THE HUNT FOR THE ZODIAC KILLER (EPISODE 4)

11/22/2017

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Episode four of the History Channel docudrama to air on December 5th 2017, includes analysis of the New York Albany letter, authored by somebody claiming to be the Zodiac Killer.

The August 1st 1973 letter threatened to kill somebody from the Albany Medical Center on August 10th at 5:00 pm during a shift change, despite nothing materializing from this threat.
Inevitable links will be made with Darlene Ferrin and her husband James Phillips, because he worked for the Albany Times-Union newspaper in the same building as occupied by the Albany Knickerbocker News, forever connected to Zodiac suspect Richard Gaikowski. However, they moved there in 1966, seven years prior to the mailing of this correspondence, so the link is tenuous at best. Opinions vary on this letter, so take a look yourself and make your own mind up.

http://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/the-albany-letter

28 Comments

Drew

11/22/2017 02:53:17 pm

Hi Richard, it was Darlene's first husband Jim Phillips who worked in Albany. He worked there for only a few days before they left town because I believe bum cheques Jim had written had caught up with him. Dean was the Vallejo fry cook Darlene left Jim for.

Jim who changed his name to Crabtree in 69 is a really interesting person of interest because he was abusive, carried a .22, fit the Zodiac description, had cryptography training, was locked up in the Presidio for going AWOL, lived in the Haight, spouted vitriol about Darlene in a chatroom in 2010, etcetera. Sorry for the overload of information, but I so seldom get the chance to correct you on anything! Cheers

Richard

11/22/2017 03:07:32 pm

Thanks Drew, got my wires crossed again.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/22/2017 02:57:55 pm

Yes,the Albany Letter of 1973,does seem to be the writing of the Zodiac,we know through ''confirmed'' letters.A very persuasive lower case ''g'',from the ''Badlands'' letter,for example.

So,in examining the cryptogram,at the bottom of the letter...the FBI seem to have it solved.....apart from absolute clarity on the name of victim offered.

''Connie - Henly Albany Medical Center This is not the beginning.''

Some have done some research into names....of a presumed ''proposed'' victim earmarked,by the scribe [Zodiac ?].

Having spent time on it myself,what I can add is,that Albany Medical Center Hospital....and,College,is a huge ''umbrella'' organisation,with branches and wings,across the USA.

Either the scribe never made their promise on a victim....or someone with a name similar to ''Connie Henly'' fell prey....from anywhere related to the organisation.

A research task for someone [?].Though,one would think that the FBI have already taken it,to the nth degree.

Ray Jenkins

11/24/2017 05:52:34 pm

"Connie Henley" = Dave Oranchak plucking at straws. Oh well, he didn't have the almighty "CARMEL" back then. ;-)

Richard

11/22/2017 03:54:43 pm

Link to episode 2: http://dai.ly/x6abstc

Rubislaw 32 link

11/24/2017 01:00:04 pm

Hi Richard

I have just viewed the Christmas card,sent to Donna Lass's sister [12/27/74].Mary Pilker lived in South Dakota,and,although the card was sent from Alameda County,CA,had possibly been prepared,abroad.[via Air Mail].

As you will be aware,the personal message was : ''Best wishes,St.Donna and Guardian of the Pines''.This,bearing in mind,the ''Peek through the Pines'' postcard.

Naturally,we are aware of the correspondence sent to Joseph Bates,because it was made public.

Perhaps,some of your readers are unaware that Joan Webster's parents,George and Eleanor,received a number of phone calls,following Joan's disappearance from Logan Airport,Boston,with a purported ''bearded man'',on November 28th 1981.

Included correspondence,purportedly from her abductor,were two cards,received April 21st 1982.In fact everything George and Eleanor did receive,is documented....but nothing,so far,as been made available,for public viewing.

I am under the impression that,in addition to the Halloween Card,sent by Zodiac,to Paul Avery [Oct.1970]...that he ''may'' have sent a Halloween card to Kathleen Johns,also.

Are you aware of this,Richard ? And,do you know if anyone in the public domain,has had access,to it ?

Richard

11/24/2017 02:18:08 pm

I am aware of the Kathleen Johns Xmas card, but it is not in the public domain Rubislaw, if it exists.
Graysmith said "Kathleen Johns, the woman who was kidnapped with her baby, was in hiding for ten years and I found her through a postmark on a Christmas card. I interviewed the babysitters but they were never shown a photo of any of the suspects since they saw only an owl-faced man in a car from a distance." I don't know if this is the alleged Christmas card.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/24/2017 02:42:57 pm

Thanks,Richard....it did appear to be the case that no one has seen the Halloween card....but I would be confident that it does exist.

