"A plaster cast was made of this impression [comment: footprint leading to the passenger side of the Karmann Ghia]. Reporting officer observed one set of tire impressions approximately 20 feet to the rear of Victim’s vehicle. The suspect track nearer the fence measured approximately 4 1/2" in width and showed a parallel tread design. This tread design was photographed by Sgt. Butler and then a plaster cast was made by Reporting Officer. The tire impression…."

If we trust the observation of Sgt. Butler & Co., the tire impressions appeared to be – no I will not say related to the crime….but they were there. And they appeared important enough to make plaster casts not only from the footprints but also the tire impressions. No idea if there was grass or whatever but footprints haven’t been everywhere. The tire impressions, however, most likely were quite ‘fresh’, otherwise no plaster casts would have been useful.

And 20 ft. distance is quite a good distance to park behind the victims car but still be able to leave in a rush.

QT

To better clarify previous post:

There was a shoe print (which Butler is pointing to in one of the photos): http://zodiackiller.com/TireTracks.html

Again,here is the report about the print(s): http://www.zodiackiller.com/LBReport16.html

The "foot" print was coming from the stile in the direction of Bryan’s car. There were not any mentions going in the direction BACK to the car 20′ behind. They were quite descriptive with latent prints taken from the phone booth…I would think they would do the same for the shoe prints.

I think he hunted his victims. Looking for the right ones, but he did not dare park there while he attacked Bryan and Cecelia.

It is possible but what makes you believe that? IMO it is way more likely that Z had arrived there by car.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGJzVnDsgAQ
"You can see how remote this place is"
"Turn right…continue walking and veer to the left and you’ll be at the Zodiac spot"

ONE SIMPLE QUESTION: What if Z had arrived there but nobody would have been there?

I’ll speak it out…CS went there with BH to either have a relaxed time or to have a good **** (or 15% of it, considering this time). An opponent would not have liked that at all. At least they did not went there for fishing or counting birds. This alone doesn’t make Z know his victims. But finding them there makes it somehow (my 99%).

Another reason why Z’s car was there is that his footprints were found nearby. Of course it is also possible that he had arrived by bike or by boat, but none of this has been seen. Thus:

viewtopic.php?f=96&t=1731&hilit=Mercury

The witnesses described the car as ‘sky blue’ in color. Anybody with a light blue Mercury/Comet out there? BOTH, if it was Z, described the man as dark/black hair. ‘Subject was wearing dark pants and a dark pullover shirt’. Not the blond guy hanging around with Donna Lass previous to her murder..?

http://www.zodiackiller.com/LBReport10.html

QT

Edited your post QT. That was a little over the top.

I think he parked nearby and walked in. If the potential victims didn’t suit him, he’d be on to the next. Just my take of course.

Edited your post QT. That was a little over the top.

I think he parked nearby and walked in. If the potential victims didn’t suit him, he’d be on to the next. Just my take of course.

Fully fine, ALL ideas are required…the case is still unsolved – our main goal.

‘According to White, the male victim said that a male subject approached them, wearing a hood, dressed in dark clothing.’
‘The female victim advised White that seh could not see the responsible’s face as a hood was covering all of his head.’

Z was masked from the beginning (police report).

‘..subject advised him he was an ex-con out of Colorado [not Montana at that time!] and was en route to Mexico.’

‘..noticed a lot of blood near the girls groin area.’

Park headquarters COULD have been close to the attack site, in walking distance, too

‘In the opinion of R/Os, it is unlikely, unless this male subject had a vehicle in the immediate area, he could have traversed the area to the scene of the crime on foot. There are four coves of water between the scene of the crime and the area where the doctor saw the subject.’

‘The location and preservation of aforementioned footprints will be detailed in a supplementary evidence report by Sgt. Snook.)’

UPDATE:

‘..scene of the crime, which was approximately a mile and a half north of Lake Berryessa Park Headquarters..’

‘..officers were shown footprints in dirt area and tire tracks, both believed to have been left by responsible.’

‘..driving a yellow Datsun’
(it was not CS’ car – Z could not have known her to be there due to ‘her’ car but BH’s only)

‘..located Miss Judy…identified as MISS JUDITH _____, a student at Pacific Union College, with a permanent residence address of ____ Sunland Boulevard, Sun Valley, California. Miss _____ advised that she was with Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard earlier in the afternootn.’

SUN VALLEY is in LA not Northern part of California. The went together to the rummage sale, might have known each other from LA times (Seventh Adventists).

QT

Those coves don’t go all the way up. If one wanted to be sneaky, you wouldn’t walk the road, you’d walk the hillside–most likely where the paved roadway is now. The man the doc and his son saw was doing it.

First paragraph here: http://www.zodiackiller.com/LBReport6.html

"…just walking along the hill area, halfway between the road and the lake".

So regardless of what someone who wrote the report thought, it was done.

…path now paved.

The one thing that I keep coming back to is …. how did the killer connect that Karman Ghia to BH and CS? Could he see it from the kill site and just assume that it must be one of his victims? Did he see them exit the vehicle? Did he follow them? Know them?

I think if you consider where it was parked at the top of the road, the pathway went straight down to where they were. No other cars, them being the only people, one would assume it was their car.

I think if you consider where it was parked at the top of the road, the pathway went straight down to where they were. No other cars, them being the only people, one would assume it was their car.

I absolutely agree with this …. mostly. So he walked the hillside …. found BH and CS … then walked back up to the parking area to find the car?

Also – the other thing that strikes me about the whole discussion b/w "Z" and BH is that Z never (seemed) to show anger or aggravation. He just spoke …told him what he needed…listened…answered matter of factly(?) and then stabbed. No emotion … no anger or frustration. Very flat and cold.

Just an observation. I know that killers may be in a zone and focused on the task at hand but I, myself, would be a little perturbed that someone was interrupting me and offering me money or help when I was trying to ‘do my thing’. And in his letters … it’s almost as if he is trying to write angry … but not feeling it IMO.

And I always wondered what would have happened if BH wouldn’t have asked Z if his gun was really loaded. Would Z have just walked off?