THE VALLEJO DIRECTORY- BY THE PAYPHONE - ZODIAC CIPHERS

THE VALLEJO DIRECTORY- BY THE PAYPHONE

3/15/2018

It was considered that the Zodiac Killer after attacking Darlene Ferrin and Michael Mageau at Blue Rock Springs on July 4th 1969, drove back to his residence and walked to the Springs and Tuolumne payphone from the north side. This premise was covered extensively in the article 'I Want to Tell You a Story'.
I would like to thank Deb from Zodiac Killer Site forum for supplying me with the Vallejo directory records from 1969. The Zodiac Killer may have lived within a 10-15 minute walking radius of the payphone. Here are the relevant streets from the north side. Click the visual on the left side of 'Download File' to view directly on this site. Once opened, click again to magnify.

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Rubislaw 32 link

3/16/2018 04:20:53 am

Nice to see an overhead view of the residency development,in the vicinity of the public phone,Richard.

For LHR and BRS,there are certainly persuasive reasons to suggest,that Zodiac was a resident of Vallejo.The overhead that you have,on view probably covers,somewhere where Zodiac did live,at that time.Perhaps we might proffer,within 10 minutes walk of the public phone [?].

For BRS specifically,there is a likelihood that Zodiac stalked Darlene,in his car....and having ascertained to have found her at BRS,then returned home,to pick up a firearm....or even change cars.

With the subsequent use of the public phone,the question is ''why''.More particularly,why do we think Zodiac felt the need to use a public phone....when it would appear,on the surface,to only increase his chances of incriminating himself,by phoning ''at all'' [?].

I think that it comes down to Zodiac's thinking that he might need ''something'' to bolster an alibi,in the future.

A scenario,perhaps,where he returns home from the shooting.Now,Zodiac can't be sure that his neighbours haven't noticed some,albeit brief,activity going on at his house,with him having been doing some ''coming and going''.

So,Zodiac feels that he needs to remove himself from his house,as if to join in the July 4th celebrations.Then,he can account for the ''brief and frenetic'' activity,at a later date,by claiming that he needed to pick up some fireworks or drink,earlier on,for the evening ahead.

Possibly then,that the phone call was to,in effect,''place'' the public phone,and by implication a factor of the murder,away from his residency....AND a possible party,that he then attended,immediately after the call was made....mingling in with,already inebriated,partygoers.

In short,the possibility that Zodiac believed that he needed to extricate himself,from his personal residency...as an ''investment'' in alibi.

This,more than likely,tells us one further ''fact''.

Zodiac lived alone.

Richard

3/16/2018 05:31:21 am

Many say, why would Zodiac take the risk of walking to the payphone.
I believe he would have received blood transfer to his clothes that night (he was only wearing a T-shirt, so leaning into the vehicle I doubt he would have avoided blood transfer. He wants to make the phone call obviously, but if he was aware that Mageau had 'fell' out of the vehicle still alive, or his vehicle may have been recognized by any passing motorist in the vicinity, coupled with blood on his person, the common sense approach is to travel home, ditch the clothes, gun and vehicle and head to the payphone. It was July 4th and likely many people out celebrating that night, so a man walking along without a weapon, without a vehicle and clean clothing, will not be an obvious suspect. Many say it would be a risk walking to a payphone, but if he didn't live in Vallejo near the payphone, say Benicia, why drive home, ditch the weapon and clothes, then drive back to the area of the shooting in the same vehicle that you shot the couple in and may have been witnessed. Why not make the call somewhere near Benicia, or more sensibly straight after the crime before it was discovered. If he lived in San Francisco, why is Zodiac hovering in the area of the crime for 40 minutes- make the call on the way back to San Francisco, Napa, Walnut Creek, Sacramento or wherever your heading home. Why sit in the firing line for 40 minutes, when it's unnecessary. You do though, if you lived there and have no choice, and the phone call was something you were determined to do. I looked at the timeline of the young couple that night, and they arrived at BRS at approximately 11.53 pm. Allowing for maximum leeway, no earlier than 11.50 pm. This being the case, Zodiac wouldn't have the time to drive to just north of the payphone to collect his gun and return to attack the couple shortly after midnight. So if he was stalking Darlene, he must have already had the weapon in his possession when he first spotted the couple. Like we said before Rubislaw, if he did return home to collect a weapon, he had to live 3-4 minutes from BRS, ruling out the payphone area as a possible home residence. It doesn't rule out the stalking idea, but if he did return home to collect a weapon, it certainly rules out my idea. I don't go for the stalking idea, but I reserve the right to be wrong. It's just my opinion after all.