It seems to me that Zodiac was an even more compulsive writer,than most of us imagine.Perhaps,he made it a hobby for the rest of his life,to perpetuate his notoriety [?].I tend to think so,anyway,and LE,now,have a devil of a job on their hands,to piece everything available,together.

Yes,to-day was the first time that I had actually seen the writing,with respect to Mary Pilker.At first,it didn't ring too many bells,with me.....but I have an identical match,on the word ''if''.

Zodiac seems to have varied his styles,more than we think,also....but there is always a giveaway,somewhere....or so it appears to be the case.

Every day brings something new,and I personally,find an emptiness in the pit of my stomach [!].

Thanks [....with ironic chuckle !....].

Rubislaw 32 link

11/24/2017 03:59:02 pm

I have just re-read your comment,Richard.

I had read a Halloween card to Kathleen Johns,from October 1970.

So,we are possibly looking at ''two'' cards [?],with the Xmas card,to which you refer.

No wonder she went in to hiding for ten years.To think,it may have dawned her that,she needn't have identified Zodiac from that ''generally daft'' wanted poster.

Once ''locked in'' to Mr.Z......there is no escape [!].

Richard

11/24/2017 04:13:25 pm

No, you are correct, she did supposedly receive a Halloween Card.
http://www.zodiackillerthemansonconnection.com/johns_police_reports.html

Ray Jenkins

11/24/2017 06:32:08 pm

Wow, I always got the feeling that Kathleen John's was not treated fairly by the police, considering the immensity of her ordeal. The official paperwork does tend to reinforce my suspicions.

Out of all the witnesses, Johns potentially saw this man for the longest period of time, albeit mostly in poor light.

The big problem with the male-dominated policing of that era was that "highly emotional" women were, more often than not, treated as being hysterical, and, in the minds of the authorities, this produced an automatic implication of doubt. Therefore the female witness may not have been taken seriously, and any testimony may be treated with suspicion. In extreme circumstances, the testimony may even be regarded as unreliable. Then others may nit pick their way through the "official" account in order to find further discrepancies that seemingly detract from her character and reputation. All of these things may have gone against Kathleen Johns.

Was a police sketch ever drawn from Johns eye-witness account?

Ray Jenkins

11/24/2017 05:49:56 pm

For what it is worth, here is one of my solutions.

STABLE I BE AND ON ROAD. WELL. CONCENSUSS HI. STANDS HERE IN AAICU.

AAICU = "Albany Adult Intensive Care Unit"

Suggests the writer may have had a stroke, but is recovering well.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/24/2017 06:01:54 pm

That is interesting,Ray.

I had gone through,the ''presumed'' solution,from the FBI....and it seemed to check out,according to how it was presented.

I think it was a ''gift'',from Dan Olson,himself...but not confirmed,as such.

There is too much subterfuge,and ''school swat'' antics,going on,among certain individuals in the ''community''.

They feel ''threatened'',and challenged....and they don't like it.

In the words of John Lennon : ''All I want is the truth....just give me the truth.''

Ray Jenkins

11/24/2017 06:40:06 pm

As the "computer buffs" would tell us, there is too much variability in a cipher of this size for there to ever be a single definitive solution.

My solution involved 23.46 million Iterations per second with an average score of 22483.94, which is not good, and then involved my own brain scanning through the "solution" for possible logic and patterns by re-iterating several of the characters. This all speaks for itself.

Only the person who wrote that cipher knows exactly what was intended. In all likelihood, unless someone has the psychic ability to channel the Zodiac, both my solution and the FBI solution are incorrect.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/24/2017 07:35:24 pm

These are certainly pertinent ''ponderables'',Ray.

Having mentioned Mary Pilker's Christmas card earlier,I went back to take another viewing,and it was no longer available to me,at two sites.

Perhaps to-morrow,will be different....but I don't hold out hope.

Recently,I decided to go through the arduous task of checking the solutions to the ''408'',as solved by both the Hardens and the ''concerned citizen''.As it happens,I discovered that the solution offered by the ''concerned citizen'' was slightly more accurate.And,further to this,the one unforced error made by the ''concerned citizen'' was that his solution contained the word ''tha'',which should have been ''that''.

