of seven dog units deployed in the search. The Graysmith excerpt also details the dog units and responding officers grouping in one particular area of the Presidio, something the Zodiac Killer was careful to mention in the November 9th 1969 'Bus Bomb' letter.

27 Comments

Greg H.

6/20/2016 10:56:56 pm

If true, this is some rather lousy police work. How in the world do you not check the areas with trees?..Seems like that would be *first* place one would look for a hiding suspect. Lee could have been trying to save face - he only learned it was Zodiac after the fact. As it was happening I'm sure they chalked it up to a run of the mill cabbie homicide and may not have employed quite the full throttle investigation and manhunt he went on to claim to the media. Even if Zodiac somehow was able to wait out the search, the question looms of how he ultimately found his way out the Presidio and back to his safe space or home - wherever that might happen to be. We have to concede that Zodiac did not expect this snafu - he did not necessarily figure that he'd be seen and have the cops called on him, throwing his escape plan into total disarray.

I suppose there are two likely options with regards to him walking along Jackson St. 1) he had his car parked somewhere in the vicinity 2) there was a residency he either owned/rented or that belonged to a friend/confederate that he was en route to somewhere along the boulevard.

Along with their intensive search, police certainly might have been wise had they taken down the license numbers of all the cars parked along the streets of the area in question. But I'm guessing they never did this.

It's still difficult to rule out Zodiac might have lived very closeby to where he was spotted. Even if he wasn't a homeowner, looking at the density of homes in that area, it's not impossible he rented a room or apartment in one of those houses..(Remember that lady from the Manson family (Susan...?) also lived in an apt. on Jackson, the area had some ne'er-do-wells and wasn't all affluence)...

If he did proceed north on Spruce and into the park, it really makes me wonder about his exit strategy. Had he left his car in the area it's doubtful he'd had parked so far away - greater than a 5 minute walk from the murder site?...

My bet, due to his mailing of many letters from the nearby Anza Vista section, is that he lived somewhere fairly close to Washington-Cherry and he was walking home on Jackson the night of 10/11/69...

As Zodiac became more confident in his ability to get away with murder - he'd done so on at least 3 occasions prior to this - it makes sense that he'd feel comfortable killing, literally, in his own backyard - and being somewhat sloppy about it that, at that.. This is what we saw from Dennis Rader, mind you. He initially murdered in Wichita, about 7 miles from his home, but then, after evading all detection and suspicion, upped his ante and killed a woman who lived across the street from him. There may be a degree of wanting to increase the danger and adrenaline rush by committing the act so close to home. It certainly feeds the megalomania that perhaps drives some of these people.

