THE CODES OF ZODIAC NEVER REQUIRED AN EXTERNAL SOLVE

12/29/2019

The following is a combination of previous articles designed for clarity. Anyone who has previously read my take on the ciphers does not need to continue past this point.

The one thing we can confidently state about the Zodiac Killer was his propensity to engage with the newspapers when prompted. This was demonstrated throughout his letter-writing campaign, but particularly evident when he responded to Jack E. Stiltz on August 4th 1969 and Chief of Police Martin Lee on November 9th 1969. This was clearly a tactic of the police to engage the Zodiac Killer in communication rather than murder and hopefully ascertain more knowledge of their nemesis through his wording. This was exemplified by Dr. D.C.B. Marsh on October 22nd 1969, when an article entitled Cipher Expert Dares Zodiac to Tell Name was presented to the Zodiac Killer through the San Francisco Examiner, explicitly aimed at prodding his ego. It was hoped that the murderer of five would take up the challenge rather than shy away from the dare or produce something meaningless in response.

Many people have stated that the 408 Cipher was not the hardest cryptogram to solve, despite the fact that many claiming it was an easy cipher could not have cracked it. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. What the 408 Cipher told us, whether the Zodiac Killer just read a book or manual on cipher-solving, is that he had enough knowledge to comprehend that a code comprising of 13 characters was incapable of supplying a provable solution without a key. In other words, if you cannot prove the origin and voracity of the key, anything you produce will fail to meet a burden of proof. The composition and structure of the article below was likely designed to play on the narcissistic traits of the Zodiac Killer and encourage him, at least in part, to rise to the challenge. Responding to the dare in the San Francisco Examiner with absolutely nothing but 13 meaningless characters and no answer whatsoever, is a rather pointless exercise - and could be construed as a failure on Zodiac's part.

The newspaper article pressed the Zodiac Killer no less than four times, implying to do so would lead to his capture under the guise of dare, truth and honesty. I sincerely doubt anybody expected the Bay Area murderer to supply us his full name in the code, to which he would later supply the key or answer. Therefore, the question is, how could the Zodiac satisfy the challenge without giving us his forename and surname? The simple answer is, he could supply us his initials without any fear it would jeopardize his freedom. The important quote in the article is "Zodiac has not done this, because to tell the complete truth in relation to his name - in cipher code - would lead to his capture". Dr. D.C.B. Marsh must have known that a Zodiac Killer providing something 'in relation to his name', left the door open to the murderer supplying us his initials. Six months later, the Zodiac Killer opened his April 20th 1970 communication with "This is the Zodiac speaking. By the way have you cracked the last cipher I sent you. My name is...."

The Zodiac Killer knew that a code of 13 was unsolvable, which is why he would eventually give us the answer in a later communication in 1970. The prompt was "Zodiac has not done this, because to tell the complete truth in relation to his name - in cipher code - would lead to his capture". The answer was "This is the Zodiac speaking. By the way have you cracked the last cipher I sent you. My name is Fk, I'm crackproof". In other words, my initials are FK and you can't solve the last cipher I sent you because I'm crackproof - although I've held my end of the bargain by supplying something in relation to my name. The Zodiac Killer satisfies his ego and the challenge by Dr. D.C.B. Marsh and the San Francisco Examiner. The answer was supplied in the October 5th 1970 '13 Hole' Postcard - but would we recognise it when we saw it?

The June 26th 1970 Mount Diablo code and map were no different, except this time the Zodiac Killer supplied us the exact answer to the 32 symbol cipher after only 30 days. The Phillips 66 map contained the Zodiac crosshairs as part of the puzzle, so it wasn't that surprising that the answer came embedded within two crosshairs on the July 26th 1970 'Little List' letter. The first crosshairs with the bold circle supplied the radians, and the second crosshairs with the hashtag and arrow supplied the inches. The only two components required to locate the supposed bomb location.

The end of the Little List Letter read "PS. The Mt. Diablo Code concerns Radians and # inches along the radians". The Z32 was the easiest code to crack because the Zodiac Killer just gave us the answer above - the code concerned "Radians and inches along the radians". Why make it any more complicated than it has to be? A code of 29 unique symbols within a total of 32 characters is simply not solvable without a key - and there is insufficient wording on the 13 Hole Postcard, Halloween Card or Los Angeles Letter written in plain English to formulate any such key. The Z32 is even worse than giving us the English alphabet of 26 letters, replacing M with A, W with B and H with C and saying "now solve it". There is no transposition key present in the remaining three communications from October 5th 1970 to March 13th 1971, so if the Zodiac Killer was to be consistent in his inability to resist revealing his deeds, then the only realistic alternative is he gave us all the answers instead.

Not only did the Zodiac Killer give us the answer to the 32 character code on a separate line, he capitalized the first "Radians" to effectively tell us this was the beginning of the solution (he didn't capitalize the second "radians", so why the first). You need look no further than the Paul Stine police report to notice that the hashtag symbol is used in conjunction with a number. Why insert a hashtag - and an arrow pointing to the hashtag - if you are not suggesting something should be inserted here?

The symbol # is most commonly known as the number sign, The symbol is described as the "number" character in an 1853 treatise on bookkeeping, and its double meaning is described in a bookkeeping text from 1880. The instruction manual of the Blickensderfer model 5 typewriter (c. 1896) appears to refer to the symbol as the "number mark". Some early-20th-century U.S. sources refer to it as the "number sign", although this could also refer to the numero sign. A 1917 manual distinguishes between two uses of the sign: "number (written before a figure)"; and "pounds (written after a figure)". Mainstream use in the United States is as follows: when it prefixes a number, it is read as "number", as in "a #2 pencil" (indicating "a number-two pencil"). The one exception is with the # key on a phone, which is always referred to as the "pound key" or "pound". Thus instructions to dial an extension such as #77 are always read as "pound seven seven". Wikipedia.

The Zodiac Killer by use of an arrow pointer underneath the hashtag, was telling us to replace the hashtag with a number value. The Mount Diablo map scale was 6.4 miles to the inch, so it is probably unsurprising that the "Mt Diablo code would concern inches". In this instance, I have placed the number 5 into place, giving us the answer to the code of "Radians and 5 inches along the radians" (which is 32 letters in length). The reason for 5 inches is self explanatory, because 4 or 6 inches from Mount Diablo to San Francisco would fall into the sea on the east and west side. The San Francisco element will be covered shortly. The Zodiac Killer also gave us a second set of crosshairs (shown below).

This was the first time the Zodiac Killer had ever placed an accentuated zero within his crosshairs alongside the acronym SFPD. This had to be the second clue to the location of the bomb. The hashtag and arrow signified the value of inches required, so this had to signify the radian value. By some massive stroke of luck (almost beyond belief), the bold, black accentuated circle fell over 246 degrees on a compass rose - which is 4 radians and magnetic north (17 degrees in 1970). Therefore, the target of his bomb must have been 4 radians and magnetic north, and 5 inches along the radians.

All Zodiac's bomb threats were focused towards the San Francisco Chronicle and San Francisco Police Department, so placing this bomb location alongside the acronym SFPD should tell us that the threat was most likely focused toward a police station. By another massive stroke of luck, when we travel 4 radians and 5 inches from Mount Diablo, the target area for the bomb lies right by Ingleside Police Station. Allowing for a degree of flexibility of less than 1%, by the Zodiac Killer rounding off his radians and inches, along with the black circle diameter, no other San Francisco police station comes close. However, we need to find a location where a school bus would be traveling from north to south (with the sun to the east), that has an embankment on the right side (as displayed on the April 20th 1970 bomb diagram), with easy and covert access to that embankment, and within a few hundred feet from Ingleside Police Station. The Zodiac Killer certainly wouldn't have wanted to attract attention by parking on the road itself, but by accessing the incline from a secondary location - likely at the top of the embankment - he could achieve this task in relative anonymity. Fortunately for us, that location sits only 230 feet from Ingleside Police Station. The perfect location for the Zodiac Killer to target a school bus and thumb his nose at the San Francisco Police Department, with covert access to the top of the embankment via the car park of San Francisco City College.

In addition to the Fk I'm crackproof clue, the 13 Hole Postcard was punched in the style of a 'Dick Tracy' code with a "red crucifix decoder". What are the chances that if we arrange the 13 holes into the shape of a cross and place them over the midsection of the 340 cipher both horizontally and vertically, they would reveal the wording "paradice" and "slaves"? Then, what are the chances that the Zodiac Killer would write "paradice" and "slaves" in his next communication in a cross formation on the card, accompanied by "sorry no cipher" in a cross formation on the inside of the Halloween Card envelope? - totaling three cross formations - but supposedly, all created for absolutely no reason whatsoever in just two communications. Isn't it more believable they were created for purpose. The Zodiac Killer could easily have written "sorry no cipher" just the once, but deliberately fashioned it this way to tell us that the 340 character cipher was not a cipher after all. It was simply a design of "paradice" and "slaves" as exhibited by the Halloween Card. Throw in a few bigrams, pivots and 'corrected sixth line', and hopefully it will look convincing.

