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Richard Grinell, Coventry, England
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ZODIAC 1986 LETTER

4/4/2013

 
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This is the correspondence purportedly mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle by the Zodiac Killer on May 6th 1986.
The author alluded to killing more than one person when he used the word "slaves" along with "They were killed by a freeway", suggesting his attack claimed at least two victims.

Previous confirmed Zodiac attacks had involved the killer approaching the victims cars at some point, either before or after the attack, and in particular during the Zodiac Killer's first two crimes at Lake Herman Road and Blue Rock Springs Park. So, with the mention of 'freeway' in this letter, it obviously suggests we should be looking for a scene bearing these hallmarks.

As this letter was postmarked May 6th 1986, he would have almost certainly been referring to this crime, because he stated in the letter approximately "two weeks ago", hence​sometime in the latter third of April 1986. But what is interesting, is the author of the letter stated "The Blue Meannies almost caught me". Exactly two weeks prior to May 6th, on April 22nd 1986, Koy Ien Saechao (48) and Choy Fow Saelee (40), a Laotian couple were brutally gunned down by the interchange of Highway 99 and Interstate 5 in Sacramento, California after they had pulled over to take a break. Koy Ien Saechao and Choy Fow Saelee were traveling back on the three-hour journey to their residence in Dorman Road, Yuba City after visiting their son in a Merced CA hospital, situated in the area of the San Joaquin Valley of Northern California. They were only 45 to 50 minutes from home when it was believed they had opted to take a rest on the roadside edge, near the interchange of Highway 99 and I-5 Sacramento - and unfortunately for them a ruthless killer was in the vicinity. However, without knowing the exact dynamics of the crime, it is equally plausible they were ushered to the side of the highway on a ruse, similar to the Modesto abduction of Kathleen Johns. 

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The victims were subjected to a barrage of 15 rounds of small caliber fire at close range, with casings strewn around the car. Both front side windows were blown out during the merciless assault. A short time later, a California Highway Patrol Officer was stopped by a hitchhiker in East Nicolaus, informing the officer that he had just witnessed an accident, which led police to the murder scene. The hitchhiker was never traced - but was he somehow involved?

In 2001 Devon Stuart Olson confessed to the murder of the Yuba couple, apparently attempting to provide investigators with details of the crime, however, little connected him to the crime and he was never charged. He also laid claim to another 10 murders, his connections to which were roundly discredited by law enforcement. Despite several terms in prison for other offences he was paroled in 1998 and has never been heard from again. This is a debatable Zodiac letter as it is a Zodiac crime, but it is without much doubt, the author of the 1986 letter is describing the senseless slaying of Koy Ien Saechao and Choy Fow Saelee on Highway 99.

FOLLOW UP ARTICLE - MURDER BY THE FREEWAY


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sandy betts link
4/8/2016 10:16:54 am

I tend to disagree with this letter not being from the Zodiac. This was when Darlene's sister Pam and I were being tormented by a man who claimed he was Zodiac. This is also during the same time frame that letters were being sent to Pittsburg Ca police claiming he was Zodiac and was responsible for the 12 + murders there. But the police thought he was just a hoaxer, even though he phoned them and told them where to find the body of Andrea Ingersol. Andrea was a friend of my eldest daughter, they were together just hours before Andrea's body was found. My suspect had been stalking my daughter for several yrs. I found one of the women who got away from the Pittsburg killer, she said that before she jumped out of his truck she noticed a letter addressed to a Michael Luna with a Sacramento address that fell out of the glove box. Sadly, even though Pittsburg PD knew they had a serial killer , they didn't want to believe he could be Zodiac. This woman who got away from the killer positively ID'd that the man I took the picture of as the man who tried to kill her. I also remember that when my suspect got angry with me one day,someone mowed down a group of people in Sacramento and drove away . As far as I know he was never caught. Wasn't there a letter from Zodiac saying that cars make good weapons?

Richard
4/8/2016 11:24:02 am

Have you any links or newspaper cuttings of the Sacramento hit and run incident Sandy.

sandy betts link
4/8/2016 08:08:45 pm

Sorry, no I don't. At the time I thought I was just being a bit paranoid.
Looking back sure I was paranoid , but strange things were going on with this stalker. I should try and see if there is a way I can find that hit and run. It was big news and pretty sure it was on the news on TV.

