i really sont think lake herman road and blue spring was spaneus loverline events, from car reposition, strange declaration of witnes looking the car emty in lake herman road and the strange thing about a stalker someone serching for ferrin, rare behibour of ferrin, mageau qith 3 layers fo clothes.
lake berriesa is something so diferrent that doubts comes to me. Much important, the victims were in a hard scape place, the same for zodiac not seen the back during all the opration. Could done all this totally alone, its incredible risky, much risky than steain.
Stein dont look planificated, but for me its a murder to claim a kill and get evidence.

Its hardly a single guy working this,even of during the events there was single guy working over victims.
Instead of bates, cehck domingoes murder in early 60s with the modus operandi of lake berriesa and same ammo used in lake herman road. bates have similarities but domingoes is much likely the same guy or group.

Sorry I don’t mean to be rude but please try a spell check before posting as it is becoming increasingly difficult to understand your posts.

Hi
Why did he wait 2 months before he sent the letters and code 408? And why a few days later he sent another letter – forgot to write everything the first time?

BRS attack was early July 5th, letters & 408 sent July 31st. Less than 1 month. The next letter was in direct response to a police request for more information.

I can think of a number of reasons the MO evolved. Maybe couples weren’t crazy enough to park in Vallejo after BRS. Maybe he was afraid the next car would be full of detectives (or vigilantes) packing heat. I do think he wanted to escalate the risk, because each attack represented an escalation of risk — but he didn’t want to be shot dead as soon as he approached the victims.

LB couldn’t be spontaneous because of the preparation. Seems like he definitely had a game plan for Stine, with the escape route, murder location and the shirt. BRS, you have the holiday timing, the oddity of him driving up to Ferrin’s car, leaving, coming back later, and the mysterious gap until the phone call; he probably wasn’t on his way to work. We don’t know enough about LHR.

In my opinion, the quick rebound with PH was due to Hartnell’s survival and LE calling Zodiac a "sexual deviate." Also possible that he blabbed too much to Hartnell. He was attempting to regain control of the narrative by drastically upping the stakes as well as targeting a lone male…in downtown SF, to boot.

Hi

Sorry for my English (it is not my native language) and also that I write about stuff you have already written or ask questions you know about.

I am a historian – I do not declare that because I am writing a book or studying the Zodiac case. I know only what was in the movie and what is on Wikipedia, I also reviewed a few webpages and briefly read your forum. Being a historian means being a scientist and thus using the scientific method, among others: Ockham’s Razor – that’s why I don’t think, for example, that the solution to the cipher puzzle were the movements of the chess horse or selecting hidden letters etc.; looking for solutions in the field of pseudoscience such as numerology will also not solve the problem. This is a criminal case, not the Da Vinci Code.

But I have some comments and questions, maybe it will help others:

Four basic murders:
1968, dec, 20 – Lake Herman Road – night, couple on a date – pistol – 2 victims
1969, jul, 4 – Blue Rock Springs Park, Vallejo – night, couple on a date – pistol – 2 victims (1 death, 1 survived) – 6 months after the previous attack
1969, sep, 24 – Lake Berryessa – day, couple on a date – knife – 2 victims (1 death, 1 survived) – 4 months after the previous attack
1969, oct, 11 – taxi driver in SF – – pistol – 1 victim – 2 weeks after previous attack

Why was it months between 1 and 2 and between 2 and 3 but only days between 3 and 4? This murder does not match the pattern, neither for the victim, nor for the place, nor for the time. The film said that he did it to change the pattern. I read somewhere that it could be spontaneous. But how spontaneous? Rage Attack? Urgent need to kill?
Or maybe a necessity? Is it possible that a radio was playing in the taxi and while driving some information was given about the killer from Lake Berryessa (seems to have been witness there) that the driver could identify the passenger as a killer? The Zodiac had no way out and had to shoot the driver. Is it known what the radio was broadcasting exactly during the taxi ride?