All these clues from the back end of the Little List Letter to the Halloween Card giving us the literal answer to the Z340, Z32 and Z13 in "paradice" and "slaves", "Radians and 5 inches along the radians".and "Fk, I'm crackproof". The following observations will go into a little more detail on the Z13 code.

On January 29th 1970, the Yellow Cab Company put up a thousand dollar reward for any information leading to the arrest of the Zodiac Killer. In addition, the Teamsters Union which represents the Yellow Cab Company were reported in the San Francisco Chronicle to be considering offering a further reward on February 8th 1970 in the case of Paul Stine and Charles Jarman (another taxicab murder victim). The April 20th 1970 letter gave us the code and was immediately followed by "I am mildly cerous as to how much money you have on my head now". The October 5th 1970 postcard gave us the possible solution of "Fk, I'm crackproof" and was immediately followed by "What is the price tag now". These are the only two communications in which the Zodiac Killer asked the police the price of his capture. These two communications not only had a code and an answer that fitted the code, but both were followed by the exact same question. When the Zodiac Killer was designing his 13 Hole Postcard, it is very likely he had at his disposal a copy of his original April 20th 1970 letter, or the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper cutting below, to which he was now supplying the answer. This may have been the trigger that influenced him to repeat the phrase "how much money you have on my head now" into the very similar "What is the price tag now". The Zodiac Killer, in essence, had inadvertently bound both communications together through phraseology, as well as code and solution.

The Zodiac Killer introduction would now give us his name (albeit his initials) in absence of his full name. It would also read fluently as a sentence, as follows: "This is the Zodiac speaking. By the way have you cracked the last cipher I sent you? My name is Fk, I'm crackproof". Nobody realistically believed he was going to supply his full name, but this way he satisfies the promise in a restricted format. Two communications mailed nearly six months apart, with a solution that satisfies the code, as well as a satisfactory introduction to the code - and both followed by the same question.

The three 8's (representing Jesus Christ in gematria), along with the number 8 which symbolizes a new beginning, actually begins each element of the phrase Fk I'm crackproof. In addition, when we begin the phrase on the first 8, it fits perfectly around the existing K and M already present in the code and thereby creating a cyclical format, where the code ends and begins with the same letter. The Little List Letter provided the solution to the Button Letter and Mount Diablo code that preceded it. His next communication, the 13 Hole Postcard, provided the solution to the 13 Symbol Cipher before that, and finally the Halloween Card provided the solution to the 340 cipher. Three chronological solves to the three previous ciphers - and the only thing we had to add was the number "5", for which he inserted the hashtag and arrow. Why look for convoluted and excessively complicated solutions to these ciphers, when the Zodiac Killer gave us all the answers literally word for word.

This isn't a case of dragging wording from the entire Zodiac collection of cards and letters, but using just the two crosshairs of the Little List Letter, followed by the 13 Hole Postcard and Halloween Card. The bold, black circle and "PS. The Mt. Diablo Code concerns Radians and # inches along the radians" to answer the Z32. The 13 holes, red cross, "paradice" and "slaves", and "sorry no cipher" to answer the Z340. And finally, "Fk, I'm crackproof" to give us a shorthanded version of his name, while still retaining his anonymity. Three answers in just three months. The alternative is that the codes are genuine, the designs on the 13 Hole Postcard and Halloween Card are devoid of any purposeful meaning, and the big-headed, braggart called Zodiac, kept his lips 'butoned' for however many years afterwards.

The Zodiac Killer gave us the answers to his six unsolved ciphers by March 13th 1971 without ambiguity, but effectively gave us all the answers by October 27th 1970. The Zodiac gave us the answer to the Mount Diablo code (32 symbol Cipher} in the Little List Letter on July 26th 1970. In fact, he gave us the answer word for word, in the form of Radians and 5 inches along the radians (all we had to do was add the number 5 where he placed the arrow and hashtag}. The 13 Hole Postcard on October 5th 1970 gave us the answer to the 13 Symbol Cipher word for word, in the form of Fk I'm crackproof. The Halloween Card on October 27th 1970 gave us the answer to the 340 Cipher word for word, in the form of Paradice and Slaves. No mathematics was required and no manipulation was needed - all we had to do was use the three phrases that Zodiac provided us with in three consecutive communications, to answer the three previously unsolved ciphers. But that wasn't all. The Zodiac gave us the answer to both the Fairfield Letter codes of December 7th and 16th of 1969, again word for word using the Halloween Card. The 18 unsolved characters in the 408 cipher he again gave us the solution word for word, using the trinity of communications on July 31st 1969 and following letter on August 4th 1969, when he revealed his pseudonym to the world. However, there is even more.

The Zodiac Killer's 408 Cipher was effectively a written message that he enciphered into characters. When you take a look at the decoded message, it isn't structured and organized - because one line or row bleeds into the following. The Zodiac Killer didn't contain his words within the confines of one row. For example, when he opened the cipher with "I like killing people", the letter E is positioned at the beginning of the second row. This randomness is not displayed in the answers to his remaining six unsolved portions of code. The answer to the 18 unsolved characters, the 340 Cipher, the two Fairfield letters, the 13 Symbol Cipher and the 32 Symbol Cipher are all organized and deliberately structured, where every single solution and word is contained within each line - and do not leak from one row to another. Let us take a look at the 13 Symbol Cipher that exhibits symmetry within its design.

When the Zodiac's solution or answer to the 13 Symbol Cipher was inserted into the code above, it showed an organized and structured pattern without a word bleeding from one end of the cipher to the other. The Zodiac Killer gave us the cyclical solution of Fk I'm crackproof on October 5th 1970, and followed this up with the line "This is the Zodiac speaking Like I have allways said, I am crack proof" on March 13th 1971. But in the Los Angeles Letter you will notice he separates "crackproof" to "crack proof", exactly how it is found in the 13 Symbol Cipher. It does not bleed from the end of the cipher to the start.

The first 8 begins FK. The second 8 begins IM. The third 8 begins CRACKPROOF. But CRACK and PROOF are separated, without either word being fragmented. The FK and IM also fit nicely around the existing K and M in the cipher. The cipher solution maintains an organized and symmetrical appearance. The introduction on the April 20th 1970 letter now read "This is the Zodiac speaking. By the way have you cracked the last cipher I sent you? My name is Fk, I'm crackproof". He was leading us into the belief these were his initials.

The Paradice and Slaves configuration from the Halloween Card to the 340 Cipher also exhibited form, with Paradice exactly bisecting the columns of the 340 Cipher, and Slaves exactly bisecting the rows of the 340 Cipher in a 17 X 17 pattern. Each word contained within a row or column. The Halloween Card envelope providing us with "sorry no cipher" in a cross formation, not only telling us that the 340 wasn't a standard cipher, but the design of the 340 was to be found in a cross formation.

The 32 Symbol Cipher also adhered to a solution where no word bled from one row to another. The 32 Symbol Cipher contained two rows of 17 and 15 characters - obviously created this way for a purpose. When we discovered that the number 5 was to be inserted into the cipher using the arrow and hashtag, the answer of Radians and 5 inches along the radians again fell perfectly into the 32 Symbol Cipher with no word extending from one line to another. You will notice that when the Zodiac Killer provided us with the answer in the July 26th 1970 Little List Letter, he self-contained the answer on a separate line, with the first Radians beginning with a capital letter. This was the beginning of the code solution.

"PS. The Mt. Diablo Code concerns Radians and # inches along the radians" was in fact Radians and 5 inches along the radians. When this is placed into the 32 Symbol Cipher, you will notice that once again it retains separation, with "inches" ending line one, and "along" beginning line two. Each word is contained within the line. This organization and structure flies in the face of the solved portion of the 408 Cipher and implies a deliberate and calculated design. But we need to take it even further.

Explained in greater detail in the article The Answer to the Z38 Code, the structure of the Zodiac 38 character cipher was pointed out. The code below has been structured with different character counts on each line (unlike the 408 and 340 ciphers), but is instead arranged in a formation of 12 characters on line one, 7 characters on line two, 5 characters on line three, 6 characters on line four and 8 characters on line five. This may suggest that the words are contained separately on each line, without running from one line to another. We would expect Slaves and Paradice to be grouped together - and the last two lines satisfy this character count of 6 and 8. We then have three lines remaining of 12, 7 and 5 characters. By Gun satisfies the 5 characters, By Knife satisfies the 7 characters, and By Fire, By Rope satisfies the 12 characters. This forms the basis of the completed 38 character code solution, mimicking the second Fairfield Letter design and the exact wording on the Halloween Card configuration. Furthermore, no word extends from one line to another, exactly as displayed in the above codes.

