Some indications regarding Z’s age (if he was her murderer):
– An old car was heard at the scene. If Z had had a driving license, then he must have been at least 16 yrs. old (in October 1966). Most likely he was older, however it means that Z was born before October 1950. My personal guess, so far, is that today he could be 68-72 yrs. old (e.g. born between 1944-1948).
– "She was young and beautiful". We all know that, but would you call a girl "young" if she was actually older than you? Or at about the same age? CJB was born in 1948. So if she had been a "young" girl for her assailant, too, then he most likely was at least 2-5 years older than CJB was. It is likely, however, that Z had read about a "young girls slain" on RCC, thus simply replicated what he had read before sending his confession letter (if he did so, one month later).
Michael Mageau, born on October, 29 in 1949, however, described Z as "young", most likely implying that Z was at about his age. Now if Z was, let’s say, five years older, wouldn’t Mike have said that the man was a bit older? It appears as if, in 1969 (!) Z was no more than five years older than Mike, who in fact was 19yrs. old.
Let’s summarize..
1.) In 1966, ‘Z’ most likely already had a driving license and called 18yr old CJB ‘young’
2.) In 1969, Mike mentioned Z to be ‘young’, too, thus placing Z no older than 25 years.
( http://www.zodiackiller.com/DFR5.html )
Due to 1.), Z was born in or before 1950. Most likely he was even born at least two years earlier than that (otherwise CJB wouldn’t have been described as ‘young’). Therefore Z was born sometime before 1948.
Due to 2.), Z was not born earlier than 1944, otherwise he’d have had been substantially older than Mike (thus making him not describing Z as ‘young’). Most likely he was only up to 2-4 years older (otherwise the age difference would have been notable for a 19yr old guy). Therefore Z most likely was not born before 1946 (later making Z 23 years old, thus still ‘young’ for Mike).
Everything else would be sort of ‘wrong’. Z having no driving license, if born after 1950. CJB not being young compared to Z if born after 1948. Mike would not have described him as young if born in 1945 or earlier etc.
Even if Z was up to 5 years older than Mike (still 24 yrs ‘young’), it’d place him to the year 1944. Adding 14 to 15 years would place Z well into the 1960 Ramona High yearbook..the one with the Zodiac symbol inside. Ross Sullivan would’ve been 9 years older than Mike Mageau.
IMO, Z was most likely born in the years 1944, 1945 or 1946.
IF he was born in 1946, however, he must have had drawn the Z symbol at the age of 14 (in his first high school year). Ross Sullivan, however, would have been 19 yrs. when the drawing was made. The drawing, however, looks as if someone at the age of at least 16 had drawn it, thus Z was born either in the year 1944 or 1945. Or Mike described a 5+ years older guy as ‘young’.
QT
*ZODIACHRONOLOGY*
Don’t have anything to add. Just wanted to say nice post and I agree.
Soze
What about the fact that Mike estimated his assailant’s age as being 26-30?
What about the fact that Mike estimated his assailant’s age as being 26-30?
CORRECT…so what Mike obviously meant was that Z is not ‘old’, such as plus 30. Although he was older than him, he described him as a young person. This matches well with the CJB case as well as his capability to use a type writing machine. We may therefore assume that Z was born sometime from 1939 to 1943, instead.
( http://www.zodiackiller.com/DFR10.html )
If Z had started his highschool at the age of 15, he must’ve been in some yearbook starting from 1954 to 1957 (freshmen) up to 1957 to 1961 (senior). Thus, to ‘recognize’ him, best chances are in any yearbook of the years 1959 or 1960. Today, Z’s age would therefore be 77-81. If he killed CJB, he must’ve been 23 to 27 years old. He therefore was most likely not a classmate of CJB, although he still could have known her from Ramona High.
According to Mikes estimation (26-30): Assuming that CJB went to Ramona High from 1962 to (early) 1966, Z would have been 19 to 23yrs old to become a schoolmate of CJB..therefore Z being born in 1943, eventually 1944, is – moreless – the way to make it possible that Z had met ‘freshman’ CJB as a senior at Ramona High. This would have happened in 1962 or 63.
QT
*ZODIACHRONOLOGY*
Well, if Bates was killed by Z,I think he was at least 18 in 1966. I think whomever Z was,he was at least 18 in 66, doesn’t help much
There is more than one way to lose your life to a killer
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Well, if you count Domingos-Edwards, Z was probably about 17 or 18 in 1963, as he was described as a runaway from the Bay Area then.
Well, if you count Domingos-Edwards, Z was probably about 17 or 18 in 1963, as he was described as a runaway from the Bay Area then.
I’d agree with that. While Domingos & Edwards’ killer may have been older then them, I think he actually may have been around their age.
There is more than one way to lose your life to a killer
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http://zodiackillersite.blogspot.com/
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Who described whom as a runaway from the bay area?
“…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
Who described whom as a runaway from the bay area?
‘Sandy’ allegedly told his co-horts in the Santa Barbara murder,that he was a run away from the SF Bay area,aprox 17 yrs old
My thinking is, that the beach area sniper shootings in the days leading up to the murders of Domingos & Edwards, is related to their murders
There is more than one way to lose your life to a killer
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Good points. The consensus would be Z was born between 1940-1945.
So what suspects fall outside of these years?
It eliminates George Hodel.
My "POI" (I hate that term!) was born in December, 1944, which would have made him 21 at the time of Cheri’s death.
My POI in 1966 have a 33(the age of Jesus when he was killed and reborn) ,so in 1969 he have , of corse, 36 … 
Marcelo 
https://zodiacode1933.blogspot.com/
To OLD
ALA – born in 1933.
Gyke – born 1936
The eyewitness who got the closest view of Zodiac, front on, was Donald Fouke. Michael Mageau got a fleeting side view and has for many reasons become a less than reliable witness, his description has never stayed consistent. Bryan Hartnell could only judge Zodiac’s age by his voice, not a reliable pointer. The three teenagers were 50-60 feet away, with limited lighting and their only full frontal view of Zodiac’s face likely only lasted 2-3 seconds as the Zodiac walked towards the driver side door of the taxicab.
Donald Fouke, by his account, slowed down as he passed Zodiac, "5, 10, 15 seconds tops." Donald Fouke from the vehicle driver side seat to the sidewalk was approximately 12 feet in distance, and being a trained police officer, schooled in being observant, effectively corrected the three teenagers description to a man older and heavier. In fact he stated in his memorandum that Zodiac was 35-45 years of age. He in theory should be the most reliable witness of all, along with Eric Zelms, who for the life of me, appeared a silent witness in this case, even though he was even closer to Zodiac than Donald Fouke. So if we believe that Donald Fouke viewed Zodiac front on for longer than any other eyewitness, then it should therefore follow his description is the most accurate. Taking the mathematical median of Donald Fouke’s estimation puts the Zodiac Killer at 40 years of age.
I’ve always suspected Zodiac was a lot younger than the San Francisco composite would have us believe. I’d put him at 27 in 1968, tops.
"There are such devils."
-The Pledge
