THE PEACHTREE LETTER

11/29/2018

Below is the envelope and letter mailed to the television station WXIA-TV "11 Alive" at 1611 West Peachtree Street, 30308 in Atlanta, Georgia. This article has been created for those unfamiliar with this correspondence. The letter stated:
Hello its me. Haven't you people figured out who is killing these little people yet. I'll give you a hint, I used to be in San Francisco. I used to stalk women, but I like to kill children now. At all my victims bodies I have left certain clues, but I guess it's too much for you Rebels to handle. So I guess I'll have to tell you. I'll (to) kill children because they are so easy to "pick off: Buy the way, if you still have letters from the other murders, I am not writing in the same hand writing.

The author of the letter, dated March 8th 1981, was suggesting he was responsible (in part) for the Atlanta Child Murders from 1979-81,

Wayne Williams would eventually be arrested on June 21st 1981 in connection to the Atlanta Child Murders He was found guilty on two counts of murder and sentenced on February 27th 1982 to two consecutive life terms in Georgia's Hancock State Prison in Sparta. Some of the child murders were attributed to Wayne Williams and some were unresolved. The author of the Peachtree letter (Zodiac or not) was likely piggybacking off these crimes to garner attention.

The FBI Bureau requested that the FBI laboratory "compare this letter with any other letters on file from the Zodiac Killer, responsible for a string of unsolved murders in San Francisco in the early and mid 1970's." What 'unsolved murders' the Zodiac was responsible for in the early to mid 1970's is difficult to ascertain.

Here is more great discussion on the ZodiacKillerSite forum regarding the 'Hello It's Me' or 'Peachtree' letter. If you scroll down the forum page you will notice a second mailing around the same timeframe, described as similar to the Sacramento 'Cancer' and 'Fairfield' Leo cards mailed on December 10th 1969 and December 11th 1969 respectively - in a prepaid envelope. The message read "PLEASE STOP FORCED BUSSING OR I WILL KILL 3 MORE BLACK BOYS IN ATLANTA IN MARCH !".. Note the comparison to the 148 character cipher and letter mailed from Fairfield to the San Francisco Chronicle in 1971, where the author threatened to "SKIN 3 LITTLE KIDS" if his communication was not published on the front page of the Chronicle. A weak connection admittedly.

There is a strong possibility that the author of the 'Peachtree' letter was the same individual responsible for the May 1978 'Channel Nine' letter. Both were mailed to television stations, WXIA-TV in Atlanta and KHJ-TV in Los Angeles, the handwriting looked similar (although subjective) and both contained racial overtones. The 'Peachtree' envelope contained the acronym ATKID for Atlanta Child Murders, along with the Zodiac crosshairs. The 'Channel Nine' envelope contained the acronym AIC 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 AGCGTH (All Good Children Go To Heaven) from the Manson Family's Spahn Ranch, along with the Zodiac crosshairs once again. All Good Children Go To Heaven is a British nursery rhyme: "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, All good children go to heaven; When they die their sin's forgiven, One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, All good children go to heaven: A penny by the water, Tuppence by the sea, Threepence by the railway, Out goes she!"
G

Channel Nine letter

Mike Morford on Websleuths

Zodiac Killer Site forum

Rubislaw 32 link

11/30/2018 03:22:57 am

Most thought provoking,Richard.

The Peachtree to me,is ''all over'' a Zodiac authentic letter.But.just to keep his hand in,on the perpetuation of terror,based on his past glories.

As you mention,was likely,piggybacking off the Atlanta Child murders.

Seeing the letter now,as you present it,it does appear that Zodiac has re-written,over the top of a fainter original ''script''.Like the May 1978 ''Channel Nine'' letter,there is look to the writing,as if it as been written on a rough surface....with a minor ''jarring'' quality to the handwriting.

And,speaking of the Channel Nine letter,the '' 1234567 All good children go to heaven'',has also been pinched from the song,''You never give me your money'',by The Beatles,from the Abbey Road album.

Manson,The Beatles,The Atlantic Child Murders.....it was all fair game,on publicity,for the Zodiac.

''Hello it's me'' [?].

We could have guessed,already.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/30/2018 09:36:04 am

This ''AIC'',Richard,is always of interest.

In preceding '' 1234567..'' on the Channel 9 envelope,one expects that there would be an extension of it,around the back,of the envelope.

But,it stands alone....and must surely,be an attempt by ''Zodiac'',to write the mirror image of '' CIA ''.