So far (including the Tim Holt comic book unearthed by Tahoe27), every single solution or answer to the ciphers can be achieved using the exact words employed by Zodiac from three consecutive communications spanning July 26th 1970 to October 27th 1970. [1] Radians and 5 inches along the radians [2] Fk I'm crackproof [3] Paradise and Slaves, and [4] By Fire, By Gun, By Rope, By Knife, Paradice and Slaves. And none extend or bleed into another line, or from end to beginning in the 13 Symbol Cipher. That is five ciphers down with one to go.

The Zodiac Killer claimed that his 408 Cipher contained his identity or pseudonym. What was important to the Bay Area murderer was the structure exhibited by all the above codes. The characters he used were of no particular significance, because they weren't designed to be solved without future Zodiac input. This input came towards the end of his letter writing campaign, when he supplied us all the answers in just three consecutive communications. He was effectively wrapping up business. There was no way a man with such an inflated ego and inability to resist writing to the newspapers, could keep the secret to his ciphers for upwards of five decades. The answer to the 408 Cipher was given to us in just four days, contained in the trinity of July 31st 1969 letters and the August 4th 1969 'Debut of Zodiac' Letter. He claimed his identity was in the 408 cipher - and we know his identity was "Zodiac" because he gave us his pseudonym. All we then had to do, was fit Zodiac around the declaration of who he was.

Initially, the Zodiac Killer had intended to leave 12 characters at the base of the 408 Cipher, but his accidental omission of the word "people" when he encoded his message, inadvertently left him with 18 unsolved characters. However, this was of no consequence - it was an easy adjustment. You will notice again, that the unsolved 18 characters are split into an ungainly 1 and 17 configuration. If we are to hold true to single words not bleeding from one line to another, then the single character must stand for I or A. We know that the Zodiac Killer was an egotist, beginning the 408 Cipher with "I like killing people because it is so much fun". He also began two of the July 31st letters with "I am the killer". So it wouldn't be any great leap of faith to believe that the isolated singular character on line 23 was "I". Coupling the "Zodiac" with "I am the killer" to produce "I am the Zodiac Killer" satisfies his declaration of identity and the 18 characters at the base of the 408 Cipher. We again have used only the words written by the Zodiac Killer - and no word extends from one line to another. The third of code containing his identity was mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle, which is why he began that introduction with "This is the murderer". He was reserving "I am the Zodiac Killer" for the base of the 408 Cipher.

We now have six unsolved portions of code answered, using only the words written by the Zodiac Killer in a total of four communications. Every single answer was organized and structured to remain within each row, line and column with no manipulation whatsoever. We can wait another 50 years for these codes to be "solved" - or believe they were all answered by October 27th 1970 from the pen of the Zodiac Killer.

102 Comments

Gokser

1/2/2020 01:36:41 am

you are right. these ciphers cant be solved without a key. i hope we hear good news about DNA process

Richard

1/2/2020 05:17:02 am

No they can't - and that is why when an answer to a cipher is given, you have to explain the justification for it other than just subjective reasoning. Even if we rule out my premise that Zodiac supplied us with the answers, the only other option is a key. But then you have to show the key, where you derived it from and how it works. As I have previously stated, if the answers to the ciphers don't require a Harden-style key, then proving you have the solutions is effectively impossible, because then you have to justify the key you've unearthed or are arguing for.

Roger

1/3/2020 09:23:24 pm

"you are right. these ciphers cant be solved without a key. i hope we hear good news about DNA process"

Succinct, direct, and correct! We can but speculate on what the Zodiac intended by those crazy little ciphers, that is if he ever intended anything at all, apart from a time-wasting exercise in futility. At least the DNA evidence is theoretically solvable.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/2/2020 05:10:44 am

The Zodiac's presumed Z263 ,is spit into two pages .

Each page of the cipher text ,starts : F M G Y O S

Interpretation : '' Famous Guy '' ( ? ) .

Zodiac fooled us again - it should be '' Infamous Guy ''.

Happy New Year , Richard , and to all your readers .

The year 2020 will be '' all seeing '' - let's hope so.

Richard

1/2/2020 05:21:17 am

Happy New Year Rubislaw. Somehow I don't think you will be reading much more on my site this year - completely ran out of material. There is basically nothing left to cover unfortunately.

Tom1

1/3/2020 07:15:15 am

Thank you so much for what you do. I have often wondered about a slightly different approach to studying this case. I guess the best way to describe it would be to consider the Hiding in Plain Sight possibility. Instead of digging in to minutia as so many posters seem wont to do we could look at the whole fabric of Mr. Z's behaviour as a cipher in and of itself. One of the profilers featured on this site mentioned this approach without getting much of a response from others. Hundreds if not thousands of Bay Area residents and visitors would have crossed paths with our suspect in the course of their daily lives and at random. Who amongst us would behave this way and leave "clews" all over the place?

Rubislaw 32 link

1/2/2020 05:49:06 am

Still one or two areas ,I see....Graysmith's Halloween Card ( ? ).And,the letters in the wake of Wallace's assassination attempt ,could still be worth an inspection ( ? ).

I will still look in - this is the best site ,as a purist's workshop , and for those who want to learn more.To your credit .

Undoubtedly ,the FBI ''pinned down '' Z408 ,Z148 and Z263 .Though all credit to the Hardens and Heck brothers.

F M G Y O S translated to '' Shauna '' ,which is Irish for the Hebrew,Joan .I call the New Canaan correspondences ,the ''Dear George '' letters....although others will have their opinions , also.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/2/2020 08:30:20 am

A thought ,perhaps ,further on the authenticity of New Canaan letters .

I have yet to compare ,precisely ,the Little List lyrics offered ,in the original letter of 1970....and those lyrics offered in the New Canaan letters of 1988.And of course ,the actual Gilbert & Sullivan lyrics .

But ,I am already seeing differences ,between 1970 and 1988 .If ,as supposedly claimed ,the correspondences ,18 years apart ,are by another author ,why might the lyrics be different....since the inferred suggestion might be ,that a 1988 author would be a ''copycat '' of the 1970 letter ,for lyrics ( ? ).

It never will answer completely (...apart from forensics ,perhaps...) , but an interesting consideration , nonetheless .

Example :

1970 : '' There's the banjo seranader ,and the others of his race ,and the piano organist - I got him on the list....''

1988 : '' And that nigger serenader ,and the others of his race .And the piano-organist - I got him on the list....''

Did the Zodiac have anyone in mind ? Well, I have been looking at Billy Preston as the ''piano-organist '' as a possibility .Born Houston,TX 1946 ,died 2006.Known for extensive work with the Beatles and Rolling Stones .But also , a string of solo hits ,between 1969 and 1982 ,in the U.S.,including ''Space Race '' and '' Outa Space ''.

A comparison of lyrics further ,may reveal more .A possible ''telling'' clue to the 1988 letters being for George Webster is ,a ''column'' revelation solve ,as '' A R T G E O W '' - '' Art George Webster '' (?).

Richard

1/2/2020 09:18:09 am

I think copying a letter word for word looks too obvious, so changing it a little bit not to create suspicion would probably be the least you would do. Never liked these Canaan letters in light of their childish content and then Mike Morford suggesting they may have been written by a young teenager. Would the real Zodiac just parrot the Little List letter again - I can understand "crackproof", "paradice", "slaves" or the odd word here and there, but the whole sentence could be argued as naivety.

Roger

1/3/2020 09:18:34 pm

New Canaan was a hoax.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/4/2020 12:02:15 am

The FBI, who released the New Canaan letters ,in March 2015 ,claim that it might be a hoax ,They were still fishing for answers ,though ,as to the riddle whose solution the author requested ,in relation to the solution to the Z263 cipher ,enclosed in the two letters .
In 2006 ,the FBI leaked the 1990 Celebrity Cipher to Lyndon Lafferty ,via the Vallejo P.D. .Lafferty was informed the the picture on the front depicted '' Driftwood on a beach ''.Instead ,we find in this last year that the picture was a photograph of Carmel Beach ,highlighting a living Monterrey Pine .A haven for the rich and famous ,including Clint Eastwood .

The 2001 New Years Card.....the list goes on,and by now,if ''some'' have not got the overall ''picture''......then,they never will.

Roger

1/4/2020 04:33:16 am

The school student who wrote the letter was identified.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/4/2020 05:37:51 am

As ''claimed'',Roger...unless the information is in the public domain,and you can name the student yourself ( ? ).

Michael

1/2/2020 01:16:46 pm

Happy New Year
I think there is still some material left that is worth to have a closer look at it.
One thing that doesn't go out of my mind is the open car window of Paul Sind's cab you can see on some crime scene pictures. Was it really rolled down by a police photographer to get a better picture? He opened the door and rolled down the window, closed the door again and took the pictures? Or he opened the door from Inside the cab by leaning over Paul Stines body?
Or was the window already down when Zodiac left the scene ? Did Zodiac ask Stine to roll down the window before he shot him? Two reasons to do so come to my mind. Avoid to break the glass of window/noise when the bullet penetrates the head in the case he used a silencer. Avoid suffering a blast trauma in case of shooting a non silenced pistol.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/2/2020 08:23:54 pm

All that I might add to what you observe ,Michael ,is that the coroner's report ,as a result of the official pathologist's finding was ,that Paul Stine received the single bullet to precisely the ''temple'' region .of Stines right side.

