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In November, more than two dozen cold-case investigators convened in Oakland to learn if a new Pittsburgh-based tip in the case was worth pursuing. Did a handwriting sample of a northern California man, submitted by his suspicious daughter, match that of the Zodiac Killer? They wanted to know.
Nationally renowned handwriting expert Michelle Dresbold of the East End told them there are so many similarities, many of them quite unusual, in what she could compare between the handwriting samples of the Zodiac and the father that further investigation is definitely warranted...
The amateur sleuths are members of Pitts Students Conquering Cold Cases club. Ms. Dresbolds presentation was their last meeting of the fall semester. Their first meeting of the spring semester will be Wednesday, when theyll resume examining the Zodiac case and others.
The members, who must meet certain academic and other criteria, plan careers in law, law enforcement and similar fields, and hone their analytic skills in tackling unsolved cases.
Mike Mageau identified Arthur Leigh Allen has the shooter
Just a strange fact I look up missing persons often and figured I would look up who went missing after or before Z sent the letter in March 22, 1971. For the "Peek through the pines" letter in March, I found on the national list of missing persons that:
One missing person listed right before the letter was from California
and the 2 missing people next on the list after the letter was sent were from California.
One of the 2 missing after the letter was sent was a young man Hitchiking to San Fransisco from the desert area in CA.
Could Z have anything to do with these 3 missing? If the killer started in Oroville on a killing spree with Michael then maybe he continued on to Sarcamento and then down to San Bernardino, only to head back up to San Fran are to leave Michael's body somewhere on the trip back up? Just an idea. I think it is strange that right before and after the letter is sent the people missing on the list are all CA.
Michael Duane Burnett Missing since March 17, 1971 from Oroville, Butte County, California
Denise Kathleen Anderson Missing since April 13, 1971 from Sacramento, Sacramento County, California
Michael Lee Pickering Missing since April 16, 1971 from Victorville, San Bernardino County, California
Quite a geographical area covered there. Anything is possible, but I have always been skeptical of adding victims, including Lass and Bates. It is also quite possible he was exaggerating his numbers. We will surely never know.
I might be willing to look further, but I likely won't find any connection. I do agree he seemed to exaggerate his numbers. If I do find any connections I will likely keep them between myself and LE.
Did Z's DNA ever light up in cases other than the cases he claimed? His DNA had to have been inputted into CODIS. Maybe much evidence from crimes so long ago is gone or insufficient? I can't imagine he didn't have more victims than the ones we know of. Then again, if he killed himself or was killed while committing a crime back in the day this could account for no further links to any attacks. hm.
If the DNA matched other cases, I am pretty sure we would have heard about it.
I am not an expert on this case, although it has fascinated me since I was a kid when the crimes were happening and I was terrified, although I lived in So. CA and the crimes, of course were in No. CA.
My geography wasn't real strong then.
However, my basic theory is not that he was killed or imprisoned, although that is certainly possible. I think he was a Dennis Rader/Gary Ridgeway type. Lived a basically normal life with a family and was probably never suspected by anyone of being the Zodiac.
Part of the reason I believe that is that his identity has not yet been revealed and it is almost certain that he is dead, and I think it is quite likely that his family found evidence of his identity after his death.
I think considering his ego and taunting of the police and press, it is almost certain he kept souvenirs, that someone would have found upon his death. Family would have motivation to cover it up.
Wanted to hear from people on their opinions regarding the Zodiac killer case,as far as theories,suspects,etc. Put this in the cold case thread,since after 40 years,there have been no arrests.
I always thought it is interesting that when you look at the police report from the crime scenes back then they would indicate where the victim was shot in the crimescene with a "gunsight" symbol - the same symbol the zodiac used. This has always made me wonder if the zodiac could have actually been a cop and maybe he used the symbol as a way to mock the very scenes he created. To mock those symbols on the police reports that each indicated a "shot" at the victim. OR maybe he once was in the police force and became disgraced and using the symbol was a big shot at LE. Just an idea.