Which he has failed to do [?].

Richard

11/30/2018 10:32:20 am

As long as it isn't ACTING IN CONCERT.

Richard

11/30/2018 10:48:18 am

AGENT IN CHARGE

Rubislaw 32 link

11/30/2018 02:09:41 pm

Oh yes...I see where you are coming from.

Indeed,it could be an acronym [?].

With ''AIC'',it's initial intuitive recognition,might be,that it represents three alphabetic letters,that make up,part of ''ZODIAC''.....so,there might be a temptation,to look around the back of the envelope,to find ''Z'',''O'' and ''D''.

But,''no luck''.So,what is it ?

That's my only ''familiar'' conclusion,really.

As you probably know,one of my ''clews'' to the ''Bomb Cipher'' was the song ''Dig it'',by The Beatles,from their ''then'' newly released album ''Let it be''.The song,an ugly rant at the FBI and CIA,by John Lennon.

So,I was looking at ''AIC'',as an attempt,by Zodiac,to write the mirror image of ''CIA'',with a ''nod'' to a clue that had failed to have anyone solve the ''Bomb Cipher'',at that time.

Is it not the case that,both ''Helter Skelter'' and ''1234567 AGCGTH''
were both found scrawled on Sharon Tate's mirror [?].With ''Death to Pigs'' scrawled on the LaBianca's living room wall.All in blood,of course.

So,it appeared to me,that ''AIC'' on the Channel 9 envelope,was a sort of ''clever'' message,by Zodiac that,we could never understand the CIA,unless we had the ability,to ''Look through the looking glass'',and see the world,from behind it.

But,his ''clever'' message backfired,because ''AIC'' wasn't actually,the mirror image of ''CIA''.

But yes,as you infer,Richard,it might be something else,as ''Agent in Charge''.

An an acronym,of something [?].

Rubislaw 32 link

11/30/2018 02:59:34 pm

Back on the main topic,of the Peachtree Letter...it's really some stunning ''overkill'' on patronising,isn't it [?].

Just about,from start to finish.

If any politician used the expression ''you people'',their careers would be over,in a flash....which has happened,before.

So,its the constant reminder of figurative intellectual distance,between the writer,and recipients of his words.The use of the word ''rebels'',as if we should be conforming to ''Zodiac's'' way of thinking,and that we would have to make up that distance,if,as he believed,we ought to be thinking in his vein.

But also,an ''under card'' of false modesty...that ''Zodiac'' still believed that it was necessary,to point one or two things out,to ''us people''.[..I guess I'll have to tell you...].....but,for ''his'' sake...''not'' ours.

Then,a nice little misspelling [...''But'' the way...],to remind us of his eccentricity and capacity for this quirk,with the thought that no one has ever felt the right to point his habit,out to him....implying that he continues to do as he wishes,unchallenged.

A final flourish of really stating the obvious...that his handwriting has changed....just in case we might have forgotten,that we did need certain things pointed out to us.....by ''him''.

The Zodiac....what a priceless pr*ck [?].

Judith

11/30/2018 07:52:51 pm

This is so heavy. Killing children. The abused child turns out as an abuser of children. There is much for me to relate here. But let me just say that as far as I know Peter Plante has never been in Georgia. In 1981 we were married and living in Pinole CA and I was pregnant with our first child. Around August of that year when I was big and Pregnant a friend of Peter's came by with his first wife who was a sister of DarlinJune Cromer who had been convicted of killing a little black boy and the body was found in Pinole along the shores of the Bay.
These people came to my home and insisted that Peter go and visit Darlin June at Santa Rita Jail when she was in prison. And he went.
My sister recently confirmed that Darlinjune Cromer was a girlfriend of Peter's. She has been serving time in prison in Southern California. My daughter related a story about when she was a little girl her father taking her to a park and a little boy was at the park and her father put him in the truck and left her alone at the park and she said she just dug and dug in the sandbox until she finally hit cement. When her father returned the little boy was not with him. She also told me that while she was at her father's home on visitation, ordered by the court, that he went to a closet, lifted up the flooring, reached in and pulled up a cardboard box. He opened it up and pulled out the remains of what appeared to be a petrified infant. He pet it, put it back in the box and put it back under the house.
Peter was the only child of a mother who sexually abused little boys. Our oldest son was a victim of hers. The one in prison.

