Excellent thread, morf.

I like this angle a lot. I think it’s a good possibility Z was a letter writer in his "civilian" life too. If the citizen letter and the later missives are genuine, this further strengthens that theory.

Besides, the one thing we know for sure about Z is that he did like to write letters and have them rushed to the editor!

This is the idea that lead Mr Rodelli to "Mr X", ain’t it?
It’s a good idea – but the results might need to be filtered by a good dose of common sense. No?
Well yes, of course.
Personally, I am absolutely 100% convinced that The Evile Zodiace wrote to newspapers AND police forces in the bay area between 1966 and 1969 claiming involvement in some major crime or other. No doubt. Was his letter published or filed by LE? Well……

Yes, Mike R did find Mr X this way and I think it’ was a good strategy

I’ve sometimes entertained the idea that IF the police sit on evidence they’ve never made public, this evidence might be a letter – and quite possibly a letter Z sent either before his killing spree began, or as a regular citizen, i.e. not as the Z persona.

That’s a slightly different angle than this one, though. If such a letter exists he presumably didn’t use his real name.

But he may very well have done so for other missives. Let’s say Z was in his late thirties around 1970 (which isn’t unreasonable). He could have sent letters to the papers for roughly twenty years, going back to the 50s. Needle in a haystack, for sure – but not impossible if we assume he stuck to the same papers.

I’ve sometimes entertained the idea that IF the police sit on evidence they’ve never made public, this evidence might be a letter – and quite possibly a letter Z sent either before his killing spree began, or as a regular citizen, i.e. not as the Z persona.

That’s a slightly different angle than this one, though. If such a letter exists he presumably didn’t use his real name.

But he may very well have done so for other missives. Let’s say Z was in his late thirties around 1970 (which isn’t unreasonable). He could have sent letters to the papers for roughly twenty years, going back to the 50s. Needle in a haystack, for sure – but not impossible if we assume he stuck to the same papers.

The draft board letter is a good example. It was mailed March, 1968, far before the 1st Zodiac murders, and letters, yet it wound up in the FBI Files for the z case. Wonder why??

Do you think he wrote to the Chronicle during this time? We know that he was in Riverside and Vallejo before SF, so personally I think that he might not have written them until after he "became Zodiac" and was more likely to write to his local papers. Just a feeling.

Do you think he wrote to the Chronicle during this time? We know that he was in Riverside and Vallejo before SF, so personally I think that he might not have written them until after he "became Zodiac" and was more likely to write to his local papers. Just a feeling.

Well, some people don’t think he was in Riverside, or are not convinced of that,although I personally have no doubt that he was responsible for the Riverside writings & desktop. Wherever Z was, I think he likely write newspapers. He seems like the type that would want to feel important, and get the recognition, and wanted to see his name or his letter in the paper, perhaps because he never got attention in his everyday life. I think he would be more likely to use his real name BEFORE writing the papers as ‘the zodiac’. Once he started writing letters as Zodiac, I think he would be more likely not to use his real name, as we see with the letter signed ‘a citizen’. He obviously had to intention of that letter being caught as a Z letter, yet he still didn’t sign his real name to it-just in case. It also wouldn’t surprise me if the police were working closely with SF Chron, and Vallejo Times Herald screening their letters to the editor.

From the 6/17/74 Vallejo Times

No real person by this name has EVER existed, I checked multiple databases. This does not scream Zodiac, and maybe the writer just made the name up, but maybe Z,if he was writing papers, would feel the need to use a fake name.

This one was interesting: He mentions Zodiac & Exorcist together

And some more from him to various papers:

This Guy mentions the SLA, and Guns,things I think Z may write about. Interesting to me, is that he was originally from Lancaster, PA, and them moved back to Lancaster PA after his time in Vallejo(see Lindy Sue Biechler case with Zodiac-like letter). Then again, he writes that he has not lived in Vallejo long, so maybe he was not even there in 68-74??

This one was interesting: He mentions Zodiac & Exorcist together

And some more from him to various papers:

Albert Cardwell has written more than a dozen letters to the editor that I can find…it’s not a crime, but it’s a habit I would expect from Z. This one is most interesting:
http://napavalleyregister.com/news/opin … 3b63b.html

He wrote about Harry Martin. Harry Martin has written extensively about the zodiac case

Here’s another:
http://napavalleyregister.com/news/opin … 002e0.html

"At the Feb. 16 meeting of the Napa City Council during public comments, I read a letter in which I presented my reasons for canceling my 40-year subscription to the Register, and at the end of my presentation I was applauded by the people in the audience."

To me, that opening statement is Zodiac-like…egotistical almost. I’m not saying this Guy was z, but the frequent letter writing to editors is interesting, as is some of the subject matter, and Z may have similar habits

wow, check this one out:

Cardwell used the name DON QUIXOTE. Google DON QUIXOTE Zodiac Killer and be amazed at the amount of hits!!!!

And this, http://napavalleyregister.com/news/curm … 6b1c8.html

"In an interview at his small house on Pacific Street, behind Napa High School, Cardwell quickly dispensed with pleasantries, launching into critiques of law enforcement — "the chances of their ever finding a criminal are so slim"

Probably nothing but RH? from Santa Cruz 2/9/69:

ANNOUNCEMENT:

I have enlisted the help of a researcher that I have hired in the past, and she is going to work on getting me copies of all of the letters to the editor published in the SF Chronicle & Vallejo Times Herald.

I am going to focus on Early 1968 up until the first Z letters were received in August, 1969. It’s my belief that Zodiac very likely wrote letters to editors of the SF Bay papers outside of his Zodiac persona, and quite likely used his real name.I also think he may have stopped using his real name in letters to the editor after his 1st Z letters.

I am looking for frequent letter writers, whose name appears multiple times sending letters to the editors, as well as similar subject matter that Z would have been interested in such as Gilbert & Sullivan, mentions of Herb Caen, Exorcist, or other things that read like Zodiac, or any phrases or catch words Z was fond of. Maybe discussion of the Z case itself, and of course, anybody with RH initials

This is going to be a big project, and I hope we can find some things of interest, and possibly develop new Suspects, or maybe even spot known Suspects writing to the editors. I invite anybody interested to go thru these PDF’s and help us brainstorm.

Additionally, this project is going to cost a good chunk of change, and any donations are appreciated. It’s going to cost about $30 for a month’s worth of letters to the editors. This covers the researcher’s time, gas, copying costs, etc. Although it’s bit expensive, I personally feel it’s worth it, as I am willing to bet that one or more undiscovered letters to the editors may be published in this collection! Again, donations are welcomed and appreciated, but not mandatory.

Please keep all discussion of the letters in this thread.

Here’s the first Batch, MARCH 1-31st, 1968 (not including any Sat or Sundays)