Wow, great stuff Eric! Good work

I finally received copies of Ross Sullivan’s Selective Service records from the National Archives. Unfortunately, there is not much that is new. His registration card records him as: eyes “blue,” hair “blonde,” complexion “fair,” height 6’2’’, weight 260, and having a “scar on left upper arm.” It states that he is a student at Glendale College and living with his father at the E. Harvard address. Ross registered, per the law, at age 18.

Ross Sullivan is on line 19 of the Classification History (SSS Form 102) I received. It lists him as “available for military service” (1-A) and “registrant qualified for service only in time of war or national emergency” (1-Y). It states that his physical examination records were destroyed on November 20, 1970. The result of his exam was “rej.” I believe this is an abbreviation for “rejected” but I have not yet been able to confirm this. I also do not know what the remarks mean (“yx – p??”). I think I will call the archive and ask about these codes.

I will also compile a better reproduction of the relevant parts of the records I received. Please let me know if you want a copy of the full records (the entire page on which Ross is line 19). I can email it.

I want to make note of his weight. He’s listed as 6’2 and 260 lbs. Now he’s younger here, about 18, but this is roughly around the period we have photos for him. At 260 lbs we know Ross doesn’t look overly fat from his high school photos. I bet at 300 lbs, as he was listed later on, he wouldn’t look so fat either.

It’s interesting that Ross went to high school, lived and worked in Glendale. In 1959 he was at Glendale College.
Why in about 3-4 years did Ross end up at RCC? Riverside is pretty far from Glendale. And Glendale has a college Ross was enrolled in.

Was Ross at Glendale College, then moved to Riverside with TIm?
When did Ross end up at Patton State Hospital?

It’s interesting that Ross went to high school, lived and worked in Glendale. In 1959 he was at Glendale College.
Why in about 3-4 years did Ross end up at RCC? Riverside is pretty far from Glendale. And Glendale has a college Ross was enrolled in.

Was Ross at Glendale College, then moved to Riverside with TIm?
When did Ross end up at Patton State Hospital?

All parts of the mystery. We know when Allan S lost track of Ross or last saw him

Somebody emailed me, and stated that RCC has, in their catalogue, a copy of the John Laffin book published in 1964, ‘Codes & Ciphers’. This is one of the books that many thought Zodiac used for his cipher interests. I’d be curious to hear from some of the cipher fans here if this book would have likely helped somebody like Ross to create the ciphers. Also, I should point out, I can’t verify this book is in their catalogue or if it’s been there since 1966,but if so, this is pretty interesting

doranchak bought the book Codes and Ciphers by John Laffin and started a thread about it here-

viewtopic.php?f=81&t=2915

Somebody emailed me, and stated that RCC has, in their catalogue, a copy of the John Laffin book published in 1964, ‘Codes & Ciphers’. This is one of the books that many thought Zodiac used for his cipher interests. I’d be curious to hear from some of the cipher fans here if this book would have likely helped somebody like Ross to create the ciphers. Also, I should point out, I can’t verify this book is in their catalogue or if it’s been there since 1966,but if so, this is pretty interesting

Yes real interesting. back in the 60s/70s a little pocket with a card was in some of the books and your name was put on it and given to the librarian when you borrowed it and every few weeks they would chase you up to return it. pipe dreams

Somebody emailed me, and stated that RCC has, in their catalogue, a copy of the John Laffin book published in 1964, ‘Codes & Ciphers’. This is one of the books that many thought Zodiac used for his cipher interests. I’d be curious to hear from some of the cipher fans here if this book would have likely helped somebody like Ross to create the ciphers. Also, I should point out, I can’t verify this book is in their catalogue or if it’s been there since 1966,but if so, this is pretty interesting

Yes real interesting. back in the 60s/70s a little pocket with a card was in some of the books and your name was put on it and given to the librarian when you borrowed it and every few weeks they would chase you up to return it. pipe dreams

Yes,I remember those from when I was a kid. Would love to see the names of people that checked that book out at RCC

Not that it wouldn’t be available at RCC, but it shows it as a juvenile (7th grade/12+) textbook. Seems Zodiac could have referenced many books…a cipher is a cipher, no matter who writes about it. Interesting, none-the-less.

That book could have been used to create the 408. The 408 is very basic and many books on ciphers would cover how to do it.
We don’t know how the 340 was encoded, so we can’t say where he got the information to create it. If the 340 is solved, that might point to how Z came up with the information.

As far as how all that relates to Ross. Ross seemed to be into books, and could be the type of person to read about the process in a library and use it. Ross was also involved with YMCA outdoor type stuff, and he could have picked up cipher knowledge with that.

Didn’t we also figure out his old YMCA boss H Prune, have a HAM radio lic? He might also have used coded messages and trained Ross.

That book could have been used to create the 408. The 408 is very basic and many books on ciphers would cover how to do it.
We don’t know how the 340 was encoded, so we can’t say where he got the information to create it. If the 340 is solved, that might point to how Z came up with the information.

