THE MURDER POOL

11/1/2018

The Zodiac Killer's primary focus was attention from the media, who themselves also benefited from the extensive reporting of his murderous campaign, letter writing and extortion, in a form of symbiotic relationship. The murderer would use this to full advantage during and after his confirmed attacks dried up, often claiming or insinuating his involvement in certain crimes. The August 1969 Debra Gaye Furlong and Kathie Reyne Snoozy stabbings, along with the 1970 murders of Robert Michael Salem, Officer Richard Radetich and Donna Ann Lass come to mind. But the killer was also prepared to mention other crimes, such as the murder of San Francisco police officer Brian McDonnell on February 16th 1970, stating "I hope you do not think that I was the one who wiped out that blue meannie with a bomb at the cop station. Even though I talked about killing school children with one. It just wouldn't doo to move in on someone else's teritory. But there is more glory in killing a cop than a cid because a cop can shoot back". The Zodiac Killer wasn't averse to rubbing their "noze in their booboos" when adversity came their way. The following is extremely speculative and probably way off base, but since it has never been suggested before (as far as I am aware), it is worth putting forward as a possible example of Zodiac piggybacking a crime unrelated to his murderous exploits.

Courtesy of Newspapers.com

At approximately 8:10 pm on October 19th 1970, Lieutenant Shaw and Sergeant Noren entered the Soquel area of Santa Cruz, California responding to a fire on a hill between Rodeo Gulch Road and San Jose Road. The horror of what ultimately lay at 999 North Rodeo Gulch Road was yet to be unearthed.

The bodies of Dr. Victor Ohta (45) and his wife, Virginia (43), along with their two sons, Victor Taggart (11) and Richard Derrick (12), and secretary, Mrs Dorothy Cadwallader (38) were found murdered in the swimming pool of the residence. They had been callously executed.

Dr. Ohta had been shot in the back and under the arm, while the others had been shot in the back of the neck. It was literally a bloodbath. The victims had been bound and blindfolded with scarves before being murdered. The Ohta residence was then set on fire. When the fire crews arrived at the isolated estate they were hampered by Dr. Victor Ohta's Rolls Royce and Mrs. Dorothy Cadwallader's Lincoln Continental blocking the entrance.

Later that day Dr. Ohta's green Oldsmobile station wagon was discovered burnt out on railway tracks near Felton, approximately 18 miles northwest of the crime scene. Although not definitively linked to the other five murders, Thomas DeCecco (19), a service station attendant was found bound and shot in the head near Saratoga only hours after the initial crime, possibly bringing the victim count to six.

999 North Rodeo Gulch Road residence

"KPIX News footage from October 20th 1970 with reporter Pat O'Brien featuring scenes from a house in Soquel, CA, in the aftermath of the mass murder of eye surgeon Dr. Victor Ohta, his wife Virginia, two sons Taggart and Derrick and secretary Dorothy Cadwallader. Includes aerial views of the Ohta home, the swimming pool in which their bodies were found." link.

A typewritten note was discovered under the windshield wipers of Dr. Ohta's Rolls Royce. It stated "Halloween...1970. Today World War III will begin as brought to you by the people of the free universe. I and my comrades from this day forth will fight until death for freedom, against anything or anyone who does not support natural life on this planet. Materialism must die or mankind will." Signed "Knight of Wands, Knight of Cups, Knight of Pentacles, Knight of Swords."

John Linley Frazier was arrested shortly after the murders and was sentenced to death on November 29, 1971. However, in 1972 the death penalty was abolished in California and his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He committed suicide by hanging on August 13th 2009.

One week after the brutal Ohta murders and the typewritten note stating "Halloween...1970", the Zodiac Killer mailed the Halloween card on October 27th 1970, featuring two skeletons, with twelve eyes added to its design. One eye peered from the knothole of a tree, surrounded by the words "peek-a-boo you are doomed". Why did the killer add twelve eyes to this card?

Dr. Victor Ohta was an eye surgeon (ophthalmologist), and six possible victims were reported in the newspapers (6 pairs of eyes). The skeletons on the card outer and inner also had the eyes highlighted in red, one in the form of a blindfold, in similar fashion to the victims thrown into the pool.

