On July 19th 1978, a typewritten letter from Los Angeles arrived at the San Francisco Chronicle stating: "I am the ZODIAC and I am in control of all things. I am going to tell you a secret. I like friction tape. I like to have it around in case I need to truss someone up in a hurry....I have my real name on a small metallic tape. You see, while you have it in your possession, I want you to know it belongs to me and you think I may have left it accidentally. I am athletic. It could be swim fins, or a piece of scuba gear. But maybe you play chess with me. I have several cheap sets in closets all over. I have my name on the bottom of the lid with the scotch tape....My tape is waiting for me all over California. Do you know me? I am the ZODIAC and I am in control".
It was not uncommon for the Zodiac Killer to draw his inspiration from the previous newspaper articles about him, with this rather cryptic offering possibly another such example. On July 14th 1978, an exclusive interview with David Toschi was reported in the San Francisco Chronicle entitled New Zodiac Disclosures. Everything in the letter above appears to be inspired by the wording in the newspaper article. Inspector David Toschi had suspicions lingering over him that he had authored the April 24th 1978 letter to reinvigorate the Zodiac Killer investigation, and this interview with him was conducted at the time he had been transferred from homicide detail.
It was not uncommon for the Zodiac Killer to draw his inspiration from the previous newspaper articles about him, with this rather cryptic offering possibly another such example. On July 14th 1978, an exclusive interview with David Toschi was reported in the San Francisco Chronicle entitled New Zodiac Disclosures. Everything in the letter above appears to be inspired by the wording in the newspaper article. Inspector David Toschi had suspicions lingering over him that he had authored the April 24th 1978 letter to reinvigorate the Zodiac Killer investigation, and this interview with him was conducted at the time he had been transferred from homicide detail.
[1] 7/14/78 Chronicle: As Toschi talked rapidly and nervously, skipping from subject to subject like a man who has too much feeling inside him to control or regulate, he never mentioned any of the 100 other homicide investigations in which he participated. Only Zodiac.
Zodiac: I am the ZODIAC and I am in control of all things. I am the ZODIAC and I am in control.
[2] 7/14/78 Chronicle: "I came back. I was told to sit in a chair. A tape recorder was turned on" Toschi remembered. The policeman who was interrogating him, a member of his own detail, asked "Have you read the allegations". The 47-year-old inspector, a 25-year veteran of the police force was taken off the prestigious homicide squad after 10 years for writing letters in 1976 to Maupin to which Toschi praised himself and signed fictitious names.
Zodiac: I like friction tape. I like to have it around in case I need to truss someone up in a hurry....I have my real name on a small metallic tape.
If the tape used to interview Inspector David Toschi was labelled "Interview with Inspector Toschi", accused of using fictitious names when writing fan letters to Armistead Maupin, then the response by the Zodiac Killer of "I have my real name on a small metallic tape", could be reasoned.
[3] 7/14/78 Chronicle: When "Tales of the City" was completed, things quieted way down for Toschi. He knew he was tired. It was a bad week. He had pulled two all night murder investigations. He went to his doctor. The doctor said "Can you make it over to St Mary's hospital? Something is wrong with your heart". It turned out to be a leaky left valve. It wasn't pumping the way it should. Also, he was walking around with pneumonia.
Zodiac: I am athletic. It could be swim fins, or a piece of scuba gear.
Was the Zodiac Killer ridiculing David Toschi's stamina and fitness?
Zodiac: I am the ZODIAC and I am in control of all things. I am the ZODIAC and I am in control.
[2] 7/14/78 Chronicle: "I came back. I was told to sit in a chair. A tape recorder was turned on" Toschi remembered. The policeman who was interrogating him, a member of his own detail, asked "Have you read the allegations". The 47-year-old inspector, a 25-year veteran of the police force was taken off the prestigious homicide squad after 10 years for writing letters in 1976 to Maupin to which Toschi praised himself and signed fictitious names.
Zodiac: I like friction tape. I like to have it around in case I need to truss someone up in a hurry....I have my real name on a small metallic tape.
If the tape used to interview Inspector David Toschi was labelled "Interview with Inspector Toschi", accused of using fictitious names when writing fan letters to Armistead Maupin, then the response by the Zodiac Killer of "I have my real name on a small metallic tape", could be reasoned.
[3] 7/14/78 Chronicle: When "Tales of the City" was completed, things quieted way down for Toschi. He knew he was tired. It was a bad week. He had pulled two all night murder investigations. He went to his doctor. The doctor said "Can you make it over to St Mary's hospital? Something is wrong with your heart". It turned out to be a leaky left valve. It wasn't pumping the way it should. Also, he was walking around with pneumonia.
Zodiac: I am athletic. It could be swim fins, or a piece of scuba gear.
Was the Zodiac Killer ridiculing David Toschi's stamina and fitness?
[4] 7/14/78 Chronicle: Maupin turned his phony fan mail letters from Toschi over to DeAmicis, who confronted the inspector with them in the deputy chief's office last Friday morning. Toschi admitted writing them. "My recommendation" said DeAmicis "was that because of ego problems we thought it in the best interests of Dave Toschi and the department" to reassign him to the pawn shop detail.
Zodiac: I am athletic. It could be swim fins, or a piece of scuba gear. But maybe you play chess with me. I have several cheap sets in closets all over.
Was David Toschi the pawn in Zodiac's game of chess?
7/12/74 Chronicle: Officials Jittery Over Latest Zodiac Puzzle: Federal, state and local officials clamped a lid of secrecy over the controversial removal of San Francisco police Inspector David Toschi from the Zodiac murder case yesterday.
Zodiac: I have my name on the bottom of the lid with the scotch tape....My tape is waiting for me all over California. Do you know me? I am the ZODIAC and I am in control".
These comparisons are only speculative and may have in no way inspired the author's wording in the July 19th 1978 cryptic letter.
Zodiac: I am athletic. It could be swim fins, or a piece of scuba gear. But maybe you play chess with me. I have several cheap sets in closets all over.
Was David Toschi the pawn in Zodiac's game of chess?
7/12/74 Chronicle: Officials Jittery Over Latest Zodiac Puzzle: Federal, state and local officials clamped a lid of secrecy over the controversial removal of San Francisco police Inspector David Toschi from the Zodiac murder case yesterday.
Zodiac: I have my name on the bottom of the lid with the scotch tape....My tape is waiting for me all over California. Do you know me? I am the ZODIAC and I am in control".
These comparisons are only speculative and may have in no way inspired the author's wording in the July 19th 1978 cryptic letter.
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