Yeah, that specific town "Deer Lodge" is mentioned, I believe in the DOJ report. Hartnell originally told that to the police, is that correct? Yet you still have people on these threads who will say: "He never said ‘Deer Lodge. He just mentioned the state of Montana’" Well, which is it? That’s what I mean when I say it looks almost like intentional attempts at disinformation sometimes when you bring up TK as a suspect.

Why some people spread misinformation or disinformation, I don’t know. In terms of the boards, you have personalities, politics, agendas, money, and POI blinders. In terms of government agencies, you have politics, red tape, bureaucratic inertia, POI blinders, as well as possible cover ups of facts that could be embarrassing.

But Hartnell definitely reported Z said "escaped from prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. "

Anyone can read the reports. Hartnell at first did not say that. "Lodge" was mentioned, but at the suggestion of another cop and then, Hartnell confirms it.

The debates arise from reports, not from ulterior motives.

"Fern or Feathers"…."Fern Lock" – Hartnell
"It was Lodge"… – J.R.
"Oh yeah..yeah, at least we know we are together on that" – Hartnell
"Mountain Lodge Prison, or something of that nature…." – J.R.

http://www.zodiackiller.com/HartnellInterview3.html

and still here – ? Lodge…. It was written by someone (possibly Deer Lodge) MT….like they had looked up possible prisons. It was never a sure thing!

http://www.zodiackiller.com/LBReport24.html

Yes but on the prior page BH reports Z said "I just got out of prison in Montana. ..". Then BH reports Z gave the name of the prison and it was "a double name…like Fern Lock…", then the officer says "Deer Lodge", which is the name of the prison in Montana, and BH agrees. Police subsequently looked into any recent escapees from Deer Lodge Prison.

So like many witness reports of traumatic incidents, there are some issues of memory of the exact words, at first. But looking at the whole report and all the information, it seems pretty clear BH remembered Z saying "I just escaped from the prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. "

Yes but on the prior page BH reports Z said "I just got out of prison in Montana. ..". Then BH reports Z gave the name of the prison and it was "a double name…like Fern Lock…", then the officer says "Deer Lodge", which is the name of the prison in Montana, and BH agrees. Police subsequently looked into any recent escapees from Deer Lodge Prison.

So like many witness reports of traumatic incidents, there are some issues of memory of the exact words, at first. But looking at the whole report and all the information, it seems pretty clear BH remembered Z saying "I just escaped from the prison in Deer Lodge, Montana. "

From what I read, It is just "Lodge"…never "Deer Lodge"…..the officer actually said "Mountain Lodge".

I am not denying it could have been Deer Lodge that was mentioned by their attacker…just clarifying what the report reads.

I think to say "definitely" (anything) when it comes to this case is a reach.

In the first police report it says " ? Lodge, Montana. "

But fair enough, I went from "definitely" to "pretty clear".

So "Montana" is very consistent, even "Lock, Montana" or "Lodge, Montana" is pretty consistent. And in the context of a California crime, why doesn’t Zodiac say he escaped from Alcatraz, or San Quentin or some other California prison? Or a border or near border state prison in Oregon, Washington or Nevada? Why of all places Montana, and apparently Deer Lodge, Montana?

In that respect I do find it interesting that weeks before the September 27 murder Ted had just driven through Deer Lodge, Montana, and no doubt saw the signs "Do Not Pick Up Hitch Hikers Prison Area" and the exit signs for "Deer Lodge Prison ".