Placing the Boles Family Murders in perspective with other family and coed murders, most with high tech links, concentrated in the 1965 to 1968 time period specifically, and in the overall 1963 – 1969 time period generally.

June 4, 1963……………………….December 20, 1968
Domingos & Edwards………………Faraday & Jensen
Santa Barbara, California…………Vallejo, California
Gun 6 Right Twists……………….Gun 6 Right Twists
JC Higgins Pistol…………………JC Higgins Pistol
.22 LR……………………………22 LR
Super X Ammo…………………..Super X Ammo

August 13, 1965…………………..June 25, 1968
Boles Family……………………….Robison Family
Crestline, California………………Michigan
Gun 6 Right Twists……………….Gun 6 Right Twists
JC Higgins Pistol…………………JC Higgins Pistol
.22 LR…………………………..22 LR
Ammo Brand Unknown…………..Super X Ammo

A few tidbits to add in on the Boles Family matter …..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1phXXXqr4g&t=2s

1) The murders took place at the family’s cabin near the San Bernardino Mountains. I’ve read there was also a presence of "missile people" (my term) at Norton AFB near San Bernardino. As space around Los Angeles AFB in El Segundo got tighter in the early Sixties, one place they moved personnel was Norton. STL is part of TRW.

https://www.losangeles.spaceforce.mil/P … 112851-807

In April 1961, AFBMD was divided into Ballistic Systems Division (BSD) and Space Systems Division (SSD). BSD moved to Norton AFB in San Bernardino, California, between July and September 1962. Employees of TRW who performed systems engineering for missile programs went there as well. Meanwhile, in December 1960, the Air Force purchased the R&D Center from TRW to serve as a home for The Aerospace Corporation, which had been created in June 1960 and was now supporting Air Force space programs. As a result of these changes, SSD now occupied the Arbor Vitae complex, and Aerospace occupied the R&D Center. The departure of BSD and TRW relieved pressure on the facilities, and there was now enough office space for SSD and Aerospace.

2) Hughes Aircraft and STL have historical links. The two founders of STL previously worked as the co-directors of a Hughes Aircraft research division.

3) One primary mission of the Naval Ordnance Laboratory – Corona was testing and developing missiles. Hughes Aircraft is mentioned in this history of NORCO, but without saying much specifically about any connection. I’ll keep looking for one.

http://www.norco.ca.us/civicax/filebank … obID=23474

As noted earlier, California was an important center for RDT&E, and from 1946 to 1965, and received the greatest amount of defense funding of all the other states ….The aircraft industry was
well established in California creating a knowledge pool for manufacturing missiles via companies such as Hughes Aircraft and Convair. Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, and Santa Clara counties
were the home for almost 60% of the jobs in ordnance, aircraft, parts, and electrical machinery.

4) Hughes Aircraft was the manufacturer of the Surveyor lunar lander mission, which Bell and Howell supplied camera equipment for.

Keep in mind, at this point the mentions of companies follow the victims that we have. We mention STL a lot, but that’s because we’re discussing Joyce Walker. There are additional major companies and other smaller ones collaborating and competing in the missile/aerospace industry food chain. Any of them or none of them could be the workplace of Zodiac.

AK, what does 6 right twists mean and how common/uncommon is it?

http://www.norco.ca.us/civicax/filebank … obID=23474

By 1964, Detachment Corona’s MED had become a significant contributor to the Navy’s Fleet Readiness Program. It was the single entity to which the Navy turned for objective evaluations of missile performance and reliability. By that time, its evaluation of ballistic and guided missiles had expanded to include the Talos, Terrier, Tartar, Typhoon, Sidewinder, Sparrow, Bullpup, Shrike, and Polaris missiles. In addition, MED provided the Special Projects Office with analyses of ballistic missile systems.

Hughes was involved in making the Polaris missile.

http://www.astronautix.com/p/polarisa1.html

The Polaris A-1 was powered by a two-stage solid-propellant rocket motor by Aerojet General, both stages using four nozzles with thrust-vectoring for flight control. Its inertial navigation system (designed by MIT, manufactured by General Electric and Hughes) guided the missile to an accuracy of about 900 m (3000 ft) CEP at a maximum range of 2200 km (1200 nm).