Zodiac researcher Tom Voigt 'floated' this idea on his message board in 2012: "I received an interesting observation of the Halloween card via e-mail recently -- it suggested the skeletons were meant to depict a water scenario, with the top skeleton being a diver (my guess would be the pumpkin representing swim trunks?) and the bottom skeleton floating under water, I'm guessing then the many eyes possibly representing bubbles?" What if the water was from the swimming pool at 999 North Rodeo Gulch Road?

The Halloween card would emphasize four methods of death: By Fire, By Gun, By Rope and By Knife, three of which would feature heavily in the Ohta murders.

Had the Zodiac Killer read the coverage of the brutal murders at Sosquel and beyond - and fearing that his relevance was dwindling in the newspapers - used the crime of John Linley Frazier to piggyback himself back into prominence? If this was the case, unfortunately for him, nobody understood the connection, and the meaning of the Halloween card was lost in translation. As an explanation for the October 27th 1970 correspondence, this is probably wide of the mark, however, it does give us a flavor of some of the radical views that permeated California in the 1960s and 1970s, and the beginning of the end for the Zodiac Killer.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/1/2018 06:31:20 am

Fascinating,to hear the potted account of Dr.Ohta and his family,Richard.

I had only seen a sketchy account,before,and can see now,that this crime would have influenced filmakers,at the beginning of the second ''Dirty Harry'' film,''Magnum Force''.

Yes,indeed,Zodiac does seem to have been a ''piggyback rider'',with other murders,during his acknowledged reign of terror.Clearly,many to feed off....to pick and choose.

I tend to stick with the 4 recognised attacks,but certainly have suspicions about Elaine Davis,being his ''claimed by inference,only'',8th victim.This,December 1st 1969.

And again,with the Halloween Card,I suspect the more simple explanation of ''13 total eyes'' viewing a hapless 14th victim,in the shape of ''inferred'' Paul Avery.

Zodiac,I believe,had largely left the Bay Area,by the beginning of 1970,and was to ''spin out'' terror,at a safe distance,by then.

But,Zodiac liked to mix things up,with his correspondence,and seems to have blended truth,with lies and fantasy.....virtually,at will.

It is difficult to accept that a man,of probably less than 30,and more than likely,on his own,can seem as expert at the psychological side of warfare,as appears to have transpired.

Richard

11/1/2018 07:01:38 am

The likely answer is the 13 victims he has claimed are represented by the 13 eyes. My only reservation with this conclusion, is the eye in the knothole (originally set in the card). Because he wrote "peek-a-boo you are doomed" around it, I always got the impression he was suggesting this "eye" was him, peeking from the shadows - hence now only 12 eyes relating to victims. However, we know he had already claimed 13 victims prior to October 27th 1970, so 12 eyes couldn't equate to 12 victims. Hence I considered 6 victims with 12 eyes in one event. But reading too heavily into the mechanics of a card with multiple possibilities is fraught with danger. I was, nevertheless, very curious as to why he would replicate the eye in the knothole twelve more times to represent victims, when this was not the original meaning of the single eye peering from the tree, as represented in the original card. The original eye peering from the knothole was a sinister voyeur observing from the shadows, not a victim. The Zodiac even admits this using the phrase "peek-a-boo you are doomed".
I certainly don't believe Zodiac was claiming this crime over JLF, just thrusting himself back into the limelight. Whether the Ohta murders were the catalyst for the communication - probably not. But it was worth considering nonetheless.

Richard

11/1/2018 07:19:40 am

13 eyes could = 13 victims. The eyes may simply have been inspired by the recent murders, adding a topical nature to the correspondence. The emphasis of the card is eye related. In fact 17 eyes, if you consider the two skeletons. But again, I stress, the article is more of a suggestion than firmly held belief. In fact, the idea that these murders played any part in Zodiac's choice or design of the Halloween card is extremely remote.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/1/2018 07:38:46 am

Absolutely,Richard....many aspects will remain on the table,until hopefully,full transparency is made public,with a successful outcome to the case,as a whole.