Riverside City College
What does the poem-case look like? Does it mean that if poem was found in a magazine on an old desk means that the author was a student at school? If he had feelings for Cheri then he could be a student at the same time as her – it would mean that he was of a similar age (yes, I know it means about 20 years in 1966 and about 23 in 1969, while witnesses specify 26-30 in 1969-1970, but it is possible to be 23 and look 27)? If he was a student, he probably lived in the area until about 1968, and if he later murdered in another area it means he moved (to work). Have any of the suspects made such a move?

Lake Herman Road
Spontaneous or planned murder? He drove around and looked for victims, or maybe he was going to a specific place (home, work, friends) and when he saw the car in the parking lot he decided to attack? Why didn’t he call the police or send a letter after that murder?

Blue Rock Springs Park
Spontaneous or planned murder? He drove around and looked for victims, or maybe he was going to a specific place (home, work, friends) and when he saw the car in the parking lot he decided to attack? Why did he wait 2 months before he sent the letters and code 408? And why a few days later he sent another letter – forgot to write everything the first time?

Lake Berryessa
Spontaneous or planned murder? Why did he change the gun to a knife? Why did he kill in the daytime?

After the assassination of the taxi driver he didn’t kill anymore. Yes, he was still counting, but he could have written 100 instead of 37, and it wouldn’t make sense either, because we don’t any proof. And yet he eralier had proved exactly who he killed and how.
Yes, 9 nov. he wrote "I shall no longer announce to anyone. when I comitt my murders" but maybe just to claim someone’s killings and unexplained cases? He also did not do the bombs he threatened – so we know he was able to lie.
In addition, 8 nov. he sent a letter and a 340 cipher, and a day later a letter again? He forgot to write everything again? He must knew that every letter was a risk of fingerprints, some traces … By the way: what were the places where all letters were sent? I think there are accurate post office details on the mail stamp?

I’m a newbie so I’ll play. I haven’t done much deep research but I have reviewed several forums and sites with letters and timelines.

The RCC Poem
I’m not sold on this being the work of the Zodiac. First, there’s no way to date this poem, so any thoughts that it is related to CJB’s murder are speculation. Handwriting analysis has confirmed this is the Zodiac’s handwriting, but my issue with this assumption is the Zodiac letters were obviously intentionally made to look that way. The RCC poem was also written on the underside of the desk, so if the author didn’t tip the desk over to write it, writing while laying on your back could certainly affect the handwriting. The poem seems to reference suicide more so than homicide- "She won’t die this time, someone will find her…"

Lake Herman Road and Blue Rock Springs have similar MOs. My opinion is the Zodiac stalked locations where he knew there would be a chance for young couple victims, but also where there wasnt enough activity to where he could escape unnoticed but the victims would be found within a few hours. I think BRS was a crime of opportunity, not necessarily one that he planned. My belief is the Zodiac was on timeframes to complete his crime. He would determine the general area in which he wanted to strike, drive there, and kill when the opportunity presented itself.

Lake Berryessa was an escalation. Zodiac’s crimes weren’t getting the attention he though they deserved. He also wasnt the first killer to perpetrate lover’s Lane murders, so he wanted to do something shocking. He used the costume to instill fear and exert control in his victims, and you can tell as he became comfortable and chatted up the couple while they tied themselves. The up-close knife attack and binding was done for shock. His speech about being an escaped con was a lie, and by all accounts he spent more time at the scene and committing the murders themselves than any other. He was getting bold because he wanted results.

Paul Stine’s murder was a further statement. Probably to react to LE calling him a sexual deviant but also to amp up the fear factor. Zodiac was making the move from attacking kids on the outskirts of town to attacking adults in broad daylight within the city limits. It was his, "Honey, I’m HOME!!!" moment if you will. But he screwed up- there were witnesses, and he claims cops talked to him minutes after the murder. Stine got too real for him.

I don’t believe the Zodiac was motivated by the act of violence itself like the BTK killer for example. He wanted to rule society with fear, and he did what he thought would generate the most fear. My perspective is the Zodiac was a character created by the killer who had a purpose and a story arc, and once he lost control and the narrative took directions he didn’t like or anticipate he began to unravel.

Being a historian means being a scientist and thus using the scientific method, among others: Ockham’s Razor – that’s why I don’t think, for example, that the solution to the cipher puzzle were the movements of the chess horse

Oops.