In the 1960s, they developed the AIM 54 Phoenix for the Navy. They did it on the West Coast.

https://www.navy.mil/Resources/Fact-Fil … x-missile/

Bell and Howell Surveyor mission:

https://chicago.suntimes.com/2016/6/18/ … ce-mission

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/blog/2016/5/su … nding-1966

Surveyor mission planning began in 1960. The mission included seven spacecraft that would soft land on the Moon, using three vernier engines and a retrorocket. The spacecraft would collect data and images of the surface, in order to ensure a safe landing for Apollo astronauts a few years later. Hughes Aircraft Company was selected to design and build the landers and the project was managed by JPL, which also provided tracking and communications. Surveyor I was launched on May 31, 1966, landed on the Moon June 2, and sent back more than 11,000 photos of the lunar surface. The entire image set from Surveyors 1-7 has recently been digitized, and will soon be added to NASA’s Planetary Data System.

AK, what does 6 right twists mean and how common/uncommon is it?

Every gun, even a pistol, has rifling inside the barrel. This gives the bullet its spin which is necessary for its trajectory. Six right twists and grooves is a fairly common rifling pattern, but you also see weapons that have five right twists and grooves, and some with five or six left twists and grooves.

So it is worthwhile to note that several of the murders here in this possible series all come from a weapon with six right twists and grooves, which could mean it’s from the same exact weapon.

It’s even more important to note that in several of these cases, the gun fired .22 LR rounds. In Santa Barbara 6/4/63, Zodius Michigan 6/25/68 and Zodiac California 12/20/68, the killer used .22 LR.

Even more specifically, in several of these cases the killer used the same .22 LR brand of ammo, which was Super X. Super X ammo was used in Zodius Michigan June 1968 and and Zodiac California December 1968. I don’t know what kind of ammo was used in Santa Barbara 1963. If anyone does please let me know.

And most importantly of all, is the fact that the police in several of these cases came to the same conclusion that the most likely weapon used was a High Standard, which is sold at Sears under the JC Higgins brand name. So the police in Zodius Michigan June 1968 and Zodiac California December 1968 came to the same conclusion that the most likely weapon used was a JC Higgins.

I thought I saw somewhere that this was the same conclusion in the Santa Barbara 1963 case, but I don’t have a police report or press report explicitly stating that, only that, like a JC Higgins pistol, it came from a gun with six right twists and grooves.

Add it all up together and it is certainly a very good chance that there was one JC Higgins pistol that was used in all of these crimes discussed in this series. And that this one killer had a preference for using .22 LR ammunition, frequently or always choosing the Super X brand.

AK, what does 6 right twists mean and how common/uncommon is it?

Every gun, even a pistol, has rifling inside the barrel. This gives the bullet its spin which is necessary for its trajectory. Six right twists and grooves is a fairly common rifling pattern, but you also see weapons that have five right twists and grooves, and some with five or six left twists and grooves. So it is worthwhile to note that several of the murders here in this possible series all come from a weapon with six right twists and grooves, which could mean it’s from the same exact weapon.

Hello AK. Nice to see you around.

I must confess that I have never shot a gun and do not know all the ins and outs. I do watch a lot of crime shows and, like to think, I pay attention. To my understanding the rifling patterns have to match up from case to case. Is there images of the patterns from each case? Is there a way of getting the info if not presently available? Is there not any other thing that can be requested that would point the finger to the cases being linked beyond the six right twists and grooves (thinking forensics here)?

It’s even more important to note that in several of these cases, the gun fired .22 LR rounds. In Santa Barbara 6/4/63, Zodius Michigan 6/25/68 and Zodiac California 12/20/68, the killer used .22 LR. Even more specifically, in several of these cases the killer used the same .22 LR brand of ammo, which was Super X. Super X ammo was used in Zodius Michigan June 1968 and and Zodiac California December 1968. I don’t know what kind of ammo was used in Santa Barbara 1963. If anyone does please let me know. And most importantly of all, is the fact that the police in several of these cases came to the same conclusion that the most likely weapon used was a High Standard, which is sold at Sears under the JC Higgins brand name. So the police in Zodius Michigan June 1968 and Zodiac California December 1968 came to the same conclusion that the most likely weapon used was a JC Higgins. I thought I saw somewhere that this was the same conclusion in the Santa Barbara 1963 case, but I don’t have a police report or press report explicitly stating that, only that, like a JC Higgins pistol, it came from a gun with six right twists and grooves. Add it all up together and it is certainly a very good chance that there was one JC Higgins pistol that was used in all of these crimes discussed in this series. And that this one killer had a preference for using .22 LR ammunition, frequently or always choosing the Super X brand.