Randall S Clemons link
12/18/2017 09:06:15 pm

Man I have worked on his handwriting and letters so much...I actually think the zodiac wrote that letter. One of the first things i look for is his lower case d's. He tends to always make them in cursive. There is a lot more but that looks like a zodiac letter to me.

Joseph link
6/14/2016 10:16:02 am

On the envolope sent to the tv station 1234567 a.g.c.g.t.h the manson family wrote that on a door at the span ranch but on the door it said 1234567 all good childern go to heaven ! I bet a manson member sent the letter also says the want the judus of the manson family dead !

Laurak
2/21/2018 03:31:34 pm

“1234567 all good children go to heaven” was in a Beatles song so not unusual necessarily that it could be used.

Emma
11/30/2016 03:33:07 pm

"Some of the dates maybe or not wrong sorry for the errors?"
Zodiac Letter either March or May 6th 1986 as the postmark .
r purportedly sent by the Zodiac it sure isnt Earl Van Best.
Best Earl Van Jr died 1984 .date 5-20-84.MexicoCity.
1982polk directory
Best (nameblank) 1335 Pacific Ave apt315
1976polk directory
Best JR 237 Cole St.
1977polk directory
Best JR 237 Cole St
(cole street is nearby Page Street)
1974polk directory
J.Harland (Gertrude) Pastor Central United
Methodist Church 261 San Fernando Way.
1975polk directory
Plummer G 820 Jones Street apt21
Plummer H.345 Hyde Street apt1
Plummer John (retd) 2155 15th ave
Best Earl V 368 Page Street apt7
Best Jack 636 Hyde St apt 201
"Lets look at the letters dont seem strange to you ?"
Is the Zodiac thinking he is possessed by the Devil?
Exorcist Letter on January 29th 1974,
April 24th 1978, a letter that
arrived at the San Francisco Chronicle,
Vallejo Times Herald on October 28th 1987
DearBoss Letter.. Yours trulyJack the Ripper
sent by Jack theto the 'DearBoss' letter, arrived at the San Francisco
Chronicle on October 13th 1969. It said
any letters written in 1960s 1970s up to 1984 maybe EVB do think?
If EVB was Zodiac why didnt he harm Judith ,any of his other wives?
If EVB was Zodiac why didnt he harm his mother Gertrude stepdad?
If EVB was Zodiac why didnt he harm his Real dad &step mother?
If EVB was Zodiac why didnt he harm Friends -at work -School -neighborhood?
there is a Jack Best in the polk Directories 1975 as well EarlVanBest?
So jack the Ripper is EvB or is it someother Zodiac copyCat Nut?
all the letters seem to be mailed from San Francisco California?
Boss' letter, arrived at the San Francisco Chronicle on October 13th 1969?
. It said to the 'Dear Boss From Jack the Ripper ? Is Zodiac copy Ripper?
The Jack the Ripper the Whitechapel district of London in 1888.
all took place within a mile of each other,of five prostitutes did hate women?
from August 7 to September 10 in 1888,
Adding to the mystery of the affair is the fact that several letters were sent
by the Ripper to the London Metropolitan PD Service.
April 24th 1891 a woman's body was discovered in a cheap hotel in New York City.
The then Chief Inspector of the New York City Thomas Byrnes had said many times
in the newspapers that if Jack the Ripper ever showed up in New York
Scrawled on the wall was a message in _ written to Chief Inspector Byrnes. It said
" Okay catch me Boss newspapers reported that Jack the Ripper had arrived in America.
historical fact that members of London's Scotland Yard came to New York City at least twice
in 1891 to examine evidence. first that took place on April 24th 1891.
October of 1893 a New York newspaper received a letter supposedly from Jack the Ripper.
Why did he stop. Where did he go. Its quite possible he simply moved on to another city?
So did Evb Or Zodiac Why did he stop. Where did he go another City?
Ripper in London and Ripper in NewYork both sent letters to PD?
The Zodiac decided to send his letters straight to Newspaper Editor?
So how alike is Zodiac to the Jack the Ripper similarities?
If EVB was Zodiac why didnt someOne notice something and report to authorities?
Was EVB ever investigated &his latent prints sent to authorites to be examined?
There was One man (name blank out) Wma born _ssn_ (Sentenceblank)of SanFrancisco.
Stamped Dec 11,1969 memo dated December 5,1969 Enciphered.
So is there any Definite proof that Evb was Zodiac Or Zodiac Someone Else?
So do you think that the Zodiac Case will ever be solved is that why try solve it?

