Morrill stated that the bates writings were "Unqueestionably" the work of Zodiac. The FBI reports seem to lean towards the same conclusion. As far as wanting to know if the Bates letters were tested for DNA(and perhaps compared to Zodiac)I don’t know. Maybe they were and they did not match which may be why Riverside PD thinks there is no connection to Z. Also,let’s not forget, RPD got some print evidence too. Was that ever compared against Z case prints?

As far as refuting the desktop as being Zodiac’s handywork,I can’t, because I think it was and agree with Sherwood. Speaking of the desk,again, were prints taken from it? My gut feeling is that Zodiac wrote that desktop poem sometime prior to the Bates murder,and likely signed his real initials, not ever meaning for it to be found and connected to the Bates or Z crimes. I think he mayhave handled that desk without gloves. Maybe there are some palm prints on it that might match the Z letters??

I don’t even know where the Bates case letters or desktop poem evidence is stored today. Is it in Riverside? I had heard a long while ago that DOJ was going to keep it,but also heard that SFPD had it.

I, too, believe the Desktop Poem is Zodiac’s work. I think it was produced when his homicidal impulses were surfacing, and represent an effort to both suppress and contain them. The reason he didn’t brag abaaout Bates’ killing early on was that he realized his poem, with his initials, might be found. When it was, he rather sheepishly admitted his culpability, and tried to fracture the investigation by bragging about having committed multiple murders in the Riverside area. Finally, I think it unlikely that Riverside, in the Sixties, would produce two homicidal psychotics such as rh, and The Confession’s author, and each with a need to express himself in poetry/prose.

I, too, believe the Desktop Poem is Zodiac’s work. I think it was produced when his homicidal impulses were surfacing, and represent an effort to both suppress and contain them. The reason he didn’t brag abaaout Bates’ killing early on was that he realized his poem, with his initials, might be found. When it was, he rather sheepishly admitted his culpability, and tried to fracture the investigation by bragging about having committed multiple murders in the Riverside area. Finally, I think it unlikely that Riverside, in the Sixties, would produce two homicidal psychotics such as rh, and The Confession’s author, and each with a need to express himself in poetry/prose.

Well said and the bit I’ve highlighted, I’ve been having that same exact thought lately. Oh and I can’t refute either because I think it was him.

And here comes the one who is always questioning things….darn it!

Early on, the RPD contacted Napa about their concerns there could be some sort of connection between the person who murdered Cheri, and the Berryessa attacker: viewtopic.php?f=33&t=89

Could it be, after months and months of investigating, they actually did check prints, etc., and maybe found things not to match and THAT is why the RPD seems so sure Zodiac wasn’t involved?

Via the link above, in the letter, they ask to check handwriting, etc. This also went out to SF. Why did Sherwood not review it until Paul brought it up? And, were there other professionals who reviewed it (maybe within the RPD) who disagreed?

And as discussed before (and elsewhere), does it prove "Zodiac" KILLED her?

While there are similarities in handwriting, shoe size appears to be different. The letter techniques….tearing off the top and bottom of the paper, doesn’t appear Zodiac like. IF the Confession letter writer was the same person, using a 4th or 5th carbon copy version, etc. doesn’t seem to fit either. Not that one cannot change their ways.

Unfortunately, handwriting alone doesn’t seem to cut it, or Cheri Jo would be in the mix of confirmed Zodiac victims amongst all LE.

Very good points T.

I agree, the handwriting alone is nowhere near enough to conclusively link. It has me convinced of common authorship but that is all I’m afraid. Not just because of Morrill’s conclusion but through my own opinion on it.

The issue of when and how Morrill became involved does trouble me and your points about what did the initial investigation into the link uncover, if anything. Was there something conclusive that RPD haven’t released that made the link highly unlikely?

There really only are 3 avenues to go with I suppose.

1. No involvement at all. Didn’t write the letters or send the confession letter and didn’t kill Cheri Jo.
2. Did write the stuff but didn’t commit the murder.
3. Wrote and typed it all and was the killer.

No.1 is easy. Nothing to see, move along.
No.2 Lays a very early precedent for backing up the idea that he didn’t commit any murders but rather claimed them through his letters.
No.3 Perhaps the key to this all.

I would have to go for either 1 or 3. No 2 is just too unlikely IMO and in that lays madness and fantasy. As such I would have to go for 3 because the handwriting for me his.

As for Morrill, well I just think that he wasn’t exempt from the whole ‘messiness’ of this case. Look at Toschi and what happened to him. That was probably NOT the best comment Morrill made regarding that situation but he was well out of the loop by then and I don’t know if he examined that 78 letter or was just shown a copy of it?

Either way the things that I’ve seen in the writing and exemplars certainly have left me impressed with what he saw and authenticated. Except the ’78……maybe.

Interesting timing here. Post-Herb Caen letter, but the Maupin scandal wouldn’t erupt till two months later. Some "name redacted" personage disputed Morrill’s take on the the Riverside letters, and a new analysis was requested on ALL confirmed Zodiac correspondence. I knew Shimoda got involved at some point, but I didn’t know it happened like this. Were there doubts about the Herb Caen letter even before Maupin came into the picture? What brought this on?

https://www.zodiacciphers.com/uploads/4/9/7/1/4971630/moriginal4-1-1_orig.jpg

So Sherwood was the first redacted name. I thought they were speaking in the present tense.

The report doesn’t appear to explain why the authorship of the Zodiac and Riverside letters suddenly became a hot topic in May 1978. Coincidental chain-rattling from RPD? If I suddenly had doubts about Morrill because of the Caen letter, I probably wouldn’t ask a guy who agreed with him about it.

The hot topic of the 1978 letter and its authorship may have invigorated a further look into the credibility of the Riverside handwriting with respect to Zodiac, and attempt to "settle the disputed authorship" of both with fresh eyes.

According to this article…

https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/zodiack … t5572.html

…Maupin didn’t voice his suspicions to LE until May 23rd. The timing’s pretty tight, but somebody was questioning Morrill’s judgement before Maupin came forward, apparently?

FWIW, Morrill said he could “glance” at a piece of writing an tell if it was Zodiac or not. Imagine the guy in charge of fingerprint analysis saying the same thing about comparing Zodiac fingerprints. The point is that that is not how questioned document examination or handwriting analysis is done. Compound that with the fact that Handwriting analysis was still in its infancy As a forensic “science” in the 1960s And Morrill was one of the first “experts”. I take anything Morrill said with a lot of suspicion.

I would LOVE for a modern QDE to take a fresh look at the confirmed and supposed Zodiac correspondence and get a different perspective.