If ''they'' only gave us Paul Stine's trip sheet,I would be a happy person,for now.

Yes,I can see your point with one eye allocated to Zodiac,himself [Halloween Card].My ''non-insistent'' view is that Zodiac showed himself as the skeleton,on the front.....with the rest of the card,about victims,save his ''special signature''.

I see ''Bay Area'' as Vallejo base,for Zodiac.He was on the move,into 1970...and by 1971,he was preparing to move abroad.

1970,was about pressing home,the ''psychological'' advantage,of palpable violence,inflicted in the 12 months prior.

We all have our own perceptions,and particular interpretations of events.

Drew

11/1/2018 08:37:35 am

Hi guys, I read about this awful crime of insanity when I was exploring the idea that Zodiac was as comic book prolific a killer as his letters boasted as well as the problematic theory that a hippy commune, like those found in Santa Cruz or the mad environment of the San Francisco Haight, could be the perfect hiding place. I recall that this Frazier was sadly a very regular educated and employed guy until just a few months before this when he got into hallucinogenics. He joined a hippy commune and lost everything including his mind. I believe it was his commune friends who were responsible for informing the authorities and leading to his capture. Importantly for this discussion this did not occur before the delivery of the Oct 27 Halloween card. In fact I think the story with the letter would have been the previous day when the story was widespread but unresolved. Just as Zodiac's letters may have influenced Frazier I think this crime may have inspired Zodiac's by fire card.

As far as Zodiac claiming to have committed this crime I don't think he would or did risk being overt and contradicted about it after less than two weeks. Few would bet that such a massacre would go unsolved. However I think it is very reasonable to suggest that he read about it and teased his involvement in the Halloween card while still keeping the focus on Avery and the ominous allusion to victim 14.

Rubislaw, I think you are correct about Dirty Harry perhaps taking influence from this, although I am pretty sure the swimming pool murder opening was in the first film.

Richard

11/1/2018 09:08:56 am

The only two rational explanations for the "by fire" part Drew, was the Modesto attack or this crime a week prior. Neither were the means of death however, only an element of each crime. The Halloween card was the next 'confirmed' communication after the Donna Lass disappearance (assuming the 13 hole postcard is not Zodiac). Without knowing the method of murder in the demise of Donna Lass, an unsettling possibility exists.
The swimming pool murder was definitely Dirty Harry. Magnum Force was the bent cops starring David Soul.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/1/2018 09:35:46 am

The one I am thinking about,is where the swimming pool party,all get shot.I'm sure that is ''Magnum Force'',given the rookie cops' intention to wipe out those,whose wealth is made,through ill-gotten means [?].

Drew

11/1/2018 09:38:04 am

For me and I believe you as well the usage if not creation of the word crackproof on the Pace card is crackproof that Zodiac did compose that card. If not the use of crackproof in the conformed LA Letter is the best evidence that Zodiac fully embraced the idea of supporting his copycats. Although we can't be certain if Zodiac chose the By Fire phrase to reference either or both of the Johns or Frazier incidents or what the heck the Tim Holt comic has to do with anything my guess is that the comic and the withheld By Knife note was on his mind before the idea was sparked in time for Halloween 1970. I don't expect that Zodiac ever actually used fire as a means to kill anyone but that the idea was fitting for the character he was developing.

Richard

11/1/2018 09:47:37 am

Totally agree Drew. His willingness to use the term crackproof on March 13th 1971, is enough to convince me the 13 hole postcard is genuine.

Drew

11/1/2018 09:58:39 am

Dirty Harry opening scene
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJjn9Vt7k1Q

Richard

11/1/2018 09:13:11 am

Got an intriguing question regarding the Robert Salem murder Drew. Hopefully I can get on it in the next few days. If I remember well, you have considered this a possible Zodiac crime, without dismissing it out of hand.