I cant say that I am convinced that .22 LR and Super X is all that important. They are as common as the six right twists and grooves you point out. What captures my attention is the dates of the crimes and how close they are chronologically, a JC Higgins gun being used in each case, the killings of complete families and what the bread winner did for a living. It does, on the surface, seem connected. Nice job AK!

I have read up on the Robison’s. I believe the one accused was not the killer. I do have the tendency to lean towards the case being the work of the Zodiac but have to admit that its due to my research on the Zodiac letters and how I think he was operating. I haven’t read much on the other cases and I am interested based on the statements above. Really, I am looking for info on each case so that I can have a firm understanding of each case. So can you present links to any and all available information?

Soze

As a side note:

I just started reading up on the Bricca family. I learned of the wife moving to Seattle, Washington, meeting her husband and then marrying there. Is there a Seattle connection with any of the other cases? The reason I ask is that in researching the Zodiac I have, in the past, seen Seattle pop up enough to notice.

Thanks,

Soze

AK, what does 6 right twists mean and how common/uncommon is it?

Every gun, even a pistol, has rifling inside the barrel. This gives the bullet its spin which is necessary for its trajectory. Six right twists and grooves is a fairly common rifling pattern, but you also see weapons that have five right twists and grooves, and some with five or six left twists and grooves.

So it is worthwhile to note that several of the murders here in this possible series all come from a weapon with six right twists and grooves, which could mean it’s from the same exact weapon.

It’s even more important to note that in several of these cases, the gun fired .22 LR rounds. In Santa Barbara 6/4/63, Zodius Michigan 6/25/68 and Zodiac California 12/20/68, the killer used .22 LR.

Even more specifically, in several of these cases the killer used the same .22 LR brand of ammo, which was Super X. Super X ammo was used in Zodius Michigan June 1968 and and Zodiac California December 1968. I don’t know what kind of ammo was used in Santa Barbara 1963. If anyone does please let me know.

And most importantly of all, is the fact that the police in several of these cases came to the same conclusion that the most likely weapon used was a High Standard, which is sold at Sears under the JC Higgins brand name. So the police in Zodius Michigan June 1968 and Zodiac California December 1968 came to the same conclusion that the most likely weapon used was a JC Higgins.

I thought I saw somewhere that this was the same conclusion in the Santa Barbara 1963 case, but I don’t have a police report or press report explicitly stating that, only that, like a JC Higgins pistol, it came from a gun with six right twists and grooves.

Add it all up together and it is certainly a very good chance that there was one JC Higgins pistol that was used in all of these crimes discussed in this series. And that this one killer had a preference for using .22 LR ammunition, frequently or always choosing the Super X brand.

I see what you mean. The 6 right twists isn’t necessarily unusual alone. But the more that it is shows up in unsolved multiple murders in the Sixties, the more it shows up with a likely common weapon brand, the more it uses the same ammo, the more likely that it is more than coincidence.

Just to add, Mrs. Boles worked at Hughes Aircraft, too.

AK, what does 6 right twists mean and how common/uncommon is it?

Every gun, even a pistol, has rifling inside the barrel. This gives the bullet its spin which is necessary for its trajectory. Six right twists and grooves is a fairly common rifling pattern, but you also see weapons that have five right twists and grooves, and some with five or six left twists and grooves. So it is worthwhile to note that several of the murders here in this possible series all come from a weapon with six right twists and grooves, which could mean it’s from the same exact weapon.

Hello AK. Nice to see you around.

I must confess that I have never shot a gun and do not know all the ins and outs. I do watch a lot of crime shows and, like to think, I pay attention. To my understanding the rifling patterns have to match up from case to case. Is there images of the patterns from each case? Is there a way of getting the info if not presently available? Is there not any other thing that can be requested that would point the finger to the cases being linked beyond the six right twists and grooves (thinking forensics here)?

It’s even more important to note that in several of these cases, the gun fired .22 LR rounds. In Santa Barbara 6/4/63, Zodius Michigan 6/25/68 and Zodiac California 12/20/68, the killer used .22 LR. Even more specifically, in several of these cases the killer used the same .22 LR brand of ammo, which was Super X. Super X ammo was used in Zodius Michigan June 1968 and and Zodiac California December 1968. I don’t know what kind of ammo was used in Santa Barbara 1963. If anyone does please let me know. And most importantly of all, is the fact that the police in several of these cases came to the same conclusion that the most likely weapon used was a High Standard, which is sold at Sears under the JC Higgins brand name. So the police in Zodius Michigan June 1968 and Zodiac California December 1968 came to the same conclusion that the most likely weapon used was a JC Higgins. I thought I saw somewhere that this was the same conclusion in the Santa Barbara 1963 case, but I don’t have a police report or press report explicitly stating that, only that, like a JC Higgins pistol, it came from a gun with six right twists and grooves. Add it all up together and it is certainly a very good chance that there was one JC Higgins pistol that was used in all of these crimes discussed in this series. And that this one killer had a preference for using .22 LR ammunition, frequently or always choosing the Super X brand.

