Bus Bomb letter 11/9/69: "p.s. 2 cops pulled a goof abot 3 min after I left the cab. I was walking down the hill to the park when this cop car pulled up + one of them called me over + asked if I saw anyone acting suspicious or strange in the last 5 to 10 min + I said yes there was this man who was runnig by waveing a gun & the cops peeled rubber + went around the corner as I directed them + I disappeared into the park a block + a half away never to be seen again". It can be seen the Zodiac Killer is claiming an encounter with two policemen only minutes after the murder of Paul Stine at Washington and Cherry Street in San Francisco.
In the 2007 This is the Zodiac Speaking documentary, Armond Pelissetti was clearly lending credence to this encounter when referring to Officer Donald Fouke, who supposedly spotted the Zodiac Killer by 3712 Jackson Street. Officer Pelissetti said "I spoke to Officer Fouke later that evening and was unaware that he had stopped anybody, black, white or any other color, however, in subsequent conversations with him, he told me that he did stop somebody". Donald Fouke denies that he stopped anybody. It is clear that the Zodiac Killer was not privy to this conversation, and the supposed stopping and questioning of a suspect was not featured in any newspaper articles prior to the November 9th 1969 Bus Bomb letter. The Zodiac claimed that the encounter occurred about 3 minutes after he left the taxicab, so let us examine the timeline of Donald Fouke and the Zodiac Killer that night.
In the 2007 This is the Zodiac Speaking documentary, Armond Pelissetti was clearly lending credence to this encounter when referring to Officer Donald Fouke, who supposedly spotted the Zodiac Killer by 3712 Jackson Street. Officer Pelissetti said "I spoke to Officer Fouke later that evening and was unaware that he had stopped anybody, black, white or any other color, however, in subsequent conversations with him, he told me that he did stop somebody". Donald Fouke denies that he stopped anybody. It is clear that the Zodiac Killer was not privy to this conversation, and the supposed stopping and questioning of a suspect was not featured in any newspaper articles prior to the November 9th 1969 Bus Bomb letter. The Zodiac claimed that the encounter occurred about 3 minutes after he left the taxicab, so let us examine the timeline of Donald Fouke and the Zodiac Killer that night.
Armond Pelissetti stated in the documentary that he and Frank Peda responded "red light and siren" after the dispatcher's call at 9:58 pm.
So, let us surmise for now that the Zodiac left the scene at 9:56 pm. After about three minutes walking, the Zodiac Killer would have arrived close to the intersection of Jackson and Maple, by 3712 Jackson Street, at 9:59 pm - supposedly where this encounter happened.
Donald Fouke stated that he saw a white male entering the stairwell to 3712 Jackson Street. Donald Fouke also received the dispatcher's call at 9:58 pm, while he and his rookie partner Eric Zelms were traveling northbound on Presidio Avenue, having just passed Washington Street. Their journey time from this location is approximately 1 minute to 3712 Jackson Street, indicating that Donald Fouke would have arrived at 9:59 pm - the exact time the Zodiac would have been passing this location.
So, Zodiac's claim of this encounter holds up to the timeline - and bearing in mind Armond Pelissetti's claim that Donald Fouke stated to him that he stopped somebody - it appears to corroborate Zodiac's claim that "two cops pulled a goof".
Again, the Zodiac Killer was not privy to the police officers claims or statements prior to November 9th 1969, so it was either a extremely lucky guess on his part or he was telling the truth. It is easy for the police and newspapers to discredit the Zodiac Killer simply by saying "they are the claims of a madman" or "psychopath", but this fails to answer the question. The newspapers made no reference to the officers stopping or even viewing a suspect that night, while also claiming it was unlikely the Zodiac Killer had entered the park that night on account of the sniffer dogs employed in the search. But this appears not be the case. His claim above, of talking to Donald Fouke and Eric Zelms is likely true (as the timeline suggests) - and unless Armond Pelissetti was lying - it placed Donald Fouke in a direct path with the killer at 9:59 pm that night. Not withstanding the fact, that the Zodiac Killer knew nothing of Donald Fouke's route that night, which ties in perfectly. The embarrassment of questioning a suspect and then letting him on his way, may have been something that would be better glossed over, yet something the Zodiac was keen to capitalize on in his extensive Bus Bomb letter and insisting it must be printed in the newspapers. In other words, he wanted to highlight this fact - something that had clearly been kept under wraps. But if this were the truth, how many other of the Zodiac claims were true. Let's take a look.
So, let us surmise for now that the Zodiac left the scene at 9:56 pm. After about three minutes walking, the Zodiac Killer would have arrived close to the intersection of Jackson and Maple, by 3712 Jackson Street, at 9:59 pm - supposedly where this encounter happened.