On initial inspection ,Toschi 's inaccurate finding was that the bullet had entered Stine's head ,from behind Stine's right ear ,But there was a lot of blood in the general vicinity ,and Toschi's report would have only been expected to have been accepted '' in lieu '' of the official findings .

So...the ''act of execution '' is unlikely to have come from Stines left side .including Stine's window .It really had to have come from Stine's right hand side ,or partially from behind .

I see that it is being ''touted'' now ,that Toschi's partner,Armstrong,claims that the Zodiac ,at the point of execution ,was in the front passenger seat (...on Stine's right side...) .But I've seen nothing to back this up ,with official documentation .

Michael

1/3/2020 02:18:09 am

Rubislaw 32, I don't doubt that Paul Stine was shot in the right side of his head. But if somebody is shot in the head by a 9mm from such a short distance you should consider that the bullet would penatrate the head and as a consequences break the glass of the window. This noise would spoil all the efforts of using a silencer. To avoid the noise of breaking glass Zodiac asked Stine to roll down the window.
This could also explain why Zodiac didn't shoot Stine in the neck which would be plausible when he was sitting behind him. But this shot would risk braking the windshield.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/3/2020 05:18:13 am

Michael...I am certainly reading and absorbing what you are conveying.

The Zodiac ,as the executioner,factually shot Paul Stine in the temple on Stine's right side.The Zodiac clearly wished that there would be no event,where a struggle might ensue ,and hoped to kill Paul Stine ,as ''instantly '' as was possible .

Now ,apart from concerning himself ,about what his other hand might instinctively likely to do,as a result of the ''merest'' struggle,and get in the way,thereby injuring his other hand.....most people,I venture ,would presume that ,this is all that the Zodiac could concern himself about ,in this confined space ,and already electing to target Stines right-hand side of his head .

If the Zodiac was positioned either in the back seat,or front seat passenger seat....there is no earthly excuse ,he would be able to come up with ,in order to persuade Stine to roll down his window.

And,if a bullet had behaved,as you suggest that it might....and,if the Zodiac had considered this a possibility....then,the Zodiac would know,that at least the glass of Stine's window ,would tend to blow outwards.

Given what the Zodiac hoped to achieve - execute Stine instantly,there are,in theory,endless possible ''eventualities'' that the Zodiac could have considered ( ? ).

But technically ,the Zodiac ''performed'' what he set out to achieve ,''perfectly'',given the Zodiac's '' confines ''.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/3/2020 05:44:09 am

Personally ,I believe that the Zodiac ''did'' suffer some hearing loss,through a perforated ear drum .He may well have considered it a possibility ,but was willing to take that risk ( ? ).

1/3/2020 05:49:58 pm

Melvin Belli's client Jack Ruby died of a fast acting cancer on January 3, 1967 Daliday

Rubislaw 32 link

1/4/2020 12:35:04 am

Interesting,BB,and I believe that one shouldn't underestimate the role that Ruby and Belli '' might'' have played,in the Zodiac's thinking ,at a given time .

In essence that ,and for the most part ,the Zodiac ,like most scoundrels ,was primarily about '' self-preservation ''.

If there is one ''telling'' message (...though not necessarily the only one .. ) in the Zodiac 's letter to Belli ....then it was to ''fish '' for a positive reply from Belli ,on the Zodiac giving himself up ,with a guarantee from Belli ,that the Zodiac would be safe in custody ,under Belli's personal supervision.

What the Zodiac may have sought from Belli ,at that time ,never came...and partly because Belli was on business elsewhere,at that time .

The possible ''opportunity '',as such ''slid by '',and the Zodiac ''re-grouped '' himself ,in the following 3-4 months.

Roger

1/7/2020 08:31:41 pm

My personal feeling is this: Zodiac was full of it.

He could have meant something or nothing. He may have simply been playing with ideas that he knew would provide red herrings. The obvious thing is the case will never be solved by pondering whatever convoluted madness originated from his hand.

1/8/2020 05:11:36 pm

https://www.encyclopedia.com/arts/educational-magazines/graysmith-robert-1942

Robert R=18th letter 18 unsolved

GraySmith G=7th + S=19th = 26 Z=26th letter

I am Robert the Hippie ^^^^\/\/\/\/^^^^ I am Robert GraySmith

His favorite hobby is collecting comics (Tim Holt comic?)

He said "Only the Zodiac knows as much about this case"

GraySmith's psuedo friend that he used as a source was Wallace Penny.

He insinuated that Wallace knew the Zodiac personally.

Wallace Penny actually was Penny Wallace, a well known children's book writer.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/11/2020 08:26:09 am

Just a further note on the Zodiac's likely propensity for puerility ,Richard.

Possible attractions include Robert Strange McNamara , Melvin Mouron Belli , (...two of Northern California's famous sons...) ,and Helen Roper Brown ,Hasty , Bent County (...'' specific '' 8-Ball symbol ''...) .

Another one , and perhaps clue that the solution to the San Jose cryptogram ,was directed at the FBI is , quite simply their Butte office , in Montana .

Why there ? More than likely ,because the Zodiac had decided that the FBI would be the '' Butte '' of his joke....and ''telegraphed'' geographically ,to this effect .

Rubislaw 32 link

1/12/2020 03:06:34 am

A poetic inspiration ,for the Monticello Card of July 13th 1971 where ,the Zodiac attempts to take responsibility for the murder of Kathy Bilek ,on April 11th 1971 :

The Paul Simon Songbook Album ( 1965 ).The songs included :

I am a Rock
Leaves that are green
A church is burning
April come she will
A most peculiar man
He was my brother
Kathy's song
The side of a hill
A simple desultory philippic
Flowers never bend with the rainfall
Patterns

A '' philippic '' is a bitter attack or tirade - usually verbal , but not necessarily exclusively so .

Personally,I believe that there is much about The Beatle's Abbey Road Album's tracks ,that suggest the Zodiac's links to Darlene Ferrin.

But ''interpretation'' can be in the eyes of the beholder ( ? ) .

Rubislaw 32 link

1/12/2020 03:20:15 am

The Paul Simon songbook should include '' The Sound of Silence ''.
This song and '' April come she will '' were included in the soundtrack of the 1968 film , '' The Graduate '' which ,elevated Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel to global acclaim.

1/12/2020 04:09:03 pm

F. LaBour was instrumental in the spread of the Paul is Dead urban legend. While a junior at the University of Michigan, having heard the October 12, 1969 WKNR broadcast about the rumor, he and John Gray wrote a satiric parody review of Abbey Road called "McCartney Dead; New Evidence Brought to Light", itemizing various "clues", many of them of their own invention, of McCartney's death. The article was published in the October 14, 1969 issue of the Michigan Daily.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_LaBour
Also, Paul Stine's real death occurred at the same time coincidentally?
F.Lee Bailey was featured in an RKO television special in which he conducted a mock trial, examining various expert witnesses on the subject of the "Paul is dead" rumor referring to Beatle Paul McCartney. One of the experts was Fred LaBour, whose article in The Michigan Daily had been instrumental in the spread of the urban legend. LaBour told Bailey during a pre-show meeting that he had made the whole thing up. Bailey responded, "Well, we have an hour of television to do. You're going to have to go along with this." The program aired locally in New York City on November 30, 1969, and was never re-aired.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F._Lee_Bailey#"Paul_is_dead"

Rubislaw 32 link

1/13/2020 04:22:35 am

Well,there F.Lee Bailey is...back in ,with a mention from you ,BB .

Almost 90 years old now , F.Lee Bailey is one of America's '' national treasures '',and his life's work spans one of the most exciting times in history ,ever .

One can't help wondering if aspects to the Zodiac case might have turned out different ,if the '' Belli letter '' ,had been the '' Bailey letter'' ?
I cerainly think that some of this '' inner meaning '' social phenomenon ,at that time ,had its roots in the ''university '' fraternity ,at that time . In those days ,even if tertiary education was an affordable proposition , only about 10-12 % kids made it ,and there was an element of ''elitism'' that no longer exists ,to-day .

Musical bands ,like the Beatles and Simon and Garfunkel ,certainly had a following from those that regarded themselves,as '' young intellectuals ''.

I'm just wondering if the Zodiac believed himself ,among that ''elite ilk '' ( ? ).Such movies ,as '' The Graduate '' could be a giveaway clue ,of sorts.In addition , Paul Simon moved to England ,for a couple of years ,as a young man ,to soak in a true Anglo-Saxon folk '' education ''....and ''that'' perception of the Zodiac's '' Anglo-American '' influences ,might have resonated with him.