Richard

6/21/2016 02:30:00 am

Getting inside the mind of Zodiac is never easy, but as you alluded he may have left the scene unaware of being spotted, his first real 'crisis' point arrived after being stopped by Donald Fouke (or encountering the police, if you take that stance). He then observes the 'flashing lights' of the police car disappear towards Arguello Boulevard as he directed them, then continues on for one more block. Donald Fouke and Eric Zelms do a cursory search of West Pacific Avenue, down to Julius Khan playground, as he inferred in the 2007 documentary. Assuming this took 90 seconds to 2 minutes before he returned to Jackson Street and the top end of Cherry, the Zodiac would now have arrived at Spruce, this also is 2 minutes walking time from the Jackson/Maple intersection. He observes the returning 'lights', siren possibly and decides to vacate Jackson to the safety of the park for a brief time. Whether this was his initial intention is open to speculation, but at the very least a temporary respite. He then observes a floodlight search of the park getting underway and vacates the area. Whether he lived in the lower reaches of Jackson or had a parked car somewhere is something nobody up to now can nail down with any surety, but what is for certain, the Zodiac didn't need to make the police look foolish in his Bus Bomb letter, they achieved this all by themselves. And just because somebody is enjoying taunting the police is not the same as somebody lying, it is equally possible to taunt and ridicule, in alliance to telling the truth. What the Zodiac states in the Bus Bomb letter is perfectly achievable no matter what Martin Lee states, so dismissing it out of hand is certainly a face saving operation on behalf of the police, especially considering the Zodiac could in effect have entered and left the park before the dogs had even been deployed sometime after 10.10 pm. Or left immediately once he saw the first groups gathering by the park. The eyewitness in the Chronicle article does mention a man running into the park, something Fouke and Pelissetti never attest to, so either there is another witness or a piece of artistic journalism. The Zodiac at the foot of the Bus Bomb letter states "To prove that I am the Zodiac, Ask the Vallejo cop about my electric gun sight which I used to start my collecting of slaves". In the very same way he is replying to Martin Lee in this letter, he is reminding Martin Lee that he certainly is Zodiac, the same as he proved he was was Zodiac by supplying extra details to Jack Stiltz, the Vallejo Cop, who doubted him previously. The last time the Zodiac was doubted he supplied extra details of the Blue Rock Springs and Lake Herman Road attacks to Vallejo Police Chief Jack K Stiltz and he again did the same in the Bus Bomb Letter, reminding everybody that he indeed was the Zodiac Killer. In other words do not doubt him and "Ask the Vallejo cop about my electric gun sight which I used to start my collecting of slaves." The Vallejo cop he is referring to is Jack K Stiltz. The Vallejo cop, to which he sent details about his improvised gun sight in the 'Debut of Zodiac' Letter only three months earlier. He proved to Jack K Stiltz that he was both the letter writer and the killer, and again here in the Bus Bomb Letter, he is referring back to this Vallejo cop.., and to not doubt him again.
Martin Lee disliked the Zodiac lying, as did Zodiac.

Greg H.

6/22/2016 08:53:18 pm

You know what's interesting, Richard, and I'm sure you've very likely thought of this before my stating it here..In his Nov. 9th letter is where Zodiac first mentions the anecdote about '2 cops having pulled a goof' and effectively letting him get away..Now it was, to the best of my recall, only 3 days later (Nov. 12) that Donald Fouke files his memo with respect to his Zodiac encounter on the night of 10/11/69. I know we have at times wondered why it took Fouke a month and change to come forward. Well, it seems quite clear that he was expressly reacting to what Zodiac said in the 'bus bomb' letter. Fouke was either trying to set the record straight or downplay the terrible police error of allowing the killer to escape. Either way, if we hadn't fully realized it before, I think Fouke's belated disclosure was provoked directly by Zodiac's letter.

Richard

6/21/2016 03:18:14 am

Sure enough Greg, the Zodiac certainly enjoyed rubbing the police's nose in their booboos, gloating that the motorcycles went by only 150 feet away, masking the sound of their cruzeing prowl cars, the dogs never came with in 2 blocks of me, 2 cops pulled a goof etc, but when he said he disappeared into the park, he may as well have just said that, but was specific enough to mention 1 1/2 blocks, totally unnecessary from a point of gloating and nothing to be gained from it, he had already evaded capture. We don't dismiss the 3 minute element, which was true, he likely did get pulled over (even Pelissetti said as much), he did direct Fouke to Arguello (somewhere he said he went in the 1989 documentary), he detailed the attack on Michael Mageau (the shot in the knee, him originally sitting in the front seat when he began firing), Betty Lou facing the road on her right side, type of ammo, shots fired etc), but we choose to dismiss the Bus Bomb letter as a pack of lies, why, everything he said is perfectly possible, no matter what Inspector Martin Lee claims is not. His attention to detail is a familiar trait, shown in his initial correspondence with police, as well as the 'Debut of Zodiac' letter. It is certainly possible to brag and ridicule, yet still state the truth, his attention to detail in the Bus Bomb letter, to me anyway, smacks more of attempting to convince the reader he was there as opposed to blatant fabrication.

Greg H.

6/22/2016 09:01:55 pm

It's true, I'm sure there were more than a few absolutely truthful points in his letters that researchers have tried to dismiss or cast aspersions on. But we do know he also was capable of unabashed lies, for example:
"But now school is out for the summer, so I punished them in another way. I shot a man sitting in a parked car with a .38."
It's been widely assumed he's trying to take credit for the murder of SFPD's Richard Radetich with this statement. But I believe this claim was thoroughly refuted by Radetich's killer being caught.
There's no question Zodiac used subterfuge for his benefit.
Sorting out fact from fabrication has no doubt kept us occupied...

