Some things about the Z letters are weird. First, why did he send them at all? It’s sort of somehow useless, nevertheless he had sent many of those, adressed to various people/institutions. Z had to be aware that noone would pay attention to his letters at all, especially if the addressee varies each time.
Not so the Melvin Belli letter: Not only that he addressed it personally to him, he even adresses it to Belli’s first name rather than to e.g. ‘Dear Mr. Belli’ or ‘Dear attorney Belli’ or something comparable.
I just wonder if Z had known Belli by his first name, like he may had known Bates or Sheeler.
Of course Belli’s name wasn’t a secret, but not only did he choose this lawer, no, he even called him as if he had been quite familiar to him.
Doesn’t help a lot, but not many names had been mentioned in his letters.
QT
*ZODIACHRONOLOGY*
That’s a good point actually. I mean yes, Belli was very well known in San Francisco and many were aware that his name was Melvin, but similar could be said of Dave Toschi, and yet, Zodiac only ever refers to the city cop as Toschi, or Dave Toschi, never simply ‘Dave’ or ‘David.’
Zodiac addresses the attorney informally, as though you would if you were writing to a friend. If he’s approaching Mel Belli with hopes of retaining his services as a defence lawyer then I’d expect him to address the attorney formally with "Dear Mr Belli" or Dear Sir, at least.
I mean it could also be Zodiac’s inflated ego that deems himself so important that he and Belli are going to be on first name terms.
But I don’t think it’s likely that he addressed him informally because of any narcissistic sense of self importance. I think that’s a good point about Z writing to the famous attorney like he’s addressing an old friend.
Wasn’t there also something to do with the way Zodiac had written Melvin’s home address on the envelope in that he seemed to have written the number 1228 in the same odd way that it appeared on the front of Mel Belli’s home? The number 8 was odd and had a far smaller o on top and a O twice the size underneath and Zodiac had written it almost identical leading some to speculate that he had either been to, or walked past, Mel’s house and knew he lived there and took note of the odd numbering on the front of his home?
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
That’s a good point actually. I mean yes, Belli was very well known in San Francisco and many were aware that his name was Melvin, but similar could be said of Dave Toschi, and yet, Zodiac only ever refers to the city cop as Toschi, or Dave Toschi, never simply ‘Dave’ or ‘David.’
Zodiac addresses the attorney informally, as though you would if you were writing to a friend. If he’s approaching Mel Belli with hopes of retaining his services as a defence lawyer then I’d expect him to address the attorney formally with "Dear Mr Belli" or Dear Sir, at least.
I mean it could also be Zodiac’s inflated ego that deems himself so important that he and Belli are going to be on first name terms.
But I don’t think it’s likely that he addressed him informally because of any narcissistic sense of self importance. I think that’s a good point about Z writing to the famous attorney like he’s addressing an old friend.
Wasn’t there also something to do with the way Zodiac had written Melvin’s home address on the envelope in that he seemed to have written the number 1228 in the same odd way that it appeared on the front of Mel Belli’s home? The number 8 was odd and had a far smaller o on top and a O twice the size underneath and Zodiac had written it almost identical leading some to speculate that he had either been to, or walked past, Mel’s house and knew he lived there and took note of the odd numbering on the front of his home?
Quite unusual to send a letter to a lawyer to his home address, too.
*ZODIACHRONOLOGY*
I think it’s belittling and condescending.
In regards to the number on his home, I know it was written in exactly that manner in the phone book and that is how it was addressed on the envelope…the lettering too.
“…they may be dealing with one or more ersatz Zodiacs–other psychotics eager to get into the act, or perhaps even other murderers eager to lay their crimes at the real Zodiac’s doorstep.“ L.A. Times, 1969
I think it’s belittling and condescending.
In regards to the number on his home, I know it was written in exactly that manner in the phone book and that is how it was addressed on the envelope…the lettering too.
Which IMO has always been the simplest and most reasonable explanation.
I think it’s belittling and condescending.
In regards to the number on his home, I know it was written in exactly that manner in the phone book and that is how it was addressed on the envelope…the lettering too.
Well I have to disagree there T, you have to take into consideration that in this letter he wants to appear as though he’s remorseful, wants to stop and needs help. I think addressing his plea to Melvin and not Mr Belli is more personal, you are not addressing them as a title or profession, but as a fellow human being. I don’t think it comes across as condescending and nor do I think that was Zodiac intent. He wanted to personally reach out to The Attorney for help and wants to appeal personally to Melvin the man, not Mr Belli the Attorney.
Well put it this way, if someone addresses me as "Mr Lewis" then I automatically associate that with a business or professional person in a professional setting of one sort or another. If I pick up the phone and someone asks for ‘Mr Lewis’ I instantly know it’s a business or company calling. My friends, family and people I meet in the pub for example, it’s Alex to them.
I suppose I am totally the reverse in that I hate being called ‘Mr Lewis’, much prefer informal introductions and addressing, that is why I have a first name lol.
But if people ask me then it’s a different story, just because I like to take the piss sometimes and have a laugh…..