Roger

1/13/2020 02:35:05 pm

Here is the ultimate in fictional entertainment for those pre-disposed to such tripe. https://patriots4truth.org/2018/06/25/zodiac-killer-named-code-broken/

Well maybe if Mr Horan had told us exactly how he or his crypto-genius comrades arrived at this solution, we may find cause to believe him. But no, he dribbles on for over an hour and 4 minutes with nothing but unsubstantiated gossip.

What really cracked me up was when the interviewer (who claims to be former NSA) asked him for information on his cryptography sources. Horan replies loudly and jovially -- "I don't know who they are!"... Then he mumbles some names, mentions a name, his own name "Thomas", mumbles a bit more, says "I'm not sure he's even still alive!", laughs.... also says "They operate over my head ALL the time!"

Roger

1/13/2020 03:13:19 pm

And it goes without saying there are far worse appearing online all the time. Here is another guy who thinks the cipher is so extremely polyphonic and the rules so highly flexible that you can make the ciphers say just about whatever you want them to say. And to think this person was at one stage actually trying to sell these "solutions" to the masses. Haha! If anyone bought them I can only say they paid way too much and should demand a refund. But my guess is nobody was stupid enough to fork out money for something they already knew would be entirely lacklustre. Well it turns out that any attempt to profit from the 340 or the Zodiac case is a futile endeavor, as those who have tried it have found out to their bitter disappointment. This person has clearly discovered that there is to be no recompense for time spent, which we can presume is why he is now offering his "solutions" for free. But even then it is a bit like trying to give away ice to a Norwegian in mid-winter.

http://zodiacciphersdecoded.blogspot.com/

The ironies in the following statement are plain to see. "I state I did not construct these solutions , I developed a code from the my name is cipher which led to more and more keys to the solution /code key ."

How far does one's tongue have to be planted into the side of one's cheek while reading?

Then he writes: "I have the scratch paper or long addition sort of ,of how I came up with the code key. I am confident I would pass a lie detector test on this ,as I said."

So funny! A lie detector test can only prove that he thinks he is right. What else could a lie detector test achieve? Haha! We can only laugh at some of these attempts at feigned credibility.

Most times people do have a rudimentary idea for a key to begin with, and they discover some spurious results scattered here and there, then they fiddle with the key until they can construct some kind of sensible text. The problem is if their initial key is wrong, this means the end result will also be completely wrong. This is the REAL reason why their solution is so absurdly and extremely polyphonic. But of course once a solution is constructed by way of key alteration and various cognitive imaginings, the person can then claim they arrived at their key by some vaguely described method which can "sort of" still be proven by work sheets and "sort of" by long addition etc.

We never cease to be entertained!

1/13/2020 03:08:00 pm

Palace Stationers is where the Zodiac bought his stationery. It is a mom and pop shop - not a chain.
There is a possibility that someone was setting-up Ross Sullivan to be the scape-goat.
The Zodiac had the words Paradice Slaves cris-cross just like in the Palace Stationers advertisement.
Phil Sins is yet another PS connection to 1966 Riverside(Phillips 66?).
He was the man that called Paul Avery to suggest he look into the Riverside murderer's possible link to the Zodiac.
Ross is 100% eliminated as Zodiac - since he died before the Muni-drivers letter which was Jan. 10, 2001
http://localsantacruz.com/art/palace-art-office-supply/

Roger

1/13/2020 03:20:00 pm

Yes BB, you are correct about the Palace Stationers. We find the Zodiac often seemed to be obsessed with the letters "P" and "S". Paradice/Slaves. And he even used that very acronym "P.S.". Perhaps this was simply his way of "clewing" us in to the Palace Stationers connection, or, as you suggest, there could be other reasons.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/13/2020 06:12:07 pm

A local journalist's interest ,three years ago ,in the murder of 29 year old taxi driver,Ray Davis ,from Oceanside CA ,in 1962 ,has just surfaced at zodiackiller.com , and might become an established ''possible'' Zodiac victim .Even though early indications are ,that LE don't appear to have shown '' official '' interest ,in a Zodiac link.

And ,together with '' possible '' victim , Joyce Walker ,and ''The Honeymoon murders '' , has taken attention of a potential start for the Zodiac's crime spree ,to the area between L.A. and San Diego.

Ray Davis was murdered on April 11th 1962 ,nine years to the day ,before Karl Werner victim Kathy Bilek...for which the Zodiac undoubtedly claimed responsibility , in his Montcello Card and presumed Z148 cipher .

Roger

1/13/2020 06:26:06 pm

Thank you for telling us about Ray Davis, Rubislaw. I seem to recall hearing about another taxi driver who was attacked or murdered shortly after Paul Stine, but cannot remember the details now. Maybe I am mistaken and of course lots of cab drivers were getting robbed around that time. I am sure there were probably many robberies and assaults on taxi drivers that were never even reported in the papers.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/13/2020 06:57:56 pm

Yes..I suppose ,in a way ,Roger ,this is the March 13th 1971 letter ,coming back to haunt us ,with the ''...hell of a lot down there...'' quote .

Hot air from the Zodiac ,or more to it ( ? ) .I've tended to think that the Zodiac was referring to more letters ,as opposed to murders .

A few of us might be driven around and around in circles ,over this .

I'm just going to check up on lyrics from hits of the Kinks ( ! ) ,just in case the 1971 correspondences had a bit more ,to the '' foolery '' of the Zodiac ( Ray Davis )....then leave it ,there .

1/14/2020 08:56:21 am

Rubislaw

On the evening of April 9, 1962, the Oceanside Police Department received an anonymous telephone call. The unidentified caller stated cryptically: “I am going to pull something here in Oceanside and you will never be able to figure it out.” The call was likely dismissed…until two nights later on April 11th, when a body was discovered and the caller contacted the police again.

http://www.thevistapress.com/oceanside-1962-cold-case/?__cf_chl_jschl_tk__=e7dff0e6bb4a6831115a9e6d3f207b038d37d536-1579020628-0-AT0wBB6g9yv40d6H-zEuL7d7IplR3rxIwo2oBj3bdh6yCWRvWBy0Av6WnsJHtMiezCTkyAN8fFTJqnslTpFCTOBYbTuF01cxgjJCTdTeqE-3LcPSQrYP4PylrWo8CwExrzg0xSae_YbEG3K_SKGfR6DMpt2gvbU39e6IVCzCHHQBD3R2HSeVQHU8YMUaYyiMOr1-7t8sPrLAEz5SctnjC1Nb-MNGIkbFN9aM0KgvQTZkhC-RcaVVd8pWl86RqOUQ4K9k8m5AFKqcv18tGdzkpEb0do972IfyuIO1b9JvW10Q

Rubislaw 32 link

1/14/2020 09:11:49 am

Thanks for the extra , BB . Indeed ,the fullness of the circumstances ,surrounding the murder of Ray Davis are becoming apparent .

It appears that he died from '' rifle shots '' to the neck and temple .

JFK - esque , even ? (...let alone, Paul Stine..).

Perpetrator dumped his body in an alley ,and drove the cab , a mile and a half further on .

1/14/2020 09:59:14 am

“Do you remember me calling you last week and telling you that I was going to pull a real baffling crime? I killed the cab driver and I am going to get me a bus driver next.”

This sounds just like the Zodiac!

Rubislaw 32 link

1/14/2020 02:28:39 pm

Yes...if the nature of the call is accurate , that's a positive as a persuasive clue .

Subject to further confirmation , Davis had more than $3 in ''working change '', and $9 in his wallet . That total is approaching $150 in to-day's money .

So,the official perception that Davis was not robbed , appears to be true .

Roger

1/14/2020 04:09:10 pm

This murder has Zodiac written all over it.

Another photo of Terry Stephens, the police officer who found the body. https://books.google.com/books?id=RrcOhXgoXMoC&pg=PA58&lpg

Rubislaw 32 link

1/14/2020 04:04:17 pm

Further information is that the body of Davis was dumped in an alley ,behind the residence of a former local mayor....'' and '' across the street from the residence of the then current mayor .

So...specific intention , and planned strategy of accomplishing the crime ,in evidence .

Roger

1/14/2020 04:10:53 pm

Yes, it all matches the M.O. to a "T".

1/17/2020 11:09:56 am

April 11th 1962 "D" day

Rubislaw 32 link

1/14/2020 04:22:55 pm

Early days on fuller information , granted...but this was not only an act of terrorism ,but its cynical content was maximised , in the eyes of the perpetrator : To,in effect , humiliate the elected senior local official .

In addition , more than likely driving the taxi car to the destination of the perpetrator's own getaway vehicle .

Roger

1/14/2020 04:39:01 pm

I note from the book in the link I just provided, Davis was a common surname of staff at the Oceanside PD through time. So I guess we cannot rule out a possible revenge slaying, for instance if the killer had presumed the cab driver's name meant he could be related to an officer. He could have been "sending them a message", but then again the vagueness of the threatening phone calls makes it seem more like the motivations of a psychopathic egotist. If he had wanted to send a message to a specific officer, one would think he would have made this more clear?