Richard

6/23/2016 01:34:22 am

Nobody has ever been charged in the slaying of Richard Radetich. A man was arrested in connection to the murder, but released due to insufficient evidence. In 2007 the San Francisco Office of the Mayor offered a $100,000 reward for any information leading to a successful arrest.

Richard

6/21/2016 03:48:09 am

When I first looked at this case I believed he likely had his car parked somewhere close to the Jackson and Maple intersection, hence his initial Washington and Maple instruction to Paul Stine. A quick walk north from Washington to the corner of Jackson/Maple so to speak. However later I considered that this is not without risk of identification. Once you have committed a crime and don't have a vehicle to hand immediately, you are looking for separation, to distance yourself from the crime. The Presidio Park offers this perfect separation. Had he entered by the thoroughfare at Spruce, as he claimed, his journey east takes him under dense coverage to the Cow Hollow region, past Presidio Boulevard. There are three roads here, Broadway, Green Street, and Vallejo Street.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Washington+St+and+Cherry+St,+San+Francisco,+CA,+USA/37.78976,-122.45583/@37.7933951,-122.4463974,604m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m10!4m9!1m5!1m1!1s0x808587301b6b6cc5:0x8ad56b1d3e042f1!2m2!1d-122.4572353!2d37.7886851!1m1!4e1!3e2?hl=en

He could easily park his vehicle here, any identification of an unknown vehicle here (as people have suggested), is certainly enough distance from Jackson, Maple and Cherry St to not be connected as highly relevant. It is conceivable his intention was to murder Paul Stine and vacate the taxicab at Washington and Maple, as he testified to the murder at this location in his October 13th letter. He exits up Maple, takes himself out of sight turning east on Jackson, enters the north end of Spruce into the park, logically heads away from the crime scene area by travelling through the park in an easterly direction and possibly (I stress) to the Cow Hollow region to a waiting vehicle (or maybe a house). But either way from this east region of the park the dogs would certainly not have come within two blocks of him, having been deployed initially in the region of Cherry, west Jackson, Julius Khan playground and the south boundary of the park, fanning out across the park from the military headquarters and an easterly direction. So if Zodiac was in the park, observing the fire trucks, spotlight search, and dog units, his only initial safe haven was the eastern side, before the search spread from its initial deployment.

Richard

6/21/2016 06:24:02 am

Now here is an interesting new side angle. Donald Fouke stated in his memorandum on November 12th 1969, that he last saw Zodiac walking down Jackson and turning north on Maple, as though heading towards the Presidio. But in the 2007 Zodiac documentary he clearly states after meeting Pelissetti and being updated on the WMA description "we turned around to get to the Presidio, and my reasoning on that was because turning down Maple would lead through the Presidio wall directly into Julius Khan playground, which had a lot of foliage, so we turned and looked for the alleged suspect in the area of Julius Khan playground."
Well turning down Maple doesn't lead directly to Julius Khan playground, but Spruce Street does, and direct access as well, unlike Maple that has no direct thoroughfare. See here.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Washington+St+and+Cherry+St,+San+Francisco,+CA,+USA/37.78976,-122.45583/@37.7900787,-122.4558659,64m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m10!4m9!1m5!1m1!1s0x808587301b6b6cc5:0x8ad56b1d3e042f1!2m2!1d-122.4572353!2d37.7886851!1m1!4e1!3e2?hl=en