Had the ''concerned citizen'' not made this error,he would have left himself with ''exactly'' a final line of 17 characters,with which to offer an anagram puzzle.So,instead,he simply made up an anagram of 18 characters,as a finale,following his ''killing message''.

Now,any one of the computer scientists could have carried out this simple,but onerous work,3-4 years ago,when the ''concerned citizen'' letter and key card,became widely available to view.

But clearly,they couldn't be bothered with this ''necessary'' work....no doubt,because it didn't involve a computer,and presumably,didn't present ''fun''.

And then they have the temerity to believe that they should be seen as crack code breakers,because it appeals to their self image.

Perhaps,they are now concerned that others will see through the ''veneer'',if their ''performance'' on TV,doesn't cut the mustard on persuasion [?].

It is their own reputations.....and in their own hands.

Ray Jenkins

11/24/2017 10:34:08 pm

I have long accepted the Harden solution as the only truly definitive solution to the 408. The final line may also be entirely correct. What at first seems like leftover gibberish, may actually be meaningful, just written in an obscure language and dialect.

I went down the rabbit hole one time to try to work out what this language may be. I came to the conclusion it was an obscure and probably archaic form of Creole.

My determination was as follows:

Last line is written in Louisiana creole, perhaps as a kind of "homage" to the serial killer Madame Marie Delphine LaLaurie, who allegedly tortured and killed her slaves [!].

E BEO, RI E TE METH PI TI = "AND ALIVE (LIVING), LAUGHING AND HAD SOME METH (HA,HA) SMALL AMOUNT".

I speculated that this is possibly an old form of Louisiana Creole with some Irish in the blend.

LaLaurie spoke Creole and was of French-Creole extraction. Her husband was Chevalier Louis Barthelemy Maccarthy (Macarty) of Irish extraction, with a Scots-Irish surname. I first thought the Zodiac was trying to associate himself with LaLaurie, just to reinforce his own "slaves in paradice" motif. But now I wonder if he may have been alluding to something in the history of the Macarty house in Louisiana. I decided to do this and discovered that in 1932 the Macarty house was sold to the Grand Consistory of Louisiana, an organizational branch of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. The consistory sold the house in 1942. So for 10 years the old Macarty household was owned by the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry. I now wonder if this was the connection that the Zodiac wanted us to find. He was not only paying homage to LaLaurie (a very sick and twisted serial killer), but he was using her to provide yet another obscure clue to his own identity... another dot to connect, so to speak!

Ray Jenkins

11/24/2017 10:49:29 pm

Just found these additional details in my notes:

The last line could be a form of Creole, possibly Louisiana Creole or a mix of it with Haitian Creole. The first word "Beo" is an old Irish Creole mix, which suggests mirth (a state of being in high spirits, alive and well, drinking and living it up).

The literal translation is as follows:

E Beo, Ri E Te Meth Pi Ti = "And Alive (i.e. Living), Laughing and had Small (amount of) Meth".

Seems the Zodiac was ending with a taunt. While the police are busy looking for him, he has been living it up, laughing, and taking some meth. This is certainly consistent with the sense of "in their face" ridiculing and cavalier attitude implied by the "Sierra Club" card.

The double "HH" I was not sure about, but this is a common shorthand in writing which basically means "Ha,Ha".

Rubislaw 32 link

11/25/2017 06:27:12 am

Some very interesting information offered,Ray.

Since we seem to be the ones enlightening others on the ''flimsiness'' of the computer scientist's understanding of,and abilities with regard to,Zodiac,then I feel that I should join you in sharing more information,with Richard's readers.

This all about getting to the truth,and freely making work,available for view.

I certainly share your feelings that Zodiac had a ''Southern'' background,with Louisiana and Texas,favoured.Inevitably,the association with the origins of the Oil Industry,come to mind.

I also agree on the Scots-Irish genealogy angle.

My feelings differ on the ''408'',with a belief that the ''concerned citizen'' was Zodiac....and therefore the cipher was his ''gig''.

The solution letters,that he left as an anagram,were :

E B S O R I E T E M S T H H P I T I

And,perhaps surprisingly,he followed his ''killing message'',with a gesture of magnanimity : ''To me,Herb is pithiest.''.

One might note,that Herb Caen was further mentioned,in Rubislaw 32's ''340'' : ''Caen acuses neo Fascist cops,near credit,on one ''Student Race Assist'' at UCLA toilet ''

A reference to the assassinations of Black Power leaders,Bunch Carter and John Huggens,on January 17th 1969.