1/16/2020 10:32:48 am

Elaine Davis
Bruce Davis
Edward Davis
Angela Davis
Howard Davis
University of California at Davis
All of whom having a tangential link to the case.
Ray Davis now takes precedent.

Roger

1/16/2020 03:49:44 pm

I noticed that too BB. I am not sure if that is telling us something... or if it simply due to the fact that Davis is a fairly common surname.

One of Cheri Jo Bates classmates was Tim Davis, and Bruce Davis allegedly was in Riverside on the night of her murder, only to leave Riverside the very next day. Whether the Bruce Davis story is true of just online gossip, I do not know.

1/14/2020 05:22:05 pm

Rubislaw 32 - Good job! This lead is hot. Forgive me if I step on anyone's ideas. I just want to get out one of my own that this line has triggered for me. This may be the beginning of the Zodiac. He may have dumped the body then drove the taxi closer to his own home. So he would not have so far to walk. And so he could disappear in the darkened residential neighborhoods. He could have been a teen at this time with no licence as of yet. I'm leaning towards a suspect with no car. Cabs and buses could mean no car of his own. His licence may have been taken away when having committed a prior offence while driving. Or another possibility, in 1962 he could have been a teenager. Most serial killers begin 13-19 yo. The Southern California suspects that best fit the teenager range are Sandy and Jim Phillips. They both look the same. And they were both 16 in 1962. Jim Phillips in 1969 changed his name to Crabtree just after getting interrogated for Darlene's murder. Then he split the state for several years till the heat died down. All those drawings of Sandy look just like Jim. Both have that space in front two teeth. If Jim was to hang-out at the beach for a few days his hair would bleach in the sun and give a sandy blond appearance just like the June 3, 1963 descriptions of Sandy. Jim's is Light brown reddish hair that looks died. Both being about 5' 8" in height. They both wore dark rimmed glasses. Jim was adopted. He often stayed in the YMCA. In those days there were many YMCA and they would let guys "down on their luck" stay for little or no money. There is one next to where the cab was left in Oceanside 1962. Jim dances around whether or not he is the "unknown man in the photo with Darlene". But, it's him. Jim/Sandy/Zodiac they're possibly all the same guy. What the clincher is for me is his - bringing up the notion of going after bus drivers.
https://historiesandmysteries.blog

Rubislaw 32 link

1/14/2020 05:43:26 pm

Certainly possible , BB . '' Hurting'' the public profile of local public transportation ( ? ) . The editor of a local newspaper ,has been posting at zodiackiller.com ,and any feedback she receives from Zodiac sites ,will hopefully be useful in her endeavours to further profile this cold case.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/14/2020 04:52:37 pm

Yes ,initially at least , it looks likely that the perpetrator's intention was ,to either just cause a '' stink '' and earmarked the seaside town of Oceanside....or,that the perpetrator had '' personal '' with the local mayor .

I'm keen to find out about this local mayor ,and any local rulings that had recently been made , perhaps ( ? ) . I can't help thinking that the perpetrator was an outsider , possibly living out of his car , or attempting to camp out and mind his own business ( ? ) . But,you often just can't do that sort of thing , at a ''respectable'' seaside town.

I'll check out where Easter Sunday fell , that year .

Rubislaw 32 link

1/14/2020 05:14:16 pm

Well,Palm Sunday was April 15th ,and Easter Sunday was April 22nd.

I'm just going in a particular direction...that , if this perpetrator was the Zodiac ,then may have been a student in 1962 ....a bit hard up ,but desiring to travel ,by car to an exotic destination ,in relation to where he lived .

I wonder when the Easter break came for university students ,in general , at that time ( ? ).

There was a local military base , and I note that some are already latching on to this , as a possible link . But I'd be more inclined to a student angle....someone that felt '' injustice '' .

Rubislaw 32 link

1/14/2020 05:32:50 pm

Perhaps something that can be said with confidence is ,that the seaside town of Oceanside would have been gearing itself up for tourists ,at Easter . A time when extra income to the local economy ,would be at a premium of desire .

The murder of a taxi driver ,with his body dumped in front of the local mayor...would have hurt the town '' big time '' .

Rubislaw 32 link

1/15/2020 03:53:25 am

Here we go ,here we go....

And,good spot from BB ,to focus more attention on a possible '' public transport '' angle :

So...for the April 11th 1962 murder of Taxi driver , Ray Davis , we are confronted by his body dumped across from the local mayor , and a subsequent threat to public transport .

Now...note the contents of the 2001 New Years Card :

References to public transport in San Francisco ( Muni )...and ,check this out :

''...Those bastard Muni Drive ( rs ) ( The mayority Black and Asians ).''.

Hey.... '' mayority (sic) ''.And in the context of public transport .

And further..a reminder that the 1990 Celebrity Cipher Postcard picture , turned out to be of '' Carmel ''.With implications that the Zodiac might target the rich and famous...with Clint Eastwood ,in particular .

At that 1990 time , Clint Eastwood having been the '' mayor '' of Carmel.

So...possible '' mayor '' links ,between the murder of Ray Davis ,in 1962 , and both the 1990 Celebrity Cipher and 2001 New Years Card .

1/15/2020 01:09:51 pm

OSHA stats - taxi driver homicides
The Bureau of Labor Statistics’ (BLS) data indicates
that annual homicide rates for taxi drivers
(and chauffeurs) from 1998 to 2007 ranged from
9 per 100,000 workers, to 19. During that period
the rate for all workers was at or below 0.5 per
100,000 workers. In other words, taxi drivers’
homicide rates were between 21 and 33 times
higher than the national average for all workers.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/15/2020 04:37:47 pm

I would suggest that the presumed Zodiac's '' The mayority Black and Asians '' is his self-amused stereotype racist dig at his perception of the tendency to ethnicity for the position of Mayor ,at that time .

For example , Willie Brown , an African-American Democrat ,was Mayor of the city of San Francisco ,in 2001 .

Rubislaw 32 link

1/15/2020 02:44:48 pm

The mayor ,at the time of the murder of Ray Davis , was Erwin Sklar .

Sklar was a dedicated citizen of , and public servant to Oceanside . He served on the local Council between 1956 and 1968 ,and was instrumental in developing and modernising Oceanside's harbour .

He and his wife Bertha , also ran the Old Towne movie theater ,at Oceanside .

Mayor Erwin Sklar 1910 - 1974 .

1/17/2020 12:27:49 pm

Mission Ave, Oceanside, CA to 1926 South Pacific Street Oceanside, CA is a 15 minute drive at most.
Therefore Ray Davis was murdered at about 11:25 pm. Then his body was pulled out of the Taxi and left.
The killer then drove the cab about 15 blocks. He left the cab in an alley by the tracks between 4th and 5th.
If he was a random killer the coincidence of leaving the cab next to Ray's apartment would be miraculous.
But if it were planned out it would make sense. He was so proud of himself he called the police on April 9th
to tell them how great his idea was. The street is Washington ave - it's across the train tracks - turn right
go on Tremont to 525 it's where Ray and his brother Jack lived. It's a 3 minute Walk. This is no coincidence.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/17/2020 04:56:39 pm

Nice work , BB .So,there is a suggestion , at least ,that the perpetrator had targeted Ray Davis , the victim ,as well as where the perpetrator intended to leave him.

His body dumped , apparently , in an alley behind the property of Mayor MacDonald ,the previous mayor before Mayor Sklar .

Roger

1/17/2020 05:22:19 pm

Some great detective work here from Rubislaw and BB!

Rubislaw 32 link

1/17/2020 06:46:36 pm

Thanks Roger . Something that is stumping me ,at present :

When the cab was recovered ,there was $ 2.20 on the meter . Most people are assuming that Davis and the perpetrator '' rode '' this amount....and so try to figure out where this final journey started .

But ,did the meter stop when Davis was murdered ( ? ) .Or ,was it a much shorter final journey for Davis and the perpetrator ,with the perpetrator's extra mile and a half making up the $2.20 ( ? ) .

And....what of this purported murder weapon - a rifle . A bit conspicuous for a stranger to own ,and be admitted into a taxi ,by the cab driver ( ? ) .

Almost an inference here ,that Davis had picked up a friend ,or at least someone that Davis knew well .

Rubislaw 32 link

1/17/2020 06:51:59 pm

So.....first suspect must have been brother Jack . But we must assume that Jack had an alibi .

Roger

1/17/2020 06:59:49 pm

Any evidence the rifle may have been sawed off? This was a crude but quick and easy way for someone to make a concealed weapon.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/18/2020 01:47:11 am

Yes...quite possible , and given the presumed element of pre-planning ,the perpetrator might have considered a number little details to the execution of his strategy .

