The Zodiac was picked up at the corner of Geary St. And Mason St. He hopped into a cab driven by Paul Stine. The rest of the story is well known. The suspected Zodiac card "peek through the pines", was mailed in March 1971. I wonder if the zodiac ate at the Pinecrest Diner. It’s right where he picked up the cab. The restaurant/bar has been open since 1969. I’m sure the police canvassed the area where Stine picked up the Zodiac back in 1969. Has anyone thought about the connection between the message in the card and the fact that it is showing a picture of a pine crest.
Well it’s the old problem of names in a way. Many people have theorized about many locations because of their names and how they ‘might’ have related to something Zodiac wrote. Good job on checking out the provenance of the restaurant and it at least being there in ’69. The other thing we have I guess is the other information on the ‘Pines’ card –
Pass Lake Tahoe Areas
Around in the snow
Sought Victim 12
and the architects sketch of a specific location (with pines) and the hole in them
So, questionable or not, the author’s reference to ‘pines’ seems to be overwhelmingly related to that location rather than anything or anywhere else. Hypothetically and assuming that Z wrote that card, is it possible he noted the coincidence to the restaurant near where he was picked uo by Paul Stine? Sure but in those scenarios anything is possible. As we’ve seen names like ‘pines’ are used frequently in many things and the possible reality is that Zodiac, in that respect, might have been like everyone else and just never noticed them or they held no particular significance given that a lot of things and locations were named after trees.
“I don’t know Chief, he’s very smart or very dumb.“
Figuring the Zodiac might have been having a few drinks before he did his thing at Presidio Heights, I was checking for a restaurant or bar in the vicinity of the cab pickup location. Using google maps it has little icons of different businesses. The first click was a restaurant. It was called the Pinecrest. I thought of the peek through the pines card. It has a little crest in the picture on the card. Also, the restaurant is one of the only eating and drinking establishment that have been in business since 1969. You’re right though, the card would lead one to believe it had to do with something up in Lake Tahoe, more than just a coincidence of the tree named business. It just struck me as an interesting idea.
Here is a discussion about this at the zodiackiller.com message board (with photo):
http://zodiackiller.fr.yuku.com/topic/6 … Q5AlnzF-So
“…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
Here is a discussion about this at the zodiackiller.com message board (with photo):
Well don’t that take all. I thought I had a good idea. It seems I’m a little late in the game here. These guys don’t miss a trick as far as connecting the dots. Of course you look at the places that the cab pickup and drop off was made. The area is in the heart of the city. I was pondering what the Zodiac was doing right before he got in the cab. Was he having a drink on that Saturday night? Was he having a bite to eat before he went on his mission of death? He was doing something in the vicinity of that intersection in my opinion. Instead of having a few drinks and and a couple of joints, then going out to dance and seeing a lot of pretty girls, like most normal guys, he created his own entertainment by going on a homicidal journey.
