The height and weight keeps being repeated over and over as a way to dismiss Ross as a suspect. Almost every thread has at some point gone off the rails and turned into a debate about height and weight. And sure, Ross fall into the largest descriptions of Z.

The main thing is this. Terrible suspects, like Earl Van Best, can be quickly eliminated due to some inconsistency with the description. EVB was simply to small to be Z. But more importantly, EVB has no connection to any of the Z crime scenes or victims.

But lets just say someone comes up with evidence EVB was seen getting into Paul Stines cab. Now the height and weight issue, while important, becomes less of a reason to eliminate him as a suspect.

Connection to a crime location and victim carries much more weight than physical description.
With Ross, he would have been a great suspect with just the library and Bates connection. But surprise, he also matches the composite better than any suspect even has. All that carries more weight than Ross’ actual weight.

The height and weight keeps being repeated over and over as a way to dismiss Ross as a suspect. Almost every thread has at some point gone off the rails and turned into a debate about height and weight. And sure, Ross fall into the largest descriptions of Z.

The main thing is this. Terrible suspects, like Earl Van Best, can be quickly eliminated due to some inconsistency with the description. EVB was simply to small to be Z. But more importantly, EVB has no connection to any of the Z crime scenes or victims.

But lets just say someone comes up with evidence EVB was seen getting into Paul Stines cab. Now the height and weight issue, while important, becomes less of a reason to eliminate him as a suspect.

Connection to a crime location and victim carries much more weight than physical description.
With Ross, he would have been a great suspect with just the library and Bates connection. But surprise, he also matches the composite better than any suspect even has. All that carries more weight than Ross’ actual weight.

Well said MrLowe. Just about every description of Z puts him at bulky,stocky,chubby,etc…I think that’s pretty consistent. Te height is the thing that bounces around. Mageau had a light in his eyes while he was being shot at. Hartnell said he was a poor judge of weight due to his own extreme height. The girls at the lake described a guy that may have been 6ft2(assuming he was zodiac)and the Pacific Heights witnesses just had bad vantage points to judge height.

I don’t care about the height/weight of a good Suspect, unless it’s somebody like EVB who is simply much smaller & lighter than Z was described. He was in no way stocky,chubby,or otherwise large,he was the complete opposite.

All I want to see is the Guy that looks identical to the sketch,knew Cheri Jo Bates, and was in the RCC Library where Zodiac’s writing was linked,properly ruled out.

This looks like a good moment for summarizing. I only just recently developed interest in the Zodiac’s identity. I heard Mike on a podcast and looked up this site. Coming in with a fresh perspective, I found it amazing how unlikely most of the POI’s were…but how uncanny things appear with Ross Sullivan. The coincidences seem too many. Like this comparison of Zodiac’s written numbers to that on Ross’ social security card application:

I think Jeff’s communication with the cousin is very telling. If they thought about aiding the investigation but decided not to…I just can’t image them thinking “we could help rule out our family member but we don’t want to.” I do feel for the family. What a strange thing to have to deal with!

As far as Harold being mysterious, I still have questions about Harriet. Why was she not listed (in sexist parenthesis) as Harold’s wife in the Glendale directory? Notice how Prugh’s wife is listed. Why was there nothing in the press about a funeral for her? Or an obituary? I would like to find out where in Glendale she taught. So far, I just have a list of possible schools.

Here are some other thoughts I have:

HOSPITALIZATION
Here’s a Santa Cruz article from April 15, 1969 that I find interesting. It’s about a suicide attempt by an out-patient at Agnew State Hospital. That means that the hospital was treating her but she would not stay there overnight. After the incident, she was taken to General Hospital- the same place the “Riverside man” in the “dazed trance” was taken to ten months earlier. Back in this article, the ironically named John Runner, who ran to get help, was reported to live at 512 Second Street (an address for Ross). I think this article shows that it could be possible that Ross was getting mental health treatment while still having the ability for outside action.