Anon
9/5/2018 03:13:43 pm

Bests beef would have been with the police. No reason to think he hated judy. He does make a good suspects for certain things. The Badlands letter. You know that is about a older man with younger woman? Pi- the date a baby left in Louisiana . The 37. Alleged 37 as 37 does not really make any sense. Both this and the signature on Bates had to die letter could be ev. There is the fact Wilmore the place of birth was found before anyone even knew about EVB.

sandy betts link
11/30/2016 05:06:48 pm

Emma, that is a very long post with many questions, so I will make this short and to the point.

EVB was not the Zodiac He didn't make a good enough suspect for LE to bother with. Art Allen at least made a good suspect is why he was looked it, yet he was not Zodiac either.

Saelee
11/6/2019 10:15:57 am

This is my grandmother. They told my mom they arrested someone for the murder but the zodiac killer has never been caught.

Richard
11/6/2019 11:58:45 am

Hi, thanks very much for contacting this site. No, the murders have never been solved. Devon Stuart Olson confessed to the murders, but he also claimed many other murders for which there was no corroborsating evidence. Even the police didn't believe him - and it appeared like he was just boasting. He skipped town and was never seen again. There is also no evidence that the Zodiac Killer was responsible, but the author of this letter was undoubtedly referring to the crime involving your grandmother, of which I am sorry that your family have experienced. I have tried to contact Sacramento Police several times to show the parallels between the letter and the horrible events on April 22nd 1986, but my requests for more information and assistance regarding this matter have been routinely ignored. I would appreciate any further information regarding this matter if you have any, and we can highlight this case further. After 33 years your family desrves some answers, but unfortunately I can do little more without the cooperation of law enforcement. Again, my sincere gratitude for commenting and hopefully one day we may get some answers to the senseless murders of Koy Ien Saechao and Choy Fow Salee.

Richard
11/6/2019 12:28:24 pm

Correction: Koy Ien Saechao and Choy Fow Saelee.

sandy betts link
11/6/2019 11:02:07 am

I read that someone had confessed to that crime, but that he lied about that one and other crimes he confessed to. So from what I have read that case is still unsolved.

sandy betts link
11/6/2019 02:04:51 pm

Richard, The Sacramento DOJ might be more helpful than the police?

Richard
11/6/2019 02:13:15 pm

Thanks Sandy, but my guess is they'll just think I'm another time-waster or kook unfortunately.

sandy betts link
11/6/2019 02:17:07 pm

Richard, They were very nice to me when I requested information. It won't hurt to try and see what they say? You might give them a link to your wonderful site?

Ansar
4/16/2020 01:58:55 pm

I'm wondering how come Devon Stuart Olson would have claimed this crime when it was so scarcely known about at the time and even less so in 2001 when he confessed? I have always thought this letter came from the real Zodiac but the fact that Olson claimed these murders makes me confused because why out of all the thousands of other homicide cases would he just decide to confess to this one if hardly anyone knew about it? He was a drifter so how did he even become aware of these killings unless he committed them?

Richard
4/16/2020 02:27:40 pm

Maybe they pulled him in for another crime and then questioned him on this one. Somebody else may have put his name forward for this crime. The problem with Devon Stuart Olson, is he claimed he committed 10 murders, not just this one. So I guess he was basically full of it.

Olson, a transient, told Big Spring detectives he also committed crimes in southern Texas and Arkansas, but was unable to provide specific locations, said Big Spring Police Chief Lonnie Smith. California Corrections officials said they understand Olson confessed to 10 murders. Smith declined to comment on that or characterize the crimes involved. Police in all three states are investigating his statements.

He was ultimately not connected to any of the 10 he claimed.

https://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/1986-and-1987-letters-one-hand


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