Michael Mageau (19) In the early minutes of July 5th 1969, the Zodiac Killer stood close to the passenger side of Darlene Ferrin's 1963 brown Corvair and unleashed seven shots in total. His final two shots were probably aimed at Michael Mageau as he tried vainly to avoid being hit in the back passenger compartment of the vehicle. The two casings found on the rear floorboard of the Corviair were testimony to a killer who leaned into the vehicle to deliver these final shots (or sixth and seventh shots), striking Michael Mageau in the hip and thigh. Even though the killer fired the first seven shots in extremely close proximity to the passenger side window, not one casing ejected over the Corvair or into the open window.
The seven shell casings were discovered to the right side of the Corvair. To facilitate shooting Michael Mageau in the hip and thigh, it's extremely likely the killer had to lean into the window and over the passenger seat of the Corvair. The top of the passenger seat positioned exactly where Michael Mageau was struck with the first two shots aimed at him. He was struck in the jaw and shoulder, producing 2 entry wounds and 2 exit wounds. Both of these bullets exited his body and struck Darlene Ferrin, who suffered 9 entry wounds in total. With four wounds in total to the upper part of his body at this point, there is a high probability that this created blood transfer to the Corvair's front passenger seat. A passenger seat that Zodiac had to likely lean over in order to aim a gun at Michael Mageau's lower extremities when he took refuge in the back passenger seat area. Very likely on the floorboard itself. This would adequately explain the two stray casings located here.
The seven shell casings were discovered to the right side of the Corvair. To facilitate shooting Michael Mageau in the hip and thigh, it's extremely likely the killer had to lean into the window and over the passenger seat of the Corvair. The top of the passenger seat positioned exactly where Michael Mageau was struck with the first two shots aimed at him. He was struck in the jaw and shoulder, producing 2 entry wounds and 2 exit wounds. Both of these bullets exited his body and struck Darlene Ferrin, who suffered 9 entry wounds in total. With four wounds in total to the upper part of his body at this point, there is a high probability that this created blood transfer to the Corvair's front passenger seat. A passenger seat that Zodiac had to likely lean over in order to aim a gun at Michael Mageau's lower extremities when he took refuge in the back passenger seat area. Very likely on the floorboard itself. This would adequately explain the two stray casings located here.
The Zodiac Killer was described as wearing a blue shirt, so unless he had the foresight to bring a jacket or change of clothing, he would have been wearing this same shirt nearly 40 minutes later when he made the phone call to police from the intersection of Springs Road and Tuolumne Street at 12:40am. The payphone was no more than 10 minutes journey time from the crime scene, so did the Zodiac Killer really just drive aimlessly around, or park up somewhere for approximately 40 minutes, possibly covered in blood from the crime scene? Or did he drive home and change clothes before placing the call (either by car or on foot), thereby placing his residence at a measurable radius from the payphone, or extremely close to it?
Darlene Ferrin (22) The trajectory of the first seven ejected casings that morning, suggests the gun ejected to the shooter's rear, took a neutral pathway, or bounced off the Corvair's bodywork back to the right side, with all seven casings noted by investigators to the right side of the vehicle. No casings could reasonably have ejected into the open window and been transferred by Michael Mageau into the rear of the vehicle, because less than seven casings would have been found on the parking lot floor. And it's highly unlikely a killer leaning deep into the vehicle and obscuring most of the open window, would eject a shell casing past his body and back out of the window. He also would have been most fortuitous to avoid blood transfer to his shirt. Without a ready change of clothing, or disposal of the shirt nearby, the first port of call would likely be home if you lived nearby.
The nature of the attack, keeping the victims within the vehicle at arms length (unlike Lake Herman Road when he shot David Faraday outside the vehicle at close range through his left ear), seems to suggest that the Zodiac Killer likely never envisioned any close interaction with the victims and the need for a change of clothing during his second attack. However, the Zodiac Killer likely made one crucial error, in returning to the Corvair for a second time when he heard Michael Mageau crying out on the back seat, delivering two more shots into the badly injured young man by leaning into the blood-soaked vehicle. This may have changed his desired plans and ultimately, the timing of the phone call to police dispatcher, Nancy Slover.
Had he not leaned into the vehicle, he could have made the payphone call at approximately 12:10pm before the victims were even discovered. This would have been the much safer option - and the question of the roughly 40 minute delay in making the payphone call and where the Zodiac Killer lived - would never have arisen.
The nature of the attack, keeping the victims within the vehicle at arms length (unlike Lake Herman Road when he shot David Faraday outside the vehicle at close range through his left ear), seems to suggest that the Zodiac Killer likely never envisioned any close interaction with the victims and the need for a change of clothing during his second attack. However, the Zodiac Killer likely made one crucial error, in returning to the Corvair for a second time when he heard Michael Mageau crying out on the back seat, delivering two more shots into the badly injured young man by leaning into the blood-soaked vehicle. This may have changed his desired plans and ultimately, the timing of the phone call to police dispatcher, Nancy Slover.
Had he not leaned into the vehicle, he could have made the payphone call at approximately 12:10pm before the victims were even discovered. This would have been the much safer option - and the question of the roughly 40 minute delay in making the payphone call and where the Zodiac Killer lived - would never have arisen.
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