THEATER
The Zodiac’s extended references to Mikado hint at a possible theater arts association. Ross’ senior high school yearbook lists “acting (Thespian)” and “Orator’s club” (also theater-related) as activities. There are several documented cases of his acting. It is estimated that Stine picked up Zodiac around 9pm on a Saturday night…from San Francisco’s “theater district.” I have been trying to find out what performances were there that night, but it isn’t easy. There were about half a dozen playhouses within a block or two from where the Zodiac was picked up. I know it was reported that the police investigated actors, but there had to be hundreds of people involved in those productions. The description of the Zodiac costume, with the sewn-on symbol, makes me think it’s possible the Zodiac had access to costuming materials…maybe “backstage.” I would love to be able to look at the cast and crew names in the programs from that night. So far, I have only found a record of a collection in the possession of a SF theater historical society. I would also love to view that student film that Ross was the “star” of.

SIZE
When in high school, Ross was a fit athlete, worthy of mention for his swimming. When he died, he was pronounced extremely obese (and he was possibly in that home due to ambulatory difficulties). The Zodiac killings are in the middle of that time. It’s unknown when his transition took place. To me, he can’t be ruled out because the descriptions of the Zodiac indicate a large man. Often the estimates are qualified with an “at least.” Example: the shoe prints that they estimated were from a suspect “more than 210 pounds.” It seems to me a reasonable hypothesis that Ross became obese while institutionalized. 1974 had correspondence but no more documented crimes. After that, increased weight and correlated mobility issues prevented further Zodiac activity.

RIVERSIDE
Jo Ann Baily’s letter says “you will note from his transcript…” Where did this letter originate? Was there a transcript copy with it? I’d love to read any of his poems, but the mention of the school publication states that he wrote it for the publication; it didn’t say that they published it. Another thing: she later talks about Ross sitting on the low wall that lined the pit when “he was not officially enrolled at RCC.” Not only was he “not around the day after the murder,” but she writes that “it was a few weeks before he reappeared at his spot on the pit wall.” I point this out because it was reported that, due to the struggle, the murderer would have had visible scrape marks, etc. I would love to see that transcript. I also want to find out more about his time at UCSC.

Those are some thoughts I have, just coming in fresh to this. I appreciate all of your guy’s hard work and I hope I can help in some way. But, I will end with some levity: I think the smoking gun would be if we find any butter stains on the letters.

Eric that was neat

Nicely done, Eric.

Nicely done Eric,I wish we had more writing of Ross to examine

While it probably doesn’t contribute to the investigation of Ross, I came across an interesting reference to his brother Timothy. He is mentioned in a 1967 report to the Senate Fact-finding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities. It has to do with the five-year Delano grape strike. In 1965, Tim and some friends dropped off some donations for the striking farmworkers and he signed a guest book of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee. The report states:

“1965 — November 6: There were three pages of names in the AWOC guest register (176-178), and the events of the day showed that Tim Sullivan, 5599 Corwin Lane, Riverside, brought a truckload of food and clothing, as well as cash. With him were a number of University of California, Riverside, students including Floyd Sweet, CORE, Riverside.”

Another part of the report states:

“We do not wish to imply that all members of this UAW caravan, or other persons signing the AWOC register on that day were subversive. The hard fact remains, however, that three seasoned Communists were in Delano at strike headquarters on that date…”

https://archive.org/stream/reportofsena … i_djvu.txt

That’s a nice find Eric! It gives us another name to work with.

CORE stands for Congress of Racial Equality.

http://www.core-online.org/History/history.htm

Interesting find Eric!

While it probably doesn’t contribute to the investigation of Ross, I came across an interesting reference to his brother Timothy. He is mentioned in a 1967 report to the Senate Fact-finding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities. It has to do with the five-year Delano grape strike. In 1965, Tim and some friends dropped off some donations for the striking farmworkers and he signed a guest book of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee. The report states:

“1965 — November 6: There were three pages of names in the AWOC guest register (176-178), and the events of the day showed that Tim Sullivan, 5599 Corwin Lane, Riverside, brought a truckload of food and clothing, as well as cash. With him were a number of University of California, Riverside, students including Floyd Sweet, CORE, Riverside.”