This is only a thought to be considered, but let us say Donald Fouke's sighting of Zodiac wasn't around the intersection of Jackson and Maple, it was at Jackson and Spruce, in other words Fouke made an error identifying the road. The Zodiac mentions walking down the hill when he meets the police, he never identifies any roads. If the meeting occurred approaching the Jackson/Spruce intersection, then Fouke's 2007 documentary statement is correct, it does lead directly to Julius Khan playground, the San Francisco article would be correct, a witness (ie Fouke) sees a man enter the playground, possibly running and although this is about 5 minutes after Zodiac left the taxicab, he did say in the Bus Bomb letter "one of them called me over + asked if I saw anyone acting suspicious or strange in the last 5 to 10 min." Well he would have left the cab 5 minutes earlier, putting his exit up Cherry nearer to 9.54 pm. If we concede there are no other eyewitnesses were in this region, or the three teenagers or the 8 year old, then this is Fouke's sighting. Most of the description tallies with the memorandum and the #2 suspect on page 2 of the police report, other than the color of the jacket and trousers. But he may have amended this at a later date, especially as he may of adjusted it in corroboration with the three teenagers.
In this video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPPr7JXISxc&feature=youtu.be&t=32m50s

he takes the presenter to Mike Rodelli's suspect Kjell Qvale's house, saying this is where Zodiac approached a house, but this house isn't the 3712 Jackson Street he reveals in the 2007 documentary. Kjell Qvale lived at 3636 Jackson Street, one block down, just short of Spruce Street. So you can see we have two contesting theories here. A Zodiac entering 3712 Jackson and entering Maple OR Zodiac entering 3636 Jackson and entering Spruce. The question is, has Donald Fouke got his blocks mixed up.

Richard

6/21/2016 06:58:01 am

You will notice that 3712 and 3636 Jackson Street are virtually both near each intersection on the north side, so mistaken identity is not improbable.

3636 Jackson Street has a nice open courtyard that he not only mentioned in the above video, but it is written down in an earlier statement of Donald Fouke, where he mentions courtyard. In the later 2007 documentary he never mentions courtyard at all, just concrete steps leading to a house.

http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3636-Jackson-St-San-Francisco-CA-94118/15080954_zpid/

You will notice the steps are very close to the sidewalk by 3712 Jackson Street. But this address has no large courtyard, at least not in comparison to 3636 Jackson.

Richard

6/21/2016 06:59:28 am

Here are the steps by 3712 Jackson
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@37.7897165,-122.4562033,3a,75y,352.09h,73.8t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sK7V6HFOfFOVz4CFpjNXtxw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Richard

6/21/2016 07:46:28 am

I shall play Devil's advocate in this section, but note the wording of Donald Fouke in the 2007 documentary here
https://youtu.be/HI0jnsbZwys?t=1h18m9s

"We turned west on Jackson Street, as we approached Maple Street I noticed on the north side of the street a WMA"

We assume this meant the suspect was walking towards the Jackson/Maple intersection because of Fouke's memorandum. But what if Fouke got his location mixed up, after all he was reacting to an unfolding situation. He says he was approaching Maple, so he could have seen the suspect on the north side of the street beyond the Jackson/Maple intersection, on the block he was travelling on. Here is a diagram of what I mean, along with 3636 Jackson Street for context.

http://www.zodiacciphers.com/uploads/4/9/7/1/4971630/1300666_orig.gif

Now this depiction shows Zodiac travelling on the north side of the street, with Fouke and Zelms approaching Maple Street (approaching is relative). However Zodiac is walking towards Spruce. In fact he is approaching Kjell Qvale's house at 3636 Jackson, not 3712 Jackson, one block westwards. Had he stopped Zodiac here and questioned him, let him on his way, then watched as Zodiac went to the Spruce Street and turn north to the Julius Khan playground, the Chronicle article can still apply, the fairly accurate description and the report of a man heading into the playground. Maybe the 'running' mentioned in the Chronicle was dramatic license on their part. This would also account for his 3636 sighting and the courtyard incident. The question is how far is 'approaching Maple'. This is up for consideration in regards to the other entries, but it is only an off the wall suggestion.

Richard

6/21/2016 08:04:31 am

Bloody hell I'm on a roll, are you still awake Gregory. One final thing mind, the Zodiac stated he entered the park 1 and a half blocks after the meeting with Fouke. This has him entering at Locust Street, but this is still part of the Julius Khan park region and Locust too has a clean thoroughfare, with no obstructions. This admittedly is not the playground, but it is the park. Anyway this and the last comment are 'devil's advocate' material, just to highlight our interpretation of the spoken word. The likely answer to me anyway, is Zodiac entered the Julius Khan playground via Spruce. I know others will contest this premise, including Mr Right Honourable Welsh Chappie, who will no doubt reprimand me severely, despite giving a leg up to his previously favoured subject Kjell Qvale.

