AK, thanks for doing those FOIA requests. It will be interesting to see what, if anything, you can get from the government. When I first discovered Richard’s plagiarism, I was surprised how many sleuthers regarded it as a minor distraction or something of little significance. The foundation of his entire alibi was based on an alleged trip to Europe, as told to Ken Narlow. Richard had to maintain this alibi in "My Albany Sojourn" by stating that he "headed to Europe" after quitting his newspaper in September, 1968.
I have read and heard anecdotes of Richard being in San Francisco in December, 1968. I think this is a more realistic scenario than him traveling in Europe around that time. It would have been great if Wood had gotten written confirmation regarding her search for Gaikowski’s passport, but I am guessing AK’s search will serve to corroborate her findings.
Yesterday I finally got the Gaikowski passport application I asked for via FOIA request a long time ago.
RG did in fact apply for a passport in October of 1968, and his application was approved. He indicated intention to travel to the United Kingdom (which Northern Ireland is a part of), France and Spain. He listed a proposed departure date of November 1, 1968, via ship and return by plane.
So for those few who said RG never had a passport, and could not have been in Northern Ireland as his reportage indicated, we now know he did indeed have a passport, and intended to travel to Europe in November of 1968, and return to Europe sometime within the next year. As explained in the letter, the State Department does no give info on exact travel dates, so we do not know for sure when he left the US, when he actually returned and if and when he left again and returned.
I had believed that RG did in fact have a passport, did travel to Europe and did do first hand eyewitness reporting on the crisis in Northern Ireland in January of 1969. So these documents tend to prove me correct on those points. And as a skeptic of RG as Z, I have found it difficult to believe (though not physically impossible) that a resident of Albany, New York, would travel to Europe in the Fall of 1968, come back to do a murder in California around Christmas time, then finish his assignment in Europe reporting on the troubles in Northern Ireland, the civil rights marches and the violence. I didn’t – and still don’t – feel it is very practical, or realistic, for a NY resident busy with European reporting, to sandwich in a Zodiac crime. I don’t know of another similar instance of a person having a busy career success, going to Europe, then leaving one coast of the US to commit a serial murder on the other coast. So there is material here for RG skeptics to examine and some of it may bolster their arguments.
But there is also material here for RG proponents. I had previously said that if RG went to Europe in the Fall of 1968, he likely stayed there until at least early 1969 to do some of his Ireland reporting. Which would effectively rule him out for the Zodiac crime of LHR on 12/20/68. Tom argued that RG could have come home for Christmas time in 1968, and then returned to Europe to finish his reporting, thus putting him stateside at the time of LHR 12/20/68. I replied that this was possible, but seemed unlikely to me because of the expense involved.
But on his passport application of October 1968, RG states it is his intent to travel to the UK, France and Spain, leaving on November 1, 1968, but he anticipates only staying "one month", and then returning overseas sometime within the next year. We don’t know what RG actually did – he may have decided once he got overseas to save money and stay there in December to do his reporting in 1969. But he did state that it was intent, at least, to only stay one month, come home, and then return overseas sometime in the next year. Which IMO gives more weight to Tom’s argument – it is no longer a pure hypothetical possibility, now we have evidence that it was at least RG’s stated intent. Of course it could be as innocent as simply wanting to spend Christmas and holiday time with friends and family, or that he didn’t get approval and funds for further Ireland reporting until he got home. But for RG as Z proponents, at least he is in theory much more likely to be stateside on 12/20/68.
They also gave me RG’s 1999 passport application – which RG filled out in blue ink and a State Dept. employee marked in red ink. Interestingly, he checks the box indicating he "Lost" his 1968 passport, while the State Dept employee writes (I think) "Exp", which I think means "Expired".
I know there are at least five members here, perhaps more, who have websites of their own. As always, with any documents obtained by me (or Morf), people are free to post these documents at their own websites. If you can mention "Documents obtained by AK Wilks", I appreciate it.
Thanks also to Theforeigner, Drew and others who gave me the info I needed to give the State Department to identify Gaikowski and to prove he was deceased.
MODERATOR
Great job, I tried like crazy to get this and all I got were hoops to jump through.
Well, hell, so much for his passport clearing things up. Good work, nonetheless.
Thanks Tom. I had help from Theforeigner and Drew. You have to give them a lot of very specific and detailed info, and provide proof of birth, SSN, proof of death, etc. Working with Morf and on my own, I’ve had a lot of experience doing FOIA requests and have picked up some knowledge along the way. It took awhile and some persistence, but was finally able to get it.
