The Zodiac Killer Enigma, Cracking the Zodiac Killer Code: California Department of Justice Special Report Zodiac Homicides

California Department of Justice Special Report Zodiac Homicides

The Zodiac Killer Enigma

I had this report in my binder in hard copy. The original copy was obtained on zodiackillerfacts.com , but not a lot of people have seen it. I am not sure, but last time I checked they had made these files unavailable to the public. Making this, the only place I know of, to view these documents. Still, you can check. I think more people should read this report. I see questions all of the time that this report could easily answer. That is why I transcribed this report and included it in my books.

I am putting it here for my own use and to make it easier for others to read. It was written for law enforcement and briefly states the facts of each known crime along with with evidence listed out and other important tidbits of information. Since I transcribed and restored the original report, because it was in very poor condition, I included both in this post. The transcribed document to make it so the contents will show up in google searches, and the restored version I included in my books. First is the original, followed by the transcription, then lastly, the restored report taken from my books.

To enlarge images, click on them or open them in a new window.

To make it easier for some readers and to also make the contents of these documents searchable, I transcribed the entire Department of Justice, Special Report on the Zodiac Killer. It was time to bring it into the 21st century.

CaliforniaDepartment of Justice, Special Report on the Zodiac Killer

Date: October 30^th 1966 – Sunday

Time: Approximately 6:15 PM

Victim: Cheri Jo Bates – Female Caucasian, 18 year.

Riverside City College freshman

Location: Riverside City College campus

Victim parked her vehicle in front of Riverside City College library just prior to 6PM and entered the library building. Suspect disabled victim’s vehicle by removing coil wire and evidently waited for victim to return. Suspect then either forced or enticed her approximately 300 feet to an unpaved parking area between two vacant houses where he attacked her with a small knife having a blade approximately 3 ½ inches in length and ½ inches in width. Victim suffered seven lacerations on her throat and death was due to hemorrhage of the right carotid artery. There was no evidence of sexual molestation. No witnesses.

Heelprints identical to those worn by Air Force personal and a Timex wrist watch indicating that the suspect had a 7” wrist circumference were found at the scene of the crime.

Suspect mailed typewritten confession letter from Riverside to the Police Department and Riverside Enterprise newspaper on November 29^th, 1966, claiming to be the perpetrator of the crime.

Three additional handprinted letters were mailed in Riverside by suspect on April 30^th, 1967, again claiming the Bates homicide and indicating there would be more.

Evidence:

Hand printing

Latents (finger prints)

Military Heel Prints

Times wrist watch

Type written confession letter

Riverside Police Department case #352-481

Investigating Officer: Captain I. L. Cross

4201 Orange St. – 92502

Phone: 714-787-7011

**********

Date: December 20^th, 1968 – Friday night

Time: Between 11:14 and 11:20 PM

Victims: Betty Lou Jensen – female Caucasian, 16 years (student)

David Faraday – Male Caucasian, 17 years (student)

Location: Isolated lover’s lane area approximately five miles east of

Vallejo.

Victims were evidently in their vehicle when suspect approached. Victim shot in head through left ear at contact range and was found on ground on passenger side of vehicle. Female victim shot five times on right side of back and was found lying 28’6” from right rear bumper. No statements from victims and no witnesses. No evidence of sexual molestation.

Weapon: .22 caliber semi-automatic. Possibilities – J.C Higgins

Model 80 or high Standard model 101

Ammunition: .22 caliber Super X copper coated long rifle.

Evidence:

.22 caliber bullets and casings

Hand printing

Solana County Sheriff’s Office case #V-25564

Investigating officer: Sgt. Les Lundblad

1350 Virginia St. – 94590

Phone 707-643-6495

**********

Date: July 4^th, 1969 – Friday night

Time: Approximately midnight

Victims: Darlene Ferrin – Female Caucasian, 22 years (waitress)

Michael Mageau – Male Caucasian, 19 years (laborer)

Locations: Blue Rock Springs Park approximately 4 miles northeast of

Downtown Vallejo. An area frequented by lovers during

Evening and early morning hours.

Victims were sitting in vehicle in parking lot. Suspect parked his vehicle approximately 10’ to rear of victims’ and left headlights on. Suspect approached victims’ vehicle on passenger side with large handle type flashlight directed into victims’ faces. Suspect fired five shots into vehicle striking male and then female. When suspect started to walk away the male victim screamed and suspect returned and fired four more shots into vehicle. The suspect did not say anything to victims prior to the shooting.

Female victim suffered multiple bullet wounds and was DOA at hospital.

Male victim shot in left knee and face, survived the attack.

Male victim described suspect as Male Caucasian, 26 – 30 years, 5’8”, 200 pounds, light brown hair, no glasses or mustache. Described suspect vehicle as brown and shaped like a Corvair.

Weapon: 9MM semi-automatic

Possibilities regarding manufacture of weapons

Browning

Smith & Wesson

Star

Astra

Liama

Neuhausen

Zebrojoka

Husqvarna

Esperanza

Ammunition: 9mm Winchester Western

Suspect phoned the Vallejo Police Department from downtown Vallejo at 12:40 AM on July 5, 1969. Stated he had just committed a double murder, gave location and also claimed the killings on December 20^th, 1968. Call made from payphone through operator. No distinguishable voice characteristics.

Suspect sent letters and cryptogram to newspapers subsequent to the crime claiming credit for the Vallejo and Solana County homicides. Cryptogram was deciphered and suspect indicated that killing people was more fun than sexual relations and that the people he killed would be his slaves in his afterlife. (See attached cryptogram).

Evidence:

9mm casings and bullets

Hand printed letters

Vallejo Police Department case #243146

Investigating officer: Detective Sgt. Jack Mulanax

P.O. Box 1031 – 94590

Phone 707-643-5661

*************

Date: September 27, 1969 – Saturday (daylight)

Time: Approximately 6:15 PM

Victims: Cecelia Shepard - Female Caucasian, 22 years (college student Bryan Hartnell - Male Caucasian. 20 years (college student)

Location: Shoreline of Lake Berryessa in Napa County

Victims parked their vehicle alongside main highway and walked 510 yards to shore line where they laid down on a blanket. Female victim observed suspect behind tree. When suspect emerged and approached victims he was wearing a black hood with circle and cross hair in center. Suspect was armed what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol. He told the victims that he was an escapee from Deer Ledge Prison, Montana, was enroute to Mexico and wanted their car keys and money. Suspect carried on a rather lengthy conversation with male victim then had female tie male with pre-cut clothes line. He then tied female and retied male. Suspect placed gun in holster, took a large knife out of a sheath, stabbed male victim six times in back, then stabbed female both back and front. Male victim feigned death and suspect departed. Did not take money or car keys. After the attack suspect printed message on right passenger door of victim’s vehicle, again indicating he was responsible for the Solano County, Vallejo, and Napa County homicides.

Approximately one hour and ten minutes after the crime the suspect phoned the Napa Police Department from downtown Napa reporting a double murder and giving the location. The call was placed through an operator and the suspect did not hang up. No distinguishable speech characteristics were noted.

Female victim died on September 29th.

Male victim survived.

Male victim described suspect as a male Caucasian, 20-30 years, 5’10” – 6’2”, 220 pounds, brown hair, (visible through eye slots in hood) wearing black hood, lightweight windbreaker dark blue or black, dark baggy pleated slacks, very sloppily dressed protruding stomach. No distinguishable speech characteristics.

Hood described as black in color with four corners at the top similar to a paper sack, sleeveless with the front panel coming down just the below the chest with white circle and cross hair middle of chest. Appeared well made, well sell sewn with clip on sunglasses on the outside. Victim not positive suspect had glasses on under hood. Gun described as blue steel semi-automatic pistol, possibly .45 caliber. Carried in a plain black holster with flap.

Knife described as having blade approximately 12” in length, 1” in width.

Possibly sharpened on both sides similar to a bayonet. Appeared to have a wooden handle with two brass rivets and 1” white adhesive tape wrapped around the handle where the guard normally be. (May be encased in wooden sheath.)

Shoeprints identical to military “Wing Walker Boots” were tracked from the road to the scene of the crime and back to the passenger side of the victim’s car. (see attached photos).