Rubislaw 32 link

3/16/2018 06:07:15 am

Thanks for the feedback with,as ever,great details that have a possible bearing.

Indeed,regarding whether Zodiac knew Darlene,or not.And clearly,this is going to have an influence on what and why ''events'' happened,from one's personal interpretation.

What is apparent is,that Zodiac ''elected'' to make the phone call ''become'' part of the series of events,involving the attack on Darlene and Mike.

And,my thinking is that Zodiac ''employed'' it as a ''tool'' to then ''distance'' himself,as part of an invested alibi [....which he probably never needed,anyway...].

Zodiac,as a self decided urban terrorist...was ''all tooled up'',and ready for action,at short notice.

But,if as I proffer,the attack at BRS,was a manifestation of rage,then there are probably aspects,after the attack,that Zodiac may have played out differently....than if the attack had been ''less spontaneous''.

Much ado about ''perspective'' [?].

Richard

3/16/2018 06:09:19 am

Just like the Presidio Heights timeline, many will dismiss the the validity of them, stating "why quibble over 1 or 2 minutes". The discrepancy of 90 seconds to two minutes over an hour is quibbling, but over the length of Cherry and the relevant portion of Jackson, taking 2m50s to walk is a massive discrepancy. My opinion is that in any investigation eyewitness statements and timelines are crucial evidentiary tools if you are doing your job properly. In the case of Presidio Heights, Thomas Horan questioned whether the man spotted on Jackson was the same person spotted by the three teenagers based on age discrepancy and slight differences in the description of their clothing. This can be argued all night long with no resolution, so using a timeline can prove or disprove Thomas Horan's assertion. What I attempted to do in that case is find an answer using the teenagers statements about pointing out Zodiac to Pelissetti at the top of Cherry, and coupled it with Donald Fouke starting his journey from Washington/Presidio Avenue at 9.58 pm. If both Fouke and the teenagers are 100% correct, then Thomas Horan is correct- the individuals are two separate people. We know the Zodiac wrote the Bus Bomb letter about spotting the cops, not disclosed in the newspapers, so this subject on Jackson St was involved, but we also know that the 'taxicab subject' spotted by the teenagers was also involved. That being the case one perpetrator cannot exist. I admit, the most likely answer, is that a discrepancy exists in one of the recollections. But what I would prefer, rather than somebody just say "let's not quibble over a minute or two", is create their own timeline using the statements of the teenagers with Pelissetti looking at Zodiac and the statement of Fouke leaving Washington/Presidio at 9.58 pm, and make the timeline work. In other words, not just dismiss a theory, without having a perfectly reasonable alternative in place. All I ask of the doubters, who are justified in their doubt, is not just say it doesn't make sense, provide an alternative that works. I don't often agree with Thomas Horan, but on this occasion, but for different reasons, the timeline doesn't fit one perpetrator. If the teenagers are correct, then Fouke journey time to Jackson and Maple is out by at least 2 minutes. Two minutes discrepancy over a one minute journey is not to be dismissed as "quibbling over seconds". Timelines for me anyway are absolutely crucial in criminal investigation. Time may not be constant in the universe, but it is on earth, and with conflicting eyewitness testimony, it is the one thing that hasn't changed in 50 years. All I ask from the doubters, of which there are many, and perfectly entitled to doubt, because I'm all ears, is provide a viable alternative timeline. If they do, I will gladly concede I was wrong.

Rubislaw 32 link

3/16/2018 07:13:57 am

Yes,I certainly read and absorb what you convey,Richard.

And matters,such as accounting for two minutes ''responsibly''...and not just dismissing them...can make a difference to a keener understanding.

One of the strengths of your site is,that you regularly re-visit specific aspects of a crime.....because,for example,a particular piece,in the jigsaw puzzle of the crime,as a whole,is not quite fitting.