Another part of the report states:

“We do not wish to imply that all members of this UAW caravan, or other persons signing the AWOC register on that day were subversive. The hard fact remains, however, that three seasoned Communists were in Delano at strike headquarters on that date…”

https://archive.org/stream/reportofsena … i_djvu.txt

You’re killing it Eric, well done. Some times all we need is a fresh set of eyes. Thanks so much.

This is great Eric, thank you!

While it probably doesn’t contribute to the investigation of Ross, I came across an interesting reference to his brother Timothy. He is mentioned in a 1967 report to the Senate Fact-finding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities. It has to do with the five-year Delano grape strike. In 1965, Tim and some friends dropped off some donations for the striking farmworkers and he signed a guest book of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee. The report states:

“1965 — November 6: There were three pages of names in the AWOC guest register (176-178), and the events of the day showed that Tim Sullivan, 5599 Corwin Lane, Riverside, brought a truckload of food and clothing, as well as cash. With him were a number of University of California, Riverside, students including Floyd Sweet, CORE, Riverside.”

Another part of the report states:

“We do not wish to imply that all members of this UAW caravan, or other persons signing the AWOC register on that day were subversive. The hard fact remains, however, that three seasoned Communists were in Delano at strike headquarters on that date…”

https://archive.org/stream/reportofsena … i_djvu.txt

I see it mentions Tim’s address which is cool. Supposedly, Ross was living with that Noel Jette girl. Anybody recall her address? I am curious if it is in a rural part of town, as one or all of the Bates letters seemed to have been mailed from a rural part of Riverside. In the 1965 directory there is only one listing for last name of Jette, at 3174 Allen Place for a Rene J & Margaret E. Jette. When I look up 3174 Allen place Riverside on Google Maps, it shows me nothing, but there is a 3174 Allen Ave next to Plummer Rd leading out to a sparsely populated part of Riverside.

While it probably doesn’t contribute to the investigation of Ross, I came across an interesting reference to his brother Timothy. He is mentioned in a 1967 report to the Senate Fact-finding Subcommittee on Un-American Activities. It has to do with the five-year Delano grape strike. In 1965, Tim and some friends dropped off some donations for the striking farmworkers and he signed a guest book of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee. The report states:

“1965 — November 6: There were three pages of names in the AWOC guest register (176-178), and the events of the day showed that Tim Sullivan, 5599 Corwin Lane, Riverside, brought a truckload of food and clothing, as well as cash. With him were a number of University of California, Riverside, students including Floyd Sweet, CORE, Riverside.”

Another part of the report states:

“We do not wish to imply that all members of this UAW caravan, or other persons signing the AWOC register on that day were subversive. The hard fact remains, however, that three seasoned Communists were in Delano at strike headquarters on that date…”

https://archive.org/stream/reportofsena … i_djvu.txt

I see it mentions Tim’s address which is cool. Supposedly, Ross was living with that Noel Jette girl. Anybody recall her address? I am curious if it is in a rural part of town, as one or all of the Bates letters seemed to have been mailed from a rural part of Riverside. In the 1965 directory there is only one listing for last name of Jette, at 3174 Allen Place for a Rene J & Margaret E. Jette. When I look up 3174 Allen place Riverside on Google Maps, it shows me nothing, but there is a 3174 Allen Ave next to Plummer Rd leading out to a sparsely populated part of Riverside.

Morf,

My Riverside directory has two listings for the last name Jette, the other is Alfred H Jette 10724 Bellegrave Ave.
Mira Loma CA (Riverside County)

IIRC I read somewhere that Ross Sullivan had butchered & skinned some kind of farm animal on Noel Jette’s property.

This 1966 aerial photo of Alfred jette’s property looks very rural, I wonder if Alfred is Noel’s father and this is
where Ross was staying.

(The house circled in orange is 10724 Bellegrave Ave.)