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Richard Grinell, Coventry, England
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THE EPITAPH OF A KILLER

1/11/2019

 
The S.L.A letter was postmarked - and likely mailed the day before the kidnapping of Patricia Campbell Hearst. The envelope bore the postmark "U.S. Postal Service, CA 913 PM 3 FEB 1974." Considering the February 3rd 1974 letter referred to the Symbionese Liberation Army and the brazen kidnapping of Hearst followed the next day, there is valid case for believing this urban militant group was responsible for the mailing of the S.L.A  letter. But could they have been responsible for the Exorcist letter too? On January 29th 1974 a communication, dubbed the Exorcist letter, arrived at the offices of the San Francisco Chronicle. It featured a critique of the  William Friedkin movie 'The Exorcist', followed by a sprinkling of The Mikado's Tit-Willow, the usual threat to print in paper, a set of Asian-style characters and finally the author signing off with Me-37 SFPD-0. However, the San Francisco Chronicle whitewashed the strange characters near the base of the letter. The Zodiac Killer hadn't written for nearly three years, so this may have been done to weed out any future hoaxers. If the author of the Exorcist letter, which was believed to be the Zodiac Killer, was to mail any future correspondence, he could use the contents whitewashed by the Chronicle to confirm he was the author of the January 29th 1974 communication. This had been done before, when "by knife" written on Bryan Hartnell's car door was withheld from publication after the Lake Berryessa attack on September 27th 1969.  
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On January 31st, in an article entitled 'Zodiac Mystery Letter-the First Since 1971', the San Francisco Chronicle presented the Exorcist letter like so. Only two or three days had elapsed, when the S.L.A letter was also mailed to the Chronicle. But had the author of the February 3rd 1974 letter revealed something about the Exorcist letter known only to them and the police? Had the author of the S.L.A letter effectively decoded the Exorcist letter characters for them, but they just didn't realize? 

Just before the author signs off with "a friend" on the S.L.A letter, he highlights the word "Kill" at the foot of the letter, referencing Old Norse. In the identical position at the foot of the Exorcist letter the author highlights the strange characters in bold marker, before signing off with Me-37. Was the author of the S.L.A letter telling us that the word "Kill" could be decoded in the Exorcist letter characters, thereby confirming they were the author of both? The author of the S.L.A letter would not only have to know that characters existed at the foot of the Exorcist letter, because the San Francisco Chronicle had whitewashed them, but also know that they could possibly feature the word "Kill". Could the author of the S.L.A letter, if different from the author of the Exorcist letter, accidentally place the word "Kill" in the same position through two letters, and highlight them both in bold writing and quotation marks to signify their importance? 

The San Francisco Chronicle, along with law enforcement seemingly didn't make the connection, because it wasn't until a few years ago that Zodiac researcher Kevin Robert Brooks offered up a possible solution to the Asian-style characters. When rearranged they were the perfect continuation to the author's preceding paragraph.   

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The Exorcist letter would now read "If I do not see this note in your paper, I will do something nasty, which you know I'm capable of doing. To Kill."
Was this the focus behind the entire S.L.A letter, using the Symbionese Liberation Army and "sla" as a precursor to providing the word "Kill" to the San Francisco Chronicle and law enforcement, and therefore verifying they were also responsible for the Exorcist letter? It seemed very fortunate that the word "Kill" in quotation marks was able to be formed by the Asian-style characters of the Exorcist letter, especially considering it was completely whitewashed from publication in the Chronicle.

If the 
Symbionese Liberation Army were responsible for the February 3rd 1974 S.L.A letter, then what are the chances they created the Exorcist letter too? - fashioned by weaving together traits of old Zodiac Killer letters such as the July 31st 1969 trinity and the Little List letter of July 26th 1970. Or did the Zodiac Killer simply strike gold, writing a letter about the ​Symbionese Liberation Army just one day before Patricia Hearst's kidnapping? 

There is another intriguing possibility albeit without foundation. The Zodiac Killer stopped his letter writing sometime in 1971, with his campaign of terror having probably run its course. What are the chances he pursued different avenues in life, before joining the Symbionese Liberation Army, or becoming affiliated with them in some capacity by the turn of 1974. He then fires off a quartet of diluted Zodiac letters under the umbrella of his new found affiliation. The Symbionese Liberation Army's notable year was 1974, responsible for the Patricia Hearst kidnapping, the raid on the Hibernia Bank and the May 17th deadly shootout in Los Angeles, where six members were shot or burnt to death at 1466 East 54th Street after a standoff with the Los Angeles Police Department. The third letter of the quartet was the 'Badlands' card stating "In light of recent events, this kind of murder-glorification can only be deplorable at best (not that glorification of violence was ever justifiable)", mailed one week before the shootout. Subsequent to the shootout only one more communication would arrive in 1974  - the Red Phantom letter of July 8th 1974 - then radio silence. No correspondence subsequent to 1974 would ever be attributed as genuine Zodiac material. 

Rubislaw 32 link
1/11/2019 04:05:09 pm

Well done,Richard,for tackling tricky aspects to the Zodiac case.

More specifically,this recent set of topics,dealing with the ''authenticated'' 1974 letters.

Without your well documented presentations,we wouldn't really be able to have a decent ''stab'' at explanations.