It appears that there were three known discharges of the perpetrators firearm . One bullet went through the back of the driver's seating section .One though the cab's windscreen ,and a third entered the left side of the head of Davis .

So,we could be observing the third , head shot , being fired from outside the taxi , as if the perpetrator removed himself from the cab , and administered a '' coup de grace '' to an incapacitated Davis , in a standing position ,at the driver's open window ( ? ) .

A pathologist's report would be good to see...but I have a feeling that the journalist won't be receiving anything more ,of official documentation .

But, good for the chances that LE might be taking the highlighting of the Davis case ,as a possible Zodiac one ( ? ).

1/18/2020 10:24:31 am

I think there is a misconception of the .22 caliber weapon. The ammo is just called twenty-two long rifle.
That in no way means that the weapon was of a long shouldered variant. There are many types of .22 cal
ammunition four major ones are shorts, longs, long rifles, and magnums. The term rifle does not correlate
to long firearms either. There are two basic types of fire arms. Those with barrels that are rifled and those
with barrels that are smooth. There are pistols that are rifled and there are shouldered fire arms that are not -
such as shotguns. The military refers to these firearm weapons that are rifled as rifles and those that are
not as smooth bored. But, most other groups are not interested in the distinction. The common vernacular goes that firearms that are long shouldered are rifles. And, short (pistols), even-though they are not usually smooth barreled guns, as handguns. This is the confusion that I am sure is causing the mix-up with the size of the firearm. I am very familiar with this issue as a vet. Everyone must be on the same page with the terminology or there is chaos. I am certain that this was a hand held - rifled firearm commonly referred to as a .22 cal semi-automatic pistol. Why - because
if it left casings - odds are it would not have been a revolver. Although if we are not careful we can further the confusion.

The .22 LR uses a heeled bullet, which means that the bullet is the same diameter as the case, and has a narrower "heel" portion that fits in the case. It is one of the few cartridges that are accepted by a large variety of rifles and handguns wikipedia

Roger

1/18/2020 01:45:47 pm

Thanks BB

Rubislaw 32 link

1/18/2020 01:10:48 pm

Excellent ( ! ) , and expert advice , on interpretation ,BB .

My experience with firearms is very limited , and just goes back to the old Enfield .22 rifles , as a cadet .

So this : '' The ammo is just called Twenty-two long rifle....and in no way means that the weapon was a long shouldered variant ...'' is just music to everyone's ears .

So the weapon that the perpetrator used was , most likely a handgun ( ? ) .

That's a relief , on projected imagery - and thanks for the information .

1/18/2020 05:31:29 pm

Thank you both

The twenty-two is really the most universal of all firearms.

It is the most deadly weapon. Most hits have been performed with it.

The number one reason is because it is the cheapest.

And, study after study shows that because the noise levels, being so much lower - is the second factor of choice for killers.

This is the caliber of the M16 for all intents .221 .222 and .223...
Though much longer than your universal 22LR it is basically the same diameter. It... actually won the cold war if you want to be technical. As the Soviets chose the extremely loud, extremely heavy, and extremely expensive AK-47. We bankrupted them.
That's why we won the Cold War.

If you do a YouTube search for videos on the Hi-Standard Duramatic 22 pistol, Zodiacs weapon of choice, you can see many different people describe this pistol. It basically came with a removable barrel that you could replace with a silencer of sorts, referred to as a suppressor. It was used behind enemy lines in WWll all the way to the 1968 when it was changed-up because regular people were catching-on. And the legal system stepped in to stop the quite kills.

Tom1

1/19/2020 06:11:34 am

Are you saying that a 22 pistol does not leave casings?

1/19/2020 09:29:57 am

No. It would be a revolver or bolt action in that case. The killer would have to be calm enough to pick-up the casings if otherwise. But with the HI-Standard the killer is also able to exchange barrels quickly. Getting rid of the evidence down some old sewer drain. The Zodiac chose this weapon for these reasons. As a teen, he must have read those detective magazines to gather this info.

Roger

1/19/2020 04:26:51 pm

Your knowledge of guns is both amazing and scary BB.

1/19/2020 05:35:04 pm

Thanks... I think.

1/19/2020 06:40:25 pm

April 11th was Anton Szandor LaVey's Birth-day.
He turned 32 the day Ray Davis was murdered.
666 is a profane symbol for the Satanists.
Six months later is Oct.11
and Six years later
Oct.11, 1968 Rusty Bunch is murdered in the Presidio
Oct.11, 1969 Paul Stine is murdered just outside the Presidio

1/20/2020 09:18:48 am

Three murders took place in Cabin 28 of the Keddie Resort during the late evening of April 11, 1981 And one person was missing 12-year-old Tina Sharp. Her murder was probably that night after being tortured to death. Her remains however surfaced years later so the definitive outcome will remain forever unknown as everyone connected to the case has passed.

1/20/2020 11:57:08 am

The ashes of
Anton Szandor LaVey
are in the Colma, California
Cemetery
Kolma is an ancient Uralic word meaning death - connotatively.
Though the words denotative "Kolma" means "moon"
As words go there is no definitive absolute spelling. And, as words have originated usually in a time long before phonetic rules apply. And over a long period of bastardization has had its influences.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/20/2020 03:09:11 pm

Some interesting statistics and points of possible coincidental note , BB .
I do have the feeling that the Zodiac had '' earmarked '' a Saturday evening for the Presidio Heights '' project '' ,regardless of specific date .

As with a Saturday afternoon ,for Lake Berryessa , also ( ? ) .

Strange perhaps , that in the same Tim Holt comic ,that included The Wheel of Death , there was a story about '' The Man with many Faces ''....and his true identity , was French confidence trickster , by the name of '' Anton LaVey ''.

Maybe , just a '' steal '' ( ? ) .

Rubislaw 32 link

1/20/2020 03:11:45 pm

Am I wrong about Lake Berryessa ?

1/20/2020 05:38:10 pm

Side note, Ross Sullivan could have been set up by Tim Sullivan (his brother).

Some think Zodiac's name could have been Tim because of the comic's import.

1/21/2020 11:31:09 am

Currently - my analysis the #1 suspect is
The laughing boy known only as Sandy. And I think that it is Jim Phillips whom is James Douglas Crabtree all alias together this is the one and only Zodiac killer.

And all the other suspects have been eliminated as copycats or mistakes made by family members with a rush to judgment not having carefully read the evidentiary materials. Or as you say of William Grant was just made up mistakenly by Lafferty to look like he was the Zodiac. Through his efforts to solve the mystery.

The suspects that come in that category are escape goats, or fall guys, or patsy's. Also, there are dupes like Micheal O'hare set up by Penn. And, ultimately Arthur Allen framed by Graysmith. These guys doubled down on their mistake instead of admitting their mistakes - even though they have been proven to be wrong as is stated in the doc "Graysmith Unmasked".

Roger

1/21/2020 02:31:16 pm

Allen was never framed by Graysmith. Allen was in fact Toschi's prime suspect, who he had to dismiss when his prints and DNA failed to match. Graysmith did continue to stoke the embers of Allen for decades after, but he really only gathered a few more tantalizing bits of circumstantial evidence. Prior to Allen's death there were widespread rumors that LE and state prosecutors were gathering large amounts of circumstantial evidence on Leigh with the intention of taking him to court for the Zodiac crimes. But of course Allen died suddenly and the case was dropped. In some ways it is probably good that it never did go to court, because it would have been a media circus. If not "trial by media", Allen would have probably been found innocent anyway, due to plausible deniability or he would have got the conviction overturned on appeal.

Roger

1/21/2020 02:38:53 pm

Phillips was ruled out long ago because he had an alibi. He was not even in the area at the time of the murder. Also his prints did not match. I am not sure if his DNA was ever tested, but I think LE were satisfied long ago that he was not their man.

Roger

1/21/2020 02:50:18 pm

Lafferty's problem was that he was not a good detective, in the sense that he suffered from a rather too vivid imagination. This is very evident to anyone who reads his book, or at least "should be" evident. It is a desirable trait for writers of fiction novels, but not a desirable trait for a profession that must constantly satisfy the criteria and scrutiny of the legal system. Very little of Lafferty's evidence and his strange manner of reporting would stand up in court of law, and his superiors knew that - which is why they treated him the way they did. There was no conspiracy - just bad detective work from a man who should have probably chosen a profession that was more suited to his talents.

1/21/2020 03:03:43 pm

What! Roger - you seem to forget what you just said about alibi's back then. That even flimsy alibi's would often times work.

Roger

1/21/2020 04:09:50 pm

I cannot recall saying that and if I did I must have been referring to a different suspect entirely. Phillips was not the Zodiac, however I do wonder about the man who owned the car that was dumped for him to pick up in a parking lot. Could this man have been so riled by this act that he took vengeance on the couple in the car? I know if somebody had been going to buy a car off me or borrowed one from me and just dumped it some place for me to go pick up, I may not be very happy about it, not that I would go so far as to kill someone over it. But some people could get that angry. I am sure this scenario would have been thoroughly investigated back in the day and probably ruled out. Detective are usually very thorough to address these kinds of scenarios.

