VICTIM NUMBER EIGHT

7/14/2019

The Zodiac Killer may have been inspired to switch from gun to knife after the extensive front page coverage given to the murders of Debra Gaye Furlong (14) and Kathy Ann Snoozy (15), who were found murdered on August 3rd 1969 in the Bay Area of San Jose. They were savagely attacked with a penknife. The chief medical examiner described the ferocity of the attack: "Dr. Hauser, so shaken by the brutality of the crime he could scarcely find words, said the Snoozy youngster had 150 wounds on her back, 50 on the front and a "storm" of punctures on her neck. Deborah's body had about 100 wounds on her back and upper front and a dozen on her neck". Disillusioned by his lack of front page coverage, the Zodiac Killer struck in Lake Berryessa on September 27th 1969 inflicting 16 knife wounds on the defenseless Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard. He would write on the card door of Bryan Hartnell's vehicle minutes after the attack, stating Vallejo 12-20-68, 7-4-69, Sept 27-69 -6:30 by knife. On November 8th 1969 he would not only claim the murder of Cecelia Shepard, but the murders of Debra Furlong and Kathy Snoozy in the August of 1969, writing Des, July, Aug, Sept, Oct = 7 on the greeting card.

Just thirteen days after the mailing of the 'Dripping Pen' greeting card, the Zodiac Killer would write another cryptic message on November 21st 1969 - this time to the San Jose Police Department (the city of the Snoozy and Furlong murders), bumping up his running victim total to November = 8 and beginning the message with "There's no doubt I will do my Thing!". Bearing in mind the Zodiac Killer had switched to a knife at Lake Berryessa to achieve "front page coverage", and claimed the savage knife murders of two teenage girls, who had both been stabbed in excess of 100 times, the Zodiac Killer's claimed 8th victim should mirror these attacks. If he was going to keep up the terror in the minds of the American people, the 8th victim would likely have been murdered in California just prior to the mailing of the November 21st 1969 letter - and stabbed multiple times.

Although unidentified until 2016 and known only as Jane Doe 59, Reet Jurvetson (19) was discovered on November 16th 1969 by Trevor Santochi, who was hiking on Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles. Reet Jurvetson had been viciously stabbed in excess of 150 times by a common penknife in the neck, chest and torso, similar to the attack on the two teenage girls from San Jose. Close to her body in the ravine next to the road, a pair of black prescription glasses (Liberty brand frames) were discovered. Detectives have concluded they are likely connected to her death. The Zodiac Killer was extremely unlikely to have been responsible for her murder, but just like the vague clue of "Aug" on November 8th 1969 insinuating his involvement in the penknife attack on Snoozy and Furlong, was he similarly giving us the vague clue of November = 8 to suggest his involvement in another senseless penknife attack just five days earlier? Had he read about the discovery of Reet Jurvetson's murder in the newspapers - the similarities between the two crimes of which would not have gone unnoticed.

tahoe27

7/20/2019 09:14:56 am

I always wondered why August wasn't included on the car door. There is lots of speculation, of course. But if you are going to stake your claim, why wait? The games he played...

Rubislaw 32 link

7/21/2019 02:31:40 am

An article this good,with reference to an ''unknown'' that important,deserves more feedback,Richard.

Yes,the number eight,with realistic inference of being the Zodiac's sixth victim,and additional murder,between Stine's execution,and Belli's letter.For the likelihood is,that the Zodiac ''vacated'' the Bay Area,at Christmas 1969....and for three months duration.And,as he did so,admitted to Belli,by inference,that victim No.8,had been despatched of,already.

And so,returning to November,and the presumed Zodiac's ''statement'',in the San Jose letter,of '' Novenber = 8 '',there is little doubt that his ''actual sixth victim'',was on his mind.For,as he stated :

''There is no doubt I will do my thing''

The question is,whether the Zodiac was giving fair warning that he had intentions ''to'' kill again.....or,had already done so.

When we view Belli's letter [Dec.20th],the Zodiac had,by then,elected to ''contract'' himself to the lie or truth,of an ''eighth victim'' which,to an investigator,''translates'' as a proposition that,there was a further victim.after October 11th,with Stine's execution.

Jumping forward,into 1970,there is a possibility that,the significance of this ''eighth victim'',phantom or otherwise,had laid heavily on the Zodiac's mind.And,the choice of three ''8-ball'' symbols,for his April 1970 ''My name is -----'' cipher,tends to lay testimony,to this.

There might have been further evidence of the number ''8'',further down the line,but it is the Zodiac's introducing the reader to the ''8-ball'' symbol,that appears ''most'' obvious.

Many solutions offered for that ''My name is -----'' cipher.My own,surmises that the Zodiac would be aware of the expression,''behind the eight-ball'',alluding to trouble,and it is possible that those three ''8-ball'' symbols,were chosen,with ''trouble'',in mind.

Strangely,I have the ''8-ball'' symbols,holding equivalence,to the alphabetic letter,'' A ''.And therefore,a further ''aspect'',if you will,to the significance of ''victim No.8'',for the Zodiac,was '' AAA ''......the ''trouble'' with.....

The American Automobile Association.

Rubislaw 32 link

7/22/2019 03:53:46 am

Just on examination of newspaper reports,following Elaine Davis' presumed abduction,on December 1st 1969,from her Walnut Creek family home....it was certainly a news story,that ''unfolded'',in the press,between December 4th and December 24th.

The Contra Costa Times,carried significant reports on the 4th,5th,7th,10th,11th,12th,16th,18th,19th,21st,23rd and 24th of December 1969....with a virtually ''blow by blow'' account of investigations....including the ''shoe find'' on the 7th,the confirmation of the shoe,as Elaine's,on the 12th...and a confirmed match of the button to Elaine's coat,on the 19th....just before the discovery of ''a body'',that wasn't confirmed as that of Elaine's,until May 2001.

In examining,the Zodiac's unconfirmed correspondences,in December 1969...leading up to the confirmed December 20th Belli letter :

The first ''Fairfied'' letter,December 7th...followed by ''Day-by-Day Forecast'' cut and pastes,on the 10th and 11th....and then the second ''Fairfied'' letter,December 16th.

That is five possible Zodiac correspondences sent,constituting the final two weeks,of a ''three week'' Elaine Davis ''saga''.

Whether the Zodiac was responsible,for Ms.Davis' death...one almost feels that he was ''living out'' the ''saga'',in his head,and ultimately feared that the finger of blame,would ultimately,be pointed in his direction...as ''fear'' and ''depression'' appeared to be evident,in his letter to Melvin Belli,seems to reveal.

Rubislaw 32 link

7/22/2019 05:15:46 am

I can't help wondering,Richard,given the investment of human resources into the disappearance of Elaine Davis.....how on earth,investigating police,could overlook the discovery of a body,at Santa Cruz....as being anyone other,than Elaine Davis.

Could they really have been,''that'' trusting of pathologists' opinions [?]....the answer,of course,''yes''.

A young female adult [?],having probably been subjected to salt water tides,for three weeks...with sea creatures having a few ''nibbles''....and the woman's teeth bashed out....

And,investigating police go and blow it,on identification [!].

Strangely,and in retrospect....part of the problem was,that Ms.Davis led a life,''as pure as the driven snow'',and had no distinguishing marks on her body...like a little tattoo,that many of the girls of her age,now,might have [?].

In addition...her one and only ''vice''....a weakness for a casual cigarette...was what fascilitated her abduction,and cost her,her life.

[....I'm ''struggling'' a bit over this murder case,since I see too many ''parallels'',with this case,and the one of Elizabeth McCabe...the second of the Templeton Woods murders,February 1980...]

Richard

7/22/2019 07:57:34 am

It's more like a sad reflection of how many people appear to have been murdered then, that they have difficulty identifying in narrowing down the possibilities. However, a few weeks in the water would leave anybody unrecognizable. One would have thought she could have been identified by dental charts, but without access to a post mortem report it's hard to say. I'm quite sure they suspected it was Elaine Davis, but have to be extremely careful in definitively declaring her deceased until 100% positive of this fact. Personally, I find little in her murder to indicate a Zodiac connection.

Rubislaw 32 link

7/22/2019 08:34:02 am

Indeed,it is certainly the case that,for the Zodiac to have been the perpetrator of Ms.Davis,then an examination of a completely different general M.O.,would be in order.

Yesterday evening,I watched the new true crime show,presented by the distinguished academic criminologist,David Wilson,on the Scottish BBC channel [....Channel 115,in the UK...].

Wilson ws arguing the case that incarcerated serial killer,Peter Tobin,is the infamous ''Bible John''.Whereas a distinguished crime journalist disagreed,on the basis of ''different M.O.''.

Difficult to take sides....but Wilson did argue well for the point,that a different M.O.,has to start ''somewhere'',and with a specific victim.

Rubislaw 32 link

7/22/2019 07:22:15 am

Focusing,for a moment,on the San Jose letter,of November 21st 1969.

I have finally found [IMO],the font copied for the capital ''E'' employed,in the title,'' Mr.Editor '',used in the controversial,but official confirmed,SLA letter,of February 14th 1974.

It is the one used,by daredevil motorcycle stunt jumper,'' Evel Knievel '',in his livery and costume designs.

Evel Knievel,was at the height of his career success,at the time of the Zodiac's reign of terror,and the Zodiac is presumed to have been,both a ''motorhead'' and ''petrolhead''.

Robert Knievel was born,raised,lived and died...in Butte,Montana...effectively,Butte's most famous ''son''.A link,perhaps,with the geographic origin,of the San Jose letter [?].

In addition,a bit of ''Knife/evil'' going on,in wordplay,with the name....

Evel Knievel.

Richard

7/22/2019 08:11:20 am

While I believe the San Jose letter was definitely Zodiac, I cannot get excited about the SLA letter anymore, because for me it wasn't Zodiac. The trouble with the letter E you are referring to, is it's from the distorted nth generation copy and bears little resemblance to the original, as does the writing on the "bleeding knife" drawing. The Butte element of the San Jose letter in the FBI files, is the location of the field office in Montana, so its connection to Zodiac would not be directly relevant in this instance. Many Zodiac related material winged its way to this field office.

Rubislaw 32 link

7/22/2019 08:55:18 am

Close to your opinion,on the SLA letter,Richard.

I see it as a ''definite'',that the FBI messed with its actual postmark date....and,probably left very little,of what was the original letter.

Or,possibly....just a fabrication,''period''.

Can't help ''smelling a rat'' over the omission of the signing of the ''purported'' 2001 New Years Card...given that it included ''Mr.Editor'',also.

Punishment for curiosity [?].

Rubislaw 32 link

7/22/2019 02:48:52 pm

For readers,in the U.K.,the excellent ''Born to kill'' series,features Peter Tobin,this evening,at 12 midnight,on the ''Really'' channel [channel 17].

I believe one will get a sense of how,some serial killers,are continually on the move,and re-inventing themselves.

Tobin is known technically,as a ''groomer''....which goes against the generally held perception ,that he was ''Bible John'' who,usually had as little as half an hour,to gain the trust of his victims.

Rubislaw 32 link

7/22/2019 05:44:11 pm

Well,I see that Tobin was known as ''The charmer'',and is known to have charmed two of his young victims,into a car,very easily.

So,that rather goes against the grooming ''premise'' [?].

With Tobin,he was 45 before murdering a victim,for which he stands convicted....and the unanimous feeling,among the ''experts'' is,that he must have killed,before.

Tobin is now 74,and apparently ''sickly'',in prison....and,will no doubt ''never'' reveal further murders.

A ''stone cold'' psychopath,controlling of women,behind closed doors,but with ''nice guy'' charm,out in the public gaze.Also,seemingly handsome,as a young man.

Yes...he could have been ''Bible John'',as David Wilson proffers,with three of Bible John's victims,living close to Tobin,in Greater Glasgow,at the time of their murders.

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VICTIM NUMBER EIGHT

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