"Good Afternoon, is that Mr Lewis?"
Yes, Speaking.
"Oh hi Mr Lewis, may I call you Alex?"
"No you may not."
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
I don’t believe Zodiac was reaching out for any help from him. I think it was all a big facade. I imagine Zodiac didn’t think much of Belli after the Dunbar show. And if he somehow saw that news clip with Dunbar and Belli in the clip with Joe Stine..I’d say Zodiac was mocking him.
“…they may be dealing with one or more ersatz Zodiacs–other psychotics eager to get into the act, or perhaps even other murderers eager to lay their crimes at the real Zodiac’s doorstep.“ L.A. Times, 1969
I don’t believe Zodiac was reaching out for any help from him. I think it was all a big facade. I imagine Zodiac didn’t think much of Belli after the Dunbar show. And if he somehow saw that news clip with Dunbar and Belli in the clip with Joe Stine..I’d say Zodiac was mocking him.
I agree, he’s not wanting help and reaching out really and I think his motive is that shortly before he writes this, THE Chronicle reports that SFPD Homicide Chief states they have a composite of him, they have his pint lifted from the cab, and his capture is just a matter of time now. So I do think he does want to make it appear to readers that the letter is genuine as opposed to a completely obvious tongue in cheek piss take like the Badlands letter.
I really can’t see Zodiac wanting to belittle or offend someone and decides that he’ll do it by addressing them by their Christian name lol. When he referring to his arch rival Tosci, he did so as ‘That City Pig.’ As for the Cop who drove past him, he addressed him as "Hey blue pig." When Paul Avery had written something that Z had decided to become offended by he sent Paul a greeting card informing him that he is a dead man basically saying "You are doomed."
If Z wanted to piss someone off, he made no secret of it. If he wanted to embarrass the sh*t out of another, he literally tells them he’s rubbing their faces in their own incompetence publically. And finally, when he’s being sarcastic and taking the piss with a comic undertone, he does so blatantly aswel such as is evidenced in his condemning of murder glorification, and the ‘Count Marco comments claiming he ‘always needs to feel superior, I should refer him to a shrink" when he knows, and probably laughs at, the fact that he’s a cold hearted murderer who is taking the moral stand to let the editor know that ‘This can only be deplorable at best.’
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
I think that Zodiac wrote the Belli Letter at a time when he was genuinely feeling down and worried about being apprehended.
The guy was bipolar, I’m almost certain of it.
When he referring to his arch rival Tosci, he did so as ‘That City Pig.’
For the record, that letter was determined to be fake.
“…they may be dealing with one or more ersatz Zodiacs–other psychotics eager to get into the act, or perhaps even other murderers eager to lay their crimes at the real Zodiac’s doorstep.“ L.A. Times, 1969
When he referring to his arch rival Tosci, he did so as ‘That City Pig.’
For the record, that letter was determined to be fake.
It was claimed that Toschi had written this letter, Toschi denied it consequently, didn’t he?
QT
*ZODIACHRONOLOGY*
When he referring to his arch rival Tosci, he did so as ‘That City Pig.’
For the record, that letter was determined to be fake.
For the record, no it wasn’t. It was suspected to be fake, having been written by Toschi himself, a charge which Toschi has always denied. As far as I am aware, the authenticity of the letter is questioned, but it is not proven one way of the other, if it is fake or genuine.
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
When he referring to his arch rival Tosci, he did so as ‘That City Pig.’
For the record, that letter was determined to be fake.
For the record, no it wasn’t. It was suspected to be fake, having been written by Toschi himself, a charge which Toschi has always denied. As far as I am aware, the authenticity of the letter is questioned, but it is not proven one way of the other, if it is fake or genuine.
The SFPD flat out states it was determined it was not an authentic Zodiac letter…so did several handwriting experts, minus Morrill.
For what it’s worth:
http://www.zodiackiller.com/SFPDDNA.html
“…they may be dealing with one or more ersatz Zodiacs–other psychotics eager to get into the act, or perhaps even other murderers eager to lay their crimes at the real Zodiac’s doorstep.“ L.A. Times, 1969
Also read the Toschi newspaper articles. Chief Gain states in the July 18, 1978 article that the letter is indeed a fake, not written by Zodiac.
IMO, Zodiac was truly remorseful and was suffering from a brain injury. It could have been something from childhood or his pre-teen or teen years such as an accidental injury. He knew enough about religion to make me think he had attended church and had possibly attended a college with a religious affiliation. He may have talked generally with someone about religion and attended services with that person at Easter and Christmas.
He would have known about heaven and hell and Lent and that Catholics are the only ones who have the Sacrament of Penance whereas the Protestants such as Methodists are almost identical when it comes to their churches and services other than they do not have Confession or kneelers in their churches and the seats are much more comfortable as theatre seats are vs. the pews in Catholic churches.
He may have had conversations with someone about Baptism and "baptism of desire" followed by speculation that there was probably "confession of desire" and was really feeling guilty and reaching out to Melvin Belli as he was someone he admired from what he’d learned about the man from the news.
