According to Zodiac researcher Mike Rodelli, criminalist Alan Keel stated that DNA matched between the 1978 letter and one of the 1974 letters (almost certainly the Exorcist letter). It has been shown recently that the Exorcist letter is without doubt authentic Zodiac correspondence, so if Alan Keel is correct, then the 1978 letter is genuine too. We don't actually need the DNA match that has been accredited to Alan Keel, because comparisons between the Melvin Belli letter and 1978 letter, along with the indented writing analysis, is good enough reason to validate the 1978 letter.
The one thing we know about the Zodiac Killer was his eagerness to follow the newspaper coverage about his crimes and communications, often responding directly in subsequent letters to the San Francisco Chronicle. Being a narcissist, there is every chance the Zodiac Killer kept news cuttings of his escapades, just like many narcissistic trends on social media today. This may explain why he was able to respond to law enforcement quotes in the newspapers after eight years had passed (unless the following is a coincidence). One such example was the 1986 'Freeway' letter mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle on May 6th 1986. This letter began, "This is the Zodiac speaking. I am still out here and crack proof". This is what Inspector David Toschi stated in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 26th 1978 after the arrival of the latest Zodiac letter. Was the introduction in the 1986 letter a response to Inspector David Toschi after an eight year hiatus?
The one thing we know about the Zodiac Killer was his eagerness to follow the newspaper coverage about his crimes and communications, often responding directly in subsequent letters to the San Francisco Chronicle. Being a narcissist, there is every chance the Zodiac Killer kept news cuttings of his escapades, just like many narcissistic trends on social media today. This may explain why he was able to respond to law enforcement quotes in the newspapers after eight years had passed (unless the following is a coincidence). One such example was the 1986 'Freeway' letter mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle on May 6th 1986. This letter began, "This is the Zodiac speaking. I am still out here and crack proof". This is what Inspector David Toschi stated in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 26th 1978 after the arrival of the latest Zodiac letter. Was the introduction in the 1986 letter a response to Inspector David Toschi after an eight year hiatus?
San Francisco Chronicle, April 26th 1978
This is what Inspector David Toschi said to the San Francisco Chronicle on August 26th 1976, the same day a Zodiac "Deep Real Estate" advertisement was placed in the personal column of the newspaper.
San Francisco Chronicle, August 26th 1976
In fact, the 1978 letter may have been a response to the above article, when the Zodiac wrote "Tell herb caen I am here".
San Francisco Chronicle, January 31st 1974 This excerpt (left) was taken from the San Francisco Chronicle on January 31st 1974 after the arrival of the Exorcist letter two days earlier. It tells you that law enforcement believed the letter was mailed in either San Mateo county or Santa Clara county. Roll forward just over four years later with the arrival of the 1978 letter, that many believed to be an idle and lazy hoaxer who just mimicked the handwriting from previous Zodiac communications.
The letter and envelope of the 1978 letter was examined by law enforcement. Here is what was written in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 28th 1978: "Toschi said yesterday that the common, white envelope had no outstanding marks and that the single piece of plain white stationary on which the note was written contained nothing that would give us any indication where he might have gotten it. It was also learned that although the envelope bore a San Francisco postmark, other notations on the cancelation indicated that the letter might have been mailed in San Mateo county or Santa Clara county and was brought here for processing". Law enforcement, at the time, considered this the first contact from the Zodiac Killer since he last wrote the Exorcist letter in January, 1974. If this analysis by law enforcement is correct, then the individual who mailed the 1978 letter, mailed it from the same location as the Exorcist letter, separated by just over four years. They say old habits die hard.
The letter and envelope of the 1978 letter was examined by law enforcement. Here is what was written in the San Francisco Chronicle on April 28th 1978: "Toschi said yesterday that the common, white envelope had no outstanding marks and that the single piece of plain white stationary on which the note was written contained nothing that would give us any indication where he might have gotten it. It was also learned that although the envelope bore a San Francisco postmark, other notations on the cancelation indicated that the letter might have been mailed in San Mateo county or Santa Clara county and was brought here for processing". Law enforcement, at the time, considered this the first contact from the Zodiac Killer since he last wrote the Exorcist letter in January, 1974. If this analysis by law enforcement is correct, then the individual who mailed the 1978 letter, mailed it from the same location as the Exorcist letter, separated by just over four years. They say old habits die hard.
San Francisco Chronicle, April 28th 1978
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