Evidence:

Latents

Hand printing

White plastic clothes line, hollow core

Military shoeprints

Napa County Sheriff’s Office case #105907

Investigating officer: Captain Ken Narlow

810 Coombs St. – 94558

Phone 707-255-5500

***********

Date: October 11^th, 1969 – Saturday

Time: 9:55 PM

Victim: Paul Stine, Male Caucasian, 29 years (Yellow Cab driver)

Location: Washington & Cherry Streets, San Francisco

Victim picked up suspect at Nason and Geary Streets, proceeded to Washington and Cherry where suspect shot victim once behind right ear at contact range. Suspect took victim’s wallet, taxi keys and tore a portion from the back of his shirt. Witnesses observed suspect wipe inside of cab with a cloth, then walk nonchalantly away from the cab toward the Presidio, an army installation.

Witnesses describe suspect as male Caucasian, 35 – 45 years, 5’10”, 190 pounds, crew cut reddish blonde hair, eye glasses with plastic frames, wearing a parka type jacket, navy blue or black, dark baggy trousers and a punchy stomach.

Weapon: 9mm semi-automatic, possibly new model Browning. (Not same 9mm as used in Vallejo Police Department case.)

Ammunition: 9mm Winchester Western

Evidence:

Two portions of victim’s shirt (white with black stripe)

Hand printing

Latents

9mm bullet casing

Black Leather men’s gloves size 7

Subsequent to the homicide the suspect mailed a series of post cards and letters, two of which contained a portion of the cab driver’s shirt.

San Francisco Police Department case #696514

Investigating Officers: Inspectors William Armstrong & Dave Toschi

850 Bryant St. – 94103

Phone 415-553-1145

************

All homicides have been committed on weekends, Friday through Sunday.

All letters the Zodiac has mailed in Northern California have been postmarked in San Francisco with the exception of one that was mailed in Pleasanton to the Los Angeles Times on March 13, 1971. In the letter he acknowledged he had committed the Riverside homicide in 1966. That being the only time Zodiac has reference to this particular murder. The last correspondence received from Zodiac was March 22^nd, 1971.

All letters are hand printed, over posted with stamps on sideways or inverted. Suspect misspells simple words apparently on purpose.

Contents of letters tend to indicate the suspect may possess knowledge of the following:

Cryptography

Meteorology

Explosive devices

Charts and terminology used in conjunction with a compass

Latent print identification, (Wiped down cab and claimed he used clear plastic cement on fingers.)

Typewriter identification. (Mailed fourth or fifth carbon copy of confession letter in Riverside.)

Light opera. (One letter contains excerpts from the opera “Mikado.”)

Conclusions that may be drawn from suspects activities:

Likes publicity

Enjoys ridiculing police

Claims to be crack proof (egotist)

Cultist (States persons killed will be slaves in afterlife.)

Suspect may possess the following:

(2) 9mm semi-automatic pistols of different manufacturers

.22 caliber semi-automatic pistol

9M Winchester Western ammunition

.22 caliber Super X copper long rifle ammunition

.45 caliber blue steel semi-automatic

Portion of cab driver’s shirt - white with black stripe

Victim Stine’s wallet and taxi keys

Black hood with white circle and cross

Clip on sunglasses

Windbreaker – dark blue or black

Pleated baggy slacks - dark in color

Large knife having blade approximately 12” in length, 1” in width, wooden handle with two brass rivets and 1” wide adhesive tape around the handle. May be encased in wooden sheath.

White plastic clothes line – hollow core

Portable Royal typewriter – Elite type – Canterbury shaded

Black Wing Walker boots 10 ½ R

Handle type flashlight

Small knife with blade 3 ½ inches in length, 1” in width.

May have broken felt pens.

Complete newspaper and article accounts of Zodiac homicides

This bulletin has been compiled in conjunction with the investigating agencies and distributed by the State Department of Justice. Law Enforcement Bureau of Investigation. The Bureau Of investigation maintains a file of all suspects that have been eliminated as a result of hand printing comparisons. Pending receipt of any additional evidence hand printing is the most positive method of identification or elimination of suspects. Identity of suspects that have been eliminated may be obtained by contacting Special Agent Mel Nicolai, bureau of Investigation. phone 916-445-9002.