And I believe it is always re-visiting.....even 100 times,to find that greater understanding.

I have visited Mr.Horan's site about six times.

He seems to just ''rain down'' on anyone that might ''sully'' his site with a differing opinion,to his own....and then expects them to buy his books.

''Creative writing'' to mask self doubt [?].Possibly.

My previous accusation of ''Intellectual laziness'' is probably being too kind.

But,as all Catholic mothers like to say [....and,bless them for it...] :

Mr.Horan is some mother's son....for all that.

Rubislaw 32 link

3/16/2018 08:21:55 am

Naturally,I was being deliberately mischievous,in my comments about Mr.Horan.

But there are those that turn themselves into ogres,to avoid being challenged [?].That perhaps,they can sell their wares,on the basis of creating a ''mysticism''.

I wonder what Catholic mothers would have to say about Zodiac [?].

And,bearing in mind,that the Church of Satan thought that Zodiac might be the coming of ''Son of Satan''.

Best not dig a hole,too deep [?].

John

3/16/2018 09:08:32 am

Richard, did investigators ever check DMV records? If the Zodiac was driving a brown vehicle that night (if my memory serves me right) they could have come up with a good list of suspects in the 25-35 age bracket that lived 10-15 minutes away from the payphone, that is if he lived in the area. On the other hand, he could have come into town to attend a family/friends fourth of July party, stepped out for a bit to do his "thing," gone back to the party to say his farewells, then as he was leaving town stopped by the payphone to leave his message before disappearing in the night. An unlikely scenario, I know, but you never know.

Richard

3/16/2018 09:18:29 am

I would have to give the police credit and they almost certainly would have checked vehicle records, as you or I would have done John. But I suspect his vehicle was neither brown or a Corvair, so it likely would have been no use.

Greg

3/16/2018 10:15:53 am

Richard, this is very interesting. I've wanted to look through the Vallejo phone books from the era for quite some time. Any chance you may be able to upload the directory of I Street in Vallejo? This is the boulevard which a friend of David Faraday mentioned there was a rumor at the time that Zodiac was a merchant marine who lived on I Street. Obviously it's little more than conjecture but perhaps gains some traction on the claim put forward later on by Robert Tarbox, stating he'd been visited by Zodiac, a merchant marine. Thanks in advance if you have it and can upload.

Btw, edit.. I just remembered that the relevant I Street is in Benecia rather than Vallejo. If the web user provided any additional resources the Benecia directory seems of equal value to Vallejo's.

Richard

3/16/2018 11:06:39 am

Unfortunately I haven't Greg, but I can ask Deb if you like.

Rubislaw 32 link

3/16/2018 11:33:30 am

Here's the thing,Greg....and please take it as a compliment,that you have inspired a comment.

Vallejo,particularly at that time,was a large ''resident feeder'' for the more ''industrial'' Benicia and Mare Island.To what extent,I am uncertain [...and it would be good to hear from anyone that believes that they have accurate statistics....].

So,it is likely that,there were a fair percentage [...say 20% [?]....] of housing in Vallejo,that contained ''short lease'' or ''corporation owned'' houses.

Now,local council historical records,might have some information on these ''transient dwellers''....but unlikely,for example,to pin them down on such records,as phone books,for that time [?].

An interesting thought,nevertheless.

Of equal interest John...regarding DMV records.

Mr.Voigt claims that he has been promised a so called Zodiac DMV letter,for the last 8 years.I don't doubt his claim....but doubt that he will ever receive it.

Lyndon Lafferty documents a claim,through his police connections,that the authorities recorded an attempt,by the man that is believed to have been Zodiac,to secure a driver's licence,unsuccessfully,in the name of William Joseph Grant....twice [!],in one day.

I wonder if this ''DMV letter'',as referred to,by Mr.Voigt,has any connection to the late,Lyndon Lafferty's claim ?

Drew

3/16/2018 11:21:04 am

This directory should be a very helpful resource. Thanks

Comments are closed.

Photos used under Creative Commons from Marcin Wichary, zAppledot, vyusseem, Alex Barth, Alan Cleaver, jocelynsart, Richard Perry, taberandrew, eschipul, MrJamesAckerley