I think Zodiac himself has left us the cipher’s key somewhere in some locked and disused desk draw along with Paul Stine’s Licence and Wallet. I mean this man’s ego seemingly just couldn’t allow it to end like this. What was the first thing he did when he saw his first 3 part cipher had been cracked? Wrote the citizen letter giving ‘substantially accurate’ decryption key. I’ve often wondered if one of Z’s family discovered a ‘Confession’ along with artifact’s and evidence, would they go to the police with it knowing the only result will be them having associated themselves with something so evil?
But hving said that, these message board’s complete with theory, speculation, allegation and suspicion would no doubt be wonderfully entertaining to him. Watching his cipher be ‘solved’ with 50 different claimed solutions to just why did he wear that costume at Berryessa? He could be alive still I suppose and reading this message and smirking. If he is then I have a fail proof way of flushing him out of the crowd by asking him… You do know that many people are still of the opinion that you are a prematurely bald headed man who’s name is "Arthur." