VIVIAN LOUGHLIN (13) Although the Zodiac Killer has "only" been found responsible for the murder of five people in the Bay Area of California in late 1968 and 1969, he may be indirectly responsible for many other murders committed in his name. Outside of the canonical five, the Zodiac Killer has been widely linked to the abduction of Kathleen Johns (22) and her infant child near Modesto on March 22nd 1970, to which Zodiac claimed in a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle on July 24th 1970. It is believed that her abductor probably picked up her trail in downtown Modesto.
In 1974, Richard Alford (19), son of a former Modesto banker, began a series of phony confessions to police about fictitious killings he had committed, which coincided with a flurry of reported Zodiac activity between January 29th 1974 and July 8th 1974. On Sunday, December 8th 1974 he switched from fantasy to real murder, when he offered Vivian Elaine Loughlin (13) and her friend Lonnie Jean Merritt (13) a ride in his truck at a north Modesto bowling alley, claiming he would take them home to Oakdale. Instead he drove them to a remote location near the Stanislaus River by a peach loading dock and ordered the two girls out of the truck. Lonnie ran for her life and narrowly escaped through heavy fog into the field beyond, but Vivian wasn't so lucky, being struck in the upper right arm and back by a shotgun.
In 1974, Richard Alford (19), son of a former Modesto banker, began a series of phony confessions to police about fictitious killings he had committed, which coincided with a flurry of reported Zodiac activity between January 29th 1974 and July 8th 1974. On Sunday, December 8th 1974 he switched from fantasy to real murder, when he offered Vivian Elaine Loughlin (13) and her friend Lonnie Jean Merritt (13) a ride in his truck at a north Modesto bowling alley, claiming he would take them home to Oakdale. Instead he drove them to a remote location near the Stanislaus River by a peach loading dock and ordered the two girls out of the truck. Lonnie ran for her life and narrowly escaped through heavy fog into the field beyond, but Vivian wasn't so lucky, being struck in the upper right arm and back by a shotgun.
Richard Alford then rang the ambulance service and told attendant Mike Phillips that he was the Zodiac Killer, stating "I am the Zodiac". He gave directions to the body of Vivian Loughlin and cautioned Mike not to inform the police because the area had been wired with explosives. Although this latter claim was false, police recovered the body of Vivian lying on her back where Alford had claimed. It is believed she was raped.
Bearing in mind Kathleen Johns reported that she had been offered a lift by the Zodiac Killer on Highway 132 exiting Modesto, it is relatively easy to see the similarities to this case. On a Sunday, Richard Alford offered a lift to two young girls in Modesto, abducted them and drove both to a remote location under duress, murdered one of the terrified girls, before making a phone call to authorities under the guise of the Zodiac Killer and directing them to the crime scene, while embellishing the story and adding explosives into the mix. if Richard Alford's admission wasn't enough, his actions appeared to derive inspiration from the Modesto abduction of Kathleen Johns in 1970, while driven by the publicity received by the Zodiac Killer in the first seven months of 1974.
The Zodiac Killer can only be confirmed responsible for the murders of five individuals, but it begs the question, would Vivian Loughlin be alive today had the Zodiac Killer not embarked on his murderous campaign of terror, including the newspaper coverage of Kathleen Johns alleged abduction near Modesto. Richard Alford may have killed anyway, but it appeared that Vivian Loughline became "collateral damage" of a story that went before.
Bearing in mind Kathleen Johns reported that she had been offered a lift by the Zodiac Killer on Highway 132 exiting Modesto, it is relatively easy to see the similarities to this case. On a Sunday, Richard Alford offered a lift to two young girls in Modesto, abducted them and drove both to a remote location under duress, murdered one of the terrified girls, before making a phone call to authorities under the guise of the Zodiac Killer and directing them to the crime scene, while embellishing the story and adding explosives into the mix. if Richard Alford's admission wasn't enough, his actions appeared to derive inspiration from the Modesto abduction of Kathleen Johns in 1970, while driven by the publicity received by the Zodiac Killer in the first seven months of 1974.
The Zodiac Killer can only be confirmed responsible for the murders of five individuals, but it begs the question, would Vivian Loughlin be alive today had the Zodiac Killer not embarked on his murderous campaign of terror, including the newspaper coverage of Kathleen Johns alleged abduction near Modesto. Richard Alford may have killed anyway, but it appeared that Vivian Loughline became "collateral damage" of a story that went before.
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