I cant say that I am convinced that .22 LR and Super X is all that important. They are as common as the six right twists and grooves you point out. What captures my attention is the dates of the crimes and how close they are chronologically, a JC Higgins gun being used in each case, the killings of complete families and what the bread winner did for a living. It does, on the surface, seem connected. Nice job AK!

I have read up on the Robison’s. I believe the one accused was not the killer. I do have the tendency to lean towards the case being the work of the Zodiac but have to admit that its due to my research on the Zodiac letters and how I think he was operating. I haven’t read much on the other cases and I am interested based on the statements above. Really, I am looking for info on each case so that I can have a firm understanding of each case. So can you present links to any and all available information?

Soze

AK Wilks: The matches of six right twists and grooves is probably the least important element, as it is fairly common. But I note it, as there are other rifling patterns. The use of .22 LR and Super X ammo are also not rare. But the three elements together is more unusual and IMO worth noting. But I agree with you, the police determining that the rifling characteristics of both Zodius MI 6/25/68 and Zodiac CA 12/20/68 match most closely with the JG Higgins pistol, is far more important. So what we have is two separate departments in two separate cases matched their bullets to coming out of a JC Higgins .22 pistol.

The next step would be for the bullets in Zodiac CA to be compared to the bullets in the Zodius MI case. That could determine if the bullets were fired from the same gun.

And yes I also agree that while all the ballistics evidence considered together is compelling, even more compelling are the MO, victim or victims family employment links and closeness in time period you note – crimes in 63 (Domingos & Edwards), 64 (Walker), FOUR crimes between 9/18/66 and 10/30/66 (Percy, Bricca, Sims, Bates) and one in 68 (Robisons). Also closeness in geography, as far as clusters – a Midwest cluster (Percy (9/18/66, Illinois), Bricca (9/27/66, Ohio) and Robison (6/25/68, Michigan). And a southern California cluster – Domingos & Edwards (6/4/63 Santa Barbara, CA), Joyce Walker (11/26/64, Manhattan beach, CA), Boles Family (8/13/65, Crestline, CA) and Bates (10/30/66, Riverside, CA).

I should add that I am not a gun expert.But I did graduate from US Army Basic Training, were I qualified on the M-16 rifle, and graduated from Military Police School, where I got pistol training and basic law enforcement and crime scene procedures, including firearms crimes. I own a pistol and do occasional target shooting. So I have some experience and knowledge of firearms, but by no means do I claim to be an expert.

There are several things to consider, both in regards to the ballistic links between these crimes and ballistics links to my POI, Ted K, who is officially a suspect in the Zodiac case as well as some of these High Tech Family and College Girl Murders. You have .22 Super X ammo used on Zodius MI 6/25/68, Zodiac CA 12/20/68 and it is boxes of .22 Super X ammo found in the Kaczynski cabin. There are hundreds of different types of ammo available, so I find it of some interest, enough to note it, that Ted K has the same type of ammo as was used at two crime scenes were a couple is killed and letters written to newspapers with the identity a variation on ZODIACUS, being ZODIUS in MI and ZODIAC in CA..

Also that the Super X ammo itself has crossed lines inside a circle, just like the Zodiac symbol, and like the Unabomber symbol and the symbol Ted put next to his signature in a classmate’s high school yearbook.

And the connections between 6/25/68 and 12/20/68 are not limited to just the type of ammo used. Police determined that both were fired from a pistol with six right hands twists, and police in both cases determined that the weapon most likely used was a JC Higgins pistol. You also have the many other matches – both killers wrote to newspapers giving details only the killer could know, both named themselves a variation of the Latin word for animal circle Zodiacus (in CA he used Zodiac, in MI he used Zodius), both targeted couples, both stacked bodies atop one another, placing the female atop the male (D&E 63, Boles 65, Bricca 66, Robisons 68). This is very rare. Former FBI Special Agent and serial killer profiler John Douglas referenced a study that found that after death posing of bodies of any kind occurs in less than 1% of homicides.