Donald Fouke stated that he saw a white male entering the stairwell to 3712 Jackson Street. Donald Fouke also received the dispatcher's call at 9:58 pm, while he and his rookie partner Eric Zelms were traveling northbound on Presidio Avenue, having just passed Washington Street. Their journey time from this location is approximately 1 minute to 3712 Jackson Street, indicating that Donald Fouke would have arrived at 9:59 pm - the exact time the Zodiac would have been passing this location.
So, Zodiac's claim of this encounter holds up to the timeline - and bearing in mind Armond Pelissetti's claim that Donald Fouke stated to him that he stopped somebody - it appears to corroborate Zodiac's claim that "two cops pulled a goof".
Again, the Zodiac Killer was not privy to the police officers claims or statements prior to November 9th 1969, so it was either a extremely lucky guess on his part or he was telling the truth. It is easy for the police and newspapers to discredit the Zodiac Killer simply by saying "they are the claims of a madman" or "psychopath", but this fails to answer the question. The newspapers made no reference to the officers stopping or even viewing a suspect that night, while also claiming it was unlikely the Zodiac Killer had entered the park that night on account of the sniffer dogs employed in the search. But this appears not be the case. His claim above, of talking to Donald Fouke and Eric Zelms is likely true (as the timeline suggests) - and unless Armond Pelissetti was lying - it placed Donald Fouke in a direct path with the killer at 9:59 pm that night. Not withstanding the fact, that the Zodiac Killer knew nothing of Donald Fouke's route that night, which ties in perfectly. The embarrassment of questioning a suspect and then letting him on his way, may have been something that would be better glossed over, yet something the Zodiac was keen to capitalize on in his extensive Bus Bomb letter and insisting it must be printed in the newspapers. In other words, he wanted to highlight this fact - something that had clearly been kept under wraps. But if this were the truth, how many other of the Zodiac claims were true. Let's take a look.
"The cops peeled rubber + went around the corner as I directed them + I disappeared into the park a block + a half away never to be seen again". This encounter was claimed to have occurred at 3712 Jackson Street, just before the intersection of Jackson and Maple. So, if the Zodiac disappeared into the park one block and a half away, we shall travel this distance. Although just under a block and a half, the nearest to this description is Spruce Street, shown here. From this location the Zodiac Killer could easily enter the park at a safer distance from any searches that may have materialized and distance himself from where he was initially spotted. It also lies closer to his initial claim of a murder by "Washington and Maple", if this was his original intended destination.
Of course, some of his claims to have been hiding in the park could have been bolstered by adding detail he subsequently read in the newspapers, but there is one thing he stated that not only boosts the idea he entered the park via Spruce Street and hid in the trees there, but is descriptive enough to provide us with a location. This is what the Zodiac Killer stated in the Bus Bomb letter: "I gave the cops som bussy work to do to keep them happy. I enjoy needling the blue pigs. Hey blue pig I was in the park -- you were useing fire trucks to mask the sound of your cruzeing prowl cars. The dogs never came with in 2 blocks of me + they were to the west + there was only 2 groups of parking about 10 min apart then the motor cicles went by about 150 ft away going from south to north west." The Zodiac Killer again backs up the idea he entered the park via Spruce Street saying "The dogs never came with in 2 blocks of me + they were to the west". This suggests that if we travel just over two blocks west of the Spruce Street entrance to the park, this is where the police, fire trucks, motorcycles and dogs were milling around. See here. The Arguello Boulevard entrance to the park is just over two blocks.
Of course, some of his claims to have been hiding in the park could have been bolstered by adding detail he subsequently read in the newspapers, but there is one thing he stated that not only boosts the idea he entered the park via Spruce Street and hid in the trees there, but is descriptive enough to provide us with a location. This is what the Zodiac Killer stated in the Bus Bomb letter: "I gave the cops som bussy work to do to keep them happy. I enjoy needling the blue pigs. Hey blue pig I was in the park -- you were useing fire trucks to mask the sound of your cruzeing prowl cars. The dogs never came with in 2 blocks of me + they were to the west + there was only 2 groups of parking about 10 min apart then the motor cicles went by about 150 ft away going from south to north west." The Zodiac Killer again backs up the idea he entered the park via Spruce Street saying "The dogs never came with in 2 blocks of me + they were to the west". This suggests that if we travel just over two blocks west of the Spruce Street entrance to the park, this is where the police, fire trucks, motorcycles and dogs were milling around. See here. The Arguello Boulevard entrance to the park is just over two blocks.
