In 1968 he was described as a "madman" or "psychopath." He then transformed into a "latent homosexual" and an "intelligent and cunning criminal" who liked to play chess with the police and newspapers. But he is a lot more than that today. He is a master criminal and genius, part of a grand conspiracy, a complex hoax perpetrated by multiple individuals that permeates to the heart of law enforcement and government officialdom. The only thing he hasn't seemingly acquired yet, is his own version of the Batmobile, however, there is still time. If the Zodiac Killer were alive today looking in the mirror, it wouldn't be Alzheimer's disease that stopped him from recognizing himself, it would be the descriptions attributed to him in numerous Facebook and forum posts up and down every country throughout the world.
One may be forgiven for believing this is akin to Darwin's theory of evolution, or the metamorphosis of a chrysalis into a butterfly, however, it has much more in common with creationism where facts and reality are set aside to pursue a self serving belief of importance. The claim to absolutely know who the Zodiac is, or to have definitively solved the ciphers beyond any shadow of doubt, in which you routinely demean anyone who questions your hypothesis, is somebody who is symptomatic of an ever growing problem highlighted by Andy Warhol, that "in the future everyone will have their fifteen minutes of fame." Unfortunately it is far worse than fifteen minutes - if you don't listen the first time, that Facebook post will be repeated ad infinitum until you are beaten into submission. The problem today, is you will not get noticed with an ordinary story - it has to be headline grabbing - it has to be sensational. What we are left with is fiction, through which new recruits to the Zodiac case have to wade through to get to the truth - and undoubtedly they will find it much harder with every passing year.
You will often read this; "People don't believe my claims because they will realize their ideas, they have long held for years, have been wrong." Or "Now that I have solved the case people are upset, because their sleuthing days are over." The self importance is oozing from every pore in their body. Modesty is not a word they understand. Thomas Horan described the Zodiac period as the 'Great Zodiac Hoax.' He is correct in one respect, but he is nearly half a century out. The greatest Zodiac hoax of all is occurring now - being perpetrated on the keyboards of the modern world, by people who have attempted to shift the Zodiac case to the next level of creationism, where evidence is irrelevant.
Many people were excited when the DNA advancements were applied to the Zodiac case. Had the DNA not ruled out their suspect, one could guarantee this would have been shouted from the rooftops at the top of their voices, presented in their book as corroborating evidence for their suspect, or routinely quoted on the internet to further promote that their charge was indeed the real Zodiac Killer. On the other hand, when the DNA ruled out their suspect, it is presented as tainted or contaminated, or argued that the stamps and envelopes were licked by somebody else other than the killer. They will attempt to do anything to negate the findings they once championed as the last bastion of hope. If they truly believed that the DNA was worthless as evidence, then why would they bother submitting their suspect sample in the first place. It is a no lose situation for them, and clear evidence that these people are not seeking the truth, they are seeking self promotion.
Blinkered detective work, where belief is promoted over evidence has stained many murder investigations, and the Zodiac case is no different. Having a firm suspect you believe to be the Zodiac Killer is fine, but when you carry this suspect in the back of your mind when analyzing a particular murder or crime scene, it will inevitably affect your impartiality. The perfect example to illustrate this being the sketch generated from eyewitness testimony at Presidio Heights. The truth of the matter, is that eyewitness testimony is notoriously unreliable. The sketch may be a good visual representation of the Zodiac Killer, while on the other hand it may not. However, if your suspect looks exactly like the sketch you will endeavor to promote the validity of the sighting as accurate, while if your suspect looks nothing like the sketch the reverse will be the case. The neutral and objective approach has been lost. Another example, is when somebody is challenged on whether their suspect was even in northern California on the date of one of the Zodiac murders. Your question is thrown back at you, with the onus now on you to prove that he wasn't. This is the worst argument in history. as the burden lies squarely with the claimant.
The exchange of ideas, theories and presentations in the Zodiac case is the healthy alternative to the self righteous and sanctimonious individuals that have now infected the Zodiac case. The unfaltering belief they are 100% correct, devoid of the ability for introspection or self-appraisal, results in misplaced superiority that should be rejected at every turn.
The Zodiac case has taken a downturn in recent years, where many individuals simply don't discuss the various aspects of the case, but unrelentingly pursue a personal driven agenda of self promotion in which only they have the answer. The internet is littered with these individuals who have managed to turn a criminal investigation into a circus. Thomas Horan authored the books 'The Great Zodiac Killer Hoax of 1969' and 'The Great Zodiac Killer Hoax of 1986.' If this hoax were the case, one could now argue that the hoaxed have now become the hoaxers, with evidence that wouldn't even enter the courtroom toilet.
If you follow the Zodiac case in current media, it becomes evident that an unhealthy proportion of what you read and hear is the self promotion of the individual, who claims to have all the answers, or to have solved the Zodiac case. What you actually find is the bashing of square pegs into round holes and a distinct lack of impartiality and critical thinking.