In reading the confession letter, a phrasee jumps out at me-
"she went to the slaughter like a lamb". In the Bible, there is a verse, "he was led like a lamb to the slaughter".
The fact the Author called this ‘The Confession’, and mentions something almost identical to a bible verse, may make Ross a good suspect, because perhaps his Dad was an influence here.

Also, as per Mr Katz, he mentioned that Ross had killed and skinned sheep. What is a baby sheep? A Lamb!

never mind.

In fact sliced up animals to be found is an early indicator for later sexually motivated killings. So better leave that poor creatures alone..

In fact sliced up animals to be found is an early indicator for later sexually motivated killings. So better leave that poor creatures alone..

Thats a good point, unless he was a farmer, or hunter, etc, but to kill animals for the sake of killing or torture,could be a sign of some real issues

Something I find interesting is the writing of the desk poem. I can remember those types of desk. I do believe that the top (writing surface) actually folded 90° downward toward the seat. Actually maybe some did and some were fixed.
Regardless, in order to write on the back side of the writing surface, one would almost be required to flip the desk upside down to gain access. This would draw quite a bit of attention from teachers and classmates. Point is, it seems plausible that the writer of the poem actually had access to the desk during off hours. Otherwise someone would surely take note of a person in such an awkward position.

Something I find interesting is the writing of the desk poem. I can remember those types of desk. I do believe that the top (writing surface) actually folded 90° downward toward the seat. Actually maybe some did and some were fixed.
Regardless, in order to write on the back side of the writing surface, one would almost be required to flip the desk upside down to gain access. This would draw quite a bit of attention from teachers and classmates. Point is, it seems plausible that the writer of the poem actually had access to the desk during off hours. Otherwise someone would surely take note of a person in such an awkward position.

Yes – it’s an important point. I’m more inclined than not to think that the poem was written by someone who isn’t connected to either Bates or the known Z crimes – and at the very least someone who didn’t write that poem as a direct reference to Bates. But a regular student – the most plausible candidate – would be far more likely to scratch the poem on the surface of the desk, whilst seated at it, than turning it upside down.

Question: Is it quite inconceivable that someone could have tilted the top – whilst seated at the desk – sufficiently, so that they could have written on it from an (awkward) angle? Or would the person have had to flip the whole thing over?

PS We have no idea when the poem was written or where the desk was placed at the time of writing. It’s not hard to imagine that anyone – student, teacher, a janitor, a random visitor – could have found himself or herself alone with that desk and decided to engage in a bit of graffiti.

Something I find interesting is the writing of the desk poem. I can remember those types of desk. I do believe that the top (writing surface) actually folded 90° downward toward the seat. Actually maybe some did and some were fixed.
Regardless, in order to write on the back side of the writing surface, one would almost be required to flip the desk upside down to gain access. This would draw quite a bit of attention from teachers and classmates. Point is, it seems plausible that the writer of the poem actually had access to the desk during off hours. Otherwise someone would surely take note of a person in such an awkward position.

I find it hard to believe a Stranger that does not belong to the school, would wander in and start writing on a desk. I think it’s more likely to be from somebody that belongs there, a Faculty member, or student. Janitors would have all the time they needed, but somebody like Ross, who was in the Library doing work wouldn’t be out of place either.

Yes morf that was what I was trying to say. It would be most unlikely that a student sitting in class could write on the bottom of a desk top during class. Seems it would have to be done by someone who had access when few people where present. Appears like Ross was always hanging around, so he had access
and would not stand out like a stranger would.

Yes morf that was what I was trying to say. It would be most unlikely that a student sitting in class could write on the bottom of a desk top during class. Seems it would have to be done by someone who had access when few people where present. Appears like Ross was always hanging around, so he had access
and would not stand out like a stranger would.

Plus we know that the poem was found in the library. I think that is important, because Ross worked there and had access to where it was found. It is more likely that the poem was written while the desk was not in use. He may have been bored at work, was wondering around, found the desk and decided to write down the poem.

Yes morf that was what I was trying to say. It would be most unlikely that a student sitting in class could write on the bottom of a desk top during class. Seems it would have to be done by someone who had access when few people where present. Appears like Ross was always hanging around, so he had access
and would not stand out like a stranger would.

Plus we know that the poem was found in the library. I think that is important, because Ross worked there and had access to where it was found. It is more likely that the poem was written while the desk was not in use. He may have been bored at work, was wondering around, found the desk and decided to write down the poem.

True. But unless I’m mistaken it’s impossible to determine where the desk was when the poem was written. I remember sitting at desks during my university days which looked like they might have been used by Isac Newton – and which could have, at least, been moved around between different university buildings for decades. I wouldn’t rule out that something similar is the case with the RCC library.

If Ross did write the desk top poem I believe that the "rh" signature is him using the "r" as obviously Ross and the "h" as him referencing one (or both) of his parents by using the first letter of their first names. Also what is his dad’s middle name? I know Harold’s middle initial is a "r" so maybe Ross is still thinking of his parents when he initialed this poem.

In one of the Zodiac letters, he had a n look more like an h. I’m not past believing he wrote rn and it looked like rh. As I said elsewhere, if it’s rn, r(oss sulliva)n.

In one of the Zodiac letters, he had a n look more like an h. I’m not past believing he wrote rn and it looked like rh. As I said elsewhere, if it’s rn, r(oss sulliva)n.

I like your take on this.

Has anyone ever attempted to track down the poem Jo Ann Bailey said Ross wrote about their old boss? Nighttime’s or Tiger Times would likely be the publications poetry would have been included in and I wouldn’t be surprised if they still exist. Any poetry at the time would be nice to look through in light of the desktop poem. I wonder if anyone signed their work rh?

Also noticed recently that UCR has published a few videos from the 60’s that they had archived. Do they have more video from that time period? There might be something in that. Ross was said by Bailey to always be in the quad. Might turn up in video footage.