Rubislaw 32 link

11/30/2018 11:47:32 pm

These are harrowing details,Judith,and with the case of the Zodiac Killer,we can't really ever take anything,for granted.

He was,after all,a deceiver and a sadist.

But it never has really occurred to me that the Zodiac was a killer,of young children.The threats related to ''kiddies'',was just a tool of terror,buying in to most peoples worst fear of all - that their children should be vulnerable to harm.

Surely,there were times,when Peter disappeared for a day,or two,through [apparent] work related matters [?].

It certainly seems to be a recurring theme,for the Zodiac that,post Bay Area era,he would make a point of,at least.giving the impression that,he was a traveller,and often on the move.

The Zodiac,as a persona,never stayed anywhere long enough,to be pinned down,and exposed.I am sure that he was a fan of The Scarlet Pimpernel.

Judith

12/1/2018 08:54:43 am

I was married to Peter for 20 years. He worked in a trade union locally sometimes being sent as far away as San Jose or maybe all the way up to Marysville. On a rare occasion they were sent out of town and he would have to stay overnight usually sharing a hotel room with a co-worker, but still here in California. There were times when maybe for one night he didn't come home or he would come home very late, in the early morning hours, or didn't come home directly after work for a period of hours. When he was younger he would sometimes go for long weekends to dirt bike ride with friends that sort of thing. Most of this Behavior involved drinking alcohol. He was kicked out of many local bars. I was not in a position to question him as he was extremely domineering. He had lived as a single man until he was nearly 30 and married me a 19 year old. He was very independent. I left him in July of 1986 moved out of the house with our oldest son for a period of months and lived in Point Richmond. I did return Thanksgiving 1986 to our family home in Pinole. So for those months I have no idea what Peter Plante was doing. There were many occasions throughout any given year that I would go and stay with family in Sacramento for long weekends or holidays and Peter would remain at home. These were the days before cell phones.

Rubislaw 32 link

12/1/2018 10:28:41 am

We are always learning,and I see now that a presumed Zodiac mailed the Peachtree letter,from Atlanta CA....which is half way,between Stockton and Modesto.A fair bit away from The Bay Area,but [ of course] ''not'' in Georgia,itself [!],and where the letter ended up.

So,to perhaps state the obvious,Zodiac would have still needed to get on a plane,and travel across America,to have been in a position,to have become involved in the Atlanta Child Murders.

As with the Channel 9 letter,and as you have intimated,Richard,it was all about the exposure,with these two letters.TV stations that could,potentially,''feed'' the news immediately.

This is where letters,like The Albany Letter,differ....that one,was sent from Albany NY to Albany NY.Even if we might proffer that ''Zodiac'' might have been referring to another ''Albany'' in the content,of the letter,we know that he was probably,geographically placed,in the Albany NY area,when electing to send,that particular correspondence.

The May 1978 Channel 9 letter,was mailed from Alameda....so like the Peachtree Letter,in the vicinity of SF.

One might ask....to what extent,did Zodiac actually travel ?

I would suggest that,after circa 1971,Zodiac left The Bay Area....then ever so often,would keep coming back,on a lightning visit basis,even if,just to mail a letter.....to continually confuse,the authorities.

Clearly,for Peter Plante,Judith's perspective is slightly different,on residency and movement [?].

What I do suggest is,that ''Albany'',''New Canaan'',and Scorpion's antics....are looking like regular visits,for ''Real Zodiac'' to New York/New England,circa 1978-1981,and again,in the early 1990's.

This,apart from vast time '''swathes'' of absence from California,when,virtually anywhere in the world,might have been a possibility,for Zodiac's whereabouts.

''Pat Boone'' ? An insult to the rest of the world ?

How did Zodiac know this ?

12/1/2018 03:55:56 pm

The Zodiac probably was in one of the many mountaineering clubs in the San Francisco area. California mountain peaks in the Sierras are very challenging climbs for even the most seasoned climbers. Sierra Club also has mountain climbing that it organizes. https://www.sierraclub.org/angeles/sierra-peaks/mountaineers-list
In the Zodiac's correspondence the number fourteen appears. I was amazed to find this connection to the Fourteeners. The peek between the pines - The Pines as you see here on Highway 395 are the small cities of Lone Pine and Big Pine. The mountain peaks in the Sierras [in the center of California] with elevations over 14,000 ft. are referred to as Fourteeners. This book "Climbing California's Fourteeners" page 23 shows best what I'm addressing. These are the 14 - fourteener peaks the Zodiac refers to on his post cards. Mt. Shasta is also a Fourteener - but is up near the Oregon border, and not part of the 14 central grouping of Fourteeners in the California mountains between the pines off 395 in the Sierras.
https://books.google.com/books?id=uM6amm4BDtAC&printsec=frontcover&dq=mountain+elevations+in+California&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjnxfSY1OjeAhWmilQKHYnODH4Q6AEIMzAC#v=onepage&q=mountain%20elevations%20in%20California&f=false

