Thanks Morf for creating this poll.

Soze

Never. It MAY be solved, but LE won’t follow up.

If it is solved one community will breath a huge sigh of relief and one community will die.

I have faith in technology that one day he will be caught/found out. 2+ years…

If it is solved one community will breath a huge sigh of relief and one community will die.

How do you really feel about that? I mean, if you solved the case today, what would you do? Frankly, i dont know how law enforcement performs the job that they do.

Soze

If it is solved one community will breath a huge sigh of relief and one community will die.

How do you really feel about that? I mean, if you solved the case today, what would you do? Frankly, i dont know how law enforcement performs the job that they do.

Soze

I think there will always be a community discussing the Zodiac case, solved or not. There are so many different aspects and if some one were declared the killer tomorrow there would still be unanswered questions.

The Tate/LaBianca murders were solved and the suspects convicted by 1971 but there are dozens of active websites, blogs and forums that still discuss the cases.

Even if Zodiac were found, and proven beyond a doubt, the ciphers are still a mystery. Unless the found, proven, Zodiac reveals the solutions.

-glurk

If it’s solved, Z will never be prosecuted – for the simple reason that he’s dead. That’s my hunch anyway.

And that means there will probably be a ton of loose ends for people like us to muse over endlessly.

Let’s say it can be forensically demonstrated/proven that NN killed Paul Stine – and that NN did indeed have a connection to Vallejo, making him a very plausible candidate for LHR and BRS.

People will still debate:

* Whether he killed Bates
* Whether he did Berryessa
* Whether he wrote the letters (i.e. the "partner theory" won’t die)
* Whether he killed other, non-canonical victims
* Whether he actually did LHR and BRS (i.e. the hoax theory can still be entertained)
* Etc.

Seagull/Norse, i just see that as sad. Glorification really. A complete waste I think of efforts that could be turned elsewhere, cases, that really dont have much devotion.

People will still debate:

* Whether he killed Bates
* Whether he killed other, non-canonical victims
* Whether he actually did LHR and BRS (i.e. the hoax theory can still be entertained)
* Etc.

The first two is how i would see the turn going in this case. I include the latter only so that can say that i have never understood how that theory can even be considered. I dont get it at all.

I would also say that i probably envy those who do work the ciphers. Completely different ball park.

Soze

If it is solved one community will breath a huge sigh of relief and one community will die.

How do you really feel about that? I mean, if you solved the case today, what would you do? Frankly, i dont know how law enforcement performs the job that they do.

Soze

I would stop completely, the mystery would be over and I would walk away from it forever, happy and contented it had been solved. But somehow I doubt it ever will.

Seagull/Norse, i just see that as sad. Glorification really. A complete waste I think of efforts that could be turned elsewhere, cases, that really dont have much devotion.

People will still debate:

* Whether he killed Bates
* Whether he killed other, non-canonical victims
* Whether he actually did LHR and BRS (i.e. the hoax theory can still be entertained)
* Etc.

The first two is how i would see the turn going in this case. I include the latter only so that can say that i have never understood how that theory can even be considered. I dont get it at all.

I would also say that i probably envy those who do work the ciphers. Completely different ball park.

Soze

I agree, Soze. But the reality is that too many people have gotten too involved – emotionally, personally – with pet suspects and theories to ever let go, even in the face of what a neutral observer would call conclusive evidence.

We have seen this already – and I fear that many (vocal) figures in the Z community would basically just keep on keeping on even if the case was officially solved through some forensic find or other.

If Z is still alive, however, the picture could be somewhat different: If forensics nailed NN – and NN proceeded to make a full confession…well, that would be hard to dismiss even for the most persistent theorists. Sadly, though, I think this scenario is very unlikely.

If it is solved one community will breath a huge sigh of relief and one community will die.

How do you really feel about that? I mean, if you solved the case today, what would you do? Frankly, i dont know how law enforcement performs the job that they do.

Soze

I would stop completely, the mystery would be over and I would walk away from it forever, happy and contented it had been solved. But somehow I doubt it ever will.

Thank you.

Soze

I agree, Soze. But the reality is that too many people have gotten too involved – emotionally, personally – with pet suspects and theories to ever let go, even in the face of what a neutral observer would call conclusive evidence.

We have seen this already – and I fear that many (vocal) figures in the Z community would basically just keep on keeping on even if the case was officially solved through some forensic find or other.

If Z is still alive, however, the picture could be somewhat different: If forensics nailed NN – and NN proceeded to make a full confession…well, that would be hard to dismiss even for the most persistent theorists. Sadly, though, I think this scenario is very unlikely.

So a lot like Allen and the non DNA match. No. I think i would have to agree with UK.

Soze

So a lot like Allen and the non DNA match.

That would be a very relevant analogy – yes. ALA was ruled out by all sorts of physical evidence – and yet he has never been completely dismissed as a suspect.

Still, the problem with ALA is that it has been possible to question the validity of said physical evidence: The prints are no good, the DNA is contaminated/flawed, the handwriting doesn’t mean anything because ALA was ambidextrous/faking it/had an accomplice who did the writing…and so forth.

I think that IF the Zodiac case is solved, it will be mainly as a result of something purely forensic: New methods for extracting DNA from the evidence (Stine’s shirt, say) – and a positive match to NN. In short, it will be harder, more solid evidence than what we’ve seen so far – and thus harder to dismiss/explain away. But I have no doubt that some people will nevertheless dismiss it. That seems to be the nature of the beast.