I wonder, why is it so hard to believe for most people that Donald Fouke was only doing his job, and rightly so. Why would he go directly to the crime scene?

I’ve never seen anyone question that. He thought he could cut off the suspect before they entered the Presidio. Everybody gets it.

If he didn’t go directly to the crime scene after passing the WMA, then he should have said that in the 2007 documentary. He didn’t. He said he "turned southbound on Cherry St". If Donald Fouke was only doing his job and thought he could cut off the suspect, why didn’t Armond Pelissetti do the same thing. Armond Pelissetti headed directly to the crime scene, therefore by the same logic, he wasn’t doing his job by heading directly to the crime scene. They both received the same initial APB, so who was right and who was wrong?

In theory, if Lindsey was pointing out the suspect at the top of Cherry, turning east on Jackson, why didn’t he cut off Zodiac before he reached Jackson & Maple, or instruct somebody else to do so via the radio. Apparently he didn’t, or was seemingly ignoring the teenager.

If Donald Fouke was only doing his job and thought he could cut off the suspect, why didn’t Armond Pelissetti do the same thing. Armond Pelissetti headed directly to the crime scene, therefore by the same logic, he wasn’t doing his job by heading directly to the crime scene.

They both did their job correctly as far as I’m concerned.

Armond and Frank Peda got to the crime scene first and they surely must’ve notified a 10-23 ("arrived on scene") immediately after that. Therefore, their job was to secure the crime scene. Fouke and Zelms main job was to sweep the surroundings looking for the suspect, and trying to cut him off.

Yet you’re right, there are some descrepencies in their recollection if we confront them.

I wonder, why is it so hard to believe for most people that Donald Fouke was only doing his job, and rightly so. Why would he go directly to the crime scene?

I’ve never seen anyone question that. He thought he could cut off the suspect before they entered the Presidio. Everybody gets it.

If he didn’t go directly to the crime scene after passing the WMA, then he should have said that in the 2007 documentary. He didn’t. He said he "turned southbound on Cherry St". If Donald Fouke was only doing his job and thought he could cut off the suspect, why didn’t Armond Pelissetti do the same thing. Armond Pelissetti headed directly to the crime scene, therefore by the same logic, he wasn’t doing his job by heading directly to the crime scene. They both received the same initial APB, so who was right and who was wrong?

In theory, if Lindsey was pointing out the suspect at the top of Cherry, turning east on Jackson, why didn’t he cut off Zodiac before he reached Jackson & Maple, or instruct somebody else to do so via the radio. Apparently he didn’t, or was seemingly ignoring the teenager.

Foulke had different information than Pelissetti. He was told where the suspect was headed and decided to pursue him immediately rather than detour to the crime scene. Pelissetti did not have that information and responded to the crime scene. It’s also important to note that once Pelissetti did learn of Zodiac’s whereabouts, he also pursued him. They both made the right choice given the information they had.

Whether Foulke was being less than truthful in one or more of his interviews is another conversation entirely.

I don’t know where the source that Donald Fouke had different information than Armond Pelissetti is coming from. They both got the same initial APB. If he got extra information different than Armond Pelissetti, can you please show it. Who told him where the suspect was headed?

When the unit arrived at the crime scene standard procedure would have been to update everyone on the radio. Fouke would have known there was already a unit at the scene.

As far as what Fouke "should have" said, by 2007 he was practically in a coma. Expecting him to not get a few things mixed up wouldn’t have been realistic.

standard procedure would have been to update everyone on the radio

Do we know for a fact that is what happened? That a protocol exists does not mean it was followed.

The thing is Tom, he was already heading away from the crime scene before he got the update from Pelissetti. In 1989, he stated "As we arrived at Arguello Street the description of the suspect was changed to a white male adult, (and) believing this suspect was possibly the one involved in the shooting, we entered the Presidio of San Francisco and conducted a search on West Pacific Avenue, the opposite side of the wall and the last direction we observed the suspect going. We did not find the suspect".