Richard

6/21/2016 08:26:29 am

Just to clarify the last comment. If Fouke stopped or passed Zodiac somewhere approaching Spruce, Zodiac could easily have turned the corner into Spruce (hence the Chronicle article). With Fouke assuming Zodiac then entered the Julius Khan playground. When the cops pulled away, Zodiac turned round (it was a feint). re-entered Jackson Street and headed to the Locust St intersection, one and a half blocks away.

Richard

6/21/2016 02:36:33 pm

http://www.zodiacciphers.com/uploads/4/9/7/1/4971630/6265081_orig.gif

The image above is a snapshot of the house pictured in the ABC Primetime documentary. In the video here https://youtu.be/FPPr7JXISxc?t=32m54s
It states "we ask Donald Fouke to take us back to the place where he spotted the man he later realized was Zodiac. He brings us very close to the house then occupied by the man Mike Rodelli suspects." The house 3636 is behind the one shown in the snapshot and on the video. But compare this snapshot with a street view on Google Maps.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@37.7899685,-122.4542937,3a,37.5y,293.83h,87.57t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sXaBzfkYVSXFkdj-C_5yyfg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1?hl=en

The windows have been replaced, but this is the exact location. If you run through the video you see the street sign on the sidewalk, visible just behind the white car on Google Maps. Also notice the close proximity of the house to the sidewalk and road. But at 3712 Jackson St, one block westwards, where Donald Fouke was supposed to have seen the Zodiac, there are no signs at eye level and the houses are set much further back from the sidewalk and street. See here.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@37.7897293,-122.4561003,3a,75y,293.49h,80.11t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sWREB99opU6BXFfDWKIyzhQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Donald Fouke is effectively saying he spotted Zodiac entering the courtyard of 3636 Jackson, a block east of the where everybody has believed for 50 years, if we go by this visual reconstruction and Donald Fouke actually returning to the area. There is no way he could be one block out. But when he said he saw Zodiac on the north side of the street as he was heading towards Maple would be correct. Zodiac would be approaching 3636 Jackson and the intersection of Jackson and Spruce.

Richard

6/21/2016 02:47:28 pm

This is a better shot, showing the proximity of the houses to the sidewalk, taken from Spruce.
https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@37.790051,-122.4541396,3a,75y,272.38h,82.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sW4_sP_vDJ6K444JjIvDmGw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en

Richard

6/21/2016 03:43:49 pm

This close up shows 3636 Jackson St. Fouke said in the above video "he went up a flight of stairs to a courtyard."
This house has a flight of stairs leading to a courtyard..
http://www.zillow.com/homedetails/3636-Jackson-St-San-Francisco-CA-94118/15080954_zpid/

Richard

6/21/2016 03:48:46 pm

In the same family since the early 1960's this residence, circa 1940, is located on one of the best blocks in Presidio Heights. Sweeping views over Presidio & JK Park. It's vintage architecture, large south garden, and sheltered courtyard patio make it unique in the neighborhood. Its superb location, large lot, and undeveloped interior spaces provide the potential for its transformation into one of The City's finest residences. 6 bedrooms, 8 ba, 2 car+, formal living & dining rooms, library, garden level family room, decks, balconies, & views. Notable architecture, high ceilings, grand scale and flow.

Richard

6/22/2016 01:17:32 am

What we have now is
#1 Donald Fouke in the memorandum seeing a man walking on the north side of Jackson, before turning into Maple.
#2 Donald Fouke seeing a man entering a stairwell at 3712 Jackson St.
#3 Donald Fouke on camera stating he saw a man walking into a courtyard at 3636 Jackson.
#4 A Chronicle article, with a description similar to Fouke's running into Julius Khan playground.

We have to now untangle this mess. No wonder the case hasn't been solved.