At both the Zodiac crime of California LHR 12/20/68 and Zodius crime of Michigan 6/25/68, .22 caliber Super X ammo was used, and both were fired from a gun with six right twists and grooves, with police determining the patterns on the bullet were most compatible with having been fired from a JC Higgins .22 pistol.

Police report on Jensen – Faraday Murders, Lake Herman Road, CA, 12/20/68,in which ZODIAC wrote a letter to a newspaper with inside knowledge of the crime.

Police report on Robison Murder 6/25/68, Michigan, in which ZODIUS wrote a letter to a newspaper with inside knowledge of the crime.

Looking at the police reports above, we see that the weapons used in the murder of a Michigan couple (with kids present) on 6/25/68, and the murder of a California couple 12/20/68, were from a .22 caliber gun with six right twists and grooves, with police in both CA and MI stating that the most likely weapon used was a JC Higgins. Ammo used in both cases was .22 LR and the Super X brand.

For more info on these High Tech Family and Coed Murders cases go to http://www.zodiackillersite.com/viewt … f=37&t=478

For info on a Zodiac POI who is also officially a police suspect in some of these High Tech Family and Coed Murders, go to viewtopic.php?f=102&t=993

Just finished reading up on the Bricca case from online sources. Very interesting case. People keep talking about the autopsy report but I haven’t seen that yet. I don’t suppose you have that? I haven’t read the other cases yet but will likely be the Boles case next since i am now realizing that I am talking about the Bricca case under a Boles thread. My apologies. Do you have the autopsy report for the Boles family before I start reading?

Thanks
Soze

I do not have the autopsy reports for Boles or Bricca.

I also do not know one key thing about the Domingos and Edwards case. I thought I remember reading somewhere that in that 63 Santa Barbara case the police did identify the bullets used as the Super X brand and that they were most likely fired from a J C Higgins. But I don’t have a police report or press article stating those facts. If anybody can find those and post them here, either proving or disproving those aspects, that would be helpful.

If anybody has the autopsy reports, police reports or other information on the Boles, Bricca or other possibly linked Hi-Tech Family and Coed Murders, please post them.

Soze: I have read up on the Robison’s. I believe the one accused was not the killer. I do have the tendency to lean towards the case being the work of the Zodiac but have to admit that its due to my research on the Zodiac letters and how I think he was operating. I haven’t read much on the other cases and I am interested based on the statements above. Really, I am looking for info on each case so that I can have a firm understanding of each case. So can you present links to any and all available information?

AK Wilks: For more info on these High Tech Family and Coed Murders cases go to http://www.zodiackillersite.com/viewtop … f=37&t=478

The link above will take you to the topic Hi-Tech Family & Coed Murders, where you can learn about and discuss all these possibly linked cases, Walker, Boles, Bates, Percy, Bricca, Sims and Robison.

December 20, 1968
Faraday & Jensen
Vallejo, California
Gun 6 Right Twists
JC Higgins Pistol
.22 LR
Super X Ammo

August 13, 1965…………………..June 25, 1968
Boles Family……………………….Robison Family
Crestline, California………………Michigan
Gun 6 Right Twists……………….Gun 6 Right Twists
JC Higgins Pistol…………………JC Higgins Pistol
.22 LR…………………………..22 LR
Ammo Brand Unknown…………..Super X Ammo

Thought I’d chime in here as I recently started another thread on the Robisons here : http://www.zodiackillersite.com/viewtopic.php?f=37&t=5476&p=89738#p89738

At the beginning of 2020 I read through the entire police report for that case and believed I had noticed something that was missed – Shirley Robison’s brother Marvin Fulton owned two guns of the same calibre as those used in the murders. More importantly (and confusingly because it was not acted upon), the forensic report seems to conclude that his weapons were used in the murders:

So how does this relate to the Boles murder? There is an excellent write up of the crimes by the Mountain News from 2004 (https://web.archive.org/web/20181008073247/http://www.mountain-news.com/news/features/article_a57367da-b0ae-5e44-84cb-1d90cae4dde8.html)
In it, the reporter discusses Darlene Boles prior marriage to a HARVEY M FULTON :

Harvey Fulton could be a key to link Michigan to California – was he a relative to Marvin Fulton? Or it could just be a wild coincidence… wouldn’t be the first time. One thing to check, which I wouldn’t have the first idea on how to start, is to see who owned Marvin Fulton’s guns prior to 1967. Could he have bought them off a relative in California?