NOT RIGHT: Police close case on Zodiac

[upallnite]

The last post called my attention to the fact that the link I posted on Lawrence Kane didn't work, that was a while ago. Here is link:

http://www.zodiackiller.com/SuspectKane.html

http://www.zodiackiller.com/KaneReport1.html

 

[jttnewguy]

The last post called my attention to the fact that the link I posted on Lawrence Kane didn't work, that was a while ago. Here is link:

http://www.zodiackiller.com/SuspectKane.html

http://www.zodiackiller.com/KaneReport1.html

I'm new to the site, and this is my very first post. I've been following the Zodiac case on-and-off for about a decade (my girlfriend at the time grew up in the SF area and remembered the case well from her childhood, and she got me hooked on it). Anyway, I read Robert Graysmith's book some years ago, and always believed that Graysmith made a pretty good case that Arthur Leigh Allen was the Zodiac, but looking at these links makes me think twice.

The case against Lawrence Cane/Kane looks pretty strong, assuming all of the "evidence" summarized at that link is accurate. Some of it is kind of thin (like the fact that he lived on streets named after water, for example) but some of it seems pretty strong, especially the similarities between the vehicles that Kane was known to have owned and those spotted by eyewitnesses to the Zodiac killings. Also, if Kane is indeed Zodiac, it certainly answers the mystery of why Zodiac stopped killing -- the majority of serial killers (BTK is perhaps the best known exception) find it hard to stop killing voluntarily unless they are caught or die -- and if it's Kane, then it looks like the answer is that Zodiac didn't stop, he just moved to Nevada and continued committing similar crimes that were not linked to Zodiac by the police. This makes a lot more sense than believing that Zodiac just suddenly learned to control himself after getting away with killings, kidnappings, and taunting the police for years.

Anyway, whether Zodiac is Kane, Allen, or someone else, he'd be at least in his eighties or nineties today (if in fact he's still alive), so he's no longer any kind of threat to society so the chances are that the case will never be solved. But it's still interesting to think about!

 

[Mullins]

Welcome to Websleuths jttnewguy. It's true that the zodiac is now old enough to be on his deathbed, and the theory that he moved away is probably correct. I once read that he was thought to be in the New York area at one point in time (in the past). Have you ever heard that?

 

[concernedperson]

It is sad that no one pays for an injustice. It holds that anything considered impulse would have a hold on society.

 

[Mullins]

It is sad that no one pays for an injustice. It holds that anything considered impulse would have a hold on society.

I agree totally CP---it's very sad and every effort should be made to seek justice in all cases. Not just for the victims, but like you mentioned, for society in general. Thanks for mentioning that.

 

[Richard]

Welcome to Websleuths jttnewguy. It's true that the zodiac is now old enough to be on his deathbed, and the theory that he moved away is probably correct. I once read that he was thought to be in the New York area at one point in time (in the past). Have you ever heard that?

There was indeed a killer in New York in 1990 who was also known as the Zodiac, but police were pretty certain at the time that it was not the same Zodiac who terrorized people in California years earlier.

The New York Zodiac was described as a black man with at dark complexion. He would be in his 50's today. He was six feet tall, 180 Pounds had a short Afro with a receeding hairline, a moustache and possibly a beard. He wore a black bracelet on his left wrist during one of his attacks on homless people. He described himself as a Taurus with family troubles.

Numbers played a big part in his attacks. Every one of his shootings took place on a Thursday and all were 21 days apart, with one exception and that one was 63 days after the previous one. He wrote taunting notes to the police and signed himself "Zodiac".

His notes showed him to be educated with a knowledge of French and Latin. He was familiar with astrology and with ballistics. He also claimed to enjoy walking in Central Park at night. Proof, perhaps, that he was crazy.

 

[bykerladi]

If I remember correctly, the NY "Zodiac" wasn't as clever or tricky as the original. And they caught the NY Zodiac, and put him in jail, right?

 

[Richard]

Zodiac seemed to have stopped killing and may have moved away from California in mid 1974. In 1978, an authenticated letter from Zodiac indicated that he was "back".

Could the following article about some unsolved murders have been related to Zodiac in some way? It mentions a theory that a killer was believed to have been moving from west to east, ending up in Florida by 1975.

------------------------------------------
From the Washington Post 29 August 1975
Page A - 3 Around the Nation

Killings Tied Together in South Florida

Miami - As many as five of South Florida's 10 unsolved slayings of young women this year (1975) may have been committed by the same murderer, Dade County's assistant medical examiner said he believes.

"The similarities , at least in my mind,. make me feel they were most probably by the same assailant." Dr. Ronald Wright said yesterday.

There is another theory that at least two of those sex slayings might be conneted to 33 other similar killings in five Western states.

Detective Charles Mussoline of the Dade County homicide unit said he was operating on the theory that the killings last month of Ronnie Gorlin, 27, and Elyse Rapp, 21, were committed by the same man. And he said he and Sgt Erwin Carlstedt of Sonoma County, California, were developing a theory that those two were perpetrated by one man as he journeyed from west to east.
Wright said he believed the Gorlin and Rapp murders were the work of the same person who abducted Barbara Stephens, 23, from a South Dade County shopping center in February (1975) and stabbed her to death.

