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Richard Grinell, Coventry, England
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THE SHRINKING LIGHT

8/24/2018

 
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On December 20th 1968 the Zodiac Killer, supposedly acting alone, pulled into Gate #10 just off Lake Herman Road and parked his vehicle alongside the Rambler of David Faraday. The headlights of each vehicle were illuminating the field beyond. It was a handful of minutes after 11:00 pm, close to freezing temperatures, with the turnout in near pitch darkness. The Zodiac Killer then fired at least two shots towards the Rambler to force the young teenage couple from the vehicle - Betty Lou Jensen exited the passenger side of the vehicle first, followed immediately by David Faraday. The Zodiac Killer then did something that belied the situation.

From what we are led to believe, the Zodiac Killer was apparently more cautious of the male, dispatching them first, before venting his hatred on the female victim. He shot Michael Mageau while he was effectively trapped in the confines of Darlene Ferrin's Corvair at Blue Rock Springs, kept his distance from Bryan Hartnell at Lake Berryessa, ordering Cecelia Shepard to tie her companion securely, and blindsided Paul Stine at the intersection of Washington and Cherry, execution style from behind. This man is likely not afraid of the male, albeit, he is applying common sense in completing his mission without being disarmed or thwarted. The attack on David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen was committed in near complete darkness. If we are to believe eyewitness James Owen, the Zodiac Killer didn't even park behind the Rambler to illuminate his prey. Fortunately for the Zodiac Killer he came prepared with a small pencil flashlight in which the "center of the beam of light, if you aim it at a wall or ceiling you will see a black or darck spot in the center of the circle of light about 3 to 6 inches across. When taped to a gun barrel, the bullet will strike in the center of the black dot in the light".

What an extremely cunning move using a pencil flashlight - that is, until you walk forward towards your victim - in this case David Faraday. The closer you get, the smaller the circle of illumination becomes. When you finally press the .22 caliber handgun to the left ear of David Faraday the light has effectively become extinguished. The turnout has now, in essence, been plunged back into darkness in the near vicinity. For a killer seemingly wary of the male, this on the face of it, appears rather a foolish choice under the conditions experienced at Lake Herman Road that night. Why not just approach David Faraday and shoot him in the head from 2 or 3 feet away with your extremely accurate pencil flashlight? Why get within contact range and not only risk being disarmed, but lose a visual on Betty Lou Jensen? From a man who carefully crafted a 340 character cipher, took the time to construct a sighting implement for his nighttime weapon and applied caution towards his intended male victims, this seems a rather odd choice to say the least. Unless, it didn't happen this way.  

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The Lake Herman Road police report stated "he had been shot in the upper portion of the left ear by a small caliber bullet which penetrated the ear and head. There was what appeared to be powder burns on the left ear where the bullet had entered. There was a large lump on his right cheek and the hair on the left side of his head was matted with blood."

There was absolutely no need for the Zodiac Killer to negate the use of his 'claimed' pencil flashlight and make contact with David Faraday. He supposedly has them herded together just outside the open door of the Rambler and cannot afford for them to be separated into the darkness. The idea of Betty Lou Jensen making a dash for freedom and being targeted accurately by Zodiac at least five times, while David Faraday is still alive and standing behind him, is extremely problematic and unlikely. Seemingly, David Faraday had moved little since being forced from the vehicle. He was found lying perpendicular to the Rambler with his feet just shy of touching the rear right wheel. It appears he was shot, execution style in close proximity to the vehicle.
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There is every indication based upon the reasoning suggested, that the Zodiac Killer may not have been alone in the turnout that night - he had an accomplice. With two assailants, possibly goading one another into action, the idea of removing the couple from the Rambler is paradoxically not without reason. Why extricate the couple from the vehicle in near pitch darkness when you have them exactly where you want them, just like at Blue Rock Springs Park. The Zodiac Killer never took any liberties with his victims in the comission of his subsequent attacks.                

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The Department of Justice, Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation stated 'All bullets submitted were Western copper coated .22 long rifle bullets, although some were damaged, it was possible to determine ALL but Item [1] had 6 right hand groove class characteristics.' Item [1] was removed from the brain of David Faraday. If the bullet removed from David Faraday exhibited different class characteristics to all the others, then it may become problematic from the standpoint of a lone gunman.

