This is obviously a very late response, since I am just now reading this but better late than never. Over the past couple of days, I have spent hours researching one particular firearm, a Sears, Roebuck, and Co. store brand J.C. Higgins, model 80, .22LR automatic pistol. The CA Bureau of Investigation ballistic reports of the ammunition and shells found at Lake Herman Road only matched what they had on file then for the J.C. Higgins Model 80. They stated that it did not mean it was exclusive to a model 80 but when checked against their previous tests on file, it only matched the model 80. They provided the specific findings of the barrel twists and all that other ballistic jazz. Solano County listed on their offense report that the weapon used was a J.C. Higgins Model 80 .22. Their Facebook post about cold case synopsis also mentions this specific pistol as the one used, that or a High Standard Duramatic 101, the same gun as the model 80. That's intriguing for two reasons: 1. the model 80 was only listed in their catalogs between the Fall/Winter of 1956 through the Fall/Winter of 1963. I have confirmed this with the Sears Catalogs digitally available on-line. Sears had a company policy of 21 years of age for handgun purchases (California law at that time was 18 minimum). If the killer bought the pistol brand new from Sears, his minimum age would have been 25 years of age on December 20th, 1968. Not groundbreaking info I know since witness accounts tend to confirm that. Secondly, I have researched the California statute in place regarding "The Dangerous Weapons Control Act" effective September 9th, 1953 and in place during the 1950's and 1960's (Previous to Federal Gun Control Act of 1968). The seller of that firearm, in this case if brand new, Sears Roebuck Co, was required to complete in triplicate, a full log of the transaction including the name, signature, address, occupation, and full physical description of the buyer. They were required to keep one for their records, send one to the Bureau of Identification and Investigation, and to the local municipal Chief of Police where the sale occurred, or if unincorporated to the County Sheriff or Clerk, sent on the date of the sale. Due to these requirements, Sears mandated buyers to come to their catalog departments in person to complete the sale. Whereas, in many other states, you could receive the handgun after sending in a little cut-out certification card, signed by a local "officer of the law." So, if, and that's a big if, the Zodiac killer purchased the Higgins Model 80 from Sears, or a used version from another vendor (like a pawn shop), his full identity was on a form required by the State of California and kept by three diffent entities. Wow! You'd think the cops would have checked it, maybe they did. Of course, he could have forged the form with fictitious info, which was only a misdemeanor crime then.
Last edited:
