My question is pretty straightforward, but despite searching for it, I haven’t found it.

We know that the Robbins kids witnessed the moments after Zodiac had shot Stine and exited the vehicle. They watched him walk away up Cherry St.

Pelissetti has stated in the 2007 doc that he received the radio call from dispatch about a robbery/assault at Washington and Cherry at 9:55.

My question is when did the Robbins kids call police? Did they call as soon as they saw Zodiac messing with Stine’s body? Were they on the phone with dispatch as Zodiac was wiping down the cab? Or did they wait until he fled the scene?

When did the Robbins kids call police?

I am not sure, but according to the Paul Stine police report it is stated:

The homicide occured approx. 9:55pm
The Call to the police 9:58pm

Source: http://www.zodiackiller.com/StineReport1.html

Interesting. Pelissetti said in the 2007 doc that the radio call went out at 9:55 and they responded immediately.

If the police report is accurate and the call went out at 9:58 then that means the kids waited 3 minutes after the homicide to call police.

I wonder what the turn around time was then from a call being placed to police to a radio call being sent out to units.

Interesting. Pelissetti said in the 2007 doc that the radio call went out at 9:55 and they responded immediately.

If the police report is accurate and the call went out at 9:58 then that means the kids waited 3 minutes after the homicide to call police.

I wonder what the turn around time was then from a call being placed to police to a radio call being sent out to units.

We don’t know for sure when the taxicab pulled up to the intersection and how long Paul Stine had been murdered. The police report tables 9:55 pm and 9:58 pm. If the officers received the initial dispatch at 9:58 pm, we can say with a measure of confidence that Zodiac left the taxicab and crime scene at 9:56 pm, one minute after the estimated murder time of 9:55 pm, if that is what it signifies. This being the case absolutely refutes the notion of Pelissetti having Zodiac pointed out to him at the top of Cherry by the three kids.

The description of the WMA at Jackson/Maple matches the kids description and the Julius Khan description of dark clothing, possibly brown/black trousers, about 40, crew cut, reddish-blond, light-coloured hair, 5’8" to 5’10", medium heavy build, wearing glasses. The Bus Bomb author knew of the 2 cops as he approached the Jackson Maple intersection, not reported in the newspapers. The WMA spotted by Fouke was Zodiac. Fouke’s journey time from Washington and Presidio Avenue to the Jackson and Maple intersection was 1 minute.

1st Radio broadcast = 9:58 pm.
Fouke arrived Jackson/Maple 9:59 pm
Fouke spotted Zodiac here 9:59 pm.
3 minute walking from crime scene to Jackson/Maple
Zodiac left cab at 9:56 pm
Zodiac arrived top of Cherry 9:57 pm.
Pelissetti can’t possibly have Zodiac pointed out to him at 9:57 pm.
Pelissetti didn’t get 1st radio broadcast until 9:58 pm.

If you apply a 9:55 pm time to 1st radio broadcast, just take 3 minutes off all the above. Either way, the timeline does not work. Eg:

1st Radio broadcast = 9:55 pm.
Fouke arrived Jackson/Maple 9:56 pm
Fouke spotted Zodiac here 9:56 pm.
3 minute walking from crime scene to Jackson/Maple
Zodiac left cab at 9:53 pm
Zodiac arrived top of Cherry 9:54 pm.
Pelissetti can’t possibly have Zodiac pointed out to him at 9:54 pm.
Pelissetti didn’t get 1st radio broadcast until 9:55 pm.

Richard,

When you say Pelissetti having Zodiac pointed out to him at the top of Cherry, the implication is that either Pelissetti actually laid eyes on Zodiac rounding the corner or that he had JUST rounded the corner. Neither of these things have to be true for the timeline to remain valid.

Here’s an alternate timeline that accounts for everything:

9:38 Paul Stine picks up Zodiac
9:52:30 Paul Stine is shot
9:54 Call placed to dispatch by the Robbins kids
9:54:30 Zodiac leaves the scene on foot
9:55 Dispatch call goes out re: cabbie being robbed/assaulted
9:55:30 Pelissetti and Peda arrive on scene as Zodiac rounds corner
9:57 Foulke & Zelms intersect with Zodiac

We assume that it was a 3 minute walk to Jackson and Maple but it is DOWNHILL there and that increases pace. It could have taken Zodiac only 2 minutes or 2:30 to walk the .3 miles to that location.

https://www.walkingenglishman.com/walktime.aspx

Whether Foulke and Zelms stopped and talked to Zodiac or not is a different question.

Lastly, the question remains…at what point in the attack did the kids call the cops and how long from that point to the radio call being broadcast to police.

If the call went out at 9:55 pm and Fouke intercepted Zodiac at 9:57 pm, then the 840 metre journey from Washington/Presidio Avenue was negotiated by Fouke & Zelms travelling at an average speed of 15.7 mph, not the 35-40 mph he claimed.

Fouke & Zelms should have intercepted Zodiac at 9:56 pm. So if Zodiac rounded Jackson/Cherry at 9:55:30, he travellefd the entire length (block) of Jackson Street in 30 seconds despite being described as casually walking up Cherry and lumbering along Jackson. If Pelissetti took 1 minute to arrive en scene, it gets demonstrably worse.

Like I said, it takes Fouke no longer than 90 seconds to arrive at Jackson/Cherry. Even if Pelissetti arrived on scene in 30 seconds, did nothing at the crime scene and walked immediately up Cherry, checking behind all the parked cars and checking alcoves, it would take a minimum of 90 seconds to reach the top of Cherry. That is 2 minutes total. Fouke still only needs 90 seconds (likely less) to reach the top of Cherry. But this is ignoring everything Pelissetti claimed he did at the crime scene. Fouke and Pelissetti can’t possibly meet at the top of Cherry directly from the initial radio broadcast.

According to the expanded retelling by the kids, the call was made while Zodiac was still in the taxicab.
"At this time, Lindsey went downstairs to get a better look at what was happening, while one of the kids upstairs called the police. Downstairs, the lights were off, so Lindsey knew he could not be seen from the outside. He got close to the window and watched his actions. He was shortly joined by Rebecca. They both watched and observed in silence as Zodiac pushed the driver to an upright position behind the steering wheel, exited the car and walked around the rear of the car and opened the driver’s door. Stine had fallen over onto the seat and Zodiac pulled him back up into the seated position and had some difficulty keeping him upright. Once upright, he was seen to have a rag, or something like a handkerchief and began to wipe down the door area and leaning over the driver, part of the dashboard. When he was finished, Zodiac calmly walked to Cherry St. and walked north".

I am not sure what difference it makes who was where and exactly when , when it is less than a minute or so? How does this impact the case?

Even though the teens who were having a party and "don’t remember" what caused them to go to the window. I still believe it was the noise of the "gunshot" that caused them to go to the window in the middle of having fun at the party.
They probably watched for a minute or so before deciding to call the police? They were curious teens, not sure of what they were seeing and not knowing how important it is to call right away. The call was logged in at 9:58 pm.

I am not sure what difference it makes who was where and exactly when , when it is less than a minute or so? How does this impact the case?

Only from the perspective of one or two assailants. If Pelissetti had ‘Zodiac’ pointed out to him at 9:59 pm (or even 9:58:30 pm) at the top of Cherry (approx 30 secs or 1 min after 1st broadcast), we know Fouke observed ‘Zodiac’ at 9:59 pm at Jackson and Maple. This is obviously not possible regarding one ‘Zodiac’, which leaves open the door to two similarly attired people responsible for the attack. It isn’t so much that Sandy (I believe in likely one responsible), but it is getting the facts of each crime correct, rather than accepting flawed retellings. The 2007 documentary is not correct, or at the very least, presented out of sequence. Timelines are critical to every investigation.

You could be right Richard, you have said that Zodiac was about 40 yrs old and yet the first description that was given on the first SF composite said much younger. You also said the pants were a different color, than what the witnesses saw, they said his pants were a rust /brown color.

So perhaps there were two in the same area at the same time? You know that I have said many times, I do believe there were at least two working in tandem. The size of the Lake B killer was very different than what the Stine shooter looked like. No one has come up with an explanation for that discrepancy! You can’t be overweight and tall , then two weeks later be thinner and shorter.

And there is one more thing regarding the 2007 documentary.
Donald Fouke gets the APB at TIME ZERO (same time as Pelissetti). He travels from just by Presidio Ave/Washington St to the top of Cherry according to the documentary. This journey is a maximum of 90 seconds (based on his 35-40 mph estimate and allowing for intersections).

Armond Pelissetti gets the APB at TIME ZERO (same time as Fouke). Now remember, he has to bump into Fouke in 90 seconds at the top of Cherry. His 90 seconds are used up here (regarding his walk up Cherry) "I walked that way myself, I did not run because there are innumerable alcoves and parked cars, so I went down following every technique I knew so I didn’t get my head blown off".

Therefore his time to arrive at the crime scene, having Zodiac pointed out to him by Lindsey, escorting the kids to their alcove, checking on Paul Stine, retaking the description from the kids, updating everybody on the radio and asking Peda to secure the crime scene, he did in ZERO SECONDS. If somebody could explain how he meets Donald Fouke at the top of Cherry directly from the 1st broadcast in 90 seconds, without a time machine, I will be eternally grateful.

I wonder what the turn around time was then from a call being placed to police to a radio call being sent out to units.

Here, on important calls our PD Dispatch says "right away", "30 secs".

Maybe the answer is that everyone’s wristwatch wasn’t perfectly synchronized, their watches could
have been off + or – a few minutes ?

Maybe the answer is that everyone’s wristwatch wasn’t perfectly synchronized, their watches could
have been off + or – a few minutes ?

The time their wristwatches are set is irrelevant. They both started their journey at the same time ie: zero seconds (1st APB). Now get them to meet at the top of Cherry directly. Seven 100 metre runners could have their wristwatches set to different times. What relevance does this have to when the gun goes off? It boils down to how long it takes to perform an action or travel a particular distance.

I wonder what the turn around time was then from a call being placed to police to a radio call being sent out to units.

Here, on important calls our PD Dispatch says "right away", "30 secs".

Yes, but this was 1969 – pre-911. To call the police you had to call them directly and then be directed to a dispatcher or call the operator and be connected. I’m guessing the turnaround time for an emergency call 50 years ago was a lot more. Just don’t know how much more.

Maybe the answer is that everyone’s wristwatch wasn’t perfectly synchronized, their watches could
have been off + or – a few minutes ?

The time their wristwatches are set is irrelevant. They both started their journey at the same time ie: zero seconds (1st APB). Now get them to meet at the top of Cherry directly. Seven 100 metre runners could have their wristwatches set to different times. What relevance does this have to when the gun goes off? It boils down to how long it takes to perform an action or travel a particular distance.

Yes, good point Richard !