So it would seem odd that anyone associated with Riverside would be "quickly" ruled out of the Berryessa attack.

What makes you think it was "quickly"? The only date I see is when Ross was in the mental institution. There’s nothing about when he was ruled out or how long it took, unless I’m missing something.

When and where did Tom V. make this statement about Ross ?

What’s everyone’s thoughts on Tom Voigt’s recent claim regarding alleged statements made by undersherif Dick Lonergran (they’re just making these names up ). No no, I’m sure Lonergran is a real person, just another funny name. And I’ll also say that my inclination is to believe Tom. But I’ve been doing some soil compaction test of my own and after jumping up and down on this claim something just don’t add up.

Here it is:

I first learned of Ross back in 1998. Retired Zodiac detective Ken Narlow got me into the Napa County Sheriff’s Department for a meeting with Dick Lonergan, the acting undersheriff who was also Narlow’s partner for the original Lake Berryessa investigation. I had an extensive discussion with Lonergan, who told me Ross had been quickly ruled out as the Berryessa killer of Cecelia Sheperd. If memory serves, it turned out Ross was in a mental facility on Sept. 27, 1969.

And of course, the Riverside police apparently ruled him out as the Bates killer, or at least that’s what the police told the suspicious librarians.

I just see one obvious problem here, I thought Avery didn’t find the Riverside connection until circa ’71? So it would seem odd that anyone associated with Riverside would be "quickly" ruled out of the Berryessa attack. Certainly once the connection had been made it’s entirely possible the first thing all the departments did was go through the Riverside suspects, but I didn’t know that Ross was a very serious Riverside suspect.

Anyway the claims are plausible, and Tom can only report what he recalls being told. The timing though, I mean this recollection seems to have taken a while to surface, I don’t like those kinds of sudden revelations.

Thoughts anyone?

If this is true, why would Tom just say this recently after Ross was first making rounds a few years back and after he was featured on a tv show?

See the date:
http://zodiackiller.com/RiversideMemo1.html

I know I’ve told that story numerous times over the years. It’s nothing new. Maybe at the old deja news forum?

Edit: There’s a discussion thread at my forum about Ross, back in 2014 I mentioned that I recollected Napa County had looked at him. At that time I hadn’t really thought about him in 16 years, since I met with the under sheriff. My memory about 1998 is better today as I’ve been going over all of my old materials for my podcasts etc. In fact I did one a few months ago that was all about 1998.

See the date:
http://zodiackiller.com/RiversideMemo1.html

I’m confused, I don’t see the statement by Undersheriff Lonergran that Ross was locked up in a mental institution on
Sept. 27th 1969 ?

That report was just to show that Riverside and Napa County were already working the Bates/Zodiac connection long before Avery got on to it.

That report was just to show that Riverside and Napa County were already working the Bates/Zodiac connection long before Avery got on to it.

Wasn’t it a Riverside police officer that tipped off Avery?

No, a private citizen. His name is floating around here somewhere.

No, a private citizen. His name is floating around here somewhere.

Phil Sins?

viewtopic.php?f=25&t=486

That sounds right.

Well I’m satisfied. Good work Tom.

If this is true, why would Tom just say this recently after Ross was first making rounds a few years back and after he was featured on a tv show?

Revisionist history.

No mention of this back in 2014:
https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/zodiack … 2-s20.html

Feb. 2014,
"His height and weight are of interest to me now. Maybe someone can snag DMV records."
"Well, according to the informant report, Sullivan was checked out and had an alibi."
"I believe the Napa County SD also looked at Ross."

But now, Napa knew about Ross, remembered him 30 years later in 1998, and had verified he was in a mental institution on the exact date of a Z crime.

Maybe Napa was thinking of this suspect, who was in Napa State Hospital, and looked into:
http://www.zodiackiller.com/LBReport14.html

No one even new if Ross was ever in Nor Cal until Morf dug up info on him around 2014.
Now, "If memory serves, it turned out Ross was in a mental facility on Sept. 27, 1969."
If Ross was in Napa State Hospital, that just adds to evidence. Puts him right there at the time.

But unfortunately this does not eliminate Ross as Z. You see, LB was not actually Z, but a copy-cat.
Actually a copy-cat of a copy-cat…

I used to think LB was Z, but have been schooled on this error numerous times.

Sorry, but it’s true.