As beggining my time as a member of the forums, let me just start with some commentary: we should not let ourselves get clouded by pessimism. Yes, almost half a century as passed, but we do not live in the late 1800´s. We have the resources and the technology to still be able to solve this case – and we have way for evidence and clues than Scotland Yard had to try and catch the Ripper.
I also wanted to point out to something that I found about recently: Michael Butterfield stated in an article that Z´s "electric gun sight" might have been influenced by an episode of "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" titled "Museum Price". Well, I recently got interested on Hitchcock´s work and so I decided to watch some of his movies. And if you see the movie "The Wrong Man", you will see that Hitchcock makes an intro of it, something that I think he did not do in his other movies. And how does Hitchcock starts his presentation? By saying "This is Alfred Hitchcock speaking", just like Z started his letters. Not only that, Hitchcock states in the intro that the movie his based on a true story that has elements which are stranger fiction. The main character of the movie "The Wrong Man" – a man called Manny – is wrongfully arrested as a suspect in a robbery case, and goes to the trial for it. The reason why law enforcement decided to charge him for the robbery was the fact that just like the note left by the real burgler, Manny made a mispelling in a handwriting sample by writing the word "draw" instead of correctly writing "drawer". Who also made mispelings in his writings? – The Zodiac. It appears who ever he was, he was quite the movie´s guy.
Now, it´s time for the questions:
1 – Do you have any reason to believe that the 1978 "Toschi Letter" was authentic and not a hoax?
2 – Considering that, as many people believe, Zodiac might have lived in Vallejo or Benicia at the time of his first killings (due to the belief that serial killers commit their first killings near their zone of comfort), did anyone checked some known murderer who was native or lived in those counties at the time of the killings in the area, but who was apprehended after 1974 in another part of the country? If there was such an individual, wouldn´t he make a good POI? (I say 1974, because that was the year that the last confirmed Z letters were sent)
3 – Years ago, when I saw the reports about a new Zodiac suspect being Jack Tarrance, I was extremelly intrigued when his stepson had shown that hood – what happened with that? Was that a forgery? Was also the supposed gruesome photos of his father also a forgery?
4 – What is your opinion on the military background theory? Is there any reasons to make it credible or not?
Welcome, welcome. I’ll give it a shot.
1 – Do you have any reason to believe that the 1978 "Toschi Letter" was authentic and not a hoax?
Nobody close to the case ever believed that the ’78 letter was real except, maybe, for Robert Graysmith, who went on and on about overhead projectors as a way to explain why his suspect, Arthur Leigh Allen, could still be the Zodiac despite being ruled out by handwriting (as well as fingerprints and, later, DNA). A test of the DNA associated with the seal/stamp of the letter determined that whoever sent it was a woman and the timing, coming with the announcement of Graysmith’s book, was very suspicious. It’s likely that the ’78 letter was a publicity stunt.
2 – Considering that, as many people believe, Zodiac might have lived in Vallejo or Benicia at the time of his first killings (due to the belief that serial killers commit their first killings near their zone of comfort), did anyone checked some known murderer who was native or lived in those counties at the time of the killings in the area, but who was apprehended after 1974 in another part of the country? If there was such an individual, wouldn´t he make a good POI? (I say 1974, because that was the year that the last confirmed Z letters were sent)
As far as I’m aware, known offenders were the very first people checked out in the area after the first killings. It’s not very likely that the Zodiac had a criminal record as an adult, as the prints associated with his crimes were never matched to anyone.
3 – Years ago, when I saw the reports about a new Zodiac suspect being Jack Tarrance, I was extremelly intrigued when his stepson had shown that hood – what happened with that? Was that a forgery? Was also the supposed gruesome photos of his father also a forgery?
The source of the hood, the stepson, is a guy who’s been notorious in the online community as a bullshit artist. He’s long been known for trying to profit off this case and none of his claims are taken seriously. He probably made the hood himself.
4 – What is your opinion on the military background theory? Is there any reasons to make it credible or not?
There is no real consensus regarding a possible military background. Most of us agree that Z probably wasn’t a member of the military because, again, the lack of a fingerprint match to any known servicemen. That said, we can’t rule him out as being a member of a military family or having some other association with the armed services. However, to speculate further is merely that: speculation.
Again, welcome to the board and I hope this helps!
"There are such devils."
-The Pledge
It would be useful to look at military records to get a definite timeline of an individual. If someone was found to match up to all the Zodiac dates, that would make a pretty good suspect…but unfortunately that is confidential information that we will never have.
As it stands, whether he was or wasn’t in the military doesn’t seem to have any bearing on evaluating a suspect.
It would be useful to look at military records to get a definite timeline of an individual. If someone was found to match up to all the Zodiac dates, that would make a pretty good suspect…but unfortunately that is confidential information that we will never have.
As it stands, whether he was or wasn’t in the military doesn’t seem to have any bearing on evaluating a suspect.
So, in the US, you are not allowed to look at military records? What if you are an historian or an academic of some sort?
It would be useful to look at military records to get a definite timeline of an individual. If someone was found to match up to all the Zodiac dates, that would make a pretty good suspect…but unfortunately that is confidential information that we will never have.
As it stands, whether he was or wasn’t in the military doesn’t seem to have any bearing on evaluating a suspect.
So, in the US, you are not allowed to look at military records? What if you are an historian or an academic of some sort?
People have a right to privacy. It is very limited if you are not the vet or family. You can access anything 62 years old…apparently. Not too much longer now. 
https://www.archives.gov/st-louis/milit … ublic.html
“…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
When a serviceman or woman is discharged from military service they are given a form called a DD214. This proves their service and it’s what they would need to apply for Veteran’s Administration benefits like schooling, health care or even a VA loan to buy a home. Many times the veteran will file this document with the recorders office where they live. There is a classification for it in most states recorder’s offices.
Generally even though it’s a public record it will not be copied and issued by the recorder’s office to just anyone, only to the veteran or his family with proper identification. I found that Fredric Manalli had filed his DD214 with the Sonoma County Recorder’s Office but I could not purchase it. However I did the next best thing and took a picture of it. It was digitized and on their computer which had a nasty flash when I snapped the pic, and I’m not real savvy with anything tech so I did the best I could, covertly!
Anyway, I posted it and it will give you an idea of what info a DD214 contains.