Drew

11/1/2018 09:47:26 am

I have no idea why the Robert Salem murder is not generally regarded as one of the more likely outlier Zodiac crimes. The four canonical crimes provide an awfully small sample to determine that Zodiac would not use a ruse to infiltrate a residence as means of committing murder. If he did continue killing it would be a logical way to evolve into a bigger headline grabber. I think the police may have been influenced by the possibility that Zodiac committed the crime to bend to his demand to print the farfetched bomb plans. The Japanese motif of the crime resonates well with the Mikado theme Zodiac developed and the idea that a copycat killer would go to this trouble to draw an association but draw and aehnk (spelling?) instead of the crosshairs not once but twice at the scene makes no sense to me at all. It also makes little sense that if Baker was the killer that he would clean up the evidence at the scene and then confess without prompting. It may not have been Zodiac but I highly doubt it was Baker.

I would love to read anything you have on the Salem murder Richard!

Rubislaw 32 link

11/1/2018 09:08:18 am

Excellent,to hear more about Frazier,Drew,and thanks for that.It certainly opens up possibilities that Zodiac may have,at least digested,Frazier's heinous work.

For,as you suggest,Frazier could have been inspired by Zodiac.

Some of these communes were clearly,of the genuine ''Peace and Love'' variety.But,it seems that,it didn't stop the odd ''bad apple'',joining them [?].

Psychological damage,by rogue drugs ? Always possible.

Brian Wilson,Syd Barrett and Peter Green lay testimony to this,as ''survivors''....but only just.

Looking at Zodiac,I don't see him as a ''druggie'' at all...save sharing the odd spliff.Motorheads and Petrolheads rarely are,having already found their chief ''thrill'' in life.

Plus,Zodiac had to keep ''changing out'' cars,and,more than likely kept two,at a time.

Yes,on the outside at least,I think Zodiac was ''pretty straight''.And,one would have needed a few bob,in one's pocket,to get up to what he did,in his spare time.

There was no ''penniless'',commune seeking side to the Zodiac.He would have had to have had his head screwed on correctly,to have done what did.

And,still probably escaped justice,by the skin of his teeth.

Drew

11/1/2018 09:53:16 am

I completely agree with your assumptions about the Zodiac having a job, not being a druggie and quite possibly switching up cars regularly. I now doubt that any hippy or cultist practises were a part of Zodiac's daily life.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/1/2018 12:07:18 pm

I hadn't realised that you had linked Zodiac to hippy practices,Drew.

Some though,have seen him in that light.

Does seem doubtful [?].Though he light have taken in,a mystic lecture,or two.

Drew

11/1/2018 01:12:17 pm

I am no longer certain that there is enough to support the premise of a cult affiliated Zodiac, but there were a lot of witchy symbols and cloaks and masks used in the countless theatrically bent cults of San Francisco. Rumours about some of these groups involve every kind of nasty business you can think of, but how much may be true is awfully hard to determine. The Process Church wore robes resembling the Lake Berryessa costume and the Diggers staged street theatre 'happenings' and used a somewhat familiar symbol on one of there magazines. https://www.divisionleap.com/pages/books/26740/the-diggers-wallace-berman/the-digger-papers
These two particular groups crossed paths and my former pet suspect was a Digger so I entertained the notion for some time. My theories are much more mundane these days! I don't think he was interested in counterculture but rather was an anti-social outdoorsy type with a regular job. If however Zodiac is ever firmly linked to the ritual killing of Robert Salem, then I would definitely return to that line of thinking.

Carl Krash link

11/1/2018 11:20:23 am

Never get tired of discussing the Halloween Card. Especially at this time of year. I hadn’t heard of these swimming pool murders before, Richard. Want to check it out further. Seems like a very personal crime. And one that would require at least 2 assailants.

