Hello everyone. I am new to the site, finally making the commitment to join. My interest in the Zodiac case began when I was about 12 years old. My mom worked in a bookstore at the local mall and brought home a copy of Robert Graysmith’s Zodiac. I discovered it in the bathroom, where my family does it’s best thinking and reading. I have to admit I read the book cover to cover and have since been hooked. For what flaws it may have research wise, it remains infinitely readable (at least to me). I’ve spent my career in probation and parole. When I was studying to become a substance abuse counselor, Zodiac Unmasked came out and I had to take a break from studying to finish that one cover to cover as well.

So where do I stand on Zodiac? Based on my background, I don’t really believe in coincidences. One or two things, that’s a coincidence. Anything more than that is a pattern. I think there is a strong circumstantial case against Arthur Leigh Allen, everything seems to fit except the stuff that would secure a conviction. Manalli really has my interest too. Could be that one wrote the letters and the other did the killing? Surely his fingerprints should be on file somewhere. I like Manalli for the hitchhiker killings in Santa Rosa (the ones where the victims were hogtied) and perhaps Allen for the younger girls (who weren’t). I seem to recall a mention of chipmunk hairs on the bodies that matched hairs found in Allen’s trunk. Plus that fits his victimology. He was interested in young children. Manalli’s job as a professor at SRJC would make him a familiar face to the students hitchiking and put them at ease. His handwriting is close enough to Zodiac’s to intrigue me and it would explain why Allen’s prints never showed up on a Zodiac letter. Plus the newspaper ad that told Zodiac his partner was in deep real estate a few days after Manalli died in the car wreck, well…

As for Cheri Jo Bates, I think her murder bears all the hallmarks of an inexperienced offender. He misjudged the amount of force needed to subdue her, overkill and leaving evidence behind (his watch) lead me to conclude this was the guy’s first murder. Since the Zodiac letter to the police contained details only the killer would know, I believe Zodiac killed CJB. Me thinks he was worried the watch or some other piece of evidence would lead them to his door, so he kept quiet.

Sorry this post is so long. I’ve been ruminating on the case for twenty-five years and had to get it out!