The Zodiac Killer – Unknown Identity

Background

During the late 1960’s and early 1970’s a serial killer terrorized the northern San Francisco Area. All the murders took place within a year between 1968 and 1969. The victims were confirmed to be four men and three women between the ages of 16 and 29. The total number of victims was claimed by the killer to be 37. But there has not been any other confirmed murders. Even with the extensive search for the killer and numerous main suspects investigated no one has ever been arrested for the crimes. The killer would later be known as the “Zodiac Killer” due to symbols drawn in some of the taunting letters sent to the Bay Area press. The California Department of Justice has maintained the case open since 1969.

The Victims

First Murders

The first murders were two high school students Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday on December 20, 1968. The couple were on their first date and decided to drive out on Lake Herman Road at about 10:15 pm. They parked on a gravel mount. Forensic data proved that a second car parked next to them. David Faraday was shot in the head first and Betty Lou Jensen shot five times on her back as she ran way. Their bodies were found by a nearby neighbor shortly after 11:00 pm.

Second Attack

Darlene Ferrin and Michael Mageau drove into the Blue Rock Springs Park in Vallejo before midnight on July 4, 1969. This is just four miles away from the Lake Herman Road murder site. A second car parked behind them and the driver exited the vehicle. The man approached the passenger side door holding a flashlight and a 9mm Luger. The killer pointed the flashlight at their eyes then opened fired. Five shots were initially fired hitting both victims and the killer walked away. The killer then returned and fired at each victim twice again. Darlene Ferrin died at the hospital but Michael Mageau survived the attack.

Third Victims

The next victims were two Pacific Union College students. Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard were doing a picnic at Lake Berryessa on September 27, 1969. They were suddenly approached by a man wearing a black executioner type hood with sunglasses over the eye-holes. On his chest he had a 3″ round cross-circle symbol. He was holding a gun what appeared to be a .45 caliber. The killer claimed that he was an escaped convict from Deer Lodge, Montana. He needed their car and money to cross the border to Mexico. The man tied both victims up and proceeded to stabbing them both repeatedly. The killer hiked about 500 yards to Knoxville Road. He drew the same cross-circle symbol on Hartnell’s car door and wrote “Vallejo/12-20-68/7-4-69/Sept 27–69–6:30/ with a knife. Cecelia Shepard was conscious when the police arrived being able to provide a full description of the attacker. She died two days later but Bryan Hartnell survived the attack telling the full story to the press.

Final Confirmed Murder

A couple of weeks later a man entered a cab driven by Paul Stein around Union Square in San Francisco. The man requested to be taken to Washington and Maple Streets in Presidio Heights. The passenger shot Paul Stein once in the head with a 9mm and took his wallet and keys. Three teenagers witnessed the whole attack. They called the police to report a crime in progress. The three teens then were asked to work with a police artist to prepare a composite sketch of the killer. A couple of days later the police artist returned and prepared a second sketch. The San Francisco Police Department used the sketch to investigate over 2500 suspects over 10 years.

Modesto Abduction

Kathleen Johns was driving to visit her mother in San Bernardino on March 22, 1970. She was 7 months pregnant and had a 10 month daughter. As she drove heading west on Highway 132 near Modesto a car behind her started to honk and flash its headlights. Concerned she pulled over. A man approached her to let her know one of her wheels was wobbling. He offered to tighten the lug nuts. The man did the job and drove off. As Kathleen started to drive the wheel came off. The man returned offering her a ride to the nearest gas station. During the car ride the man passed multiple gas stations without stopping. When the driver stopped at an intersection Kathleen jumped off the car and hid in a field. He looked for her using a flashlight but eventually gave up and drove off. She immediately went to the police station providing a statement. She spotted the sketch of Paul Stein’s killer and confirmed it was the man who had abducted her and her child.

Phone Calls And Taunting Letters

Phone Booth Calls

What makes the Zodiac serial killer and case overall so interesting, frustrating and disturbing were the repeated calls and letters to the police department and the press. He seemed to always be ahead of the police. A call was made by a man after the Blue Rock Springs Park attack to the Vallejo Police Department. The man claimed responsibility for the attack and also for the murders of Jensen and Faraday. The call was traced back to a phone booth at a gas station a few blocks from the Vallejo Police Department. After the attack of Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard a call was made by the killer to the Napa County Sheriff’s office. He assumed responsibility for the latest crime. The phone was found unhooked at a Napa Car Wash just a few blocks away. A palm print was lifted from the telephone but it was never matched.

Taunting Letters

The series of taunting letters were sent to the press until 1974. The letters include four cryptograms/ciphers, three which have yet to be solved. Some people have claimed to have solved the ciphers but none of them confirmed. The letters described the crimes in great detail, the motive, and threaten on further attacks/murders. Often times they were signed with the Zodiac symbol at the bottom. Some of the letters included a Zodiac sign dash the number of victims followed by SFPD dash and a zero. The killer did this to taunt the San Francisco Police Department.

Cryptograms/Ciphers

The first cipher was cracked by a high school teacher who read it in the papers. It was sent by the killer and released in three pieces by the press. The next letter sent by the Zodiac killer said that the first cipher contained his name but it actually read “I will not give you my name”. Here is the cypher and the translation.

I LIKE KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH FUN IT IS MORE FUN THAN KILLING WILD GAME IN THE FORREST BECAUSE MAN IS THE MOST DANGEROUE ANAMAL OF ALL TO KILL SOMETHING GIVES ME THE MOST THRILLING EXPERENCE IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN GETTING YOUR ROCKS OFF WITH A GIRL THE BEST PART OF IT IS THAE WHEN I DIE I WILL BE REBORN IN PARADICE AND ALL THEI HAVE KILLED WILL BECOME MY SLAVES I WILL NOT GIVE YOU MY NAME BECAUSE YOU WILL TRY TO SLOI DOWN OR ATOP MY COLLECTIOG OF SLAVES FOR MY AFTERLIFE. EBEORIETEMETHHPITI

The three following three ciphers have never been solved. The first one being the most famous one which includes 340 characters. It is believed that it includes key information to revealing his identity and solving this whole case.

Maybe one of you can solve the 46 year old 340 character cipher and finally bring the identity of the Zodiac Killer to light.