Maybe this will be easier to read. It’s pretty clear they are talking about suspect, ‘Bob Barnett'(not his real name). Curious I recall, and i have to go back and look, just before Cheri was attacked, somebody had walked near one of those alleys, and saw a man light up a cigarette illuminating his face, and may have even said hi to the passerby. I have to go back and check. Anybody remember the details of this???

Damn, I was hoping Barnett was not going to be the suspect. But wasn’t he a suspect shortly after the murder? This article makes it sound like this was a new, or at least somewhat new, suspect as of Nov. 1981.

Damn, I was hoping Barnett was not going to be the suspect. But wasn’t he a suspect shortly after the murder? This article makes it sound like this was a new, or at least somewhat new, suspect as of Nov. 1981.

I believe he was a Suspect pretty early on,at least by the time Zodiac investigators were looking into the Riverside connection

I’m sure this is what renewed interested in him as a suspect and why they tested his DNA.

It’s a shame that Riverside PD was so sure that Barnett was the killer and they did not look as much into other suspects. If that is true, of course.

Seems like most people in the Z community have come to believe that RPD are completely blinkered when it comes to "Bob". Perhaps this is the case but I wouldn’t conclude with anything too bombastically. Seems to me that RPD are simply holding their cards very close to the chest. In short, we don’t really know what they know – or think.

Another impression I get is that RPD have investigated the Bates case more – say – actively than the departments involved with the Z case. It would indeed be a terrible shame if they have been stumbling along with tunnel vision all these years – but, again, I don’t think it’s safe to simply conclude that they have been. For all we know they have been looking at different possibilities all along.

Beatin up the cops seems where this case is headed..frustration for some and some have a monetary agenda..its comical to think RPD is ever going to divulge a few key pieces they hold…if it was not the bff then id start to dig into cjb closet…x and ala can be placed in riverside..personally i think ross has been cleared and yea rpd at least telling us who was cleared wiuld be nice..but i do not expect that..my gut is a women was present at that crime scene and it is somebody not known at this time..no way cjb walks off with a stranger..no mucking way..she knew the perp or the female with the perp..my take

Seems like most people in the Z community have come to believe that RPD are completely blinkered when it comes to "Bob". Perhaps this is the case but I wouldn’t conclude with anything too bombastically. Seems to me that RPD are simply holding their cards very close to the chest. In short, we don’t really know what they know – or think.

Another impression I get is that RPD have investigated the Bates case more – say – actively than the departments involved with the Z case. It would indeed be a terrible shame if they have been stumbling along with tunnel vision all these years – but, again, I don’t think it’s safe to simply conclude that they have been. For all we know they have been looking at different possibilities all along.

I think it’s because Zodiac is part of their case, but they try to distance themselves from Z. If the experts are right, then Zodiac wrote the letters in the Bates case. He wrote the desk poem in the library that Cheri was killed outside of. He is part of their case, even if he was not Cheri’s murderer. I can see on the other hand why they would want to distance themselves from Zodiac because they don’t want to get all kinds of tips, info,etc regarding Z,if he is not the killer.

The ‘blinkers/blinders’, whatever term was used above, is because despite DNA evidence ruling out Barnett, they still think he’s the prime Suspect. That’s troubling.

I think it’s because Zodiac is part of their case, but they try to distance themselves from Z. If the experts are right, then Zodiac wrote the letters in the Bates case. He wrote the desk poem in the library that Cheri was killed outside of. He is part of their case, even if he was not Cheri’s murderer. I can see on the other hand why they would want to distance themselves from Zodiac because they don’t want to get all kinds of tips, info,etc regarding Z,if he is not the killer.

The ‘blinkers/blinders’, whatever term was used above, is because despite DNA evidence ruling out Barnett, they still think he’s the prime Suspect. That’s troubling.

Yes, that makes some sense. I’ve seen some statements indicating they’re assuming the letters and whatnot were not produced by the killer. Let’s say they find it possible that Z produced the writing – but are convinced he didn’t kill Bates. That would mean they’re not all that interested in the writing – and that’s that.

As for Bob and DNA – yes, it’s troubling on the face of it. Problem is – again – that what has been going on there (and what still goes on) isn’t transparent at all. I’m not sure what they actually think – now. They’ve been on the case for decades, but "they" aren’t the same people. I don’t know to what extent the current people assigned to the case share the views of their predecessors. Seems to me RPD simply don’t like to discuss the case much at all with outside parties.