And Curious Cat, these documents to not definitely rule RG in or out for LHR or for being Z. But they do, IMO, clear up or at least shine some light on certain issues. We now know that RG did in fact have a passport and did in fact intend to travel to Europe, actually intended to travel there twice. For me, it confirms that he was there in January 1969 to do the first hand eyewitness reporting on the Irish troubles as he represented. For me, and likely other skeptics, that confirms that there at least practical, realistic and motivational issues for a NY resident, doing reportage in Europe before and after the first Z crime, to also travel to California in December 1968 to do a Z murder. He lands in California, he must get a gun, a car, scout the area, etc. One can make arguments pro and con on these issues.
But just as importantly, it shows that RG did have an intent to leave for Europe on November 1, 1968, proposing to stay for one month, return to the US and then return overseas sometime within the year. So it tends to show that RG at least intended to be stateside in December 1968, so he can’t be physically ruled out for LHR 12/20/68.
As usual when you get documents, certain questions are answered. some are unanswered and some new questions are raised.
MODERATOR
Well, hell, so much for his passport clearing things up. Good work, nonetheless.
He was planning to return by December 1, after a month in Europe. Who knows if he did, but that sounds a lot more reasonable for an unemployed reporter. Plus the holidays and all.
Well, hell, so much for his passport clearing things up. Good work, nonetheless.
He was planning to return by December 1, after a month in Europe. Who knows if he did, but that sounds a lot more reasonable for an unemployed reporter. Plus the holidays and all.
I wish you a Happy Christmass… 
If he did actually return, RG might have wanted to spend the holidays with friends and family. It could be he only had funds for one month of travel. And it could be that if he did return to the States on or near December 1, 1968, at sometime later in December – the 15th, or the 30th, who knows – he got the approval and funds for a trip to report on the Irish troubles.
MODERATOR
Thank you so much AK, TF, Drew for all the work that must have gone into securing this documentation!
Good work chaps
Well, hell, so much for his passport clearing things up. Good work, nonetheless.
He was planning to return by December 1, after a month in Europe. Who knows if he did, but that sounds a lot more reasonable for an unemployed reporter. Plus the holidays and all.
The minimum wage in 1969 was $1.65 an hour. Reporters were in that range, but let’s say he could earn $2.50 an hour as a reporter.
Airline deregulation wasn’t until 1978, so in 1969 flying was substantially more expensive, relative to today.
The guy could have many reasons for flip-flopping between NY and Europe and CA and Europe again — but saving money wasn’t one of them.
But just as importantly, it shows that RG did have an intent to leave for Europe on November 1, 1968, proposing to stay for one month, return to the US and then return overseas sometime within the year. So it tends to show that RG at least intended to be stateside in December 1968, so he can’t be physically ruled out for LHR 12/20/68.
Nice digging for the truth. Wherever it made lead you.
I notice in the Passport Picture Gaikowski looks noticeably younger. I had Grinell post the (Gyke in Ireland Picture) that started this thread of a person in Ireland that looks like Gyke on Jan. 1 1969.
Many people thought the person in the picture looked too young to be Gyke.
We still have no idea of Richard Gaikowski’s whereabouts on the night in question.
However.
What’s so ironic after all these years, is all of the people who used Richard’s "My Albany Sojourn" piece as proof Gaikowski was out of the country for Lake Herman Road.
Using that very approach would also "prove" Gaikowski was back in the States three weeks prior to the murders.
And the passport document is a much more credible source than Sojourn, as it was before Gaikowski would have needed an alibi, and the Sojourn piece was written after.
We still have no idea of Richard Gaikowski’s whereabouts on the night in question.
However.
What’s so ironic after all these years, is all of the people who used Richard’s "My Albany Sojourn" piece as proof Gaikowski was out of the country for Lake Herman Road.
Using that very approach would also "prove" Gaikowski was back in the States three weeks prior to the murders.
And the passport document is a much more credible source than Sojourn, as it was before Gaikowski would have needed an alibi, and the Sojourn piece was written after.
Tom there’s nothing definitive either way.
You have a proposed travel date and an estimated length of stay — and the purpose of the trip as ‘business’.
Without the confirmed dates of travel there’s nothing there.
Great work on this, AK. I remember when you started on this a while ago and wondered if anything would come out of your FOIA search.