1/21/2020 04:40:21 pm

There was road rage back then. But it was called many other things - because the term had not been coined yet. So do you think that some of the killings were really idiot drivers flying-off-the-handle? There is a ton of that going on now-a-days. Search for road rage on YouTube and you can watch people going nuts to the point of murder over imagined slights.

Roger

1/21/2020 04:58:53 pm

No I do not claim it was all a case of road rage. *roll eyes*

Rubislaw 32 link

1/20/2020 03:24:46 pm

Could be that the '' LaV '' highlighted on the envelope of the Halloween Card , was a link between '' Anton LaVey '' and '' Paul Averly '' .

Might be that the Zodiac was accusing Avery of being '' two-faced '' ,at the very least ( ? ) .

Well , there was also a possibility that the Zodiac was intending to extract his '' Fag Fee '' out of Avery , for insinuating that the Zodiac was a '' Faggot ''.

(...which of course , as everyone knows , is a pork burger in breadcrumbs....)

Rubislaw 32 link

1/20/2020 04:33:51 pm

I see that the Satanist , known also as Anton LaVey , was born in 1930 , with the name Howard Stanton Levey .

So , his adopted name was a slight modification of his real name . And , given that Anton LaVey was only 22 when the Tim Holt comic was published , perhaps modified his name , based on the Tim Holt comic character : '' The Man with many Faces '' .

LaVey joined the Circus , at 16 ,working as a general labourer and organist . Then spent 3 years as a photographer for the SFPD ,before deciding to involve himself in Satanism , full time .

When the FBI interviewed LaVey , in 1980 ,over a claim that he was complicit in a plot to assassinate Senator Edward Kennedy , they concluded that LaVey was only involved in Satanism for the purposes of Show Business and money .

1/20/2020 05:31:29 pm

True - on one side ASL was a show man. But one should not conclude therefor he must only be all show and nothing more. The Satanic Church strongly supported Richard Ramirez. This was for show yes. But, the show that they were performing influenced many people. Most members were and are women. Just a smattering of men. I think Darlene was introduced to this church though through Jim Phillips in 1966. And politics ain't bean bag as they say. The main purpose of the FBI linked up with the main purpose of the Church of Satan. That is the spread of Anne Rand philosophy. Anton's avenue for doing this was the campy showy tripe we as educated men know and understand. But, the fascination of the unknown dressed-up as taboo dark symbolism is quite alluring for the young person trying to discover the world outside.The FBI's avenue for doing this is to promote the notions that coincide with Rand Philosophy (Fascism) and to punish those they see as subversive.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/20/2020 06:15:20 pm

Yes indeed , that it can be a difficult call to make on Satanism , and what the '' Church of Satan '' stood for ,apart from what they claimed to stand for....essentially , the '' Anti-Christ ''.

I have made mention before of a Zodiac contributor who contacted me , and told me of experiences of sexual abuse , as a child of a family of Church of Satan members . So , presumably some '' serious '' sides to the Church , where law-breaking took place , on a scale no less abhorrent than what has come to light in the '' Christ's Church '' of the Roman Catholic order , in recent years .

And,in San Francisco specifically , it appears that the Church of Satan saw the Zodiac , as the coming of Satan's son , and rejoiced in believing that they be '' one up '' on the conventional Christian Churches , that were still waiting for their '' Son of God '' to arrive .

Professional wrestlers can still get just as hurt or injured , as conventional Greco-Roman wrestlers , even though the former is a choreographed art form .

1/20/2020 08:23:35 pm

Good for you pal.
And, now how do we get everyone else to understand.
And, do to the Church of Satan what Leah Remini is doing to the Church of Scientology - expose it for the fraud that it is.

1/20/2020 08:51:40 pm

The channel nine letter targets ex Chief piggy Ed Davis

http://www.zodiackillerthemansonconnection.com/ch9_letter.html

Is there a connection to April 11, 1962 and Ray Davis?

Rubislaw 32 link

1/20/2020 08:43:59 pm

Maybe I'm not up to date , BB , but I have the impression that the Church of Satan has had its day ....whereas , yes , the Church of Scientology is an unquantifiable social enemy of the present ( ? ).

1/20/2020 08:59:20 pm

True - I think that is mostly correct today the movement seems less.
However, I was thinking more as a historical learning lesson and as it's legacy goes.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/20/2020 09:03:58 pm

It's possible....but wasn't Chief Ed Davis a wholly controversial figure in his own right ( ? ) , and was seen as symbolic of turning potentially '' honest cops '' into '' neo - fascists '' ones ,on account of his alliances to federal agents , over COINTELPRO ?

Death squads and execution shopping lists ,and the like .

Roger

1/20/2020 11:00:59 pm

Probably nothing, but there was a Ken Davis listed in Darlene Ferrin's address book.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/112412867@N06/sets/72157639822351054/

1/21/2020 09:56:08 am

Nothing !
You are kidding Roger.
This - Ken Davis - needs to be vetted.

Roger

1/21/2020 02:33:00 pm

Just trying to show how common the name Davis is.

Rubislaw 32 link

1/21/2020 04:41:47 am

I can see now , that '' Magnum Force '' - the second of the '' Dirty Harry '' films , was inspired by the dubious philosophy of Chief Ed Davis .

If we accept that the May 1978 letter was from the Zodiac , which I do ,there was a quite '' healthy '' cynicism about the Zodiac's observations ,at times .

Not of course ,that it excuses any of what he did . But , he certainly lived in exciting times , for those largely shielded from some of its brutality , first hand .

1/26/2020 05:43:32 pm

I'm not trying to be a jerk when suggesting a compiling of all the data possible to be gathered and collated on the people in this case. Like if any of the Davis's are related to one another.

But, I think this is what happened in reference to https://historiesandmysteries.blog

James Douglas Crabtree - Date of Birth - April 8th 1944

Jim comes-up with the plan to kill Davis in Oceanside April 8th - his 18th birthday in 1962

The next day on April 9th Jim calls the police to brag “I am going to pull something here in Oceanside and you will never be able to figure it out.” Then near the beach on Pacific Street on April 11th he pulled the dead body of Ray Davis out of his cab. Then drove 15 blocks and left the cab between 4th and 5th south. He crosses the tracks on foot walks up Washington turns right going toward 525 South Tremont where he may have been couch crashing.

April 11th 1962 , The Datum Date is designated this day. "D" is represented by the Zodiac crosshairs symbol. James "D" Crabtree. The Phillips 66 map/guy kills cabby Ray Davis this day. Daliday [Death day] - this datum is a starting point for cartographers. And, is often signified by a circled cross, also, sometimes a delta/triangle. What was his discharge date?

Then 90 months to the day afterwards on Oct.11, 1969 - Paul Stine - also a cabby, is killed.

The killing of Stine says that he has gone full circle. The Zodiac may have been drafted into the military and acted-up out of spite - not wanting to go in. These two murders stand for the alpha and the omega - the beginning and the ending. Jim Phillips gets married to Darlene in 1966. Phillips66?

April is Aries the ram. Riverside? The Horoscope for Aries says Leo and Libra are the compatible signs. LL? April 8, 1944 [1-9=8][44=4+4=8] [888] numerology for Jesus the Lamb/peace. Mars/Aries was the god of war.

Of course this may be mislead speculation on my part. And, perhaps it was one of the Davis possibilities. Like Bruce Davis. Was he allowed to sleep over on Jack and Ray's couch? I don't know. Were they related?

Roger

1/26/2020 06:23:10 pm

I admit, there is a loose chain of circumstantial evidence there BB. The birth date connection is compelling!

1/21/2020 10:02:37 am

Chief Edward Davis retired from law enforcement in 1978 to run for Governor of California but lost the Republican primary election.
From Wikipedia

Rubislaw 32 link

1/21/2020 01:08:13 pm

Yes as a nod on Ed Davis ' career as a police chief coming to an end , in 1978 , BB .

It can depend on one's acceptance or refusal on the three known documented 1978 letters .But there are certainly clues that might suggest that the Zodiac had been away from California ,and a bit out of touch . '' My tape is waiting for me in California '' and news of '' ...obscenity to the rest of the world . '' being two such examples .

Could well be that the Zodiac was launching straight into '' piggy '' Davis , without checking up ,on recent , more localised news ( ? ) .

Rubislaw 32 link

1/21/2020 01:48:34 pm

Oh , I see now that presumed Zodiac refers to Davis , as Ex-Chief Ed Davis . Albeit , a death threat still , from the Zodiac , in his direction .

If of any interest , I've just handed information to a '' known '' politician , which includes the contents of the July 1978 letter ,from a presumed Zodiac . ''.....I am the Zodiac and I am in control of all things...'' .

THE CODES OF ZODIAC NEVER REQUIRED AN EXTERNAL SOLVE

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