We now have Zodiac possibly entering the park at Spruce Street, but can we narrow it down further. In the topographic maps of 1968, the layout of the park's trees and hedges have altered little to affect this analysis and can be viewed here.
Many of the police would have flooded the park via the Arguello Boulevard entrance - this is the area of dense growth highlighted on the map by the red ellipse shown to the left. This activity was noted by the killer "Hey blue pig I was in the park -- you were useing fire trucks to mask the sound of your cruzeing prowl cars. The dogs never came with in 2 blocks of me + they were to the west". But he went on to add one further critical statement, that may have pinpointed his exact location within the park: "There was only 2 groups of parking about 10 min apart, then the motor cicles went by about 150 ft away going from south to north west".
They were going from south to northwest. So what road was the Zodiac describing from his vantage point, allowing him to view this directional movement of traffic? There was elevation in the park - but his view would also have been masked by trees. This image on Google Maps shows part of the Arguello Boulevard masked by trees, however, a little further on it opens up. This section of Arguello Boulevard frees itself from the tree line and heads from south to northwest, just as the Zodiac stated in the Bus Bomb letter. All that is left for us to do is pinpoint his location, allowing him to clearly view this area. The police would certainly have focused on this area, as it was not only a key entrance to the park but also an area of dense growth, availing many possibilities to escape into. So, let us travel back to the entrance to the park from Spruce Street.
Knowing of the commotion to the west, logically the Zodiac Killer should have accessed cover immediately to the east after entering the park - somewhere in the region shown below. Notice the line of sight available to the Zodiac to that portion of Arguello Boulevard we mentioned earlier, running from south to northwest, thereby giving us a viable location for the Zodiac Killer on October 11th 1969, a matter of minutes after the crime. It may well be the case that if the Zodiac didn't have a car waiting somewhere by the intersection of Jackson and Maple, for fear of vehicle identification, then his claim of entering the park that night may well be true after all.
After viewing the police to the west, including any scent dogs, he may have cut his losses. He couldn't head west, and he surely wouldn't have re-entered West Pacific Avenue or Jackson Street, so the realistic option available to him, was to head eastwards toward Cow Hollow or the Marina District. But, bearing in mind he may have been covered in blood, is it possible he lived in a house backing onto the park or likely had his vehicle parked there, affording him a distinct separation from the Presidio Heights area? Or was the Zodiac Killer a liar as Chief of Inspectors Martin Lee contended, and the Zodiac Killer was never in the park at all?
Many of the police would have flooded the park via the Arguello Boulevard entrance - this is the area of dense growth highlighted on the map by the red ellipse shown to the left. This activity was noted by the killer "Hey blue pig I was in the park -- you were useing fire trucks to mask the sound of your cruzeing prowl cars. The dogs never came with in 2 blocks of me + they were to the west". But he went on to add one further critical statement, that may have pinpointed his exact location within the park: "There was only 2 groups of parking about 10 min apart, then the motor cicles went by about 150 ft away going from south to north west".
They were going from south to northwest. So what road was the Zodiac describing from his vantage point, allowing him to view this directional movement of traffic? There was elevation in the park - but his view would also have been masked by trees. This image on Google Maps shows part of the Arguello Boulevard masked by trees, however, a little further on it opens up. This section of Arguello Boulevard frees itself from the tree line and heads from south to northwest, just as the Zodiac stated in the Bus Bomb letter. All that is left for us to do is pinpoint his location, allowing him to clearly view this area. The police would certainly have focused on this area, as it was not only a key entrance to the park but also an area of dense growth, availing many possibilities to escape into. So, let us travel back to the entrance to the park from Spruce Street.
Knowing of the commotion to the west, logically the Zodiac Killer should have accessed cover immediately to the east after entering the park - somewhere in the region shown below. Notice the line of sight available to the Zodiac to that portion of Arguello Boulevard we mentioned earlier, running from south to northwest, thereby giving us a viable location for the Zodiac Killer on October 11th 1969, a matter of minutes after the crime. It may well be the case that if the Zodiac didn't have a car waiting somewhere by the intersection of Jackson and Maple, for fear of vehicle identification, then his claim of entering the park that night may well be true after all.
After viewing the police to the west, including any scent dogs, he may have cut his losses. He couldn't head west, and he surely wouldn't have re-entered West Pacific Avenue or Jackson Street, so the realistic option available to him, was to head eastwards toward Cow Hollow or the Marina District. But, bearing in mind he may have been covered in blood, is it possible he lived in a house backing onto the park or likely had his vehicle parked there, affording him a distinct separation from the Presidio Heights area? Or was the Zodiac Killer a liar as Chief of Inspectors Martin Lee contended, and the Zodiac Killer was never in the park at all?
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