If a left-handed, second assailant, had David Faraday secured around the neck alongside the Rambler for the duration of the attack on Betty Lou Jensen, with a gun pressed to his left ear, then the ejected cartridge case could be the one discovered on the front passenger floorboard of the Rambler by responding officers. This cartridge case was missing from the D.O.J. report. If it was to be found, then the story of the Zodiac Killer could turn on its head.  

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Rubislaw 32 link
8/24/2018 03:47:23 pm

Nicely written article,Richard....and you have me going,wondering if there were two perpetrators,when I had never previously believed it.

But I'll still play safe,and stick to one,while documentation still appears to indicate one.

What I wanted to add,was to do with the initiation of the double execution.

Granted we can't be sure how it was to play out,in Zodiac's mind [?].

But,we must presume that he did intend to kill the couple.

Perhaps it was two warning shots,with : ''Get out of the car,this is a robbery.''

What I think may have made David's demise that much swifter was,that he bravely told Betty Lou,to run for it,know full well he might take an immediate bullet,for disrupting Zodiac's train of thought [?].

At that moment,the couple were physically separating,and Zodiac knew he would have to take out ''the brave one'' before dealing with the one that was fleeing.

Richard
8/24/2018 04:14:14 pm

I still too err on the side of a single shooter Rubislaw, but this is the most confusing of the crimes to me, including the testimony of James Owen, which the more I think about, the less it fits in with the other eyewitnesses. I could conceive a two person scenario, being whittled down to one as Zodiac went on his own, but the other way round takes a bit more believing, and is less likely. But a partnership could be argued reasonably for all four crimes. That said, I'll stick with a solitary killer until proven otherwise. It nevertheless is worth exploring.

Rubislaw 32 link
8/24/2018 09:54:12 pm

Yes,I do see what you mean....and of course,have a role to play,to get something else,out of your readers,if possible.

Recently,and with regard to the LHR crime,I had conjectured that Zodiac had,in effect,''gone scouting'' with his car,looking for potential victims....that ''might'' then turn in to the car park.

He would then overtake them at high speed,to buy time,in wait,to see if they did use the car park.

A sort of ''selection process'',if you will.

This ''overtaking'' behaviour,was reported by a number of Lake Herman Road users,that evening.Though one can never be certain of witness testimony,since the witnesses can't be sure,themselves,nevertheless,the reports were not always,concerning one person in a car.I believe that there were a couple of witness claims,of being overtaken by a driver ''with passenger''.

Now ''here's the thing''....and it might appear ridiculous,on first inspection......but :

Do you think it possible that Zodiac had a ''shop dummy'' or inflatable doll,with which to sometimes put,in his front passenger seat,to make it look like he might be two people,or a couple ?

I'll spare you the embarrassment of answering that question,if you so wish,not too.

Richard
8/25/2018 01:27:29 am

No I'm not embarrassed to answer Rubislaw. I don't find it credible to believe such a thing. This goes to a wider issue in the Zodiac scene on your point. It is not impossible that Zodiac used a dummy in the passenger seat, but is it very likely. It reminds me of when the DNA in 2002 purposely excluded Arthur Leigh Allen as the contributor on the Zodiac letters. If the DNA testing was correct, it didn't matter, because long held believers in Allen's guilt would start touting the two Zodiac theory (similar to suggested above), but without providing any reasons to support such a claim. They would use ideas such as Allen got somebody else to lick the stamp because he didn't like the taste of glue. This isn't impossible, but it relies on Allen going out of his way to get 20+ letters licked by a third party, rather than just wetting the envelope with a sponge and water. Again, it doesn't make the claim impossible, but wholly unrealistic.
People have claimed the Zodiac wore a fat suit to disguise his appearance or even wore a mask. Again, not impossible, but on the fringes of what is likely. Zodiac at Presidio Heights could have got in a vehicle just around the corner from the crime scene, but all the available evidence suggests not. We can speculate about things all the time, as I do constantly, but if we are to be believed, it is important to provide solid reasoning behind any suggested idea.
I have actually read a true story of a man travelling with a mannikin to dupe people into a false sense of security when committing his crimes- so it's not unheard of- but how realistic is it as a possibility.
Around any of Zodiac's four crimes we can manufacture alternatives, that circumvent the general consensus, but key, is backing up any proposal with supporting reasoning or evidence. In the case of shop dummies or inflatable dolls, there is absolutely nothing to support such a notion. I go back to the multiple Zodiac theories. If somebody wants to suggest that one Zodiac killed the people and the other wrote the letters, then provide a cogent argument to support the theory. Without the reasoning to support such a claim, it is just another suggestion, and in essence lacks foundation.
Another example, to me anyway, is the idea Zodiac got the directions incorrect in the BRS payphone call. Both Zodiac and Nancy Slover were talking over each other, yet almost unanimously in the Zodiac community researchers believe Zodiac got the directions wrong, however, not one has ever suggested that possibly Nancy Slover misheard, misinterpreted or recollected the phone message incorrectly, as happened with the dispatcher at Presidio Heights. To me, this is a long held narrative that is difficult to shake.
Can the argument of Zodiac getting the phone call directions correct be backed up. Yes, add one full-stop or comma to the message, point out that both spoke over each other and give PH as an example. Is it possible Zodiac got his directions wrong- yes. But it is equally arguable he got them correct. The dummy suggestion, although possible, I cannot think of anything to support it other than speculation, so until that day I don't consider it likely. But certainly Rubislaw, the suggestion of a killer scouting between LHR and BRS is certainly backed by many good pointers.