Richard

6/22/2016 06:15:16 am

I know there is a lot of artistic license in Robert Graysmith's book, some of which is to be taken with a pinch of salt, but there is something that may exclude Donald Fouke as the possible witness mentioned in the San Francisco Chronicle article sighting dated October 12th 1969, but effectively confirming the previous article of a sixth and possibly more eyewitnesses to the Zodiac Killer. In Graysmith's book, this backs up the Chronicle article "The detectives heard from neighbors that a stocky figure was seen dashing across Julius Khan playground and into the dense undergrowth of the Presidio. The dog patrol units, seven of the best search dogs in the country, gathered at the front entrance of the Presidio and were deployed one at a time in various directions. Armstrong and Toschi considered the possibilities. Had the killer gone quickly through the dark woods and emerged from the Presidio at Richardson Avenue, and taken Highway 101 past Fort Point onto the Golden Gate Bridge and vanished into Marin County."
Richardson Avenue is in the area of Cow Hollow I mentioned above, his only logical exit point, if he is observing dog units from a distance. The dogs were deployed from west, north and south across the park in a dragnet. The safest way out at this juncture is east to Cow Hollow. Here is Richardson Avenue.

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/dir/Washington+St+and+Cherry+St,+San+Francisco,+CA,+USA/Richardson+Ave,+San+Francisco,+CA+94123,+USA/@37.7966285,-122.4590977,2420m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x808587301b6b6cc5:0x8ad56b1d3e042f1!2m2!1d-122.4572353!2d37.7886851!1m5!1m1!1s0x808580d52d8369a9:0x9c4e31868ba39a0a!2m2!1d-122.4472508!2d37.8004004!3e2?hl=en

This pretty much explains the Chronicle article, likely the witnesses, described as neighbors, had to be very close to the area of Julius Khan playground, likely from Spruce Street or possibly Pacific Avenue. The description of the clothing being grey, could easily be explained, as the man was running into an area with little to no illumination.

Richard

6/22/2016 06:17:15 am

Could one of these eyewitnesses near Spruce be the 8 year old, who unlike the others, reckoned he identified the man.

Greg H.

6/22/2016 09:18:17 pm

Interesting, but he could have also exited out of Lombard St. (just to the south) of Richardson.. Richardson seems to be a highway, it becomes the 101 freeway as it winds to the southeast...
But this theory is wholly dependent on the notion that he had a getaway car parked somewhere in that vicinity - which seems unlikely..Had he a car in the area to aid his escape, why would he have placed it such a great distance from the murder scene, far to the northeast of Washington-Cherry/Maple?...He certainly could not have envisaged being forced by police presence to flee through the Presidio and consquently emerge from the park near the 101...
This notion makes sense theoretically, but it's leaving out the elemental component of his car needing to be parked up that way...

Richard

6/22/2016 07:09:00 am

Here is a possible course of events that covers the happenings that night.
The Zodiac exits up Cherry and heads down Jackson St. Approximately 4 minutes later he has passed the Jackson and Maple intersection approaching 3636 Jackson St. At this point the police car of Donald Fouke approaches (remember he only stated he was approaching Maple when he spotted a man on the north side. He didn't say the man was on the west side of the Jackson/Maple intersection). The Zodiac makes a split decision to enter the front yard of 3636 Jackson (he is not Kjell Qvale), as though he lived there. Donald Fouke either questions him or he slows down and notes his description. His suspicions are not aroused (either because of the BMA desciption) or Zodiac stays calm and directs them onwards with whatever he said. Having had a close shave, waits for the police car to pull away, then proceeds to the next intersection Spruce Street and darts into Julius Khan playground in relief. Local residents have been disturbed by the red lights and siren of Fouke's vehicle and naturally gawp out the window, when they notice Zodiac running into the playground. This accounts for the Chronicle article and Graysmith's recollections. The video above is Donald Fouke taking the interviewer exactly to 3636 Jackson, one block away from where previously everybody thought the meeting occurred. He is actually returning en scene, so you would think that is more accurate than recalling just from memory alone.
Donald Fouke at some point relays this stop or sighting to his superiors. Whether this is after Zodiac's '2 cops pulled a goof' revelation is not the issue, but they certainly think it's wise to either omit a stop of Zodiac or Fouke detailing a specific address, where the media could descend. After all there was no confirmation the man Fouke spotted actually lived at that address. Or when the police unearthed the occupants name and identity, knowing he was a prominent businessman, decided to report a cover story in the memorandum, of a man heading up Maple. This explains the contradiction and is less of a cover story than protecting somebodies identity. As for Donald Fouke's 3712 Jackson St in the 2007 documentary. I am trying to find out who did the lip reading, is that the address he actually said and if he did, is it possible he just got his numbers mixed up, after all in the earlier documentary he clearly takes the interviewer by 3636 Jackson, nowhere near 3712.

