Cheri Josephine Bates Shortly after the first two attacks at Lake Herman Road and Blue Rock Springs Park, the 'Debut of Zodiac' letter arrived at the San Francisco Examiner with the now infamous line "This is the Zodiac speaking".The origin of the crosshairs symbol that adorned the majority of his communications has often given rise to many theories, such as the Zodiac watch logo, a gun-sight, or a film leader used in motion picture reels. However, is it possible the origin of the symbol was born from the origin of the Zodiac Killer, if that makes any sense. In other words, from where he began his murderous campaign, the area of Riverside County and the vicious stabbing of Cheri Jo Bates.
The 'Los Angeles' letter mailed on March 13th 1971 would concede the Riverside connection and the murder of Cheri Jo Bates on Sunday October 30th 1966, stating "I do have to give them credit for stumbling across my riverside activity, but they are only finding the easy ones, there are a hell of a lot more down there." A connection was forged through correspondence sent by the alleged killer in Riverside, including a trinity of letters mailed to Joseph Bates (Cheri's father), the Riverside Press Enterprise and the Riverside Police, bearing what looked like a letter 'Z' signing off the letters. But was the area of Riverside the inspiration behind the infamous crossed circle and the inception of his murderous beginnings.
Cheri Jo Bates was brutally stabbed and slashed in the alleyway just west of the Riverside City College library annex. Two key pieces of evidence were retrieved, firstly, heel prints with a military/prison connection (see here), and a Timex watch, bearing white paint splashes, ripped from the assailant and retrieved just ten feet from the body of Cheri Jo Bates. It was suggested that had Cheri Jo Bates' killer been a stranger or somebody not connected to the Riverside City College library, her obvious choice after being unable to start her Volkswagen Beetle, would have been to return to the library to seek assistance - it was after all, only about 30 seconds away.
The 'Los Angeles' letter mailed on March 13th 1971 would concede the Riverside connection and the murder of Cheri Jo Bates on Sunday October 30th 1966, stating "I do have to give them credit for stumbling across my riverside activity, but they are only finding the easy ones, there are a hell of a lot more down there." A connection was forged through correspondence sent by the alleged killer in Riverside, including a trinity of letters mailed to Joseph Bates (Cheri's father), the Riverside Press Enterprise and the Riverside Police, bearing what looked like a letter 'Z' signing off the letters. But was the area of Riverside the inspiration behind the infamous crossed circle and the inception of his murderous beginnings.
Cheri Jo Bates was brutally stabbed and slashed in the alleyway just west of the Riverside City College library annex. Two key pieces of evidence were retrieved, firstly, heel prints with a military/prison connection (see here), and a Timex watch, bearing white paint splashes, ripped from the assailant and retrieved just ten feet from the body of Cheri Jo Bates. It was suggested that had Cheri Jo Bates' killer been a stranger or somebody not connected to the Riverside City College library, her obvious choice after being unable to start her Volkswagen Beetle, would have been to return to the library to seek assistance - it was after all, only about 30 seconds away.
The birthplace of Zodiac ? Click to enter Google Maps. Cheri Jo Bates' father, Joseph Bates, worked as a machinist for the Corona Naval Ordnance Laboratory. Corona, California is situated in Riverside County, only 15 miles southwest of central Riverside, a relatively short journey of 17 minutes by car. Was the murderer of Cheri Jo Bates connected to the Corona Naval Laboratory and did he own military style footwear, with the white paint flecks found on the Timex watch originating from this facility.
Corona used to hold car racing around its city center in the early 1900s, on account of the unique layout of its streets, incorporating Main Street, East Grand Boulevard and West Grand Boulevard, which formed a perfect circle. It was originally called South Riverside and is widely known as 'Circle City.'
Main Street was a straight north-south thoroughfare until it was redesigned in recent years, adding a deviation around its east-west 6th Street crossover point. This image on Google Maps shows the layout of Corona now, whereas in this following image on Hemmings Daily we see the perfect crosshairs of the 'Circled City.'
If the connection between the Bay Area murderer and Riverside could be proven, then this may have been the very inception of the Zodiac Killer, a man on the very fringes of Cheri Jo Bates' life, a man on the very fringes of Riverside and a crossed circle born from the 'Circled City' of Corona.
"I do have to give them credit for stumbling a-cross my riverside activity."
Corona used to hold car racing around its city center in the early 1900s, on account of the unique layout of its streets, incorporating Main Street, East Grand Boulevard and West Grand Boulevard, which formed a perfect circle. It was originally called South Riverside and is widely known as 'Circle City.'
Main Street was a straight north-south thoroughfare until it was redesigned in recent years, adding a deviation around its east-west 6th Street crossover point. This image on Google Maps shows the layout of Corona now, whereas in this following image on Hemmings Daily we see the perfect crosshairs of the 'Circled City.'
If the connection between the Bay Area murderer and Riverside could be proven, then this may have been the very inception of the Zodiac Killer, a man on the very fringes of Cheri Jo Bates' life, a man on the very fringes of Riverside and a crossed circle born from the 'Circled City' of Corona.
"I do have to give them credit for stumbling a-cross my riverside activity."
