Possibly the August victim that Z wrote about? About 45 minutes from Riverside. Says police expected an overdose, but I can’t find anything else after this report on the case. What caught my attention was that it was anonymously reported to the police, on more than one occasion. That would suggest that the caller may have been the same each time and in between had gone back to the scene to see if the body was still there….calls were a week apart.
Doesn’t really seem like it fits the entire MO from the story, but parts do.
Zodiac mentioning August has a month where he killed someone has been a source of controversy – some have claimed it as proof to that the attacker at Lake Beryessa was a copycat, because the attacker did not mentioned a killing during August in the message he left at Hartnell’s car.
The name of this victim sounds German – possibly the son of german immigrants? The mentioning of phonecalls is intriguing – it would be interesting if someone could get the reports on this, to see if this phonecalls were ever transcribed.
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/71627115/
Decomposed Body Found in Palmer Cyn. CLAREMONT –
Heinz Joachim Haas, 22, whose body was found near Palmer Canyon late Saturday afternoon, probably died of a narcotics overdose, sheriff’s homicide investigators speculated today. The body was behind an embankment about 30 yards from the intersection of Mt. Baldy Road and Palmer Evey Canyon Motorway. Authorities believe it had been there since Tuesday. It was in an advanced state of decomposition. The body was found by a U. S. forest ranger after he received a telephone call reporting its location. It was the second such call authorities had received. Earlier in the week sheriff’s deputies got a call reporting a body in the canyon but they were unable to find it. In both cases the caller refused to identify himself. Homicide Sgt. James Scriven said today that he believes Haas died of a narcotics overdose and that his companions dumped his body face down in the canyon. He said an autopsy failed to disclose any marks of violence and that it would take a week or so of chemical tests to determine the cause of death. Scriven said that Haas was estranged from his wife and had been living with his parents in Azusa.
I’m not for the Des July Aug Sept Oct = 7 being about victims despite the writers tone/language used. For that reason I do not see this or any other person being a possibility for the month of August. In addition to this the guy looks to have overdosed on drugs at a time when drugs were in. However, I would be interested in learning more about the guy. His last name and apparent nationality alone has possible meaning given the Haas family at the corner of Washington and Maple, the Haas ties to the Oakland Coliseum and suspected communication by the zodiac relating that matter, their genealogical connection to the Van Hafflins living at the corner of Washington and Cherry, as well as what we know about Riverside. May not be anything but I think it’s worth scoping out.
Soze
Just thinking off the top of my head that the Oakland tickets letter pertained to a family known as Talbert. Don’t have the records in front of me so a correction if wrong would be appreciated.
Soze