Greg H.

6/22/2016 09:30:44 pm

Very sensible, Richard.. I had never seen that youtube video of Fouke returning to Jackson Street from ABC's Primetime..It seems as though it was just uploaded about a week ago..Certainly a very important and useful piece..I agree with you that Fouke's recollection of the address as he tours it from the street is more valid than the lip-reading we get from "Zodiac Speaking" years later.. To my knowledge, the Primetime piece is perhaps from around 2002?.. "Zodiac Speaking" was made about 5 years later...

Richard

6/22/2016 07:31:17 am

Donald Fouke; "We turned west on Jackson Street, as we approached Maple Street I noticed on the north side of the street a WMA". The description, then "The initial radio description of the suspect was that of a black male, 5'10" or something like that, seeing that it was a white male in an affluent neighborhood walking along the street, we didn't think it was the suspect, so we proceeded to the next block, which was Jackson and Cherry."

There is nothing here to indicate a suspect walking towards the Jackson and Maple intersection. If the suspect was by 3636 Jackson St, then Fouke and Zelms are definitely approaching Maple, the suspect is definitely on the north side of Jackson and they would definitely have proceeded to the next block, once they had passed the Jackson and Maple intersection. I cannot see anything in the spoken word of Donald Fouke to discount the sighting being east of the Jackson/Maple intersection. In fact the memorandum is the only questionable account, thrown out as a response to Zodiac's claims in the Bus Bomb letter.

Richard

6/22/2016 07:44:04 am

However the above sighting or meeting of Fouke and Zodiac would negate his claim of entering the park 1 1/2 blocks later, as this would be Locust Street, not Spruce, unless the neighbors in Graysmith's account were residents of Locust St, which still is adjacent to the Julius Khan park, if not directly opposite the playground.

Richard

6/22/2016 08:40:20 am

It must be remembered mind, if the original sighting was before the Jackson/Maple intersection by Donald Fouke, as most people think, then Zodiac's claim of entering the park 1 1/2 blocks down, at Spruce St, tallies exactly with the October 12th Chronicle article of a man entering Julius Khan playground, and tallies with Graysmith's book indicating witnesses/neighbors seeing a stocky man running into Julius Khan playground. The neighbors and the witnesses in the Chronicle article likely the same people. Even the 8 year old may be one of them, unless he was near or at 3898 Washington.

Greg H.

6/22/2016 10:00:04 pm

If he somehow meandered through the Presdio and found his way out at Lombard or Richardson it's curious there are no witness reports from people who were within the confines of the Presidio and yet there are more than a few sightings from the adjacent streets of San Francisco..It's asking quite a lot in the first place, if he was unfamiliar with the Presidio, that he'd necessarily be able to navigate his way out of it with relative ease and somehow emerge back on the city streets, especially while there is a massive manhunt underway...The place has a labyrinth-like design...

If he exits on the east side around Richardson he obviously encounters or proceeds through Letterman hospital -- the place, I believe, where Donna Lass was employed at the time..Purely speculative, but was she someone he thought could identify him and does this is in any way figure into her disappearance/murder close to a year later?...

The part about 'a block and a half' that you bring up and how it doesn't conform with the sighting at 3636 Jackson and his entering at Spruce St. (only half a block away) does cause some degree of confusion. Obviously there's a discrepancy somewhere, whether on the part of Zodiac or the newspaper report which might have intended to say he entered at Locust rather than Spruce..Oh well, we do seem to have a good rough outline from which to proceed...

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