Richard
8/25/2018 01:58:47 am

I just thought, that if Del and Rodney Trotter were on Lake Herman Road that night, then the inflatable doll suggestion is very likely. "I told her not to have the mutton vindaloo."

Rubislaw 32 link
8/25/2018 04:49:16 am

Thanks for the positive feedback,Richard....and even if ''positively'' against the idea of a dummy passenger.

Yes,I'm in general agreement,over your telephone synopsis,regarding Nancy Slover and Zodiac.

Also,how it is that some will always find a way round,to defend a weak argument,or in the face of their theory being disproved.

Certainly ''ridiculous'' that someone [ALA] would find themselves,procuring a reputation,for asking others,to lick their stamps,for them [?].''I'' would be too embarrassed to ask such a thing of someone else,if water was freely available.

I do feel positive about the ''scouting'' scenario,at LHR.Someone like Zodiac,could spy and stalk ''with the best of them'',but he must have grown restless,at times,''merely'' waiting around,chain smoking [?].

He'd have wanted to be out and about,in that car,of his....just like ''Toad of Toad Hall'',in ''Wind in the Willows''.

Like Zodiac,another well known psychopath.

Richard
8/25/2018 05:09:06 am

The yet to be resolved white Chevrolet Impala spotted by Wesner and Connelly is another integral part to this story. Was this Zodiac earlier in the night scouting on foot similar to Berryessa. Clearly, the occupant/s of this vehicle never presented themselves as eyewitnesses to police, so were they reluctant to come forward, did they even know about the crime that eventually unfolded or was this vehicle that of Zodiac. An empty vehicle in a turnout, late at night in freezing temperatures, begs the question, what was the occupant/s of this vehicle doing on foot for upwards of half an hour. It reminds me of the 'first' vehicle parking alongside Darlene Ferrin, who may have been Zodiac hence the obvious no show as an eyewitness.
As Kim Rossmo stated, the Zodiac likely trawled LHR and BRS for an ideal opportunity. It could have taken many hours for the right moment. Not being an expert on firearms, I questioned why the 10 shots were not heard (if no silencer was used) bearing in mind the Marshall Ranch was only 570 metres away, and Pierre Bidou and Steve Armenta were conducting a drugs bust at The Cottage only 0.4 miles away. Would the shots from a .22 handgun be reasonably expected to travel that distance in the countryside.

Rubislaw 32 link
8/25/2018 06:41:50 am

Though would look forward to other suggestions,Richard,for my two cents worth :

I would think,given Zodiac understood that he may have time on his hands,before finding the ''right'' victims,was probably just ''staking out the joint'',with particular attention to if there were others ''loitering'' in the vicinity,or if any neighbouring residencies,that might have a view,on to the car park,or its surrounds.

Like you,I find it strange that shots appear ''not'' to have been heard 0.4 miles away,given that conditions would have seemed ''perfect'',for unobstructed travelling of sound waves.Cold,but not a breath of wind,and high air pressure.

Hrolf Norman
8/27/2018 01:15:16 pm

The wound by Faraday's ear, just by eyesight, looks to have entered from a downward angle. This would place the gun higher than his ear. Could he have been ordered to kneel?

Richard
8/27/2018 01:32:25 pm

I cannot tell just looking at the photograph. It would have been helpful if we had the autopsy details, but we don't.


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