The different information would have been Zodiac telling Foulke and Zelms that there was a man down the street waving a gun. That’s why they decided to ignore the crime scene and attempt to apprehend the “shooter”.

Pelissetti never got that info which is why he went to the crime scene.

The different information would have been Zodiac telling Foulke and Zelms that there was a man down the street waving a gun. That’s why they decided to ignore the crime scene and attempt to apprehend the “shooter”.

Pelissetti never got that info which is why he went to the crime scene.

I certainly agree with that.

It’s also not clear that Peda arrived at the scene with Pelissetti. A good guess is Pelissetti and Peda were on guard duty in front of Mayor Alioto’s house. Peda would have stayed behind temporarily until a replacement showed up.

Peda did arrive at the scene with Pelissetti. Officer Armond Pelissetti made this clear at the beginning of the Zodiac Speaking documentary about Presidio Heights, stating "we responded to a call" and "we arrived".

The killer was escaping on foot and only had a brief head start. What Fouke did made perfect sense.

Agreed. Foulke had the choice to report to where the crime had already been committed or possibly intercept and capture the assailant within minutes.

Regarding the theory posited above:

You can choose to believe that Zodiac sat next to Stine, reached across his body and shot Stine with the barrel pointed forward and downward, grabbed both the steering wheel AND Stine’s body, reached his leg over and deftly pressed the gas, then drove the taxi a city block. All while holding a dead body and gun. Also, somehow not being completely drenched in blood. Because…??????

Or you can choose to believe that Stine pulled to the corner of Washington and Cherry with Zodiac sitting behind the passenger seat, Zodiac pulled a gun while Stine waited for the fare, placed it to Stine’s head and fired across and downward with Zodiac then getting out, wiping the car and struggling to keep Stine upright before fleeing the scene.

I think you can tell which one is more logical.

Yes, the former theory – aka the "bloodbath version" – makes little to no sense – which is probably why no one in these posts has mentioned it, let alone would choose to believe it. Yes, Gian Quasar’s theory quoted in an earlier post does imply this version, but the most likely alternative theory is virtually the same as your second version, with just a few additional points highlighted:

"Stine pulled to the corner of Washington and Maple with Zodiac sitting behind the passenger seat, Zodiac pulled a gun while Stine waited for the fare, placed it to Stine’s head and fired across and downward with Zodiac then getting out" and entering the front of the taxi through the passenger side, sliding across next to Stine, then maneuvering the cab the short distance to the corner of Washington & Cherry before "wiping the car and struggling to keep Stine upright before fleeing the scene".

This would be a logical version and one that no doubt Michael Butterfield et el (and myself) would be positing.

The thing is Tom, he was already heading away from the crime scene before he got the update from Pelissetti. In 1989, he stated "As we arrived at Arguello Street the description of the suspect was changed to a white male adult, (and) believing this suspect was possibly the one involved in the shooting, we entered the Presidio of San Francisco and conducted a search on West Pacific Avenue, the opposite side of the wall and the last direction we observed the suspect going. We did not find the suspect".

How does that quote show Fouke hadn’t already heard that Pelissetti was at the scene?

Peda did arrive at the scene with Pelissetti. Officer Armond Pelissetti made this clear at the beginning of the Zodiac Speaking documentary about Presidio Heights, stating "we responded to a call" and "we arrived".

Yes Richard, but unless I missed it there is no description from Pelissetti of Peda doing anything at the scene.

The fact that Pelissetti never disclosed where he and Peda were when the call came in supports the notion that they were guarding Alioto’s house.

Peda did arrive at the scene with Pelissetti. Officer Armond Pelissetti made this clear at the beginning of the Zodiac Speaking documentary about Presidio Heights, stating "we responded to a call" and "we arrived".

Yes Richard, but unless I missed it there is no description from Pelissetti of Peda doing anything at the scene.

The fact that Pelissetti never disclosed where he and Peda were when the call came in supports the notion that they were guarding Alioto’s house.

Peda did countersign the Pelissetti police report, which began "Upon responding to the above location, officers Peda and Pelissetti found Yellow Cab #912".