Who the hell is Jimmy Chitwood?

where did you get that name? never came across any chitwood or jimmy on ged.

I think for the sake of the case, it would be best to wait and see what happens and not keep posting about the DNA. If Zodiac is alive and he could be, he is more than likely reading these sites to learn what is being done. If he gets wind that VPD might have his DNA, that could compromise the case. We can always PM each other, but be aware that he could be a poster who is already here?

There was a flurry of MAJOR newspaper articles in the spring of 2018 with Det. Poyser publicizing they are looking for DNA and feeling pretty good about getting results.

If Zodiac is still alive or was back then he had plenty of time to do what he needs to do to prepare himself.

This recent DNA news dump by Tom might not be legit. A lying Leaker? No news outlet has collaborated Tom’s claim with VPD and published an article.

Morf source at VPD said on 3/26/2019 "My Zodiac Police source, "Pump the brakes on the Zodiac DNA rumors" that there are no new developments". Do you think the VPD are lying? Maybe you do.

So to me, this has the real potential of being a nothing burger. Like so many past rumors have turned out to be in the past.

If there is no DNA news by July 4th (The 50th anniversary of Zodiac’s attack at BRS in Vallejo). There will be no positive news on DNA past that date. IMO

This thread started on April 18, 2017, nearly two years ago – and nothing. The latest so-called round of testing surfaced in late 2017, and has now lasted nearly 1 1/2 years. Swabbing and detecting DNA – then using polymerase chain reaction to magnify the sample really isn’t groundbreaking science anymore. Had they done this from the off, then you would have to believe they have been analyzing a family tree for over a year now. It is practically a national scandal, that thousands upon thousands of rapists are left wandering the streets to rape, and possibly murder again, with rape kits lying on shelves gathering dust, and juxtapose this with a 50-year-old Zodiac case, where imminent action is not required. The imperative should be making communities safer now, rather than seeking an answer to a case that, sad to say, is not an overriding priority. I simply doubt any DNA has been found, because quite simply, it doesn’t take 18 months to perform the above actions. A quick and easy browse on Google will show comparable cases to Zodiac generating DNA in less than a week. The sad reality for the families of the five confirmed victims, is that left in the hands of people who have routinely failed them for the past 50 years, will end in the same result.

a 50-year-old Zodiac case, where imminent action is not required. The imperative should be making communities safer now, rather than seeking an answer to a case that, sad to say, is not an overriding priority.

Well, we don’t know that Zodiac isn’t still out there killing people. Just sayin’.

I simply doubt any DNA has been found, because quite simply, it doesn’t take 18 months to perform the above actions. A quick and easy browse on Google will show comparable cases to Zodiac generating DNA in less than a week.

Yes, something should have been found by now. I would think they would announce they failed to find anything, but I suppose they could have their reasons for not doing so.

However, I can envision scenarios where finding DNA and developing a strong profile still isn’t the final nail in the coffin. I know Poyser said when they were running down the GSK DNA match through GEDmatch, they had finally narrowed it down to 5 and while JJD was one of those five, he wasn’t a standout suspect until they matched his DNA they acquired through following him. They had used age, location and a few other things to narrow the list down to those 5. So I assume those other 5 were still just as likely to be GSK until that point.

If in this case it gets narrowed down to that many or even more it could take even longer.

I have physically stood in a lab when they were conducting forensic DNA analysis. It is a process that can be started and finished in one day, assuming the sample arrives before lunch.

I have physically stood in a lab when they were conducting forensic DNA analysis. It is a process that can be started and finished in one day, assuming the sample arrives before lunch.

Sure . . . if you have a sample.

<<I would think they would announce they failed to find anything, but I suppose they could have their reasons for not doing so.>>

When VPD was questioned in May, the mayor implied that they’ve been routinely submitting materials every few years in light of improved testing methods – and that these current envelopes were one of those routine submissions, and nothing to do with the GSK success.

Can’t recall an announcement from them re any of those other submissions.

This thread started on April 18, 2017, nearly two years ago – and nothing. The latest so-called round of testing surfaced in late 2017, and has now lasted nearly 1 1/2 years. Swabbing and detecting DNA – then using polymerase chain reaction to magnify the sample really isn’t groundbreaking science anymore. Had they done this from the off, then you would have to believe they have been analyzing a family tree for over a year now. It is practically a national scandal, that thousands upon thousands of rapists are left wandering the streets to rape, and possibly murder again, with rape kits lying on shelves gathering dust, and juxtapose this with a 50-year-old Zodiac case, where imminent action is not required. The imperative should be making communities safer now, rather than seeking an answer to a case that, sad to say, is not an overriding priority. I simply doubt any DNA has been found, because quite simply, it doesn’t take 18 months to perform the above actions. A quick and easy browse on Google will show comparable cases to Zodiac generating DNA in less than a week. The sad reality for the families of the five confirmed victims, is that left in the hands of people who have routinely failed them for the past 50 years, will end in the same result.