So,no one can ''acuse [!]'' us of not offering up,what we perceive to find [?].And.others are free to do with the information,as they please.

No ''wages of sin'' finding their way into our back pockets [!].

Yes,I do believe that Zodiac had huge respect for the legendary columnist,Herb Caen.

In addition,his heroes included : Robert E Lee ,Frederick the Great,Groucho Marx,and Manfred von Richthofen.

Mr.Avery was ''just'' his secret pal.

Ray Jenkins

11/25/2017 04:37:42 pm

I guess for me the doubts I always have is whether or not the Zodiac really was that clever. And why would he have taken a Manson-like interest in students, Black Power assassinations and politics? Usually everything was about him and him alone, unless of course the reason is unknown to us and he did indeed take an interest in such things. The other great unknown is whether he intended some of these clever and ironic insights to function solely as red herrings.

One of the reasons I always balked at Allen Leigh was because I felt he was not really clever enough to be the Zodiac. However perhaps if I had known him personally I would have said exactly the opposite. It is also clear that the police raid on his property turned up some very incriminating things, many of which have never been revealed to the public. However it is difficult to know for sure what was deemed "incriminating" in those days. Perhaps a few adult porn magazines were enough to tip the balance against him, whereas in the modern world police are so accustomed to seeing this material at crime scenes they would not even consider it as evidence. But of course bomb diagrams and collections of knives and guns and the like would have really pricked the interest of detectives, just as they would today.

Sometimes those who do not seem clever actually have very active minds and can read a lot and be veritable fountains of knowledge. Likewise, I have seen some of the most astute professors end up with egg on their faces because of their complete lack of knowledge on subjects outside of their narrow area of academic interest. And I guess it goes without saying that many of the modern day "computer buffs" would fit into this category, especially if their idea of "logic" and therefore "worthwhile evidence" is solely governed by whatever data a computer may spew out.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/25/2017 05:28:21 pm

It is always an interesting subject,to try to assess Zodiac's demeanour,intelligence,and ''core'' personality,Ray.

Being a ''biggish'' man,not that agile,and ''poor'' sighted,I think he would have to make a disciplined effort to not show clumsiness,which on occasion,might happen.

I believe that he was a regular smoker,but rarely drank alcohol.However,he probably did start smoking pot...but maybe a couple of times a week,if it didn't get in the way of his passion for reading,and motorcars.

A fast learner,bright but not exceptional,and ''swung'' towards the sciences,though believing himself to be equally gifted in the arts [...which he wasn't...].He was keen on current affairs,and the world around him....but a weakness was that he saw himself as more mature and wise,than his actual years.Probably,because physically,he did look,and dressed,a bit older than those of his age.

[....hard to believe that Paul Stine was only 29...by to-day's looks,he would get away with being 50 [?].....]

Zodiac was essentially a quiet man,and was prepared to behave with decorum and appeared to be a good listener,when in company.

But at those times,he was probably taking in,a bit more than the person he was conversing with [?].Psychopaths are always looking for ''angles'' and opportunities,to be banked for the future,if required.

I think it's just how they operate inside,and their form of self defence.

It's a ''given'',that it is them,against the world.

Ray Jenkins

11/25/2017 05:57:52 pm

I just wonder, if the Zodiac did indeed write that letter and it was not penned by some copycat (Robert Durst perhaps?), then what would he have been doing in Albany? Perhaps he did have an old war injury or a disease and had heard that Albany had the best treatment available. He may also have had family there, who never put two and two together that their dear old "Uncle Henry" or "Uncle George" from sunny California was actually the Zodiac killer.

As for Robert Durst, a friend once pointed out to me a possible association with Zodiac. Forgive me in advance Richard if I am not allowed to post this information here. Please just delete the following paragraph if you think it too controversial.

Detectives have long suspected Durst of foul play in the disappearance of 18-year-old Lynne Schulze of Middlebury, Vermont. Durst owned a little health food store in Middlebury at the time called All Good Things. Schulze was a native of Simsbury, Connecticut, who entered Middlebury College as a freshman in September 1971. She was last seen on Dec. 10, 1971. Schulze was with some friends heading to their final exam when she told them she had to go back to her room to get a pencil. She was never seen again.

I have followed some of the internet traffic relating to this case and the reports vary from some claiming Schulze walked past Durst's health store regularly, while others claim she was seen shopping in his store the very morning before her disappearance. Whatever the case, it would appear that Durst may have been one of the last people to see her alive.

