what irks you most about The Zodiac Killer case?

When, the phrase DNA is mentioned as a solution to identifying the killer. Absolutely impossible from a judicial point of few in this case due to extreme contamination. Not to mention the lack of a full marker panel.

Graysmith.

When dumb theories are debunked only to be resurrected later on.

The hundred or so "Solutions" to the 340 cipher!

(which remains unsolved, of course.)

People with POI’s who are 100% positive their guy is the man and get upset when others don’t "get it".

Hey…have a POI and do everything you can with it, but until you get confirmation, don’t act like you’re smarter than everyone else.

that the people I would like to talk to are dead….

that the people I would like to talk to are dead….

Yes, that’s irk #2.

That the cops seem to have no interest in solving the case,I really think they could care less, and think of the case as a distraction from current, more solvable cases

That the cops seem to have no interest in solving the case,I really think they could care less, and think of the case as a distraction from current, more solvable cases

I agree with that morf, but it is absolutely understandable. It IS a distraction from current, more solvable cases. The backlog of current cases is extraordinary. There comes a time when they have to not put anymore time into it.

If someone came upon truly valid information, I do believe they would take notice. But, look at all is discussed here and the people who present information. These are only the people who have come forward at these sites. Now factor in the people who don’t post. I bet with all the stuff that still comes forward, they’d almost need a current Zodiac task force!

There are current murderers, missing and abused children, rapists…the lists go on and on. At this point, Zodiac has become like Jack-the-Ripper and they simply cannot allot time to such a case.

That the cops seem to have no interest in solving the case,I really think they could care less, and think of the case as a distraction from current, more solvable cases

I agree with that morf, but it is absolutely understandable. It IS a distraction from current, more solvable cases. The backlog of current cases is extraordinary. There comes a time when they have to not put anymore time into it.

If someone came upon truly valid information, I do believe they would take notice. But, look at all is discussed here and the people who present information. These are only the people who have come forward at these sites. Now factor in the people who don’t post. I bet with all the stuff that still comes forward, they’d almost need a current Zodiac task force!

There are current murderers, missing and abused children, rapists…the lists go on and on. At this point, Zodiac has become like Jack-the-Ripper and they simply cannot allot time to such a case.

That’s the big problem, they’re not getting any truly valid leads to go on. Unless they get something really juicy, they won’t touch it. That’s why it’s up to people on these forums to decipher through all the stuff that comes out. I think the case can be solved and posters on here could have a part in it. I don’t think this is futile, what we’re doing.

what irks you most about The Zodiac Killer case?

When, the phrase DNA is mentioned as a solution to identifying the killer. Absolutely impossible from a judicial point of few in this case due to extreme contamination. Not to mention the lack of a full marker panel.

THIS. THIS KILLS me. I am surprised by how much it bothers me. Since getting obsessed with this case (I need a short hand- B.O? this comes into my mind so often and every time it does I thank god I haven’t quit smoking yet. Drives me NUTS when I hear that trinity of the prints, the handwriting and the DNA being used as some sort of billyclub to sweep suspects off the table.

I also think too much has been made of the occult in this case. I tend to snooze anyway when people talk about "ritual slayings" since they almost never happen in the way that the Satanic Panic freaks would lead you to believe. If he were truly doing this for so-called occult reasons he would have said more about spirits and voices or "my master" or something that would be a little more overt. The guy was a comic book fiend and probably a perpetual adolescent. He was also on a math trip of some sort, with the "radians and inches along the radians". Which reminds me,
THAT phrase kills me. "Radians and inches along the radians". I know what it means, but what does it INDICATE? WHAT IS HE POINTING OUT?

People with POI’s who are 100% positive their guy is the man and get upset when others don’t "get it".

Hey…have a POI and do everything you can with it, but until you get confirmation, don’t act like you’re smarter than everyone else.

This.

What irks me most about the Z case as a dilettante is that so many of the more serious researchers (who have done tons of actual field work) in the case have a pet suspect. I wish more of those people – who have followed the case for years and have interviewed all sorts of people of interest, both (possible) witnesses and LE representatives – had been objective and open minded about the case. Too many of them seem incapable of seeing past their own man, which means that gaining useful information from them is a frustrating endeavor. They will downplay anything which might conceivably serve to rule out their man, while to an often laughable extent overemphasize tenuous links which seemingly favor the same man.

When sheer dilettantes like myself do this – it’s no big deal. But when it becomes a character trait in serious researchers, who write books on the subject, I think it is, as a certain madman once said, "deplorable at best". It muddies the waters and adds to the many myths which makes this case harder to figure out.

EDIT And with that comes a grand kudos to those researchers who do NOT fall into the category mentioned. There are some of those too, thank God.

Personally, I don’t have a an issue with those who hold steadfast to their poi. Although tunnel vision is never a good trait when it comes to investigation, I have the highest respect for people like Mike R, who always presents factual evidence, and brings respect and fairness to the discussion, to the point where he’ll even argue with posters who share his poi.

Like many of us, I have a my own poi that I feel strongly about, at least in regards to his involvement, but I keep an open mind, and am constantly looking into other suspects. Let’s face it, there isn’t one suspect that has been discussed so far that fits perfectly, where handwriting, description, profile, timeline, and everything else all checks out. There is always something we have to make allowances for.

The point of these message boards is to challenge one another, to point out what works and doesn’t work. What really irks me is when people take it personal and get all defensive anytime they’re challenged.