As far as how all that relates to Ross. Ross seemed to be into books, and could be the type of person to read about the process in a library and use it. Ross was also involved with YMCA outdoor type stuff, and he could have picked up cipher knowledge with that.

Didn’t we also figure out his old YMCA boss H Prune, have a HAM radio lic? He might also have used coded messages and trained Ross.

Another thing I noticed from Ross’ military information. He was originally registered on October 15th 1959. He was classifed 1-A on September 13th 1962. Then he took his examination and failed it on November 4th, 1963. He was reclassified a 1-Y on January 16th, 1964.

There’s a lot of information there. I don’t know the process of registering and taking ones exam. But why were the gaps so long between the various certifications?

Hello, all. I received another email from someone who is related to Ross. Here is what he wrote (with a couple typo corrections) in the two emails in which he described what he knows.

February 22, 2017

Eric, we have recently been made aware of Ross’ possible relation to both the Cheri Jo Bates homicide and rumored connections to the Zodiac. I will tell you both my father and I are in law enforcement and have had contact with the current investigators in California, one of which seemed to quickly dismiss Ross’ connection, we went as far offering to have a cousin supply DNA for comparison.

My father is Ross’ first cousin and we still have contact with Ross’ brother John Sullivan, who is in California.

Let me talk to my father, he may be more adapt at providing you with information that you seek.

This I do know, Ross was in the area during the Cheri Jo Bates time, was "sent away", which my parents believed to have meant he was institutionalized for some time. On occasions my mother asked about Ross and she was told that he had passed away unexpectedly, only to find out that he passed years later, according to my parents it seemed like the family had a dirty little secret they were trying to conceal. My father spent time with Harold’s three sons growing up they would come visit his mother, Grace (Sullivan) Flaherty. My father describes all three cousins as extremely intelligent, however, he says that Ross was odd, socially awkward.

June 5, 2017

I have periodically been talking with my parents about Ross. I am not sure that they have much more information to offer. My father is a few years younger that Ross, he is John’s age. He was a young child when Ross, John and Tom could come to Connecticut to visit his mother. My father did say that it was always thought that Harold had deserted the boys after Harriet had died, but my father clearly remembers that Harold had left prior to Harriet dying and once Harriet died the three boys were placed into an orphanage. He is not sure exactly that was, but it was definitely in California. He says that growing up they always lived in California except for a short time when Harold had brought Harriet, John, Tim and Ross to the east coast where they lived in up-state New York for a short time.

My mother says she clearly remembers having a conversation with Tim one time shortly before or shortly after my sister was born (1966) when she asked about Ross. According to my mother Tim told her that Ross had died while in an insane asylum. She always thought it was odd that they were told Ross died about ten years earlier than he actually did in 1977.

Both of my parents said that they never really had much contact with Ross, Tim or John because that always lived on the west coast, or in Canada when they were dodging the draft. They both were not able to recall any of Ross’ interests, knew if he was into collecting military items. My father said he never knew Ross to even have a license and therefore couldn’t tell me if he even ever owned a car.

My mother said that other family had discovered the connection with Ross and the Cheri Jo Bates homicide back some years ago and that John had been asked about it and he said "it’s bull shit".

Like I think I told you before, my father always said that all three boys were very smart, but that Ross was always odd and they knew that he was in and out of institutions

.

This is very interesting. Whenever discussion of the Albany letter comes up I think of Ross’ connection to New York…

Since they are in law enforcement, and relatives, is there any chance they can obtain any hard info? Like, what was Ross’ alibi for the CJB murder, and was he the person at Patton who confessed? For that matter, it would be good to know how thoroughly Ross was checked out. And the grail would probably be establishing the dates Ross was institutionalized, and where.

It’s odd that Tim was saying Ross was dead in 1966-67, when he was of course well aware Ross was alive.

It’s good that some family members are interested in getting to the truth – which I personally think will clear Ross conclusively.

When I communicated with Jon, he was clueless to Ross and any connection with Cheri, or the Zodiac case. He was very cordial, but caught so off guard, he didn’t quite know what to say at first. Of course he described his size and medical condition…which I thought was decent of him to discuss with a total stranger.

Thanks for posting this Eric!

I will tell you both my father and I are in law enforcement and have had contact with the current investigators in California, one of which seemed to quickly dismiss Ross’ connection,

That must be RPD who are still convinced it was BB. (and only relating to the CJB case)

This I do know, Ross was in the area during the Cheri Jo Bates time, was "sent away", which my parents believed to have meant he was institutionalized for some time.

This might be his time in Patton Hospital (sometime around 1961-1964)

My mother says she clearly remembers having a conversation with Tim one time shortly before or shortly after my sister was born (1966) when she asked about Ross. According to my mother Tim told her that Ross had died while in an insane asylum. She always thought it was odd that they were told Ross died about ten years earlier than he actually did in 1977.

Tim was the one who seemed to be around Ross the most, so that is odd. He also told Katz he was convinced Ross had killed CJB.