Very well stated, Richard.

Who the hell is Jimmy Chitwood?

You’ve never seen Hoosiers?
I had to use a name for an example. I picked a pretty popular movie name (at least to sports fans).
My apologies. From now on I’ll use "John Smith" or "Jane Doe"

The sad reality for the families of the five confirmed victims, is that left in the hands of people who have routinely failed them for the past 50 years, will end in the same result.

Very well stated, Richard.

I think it’s very unfair to the police departments that worked the case. I believe they did all they could to find him. The guy was a ghost, he didn’t spend much time at his crime scenes generally. He didn’t rape or have much contact with them to leave solid DNA. DNA was virtually unknown at the time so no one knew how to properly store evidence. We have the luxury of hindsight and decades of more information being developed. Law enforcement have to prove their case in a court of law, not the court of public opinion.

The sad reality for the families of the five confirmed victims, is that left in the hands of people who have routinely failed them for the past 50 years, will end in the same result.

Very well stated, Richard.

I think it’s very unfair to the police departments that worked the case. I believe they did all they could to find him. The guy was a ghost, he didn’t spend much time at his crime scenes generally. He didn’t rape or have much contact with them to leave solid DNA. DNA was virtually unknown at the time so no one knew how to properly store evidence. We have the luxury of hindsight and decades of more information being developed. Law enforcement have to prove their case in a court of law, not the court of public opinion.

Agreed, there absolutely have been dozens of dedicated cops working the case.

That said, they had him at Stine and they let him get away.

So at the end of the day, despite good intentions — and despite how you may spin it — LE’s been shut out for 50 years.

There were and are many dedicated law enforcement individuals who have worked hard on this case, and no doubt most are extremely hard working professionals. However, they did fail, because they didn’t catch him, when they routinely told us he would be caught. That was a promise they never thought could take 50 years. Unfortunately from my experience, the police often ask the public for information that may help solve a case, while at the same time giving us no information about the crime. It’s a two-way street. When will they release the Cheri Jo Bates police reports – 100 years maybe.

That said, they had him at Stine and they let him get away.

As much as I bash Fouke he was under the erroneous impression it was a black male. I don’t blame him for that and we don’t know how it originated

So at the end of the day, despite good intentions — and despite how you may spin it — LE’s been shut out for 50 years.

It’s not a matter of "spinning" anything, cops are human and humans are fallible. Zodiac was a crafty one. It’s like Bidou said, in most cases you find a motive you find your murderer. What Zodiac’s motivation was is anyone’s guess. Where he came from, where he went is anyone’s guess.

However, like the cops, Zodiac was human too. He made mistakes, we just have to hope one of those mistakes proves his undoing.

Unfortunately from my experience, the police often ask the public for information that may help solve a case, while at the same time giving us no information about the crime. It’s a two-way street. When will they release the Cheri Jo Bates police reports – 100 years maybe.

Agreed Richard, though I give Vallejo and Napa more credit since they have made much more information available. SFPD is as bad as Riverside in my opinion. We don’t know what is actually going on behind the scenes with DNA but if this current effort by Vallejo fails, or has failed, all jurisdictions should really consider releasing all information they have on this case. They have an army of people like us who will gladly search diligently for answers.

Xcaliber, the thing you need is merely a piece of evidence. The "sample" is created from the piece of evidence by swabbing it with a moist qtip-like swab. I don’t do forensic DNA analysis, but I’ve seen it done more than once.

If the presumed-Zodiac envelopes comes in to a lab in the morning, that same lab can produce a DNA profile by close of business. I’m just stating what I know and juxtaposing it against what we think we know about Zodiac DNA testing. It shouldn’t take a full year to raise a profile from a piece of evidence unless that testing is put off for more recent crimes. Even so, with 48 wells per test (at most labs), you can test 44 pieces of evidence at a time (4 for controls). Surely there’s isn’t that much crime in California that the testing takes this long.

If I had to guess, they found nothing relevant from the samples. However, it is also possible that they were able to raised a profile months ago and began doing the genealogical work ever since. Interestingly, if Zodiac is similar to my favorite POI, he has few relatives, living or dead. So genealogical work would not reveal a suspect very quickly.

Anyway, just to reiterate, if there is a piece of evidence such as a stamp or an envelope, it can be tested in about 6-7 hours if there is urgency.