He also said the double murder in June of two 14-year-old Hollywood, Fla., junior high school classmates - Belinda Zeterower and Barbara Schreiber - were connected with the other three.

"The medical examiner's office has a certain responsibility to the public to warn the people of dangers in the environment, " Wright said. "This guy is a danger in the environment."

"I want all young women in Dade and Broward Counties to know what I told my wife. If you're shopping and find something wrong with your car, run screaming in the other direction."

Police believe that the Gorlin and Rapp women were approached by a man who flattened their tires in a parking lot, then appeared offering to help them repair them.

 

[Dr. Doogie]

Could the following article about some unsolved murders have been related to Zodiac in some way? It mentions a theory that a killer was believed to have been moving from west to east, ending up in Florida by 1975.

I am not completely up on his history, but weren't some of these murders eventualy tied to Ted Bundy?

 

[blueclouds]

I am not completely up on his history, but weren't some of these murders eventualy tied to Ted Bundy?

quite possibly but not all I don't think.

Can you imagine if he's still killing? or truly does become the truly most prolific SK of all time. I really hope this is eventually solved. :banghead:

 

[Richard]

I am not completely up on his history, but weren't some of these murders eventualy tied to Ted Bundy?

Unfortunately, the article does not specify any of the 33 cases by name. I believe that it is very possible that some of them in Oregon and Washington State might have been Bundy victims. Bundy had victims in both states, as well as Idaho, Utah, and Colorado around that time frame. There are a few who are still missing and at least one unidentified body.

 

[Bargle]

If I remember correctly, the NY "Zodiac" wasn't as clever or tricky as the original. And they caught the NY Zodiac, and put him in jail, right?

Yes, his name is Heriberto 'Eddie' Seda. An observant cop noticed his handwriting was like Zodiac's, when he was in the Police station for an unrelated incident.
Link to the CrimeLibrary story on the case.
The NY Zodiac

 

[Rle7]

There may be a new lead in the decades-old Zodiac serial killer case.

Three letters written by the Zodiac were unearthed and sent recently to a state crime lab for DNA testing in a new attempt to create a genetic profile of the serial killer, a Vallejo detective confirmed Wednesday.

Police would not reveal specific information regarding the source of the letters

"Nothing's been reactivated, but nothing's been closed. It's really just an unsolved homicide," said Vallejo cold case Detective Matt Meredith, who appeared Tuesday night on the ABC program "Primetime: The Outsiders.

"Interest in the unsolved Zodiac case has peaked in recent weeks as Paramount Pictures prepares to release an $85 million feature film on the killer, who has avoided arrest for nearly four decades. The infamous Zodiac was responsible for at least five killings, three of which took place in Vallejo and one near Lake Berryessa, striking fear throughout the Bay Area in 1968 and 1969.

http://www.thereporter.com/ci_5288866?source=rss

 

[poppypetals]

Super Fantastic News to see that they are still working at this, thanks RL7 !

I think, since they have Dna and fingerprints, someday they may solve this one.

 

[poppypetals]

Here's the link for the new movie trailer coming out March 2
http://www.zodiacmovie.com/

 

[Richard]

The 24 February 2007 America's Most Wanted TV show featured the Zodiac Case for the full hour. Check out their website for more information.

 

[Rle7]

Despite disappointing results from the latest DNA tests, technological advances leave authorities still hopeful the long-cold Zodiac killer case can be solved, a police spokesman said Thursday.

In February, Vallejo police sent three letters written by the killer known as the Zodiac to a state crime lab for testing, in a new attempt to develop a genetic profile of the serial killer. They learned of the discouraging results a few weeks ago, said Vallejo Police Department spokesman Lt. Rick Nichelman.

"The initial testing is complete, and they didn't yield anything," Nichelman said. "But there's still a chance something could be found with new tests."

Nichelman said advances in available technology will be applied to more tests on the letters, with results expected in the "next month or so."

Nichelman said he wasn't familiar with the tests' specifics, the new methods or technology to be used, and a spokesman for the state Department of Justice, which runs state crime labs, did not return a call Thursday.

"This is highly technical stuff. Every year the technology improves," Nichelman said. "And results can be found with DNA even older than this, so it's worth the effort."

http://www.timesheraldonline.com/todaysnews/ci_5986460

 

[Rle7]

After believing he cracked the case involving the 1970 disappearance of Donna Lass, a possible victim of the Zodiac killer, by using satellite imagery from the Internet, Clifton Calvez visited the site last week where he believes she's buried.

And his theory, he says, grew stronger.

A retired Air Force colonel in his 60s, Calvez has taken up the case of Lass, a 25-year-old casino nurse who vanished after her shift ended at Stateline.

Due to a postcard detailing a Sierra Nevada scene sent to the San Francisco Chronicle and a Christmas card delivered to Lass' sister, Mary Pilker, many believe Lass was the victim of the Zodiac.

http://www.tahoedailytribune.com/article/20070706/NEWS/107060080/-1/rss02

 

[Richard]

Donna Ann Lass has a thread in this forum. Here is a link:

Donna Ann Lass: Missing 6 Sept 1970 from South Lake Tahoe, CA - Websleuths Crime Sleuthing Community

http://www.websleuths.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28918

 

[morf13]

Donna Lass case is pretty interesting.I found a similar case,that may be related,and will post some info on it here soon to get some opinions