Over the piece of the ''4'',but more particularly,the Exorcist and SLA letters,I personally conclude that they ''are'' from the Zodiac....but with a bit of ''jiggery pokery'' from the FBI,with the CA DOJ's consent.

This includes messing with that ''February 3rd'' date.More than probably,to just annoy the Zodiac...as with the initial omission of a published ''Exorcist doodle'',in the Exorcist letter....to make the Zodiac's threat,in that letter,look pointless...or even baffling.

With the Zodiac's letter c/w bloodied shirt swatch,arriving at SF Chronicle offices,on a Tuesday,following a Saturday night slaying of Paul Stine....Toschi and Armstrong were immediately called,and proceeded to spend the rest of the day,at the local pathologists,haven taken the swatch down there,to be reunited,with Stine's body,and possessions.

Then criminologists arrive from the CA DOJ,and the swatch is removed.

The point being,that word had got out about all aspects of the Stine murder,at local police level.

Clearly,this was different,with Lake Berryessa.Napa police had first access to Bryan's car door.But,in the days following Cecilia's murder,it was reported that police had been conducting searches at hardware stores,in the [fruitless [?]] task of attempting to ascertain the source of a ''kitchen knife''......when we know now,that the pathologist examining the body of Cecilia,concluded injuries inflicted by a double edged blade.

It seems that very few,if any,local police,got to find out about the ''sword bayonet'' [?].

With the 1974 letters,it would be ''unthinkable'' if,by then,newspaper editors were not under strict instructions,to hand over any ''dodgy'' mail,to the FBI immediately.

What is different about the 1974 letters,then...is that,by that time,local police forces would have been,completely out of loop,officially,on any matters,pertaining to the Zodiac's extortion.

So,less chance of the full truth,getting out [?].

Only the FBI and CA DOJ,know.

Rubislaw 32 link
1/11/2019 06:02:27 pm

Perhaps we might even surmise that,the FBI could teach the Zodiac,a few '' cut and paste '' tricks,of their own [?].

Richard
1/12/2019 03:30:05 am

Messing with the dates would never have been seen by Zodiac, and the Chronicle articles as far as I am aware never featured the S.L.A letter. The problem with not believing the Feb 3 postmark Rubislaw, is it means we can simply never believe anything. If the documents or dates don't fit our narrative we change them. I used to believe the S.L.A letter was mailed on the 14th, but I have no problem admitting I was wrong. These documents stating "U.S. Postal Service, CA 913 PM 3 FEB 1974" I can see no valid reason for the FBI making up stories, despite no visible postmark on the versions shown on the internet. We would have to assume the FBI just plucked 913 and FEB 3 out of thin air for a laugh. Anybody who has a vested interest in this letter being mailed on the 14th, because of a book, or long held theory will likely pour doubt on the postmark. It won't change the minds of many who have believed the same thing for 20-50 years. Their views are cemented in stone forever. I am realistic about this. Anything that challenges a long held belief will invariably tossed aside, while anything that reinforces a long held belief will be welcomed with open arms. I don't expect these four articles will change anything about the Zodiac scene or any widely held beliefs, any more than the directions of the BRS phone call being incorrect forever, or Zodiac supposedly bragging about his four canonical attacks. Some widely accepted 'facts' are too far entrenched to ever change. For me personally, I see no reason for the FBI manufacturing these FBI files, unseen for decades. It serves no purpose. But the idea they did, can only serve to protect something people are unwilling to change. The Zodiac case is awash with a stoic resistance to veer from stories that have persisted for 50 years, and I doubt much will ever change this. The fact of the matter is, that the S.L.A letter will always be February 14th, no matter what evidence you bring to the table, even photographic evidence, and more the fool me for thinking documented FBI files would be enough to change anything. I will take the opposite position now, wanting proof these documents were forged or invented, and until such point I will consider them as genuine. That is the challenge.

Richard
1/12/2019 03:51:35 am

Just my opinion mind and I hope no one gets upset.

Rubislaw 32 link
1/12/2019 05:21:48 am

Certainly taken on board,Richard,and of course it is possible that the FBI ''played by the rules''.

My inclinations tend to be a ''wee bit'' towards ''jaundice'',as you may have noticed [?].

Particularly,as the FBI's boss had been drawing up ''death lists'' close to that time,with known FBI infiltration of local police forces,of generally ''honest Bobbies''.

I'm not sure that these policemen would have shared your confidence,in those gentlemen of the FBI ''playing with a straight bat'' [?].

More recently,you have persuaded me that it was ''LE'' of some description,that probably was responsible,for the August 1976 'Deep Real Estate'' personal ad,in the same month,that a certain ''Mr.Grant'' elected to vacate his home of 12 years,on Cordelia Road.

After all,it seems strange that the SF Chronicle,didn't seem to bat an eyelid,over what was an ad,with very threatening tones.One would have thought that,that sort of request,would have had the Chronicle,''calling the cops'' [?].

But,yes...these are,perhaps isolated cases and,as details appear documented...there may not be too much justification for suspicion of '' LE intervention''.

But equally,and more specific to the 1974 letters,in question,it all starts off,with someone with Law Enforcement powers,doing their own ''cut and paste'' job on the Exorcist letter.

One might ''smell a rat'',from the very beginning,perhaps [?].

Tom1
1/12/2019 06:58:19 am

Thanks again for the objectivity. Let’s have someone with a suspect place them at the scene of the crime. If it’s their uncle, or some other relative so much the better.


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