A few comments and questions about the phone booth Zodiac called from after Lake Berryessa….does anyone have really detail information about about the actual phone booth and circumstances?…..from my searching, it seems no fingerprints were found except for the reporter that found where the call originated……I’m interested to know if the entire phone booth was taken and maybe stored with Napa PD….does anyone know if it still exists?….were any other forensics conducted such as search for blood, or maybe foot tracks in the booth?…I see cold case programs all the time where evidence is uncovered for a lead….it’s possible that Zodiac wore gloves….it’s possible he didn’t and may have had to pull open the door on the booth….did he possibly touch the glass?…also given the time element between the crime scene and the call, he may have had time to clean up, then made the call if he lived in the area….is the booth in a police property room somewhere, like the car door?….if it is, I wonder if it could be looked at again…..thoughts?
My understanding is that a fresh palm print was collected from the phone booth. I believe it was said to be so fresh that the CSI guys had to dry it in order to lift it. That area has changed quite a bit, and the phone booth is no longer there.
I have attached some crime scene photos of the phone and phone booth below.
Anecdotally, Tom Voigt has said on his site that a group of brothers were playing near that phone booth while their mother was washing their car nearby. They had gone into the booth to search for any coins left behind. Recently, one of those brothers reached out to Tom and said that they witnessed a man wearing a dirty, yellow rain jacket use the phone booth prior to police arriving on scene. They never said anything to anyone at the time because they were all afraid the police were there for them because they had just been inside looking for coins. This story has never been confirmed, and to my knowledge, the police are not aware of it. I’ll defer to Tom for any further clarification.
“Murder will out, this my conclusion.”
– Geoffrey Chaucer
If it is true that a man wearing a rain suit entered the booth, it would seem possible that the guy could have worked at the carwash nearby.
Not a rain suit. Just a rain coat.
If it is true that a man wearing a rain suit entered the booth, it would seem possible that the guy could have worked at the carwash nearby.
I wonder if the car wash angle was thoroughly investigated?…I knew the booth was no longer there….I was wondering if it was taken as evidence immediately or at a later date…I wonder if there is a detail report of what was found at the booth during the investigation…
Not a rain suit. Just a rain coat.
Okay, thanks for clarifying. However, it would seem that a person working at a car wash might want to wear a rain coat or slicker or poncho or something.
I cannot remember where I heard it, but I am aware of a couple who were eating at a restaurant just down the street from the car wash who later recalled a man walk from the phone booth to a car parked across the street and drive away.
Anyone know more about this?
“Murder will out, this my conclusion.”
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The reason I even started this thread is because of rethinking all of the Zodiac contact points that may have left clues….like Lake Berryessa, Presidio Heights, etc…there seems to be more focus and hope on the stamps and envelopes than other areas that need to be re-explored that could yield possibilities…..
Most of the information gathered from the phone booth was in the form of fingerprints. While I’m not sure, I doubt highly that the phone booth itself was ever taken in to evidence. As I stated before, a fresh palm print was taken from the phone receiver.
Adding to another point, what was the weather in Napa following the murders? I know it was sunny during the day and while the murders were taking place. Did it rain after? Seems strange that someone would be wearing a rainjacket on a sunny evening.
ETA: I looked at the weather in the Napa Valley Register for both the 26th through the 29th. Weather was described as fair with 0.00 inches of precipitation. So, no rain at all. That would make a man wearing a rainjacket all the more unusual. Perhaps the car wash is a good explanation. Perhaps the man at the payphone was an employee or customer there rather than the Zodiac.
“Murder will out, this my conclusion.”
– Geoffrey Chaucer
Most of the information gathered from the phone booth was in the form of fingerprints. While I’m not sure, I doubt highly that the phone booth itself was ever taken in to evidence. As I stated before, a fresh palm print was taken from the phone receiver.
Adding to another point, what was the weather in Napa following the murders? I know it was sunny during the day and while the murders were taking place. Did it rain after? Seems strange that someone would be wearing a rainjacket on a sunny evening.
ETA: I looked at the weather in the Napa Valley Register for both the 26th through the 29th. Weather was described as fair with 0.00 inches of precipitation. So, no rain at all. That would make a man wearing a rainjacket all the more unusual. Perhaps the car wash is a good explanation. Perhaps the man at the payphone was an employee or customer there rather than the Zodiac.
According to what I read the police dispatcher remained on the line (remember Z left the phone off the hook) until a
newspaper reporter found the phone booth with the receiver off the hook and called out to the dispatcher thus
verifying the booth Z used to make the call, If this is true that proves the man in the raincoat was Zodiac.
Not a rain suit. Just a rain coat.
Okay, thanks for clarifying. However, it would seem that a person working at a car wash might want to wear a rain coat or slicker or poncho or something.
And then the car wash attendant went home and read Finnegan’s Wake for fun.
Not a rain suit. Just a rain coat.
Okay, thanks for clarifying. However, it would seem that a person working at a car wash might want to wear a rain coat or slicker or poncho or something.
And then the car wash attendant went home and read Finnegan’s Wake for fun.
“Murder will out, this my conclusion.”
– Geoffrey Chaucer
"And then the car wash attendant went home and read Finnegan’s Wake for fun."
What is this supposed to mean?
Interesting if true about the yellow rainjacket on a sunny day.
From google: Why do fishermen wear yellow?
For the seamen, the yellow colouring seemed to stick. It was ideal for increasing the visibility of the fishermen in the event of fog or stormy seas, along with being altogether more practical and lightweight. As a result, yellow rubberised raincoats became iconically coastal.
Would also be a good cover if you were recognized by someone in an area, pretend to be out fishin’. Or maybe even been fishing beforehand so you’d have the fish to show for it if you got stopped by police,
Also remember the dispatcher was hearing clanking/noises, probably a result of the phone falling, but also possible that right after the caller left one of the kids ran to the booth, opened it, stuck his finger in the coin drop box and got out, which would have also caused a bit of noise. Interesting point anyway.
In any case, the guy with the raincoat would have had to be Zodiac since no one else used the phone.
Wearing the rain coat could have been to hide the fact he had blood on his clothes. A bit flashy/noticeable over just changing clothes but who knows. Note that at this point it’s night time also.
The kids could have given a suspect description. 
