No, it’s the stuff they use on aeroplanes so they don’t go too high.

I don’t think it’s impossible that the case could get solved without DNA. The quality of other evidence would have to be assessed on its individual merit. For example, whilst it’s true that handwriting analysis is hardly reliable, it’s not totally unreasonable to believe in some rare cases you may just get a very compelling match, that in turn may lead to more solid evidence.

I think if we ever find him, you won’t have to turn your head sideways and squint, if you take my meaning.

It’s kind of a hindsight thing, if you found the real killer, I think other evidence would follow soon after. Its the main reason I doubt all the suggested suspects. It seems likely if one of them was Z, someone would have dug up something more irrifutable by now.

It’s possible the case gets solved without DNA, but as you have said, you would need strong physical evidence. Also, I think at this point we should differentiate between "solving" the case and "identifying" the perpetrator. I don’t think we will see an arrest made and a conviction against a suspect, but we could see an announcement telling us who the perp was. Knowing who did it and being able to arrest the person are two different things.

No, it’s the stuff they use on aeroplanes so they don’t go too high.

I don’t think it’s impossible that the case could get solved without DNA. The quality of other evidence would have to be assessed on its individual merit. For example, whilst it’s true that handwriting analysis is hardly reliable, it’s not totally unreasonable to believe in some rare cases you may just get a very compelling match, that in turn may lead to more solid evidence.

I think if we ever find him, you won’t have to turn your head sideways and squint, if you take my meaning.

It’s kind of a hindsight thing, if you found the real killer, I think other evidence would follow soon after. Its the main reason I doubt all the suggested suspects. It seems likely if one of them was Z, someone would have dug up something more irrifutable by now.

Couldn’t agree more!

It’s possible the case gets solved without DNA, but as you have said, you would need strong physical evidence. Also, I think at this point we should differentiate between "solving" the case and "identifying" the perpetrator. I don’t think we will see an arrest made and a conviction against a suspect, but we could see an announcement telling us who the perp was. Knowing who did it and being able to arrest the person are two different things.

I’ve been thinking about that outcome. I wonder too what would happen if they only had a familial DNA match, and had a suspect identified, but were unable to obtain a direct DNA sample?

Because Zodiac was so prolific, if a suspect was identified by DNA, I think there would be a lot of circumstantial links, even with much time having past. If a suspect was identified through DNA I’m confident you would be able to place them within reach of the murder sites and it would be hard to imagine that with all of the letters that other links wouldn’t be found.

It’s possible the case gets solved without DNA, but as you have said, you would need strong physical evidence. Also, I think at this point we should differentiate between "solving" the case and "identifying" the perpetrator. I don’t think we will see an arrest made and a conviction against a suspect, but we could see an announcement telling us who the perp was. Knowing who did it and being able to arrest the person are two different things.

I’ve been thinking about that outcome. I wonder too what would happen if they only had a familial DNA match, and had a suspect identified, but were unable to obtain a direct DNA sample?

Because Zodiac was so prolific, if a suspect was identified by DNA, I think there would be a lot of circumstantial links, even with much time having past. If a suspect was identified through DNA I’m confident you would be able to place them within reach of the murder sites and it would be hard to imagine that with all of the letters that other links wouldn’t be found.

It isn’t without precedent. Look at the Honolulu Strangler case for example, they knew who he was but didn’t have the grounds to arrest or charge.

If they know who he is and he is deceased, why wouldn’t that be announced?

If they know who he is and he is deceased, why wouldn’t that be announced?

If they’ve gotten very close, following the path of a family tree, but the probable suspect is deceased, had no direct descendants, and was cremated, nailing it down might prove rather tricky.

If they know who he is and he is deceased, why wouldn’t that be announced?

If they’ve gotten very close, following the path of a family tree, but the probable suspect is deceased, had no direct descendants, and was cremated, nailing it down might prove rather tricky.

That would be Gaikowski.

If they know who he is and he is deceased, why wouldn’t that be announced?

If they’ve gotten very close, following the path of a family tree, but the probable suspect is deceased, had no direct descendants, and was cremated, nailing it down might prove rather tricky.

That would be Gaikowski.

It would be ironic, if all the while we thought the hunt was for Z DNA, but in actuality LE had that, and was really searching for DNA from their suspect to make the comparison / match.

Didn’t RG had known relatives?

It would be ironic, if all the while we thought the hunt was for Z DNA, but in actuality LE had that, and was really searching for DNA from their suspect to make the comparison / match.

Yep, which is one reason why I have been saying that getting a full DNA profile doesn’t automatically mean an arrest.

Back in ’91, I found a greeting card that displayed printing (hand-writing) that, to my amateur’s eyes, was indistinguishable from Zodiac samples. Unfortunately, the card is long gone, but might be considered in checking out Zodiac for Graphic Artist possibilities.

Who made his cape? Himself? His mother? it was supposedly pretty well made too. So who has that skill set. Secondly whilst he killed on the weekends except July 4th which is also a holiday, he sent his letters various days of the week. That implies he had a job with some mobility.

It would be ironic, if all the while we thought the hunt was for Z DNA, but in actuality LE had that, and was really searching for DNA from their suspect to make the comparison / match.

Yep, which is one reason why I have been saying that getting a full DNA profile doesn’t automatically mean an arrest.

I am pretty good at genetic genealogy and solved questions such as whether great grandpa was really the father. Sometimes you can get lucky and even if the perp never had kids (what I suspect) then you can narrow it down to one of several. If he had siblings that had kids then it narrows the field. Only problem might be if there is endogamy. This happens in small communities with few marriage options. Not likely in SF area but if the family moved from say Montana to SF area then there might be some endogamy.

My feeling is Z is Catholic due to that misspelling of Christmass.

Some Protestants are almost indistiguishable from Catholicism! I am Catholic but have attended services with my poi at his Methodist church and vice versa. The services and churches themselves were so alike I felt very much at home in his as he did with me in mine.