In the Spring of 2016 archeologists unearthed a mosaic showing a skeleton that strikingly resembles the one on the inside of the card. The inscription in Greek above the figure reads ‘eat, drink and be merry’. It was discovered near the ancient city of Antioch. How Zodiac or anyone back in the day would have known of it is open to conjecture. Here is one of the many articles: http://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/41874

My suspect, the Anatolian Greek American George Karadanis might have stumbled upon it. I believe there is a reference to Joe K contained within this skeleton. If you’ll look at the left heel you’ll see it has been arranged to sit over the exclamation mark as if it were a spike or perhaps an arrow. Shortly before the Zodiac’s spree the only evidence of crucifixion ever found was uncovered near Jerusalem- an iron spike still protruding from a skeletal heel. There’s the Christ reference again. Also recall that Joe’s middle name is ‘Achilles’. And that he grew up near Antioch, CA. in the East Bay Area.

That it may represent Donna Lass and that it might be under water- both intriguing thoughts.

I’ve looked into it further at: https://zodiackmak.com/2018/09/11/from-antioch-%e2%9b%aa%ef%b8%8f%f0%9f%95%8d%f0%9f%95%8c-under-construction-%f0%9f%9a%a7/ on my blog site ZodiacKMAK

Rubislaw 32 link

11/1/2018 11:49:55 am

Naturally,I had to follow the conundrum,over the ''pool scene''.

''Dirty Harry'' opens with ''Scorpio'' as sniper,shooting a single woman,in a roof top swimming pool.

''Magnum Force'',following opening credits,opens with a rookie cop,throwing a smoke bomb,into a swimming pool,in residential Marin county,then opening up on the guests of a swimming pool party.

I suggest the latter film,is closer to the Dr,Ohta family murder,image wise [?].

But,only by possible inspiration [?].

I'm thinking that ''Dirty Harry'',the film,would have already been,''in the can'',by October 1970,when the family murder,occurred [?].

Any film buffs,like to weigh in,here [?].

Drew

11/1/2018 12:28:58 pm

I haven't seen Magnum Force in years so the pool party business has escaped my recollections. Dirty Harry didn't start shooting until April 71 and was released around Christmas, but in terms of a possible influence it sounds like Magnum Force may be more reasonable. Clearly I will have to throw it back on the cue!

Rubislaw 32 link

11/1/2018 12:39:01 pm

I have to admit to seeing those first two films,more than the rest of the Dirty Harry inspired films,Drew.

Dates of films completed/released could be subject,to debate,though [?].

I understand that the original story,and script,even,was written pre-Zodiac era.

So,it always was really about Callahan.

Magnum force introduced the line : ''A man's got to know his limitations.''

Possibly,the most profound words,ever uttered,in cinema history ?

11/3/2018 12:37:31 pm

Criminal profiler Glen Own strongly believes Youell Swinney is the Phantom Killer and that this (1946 unsolved) case could be closed right now through a court of inquiry.

"Basically in a court of inquiry you can put all of your evidence out there on the table and when all the actors involved in the case are dead, then you can clear it by exception."

He is confident that they could close the case for good

I BB am thinking that if they are able to find DNA in one of the Zodiac crimes, that links the canonical four, then
LE should try to close the case through a court of inquiry.

Just one idea I keep mulling over of who the Zodiac could be.This Phantom Killer (1946 unsolved) case that occurred in Texarkana makes me think a guy about 17-22 could have went some where for 22 years. Then come back but to California San Fransisco area in 1968/69 to pick up right where he left off - shooting couples in secluded areas. Only now he is 39-44 years old - fitting with descriptions. Jealousy - being his driver since at drafting age in 46 he could be lashing out at those he saw as lucky, not having to go in the military. Then later, in the 1960's the memories return as he goes off to Vietnam. He does not act out consciously though. The Zodiac does not know why he is doing this. He thinks he is doing it to bring home the war. He steers you away from thinking he might be in intelligence by acting lowbrow. So, that must mean that he is highly educated. As such, only those who work in intelligence know about radians and Booze balls and coordinates and cryptography and codes and symbols and the mikado and psychological warfare. Then again, it is probably just another rabbit hole.

11/4/2018 01:21:15 pm

I meant to say here if LE were to definitive name the Zodiac. And, if he is no longer alive - then they could do the following;

I BB am thinking that if they are able to find DNA in one of the Zodiac crimes, that links the canonical four, then
LE should try to close the case through a court of inquiry.

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