Now if we back track to Cheri Jo Bates, way back in 1966 in Riverside California. What do we read in The Confession letter? The uncanniness of these words still chill me to the bone. Question: Did Lynne Schulze babysit?

SHE WAS YOUNG AND BEAUTIFUL BUT NOW SHE IS BATTERED AND DEAD.

SHE IS NOT THE FIRST AND SHE WILL NOT BE THE LAST

I LAY AWAKE NIGHTS THINKING ABOUT MY NEXT VICTIM.

MAYBE SHE WILL BE THE BEAUTIFUL BLOND THAT BABYSITS NEAR THE LITTLE STORE AND WALKS DOWN THE DARK ALLEY EACH EVENING ABOUT SEVEN.

Kent Estes

12/5/2017 07:57:53 pm

Connie Henley is an actress, known for A Birthday Tangle (1920), Love and Gasoline (1920) and Roaring Love Affair (1920). This matches the Zodiacs love of old movies!

Jeff

12/5/2017 10:40:34 pm

Henly name was discovered in 2013
http://www.zodiackillersite.com/viewtopic.php?t=60&p=3760

Joseph

12/6/2017 09:52:33 am

Hi Richard:

I’ve been watching the show and really enjoy the science, but I really hope we can crack this case. In reviewing some of the evidence, I noticed striking similarities and differences, which are uniquely intertwined and your current suspects have commonalities in their past. In addition, a couple of the Zodiac’s physical descriptions are slightly different. Is it possible the Zodiac could be more than one person or have multiple personalities? If true, it would give them a heightened advantage in conceal evidence and carry out these horrific crimes.

Thanks for everything you’re doing to help the victims and families get closure.

Richard

12/6/2017 10:06:45 am

I put this on a forum lately regarding the differences in descriptions or lack thereof.
Eyewitness testimony is dependent on the person involved and the circumstances while encountering the suspect. Michael Mageau was blinded by a flashlight, saw only a side view and was being riddled with bullets, so it's understandable his description may be heavily flawed. But he stated at his bedside to investigating detective Ed Rust, that "he was a heavyset man standing at about 5'8'' tall, beefy build, but not blubbery fat, possibly 195-200 pounds."
The Berryessa perpetrator was wearing a hood standing for the most part on an incline, and Hartnell being so tall, admitted he was a bad judge of height. In the interview at the hospital he stated "Maybe 5-8 or maybe 5-10, 6 feet, somewhere in there", so not much use at all - all we have is dark brown hair visible by the eyelets of the mask, 200+ pounds, and age based on voice, which is not realistic.
The three teenagers stated "A white male, 25-30 years old, 5'8" to 5'9", stocky build, reddish-brown hair worn in a crew cut."
Donald Fouke stated "WMA, in his early forties, 5'8", heavy build, reddish-blond, crew cut hair." in police report.

Actually, all four eyewitnesses at some point said 5'8", so there would be no discrepancy. The weight was around 200lbs or stocky, so little discrepancy there. A quick haircut between Berryessa and Presidio, takes care of the hair. The only real differences are Bryan Hartnell went up to 250 lbs, but the costume may have influenced that, and Donald Fouke added 10 odd years. The massively fluctuating descriptions are blown out of proportion. But we have to remember eyewitness recollections are only a guide and notoriously unreliable.

I have considered the idea of more than one Zodiac, although without promoting it. It certainly is possible more than one person was involved in each or some of the crimes.There is a case to be argued, however I lean to the idea of one killer. As for trying to psychoanalyze the Zodiac Killer, I believe it's a near impossible task - look at Dennis Rader and Gary Ridgeway. Cheers Joseph.

http://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/will-the-real-zodiac-killer-please-stand-up

Ray Jenkins

12/6/2017 02:01:42 pm

Then we have the three girls who saw a young man behaving strangely at Lake Berryessa in the lead up to the attack on Hartnell and Shephard. Although of solid build, his features seemed to be different to the Presidio sketch - a younger man who they thought looked kind of cute. However I like their testimony, presuming it was the Zodiac, which it may not have been of course. They saw this person in broad daylight for considerable time and they did not have a gun or knife pointed at them at the time.

Ray Jenkins

12/6/2017 02:04:47 pm

Oops, sorry Richard. I now see that you did mention the three teenagers at the lake.

Ray Jenkins

12/6/2017 01:56:28 pm

Why are so many people hung up on Connie Henley? Kind of a huge presumption to make, that he had even heard of her.

THE HUNT FOR THE ZODIAC KILLER (EPISODE 4)

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