Rubislaw 32 link

12/2/2018 06:16:07 am

The ''Fourteeners'' is a fascinating contribution,BB,and a brilliant find.

We wiil all,or at least should,be delving into this.in more detail.

I still think that the Zodiac was more,one to jump into a motorcar,but peeks,like Mt.Diablo,are easily accessed,without the ''hiking bit''.....and I'm sure that Zodiac would have appreciated the vistas,and mountain air.As long as a motor car was close at hand.

Those ''posh'' properties,on Cordelia Rd.,had unbroken views of the Diablo mountains,and ''peek through the pines'' was originally thought to be,a part of this ''vista'' aspect.

I bet the Halloween Card,to Avery,had some of the ''Fourteeners'' in mind.

Great find.

Judith

12/2/2018 08:52:17 am

good one Rubi. I looked at that envelope to Atlanta Georgia and it did look like Atlanta California.
I had no idea there was an Atlanta California. Pretty clever. That would mean the Atlanta child killer would have had to come all the way out to California to mail that letter. I'm thinking the Zodiac just wanted some publicity for himself and very cleverly mailed it from Atlanta California.
There is an Albany California and it's very near to Richmond El Cerrito Berkeley. By the way perhaps we should reread the threatening Peachtree letter. Is he actually talking about killing kids in Georgia or is he just talking about killing children?

Rubislaw 32 link

12/2/2018 12:30:20 pm

Well,I'm just ''venturing'' this notion,Judith...but it could certainly be the case.

What do you think of the postmark,on the ''Peachtree'' envelope ?

Do you think it denotes ''CA'' or ''GA'' ?

Difficult,to be sure [?].

I have also ''ventured'' that Zodiac mailed the San Jose letter and cryptogram,from Butte City,CA.....as opposed to Butte,Montana....more than 1,000 miles away,from Bay Area ''action''.

With Butte City,CA being just 10 miles,from Willows,CA....the DMV center.

It seemed to me,that a ''telegram to Butte'',in the FBI Files,could represent a contact with Butte City Police,over any indications,of a ''suspicious man'' in the area,on the day of the correspondence,sent to the San Jose PD.

But,in the case of the ''San Jose correspondence'',of November 1969.....we have no evidence of the envelope,from the FBI,to be sure,either way.

I think that Zodiac,in the Peachtree letter....is just indicating a ''penchant'' for targeting children,as a knowingly ''contemptable'' tease.

Rubislaw 32 link

12/2/2018 12:38:49 pm

....I see that ''the authorities'' have ''touched up'',the ''1981'' bit,on the Peachtree envelope postmark,Judith.

So,they could have ''touched up'' the ''CA'' or ''GA'' bit,to make it look,possibly,more towards a ''GA'',than ''CA'' [?].

I would say that ''the jury's out'',anyway,over this point [?].

Richard

12/2/2018 01:47:23 pm

Sorry, I touched up the 1981, but have now returned it to the way it originally looked.

Richard

12/2/2018 01:51:48 pm

The letter was postmarked Atlanta GA 303. Same as the 303 written on the envelope.

Richard

12/2/2018 02:01:08 pm

Here are the zip codes for Atlanta Georgia

https://www.google.co.uk/search?rlz=1C1CHFX_enGB550GB550&ei=j1UEXPC6JYidsAej0ZvIDA&q=zip+code+atlanta+ga&oq=zip+code+atlanta+&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.0l3j0i10j0i22i30l6.20989.33379..34925...0.0..0.114.1299.14j2......0....1..gws-wiz.......0i71j33i10j0i67j0i20i263.YtL6hB1a6_k

Rubislaw 32 link

12/2/2018 02:12:54 pm

Just to add on a personal observation,The Peachtree address on the ''Atlanta'' envelope,is so much like the writing employed,to address both Fairfield Letters,of December 1969.

''Atlanta'' and ''Fairfields'' scribe.....I am sure is the same person.

But,can we really be sure that the ''Peachtree'' letter is ''1981'' ?

Richard

12/2/2018 02:46:12 pm

According to the FBI files.

Rubislaw 32 link

12/2/2018 03:55:23 pm

Yes Richard....I shouldn't go as far,as splitting hairs,over the 1981 date.

It's just that I realise now,that the authorities could have done the re-writing over the original whole letter.And not,necessarily for misleading purposes.It may have been because ''Zodiac's'' original writing had faded so much,which didn't allow for legibility on a photocopy.

After all,there is ample evidence of ''the authorities'' leaking ''unconfirmed's'' for the purpose of assessing public reaction [..like Zodiac sleuths..]....and would,at least,want us to be able to read the writing.

Lyndon Lafferty re-wrote over a threatening note to Kimberly Lawrence,because the original writing had faded so badly....so that Lafferty could at least publish writing that might be recognised.

But in his case,he now had ownership of that note,and held liberty,to do as he please,and inform the reader.

With ''LE'',and if they ''leak'',they often don't want to add any comments,or pointers....because they don't actually want to have to admit,that they ''leaked'',in the first place.

The implication being,that we can never quite be sure,what ''LE'' are up to,on ''unconfirmed's''.

And,''may'' do a little touching up,to suit their own purposes [?].

Rubislaw 32 link

12/3/2018 04:41:58 am

Focusing again,on the composition of the Peachtree letter,it appears interesting,his use of '' I'll ''.The Zodiac does this regularly,when he is either hypothesising or to give the impression of being relaxed,as if exchanging a few casual words,with a neighbour.

The Zodiac changes to '' I will '',when he seeks to be perceived in a serious manner.In the ''148'' total cipher solution,the Zodiac employs two '' I'll '' 's....then two '' I will '' 's ,when he starts to refer to skinning kids.

Naturally,he doesn't appreciate the irony that,for what he represents,the Zodiac is viewed with revulsion,whatever he writes.

But interesting,nevertheless,that the Zodiac actually convinces himself that,if he puts words,in a certain way,that we might be fooled into warming to him.

At these times,''pity'' is the only kind response,to him,from the reader.For inevitably,his nastiness will shine through,at some point.

And,anything that makes us laugh,is the foolishness of his self deceit.

For the Zodiac has the insincerity of a door-to-door salesman.Though a door-to-door salesman does,on occasion,have something to offer,that we might need.

KayElleSF

12/5/2018 12:02:53 am

The Peachtree letter has to be thee Zodiac, imo. Every phrase is consistent with the way he expressed himself in his known letters; the mocking tone speaking in riddles, the discussing of clues, the phrase "picked off" (which he ham-handedly added to "prove" his identity), the mentioning of the handwriting style which echoes "I look different when I do my thing" from the Stine murder. All trademarks of Zodiac. That "d" in the signature looks very familiar as well.

If this letter was written nowadays, I would be skeptical of it's authenticity as Zodiac communications are all over the web and his phraseology and content can be easily copied...but back in 1981 this wasnt the case.

I doubt Zodiac had any involvement in the Atlanta crimes, however, he could have been starved for attention and couldn't resist the impulse to "reach out".

Tom1

12/5/2018 09:19:07 pm

Fort Benning is stamped on the letter. Just sayin.

Rubislaw 32 link

12/6/2018 01:19:07 am

That's a great spot,Tom 1,and settles any thoughts,that ''Zodiac'' mailed it,from Atlanta,CA.

To me,one of the outstanding features is the handwriting of the address,and its similarity,with the handwriting employed,for the addresses of both Fairfield letters [December 1969].

Eleven years on.....close to unquestionably,the same ''Zodiac''.

Rubislaw 32 link

12/6/2018 10:05:47 am

Just to be clear,and thanks to Tom 1,we know now,that the scribe of the Peachtree letter,posted it somewhere close to the Georgia/Alabama border.

Rubislaw 32 link

12/6/2018 12:43:56 am

Well articulated,KayElleSF,and agree with all of it.

And,may I add,a possible follow up.

It seems to me,that the Zodiac saw an ''Achilles heel'' in the authorities,in how they presented themselves,in dealing with ''The Race Card''....and always sought to advantage himself,of this.

KayElleSF

12/6/2018 01:08:03 am

Great point, Rubi, and spot on!

Comments are closed.

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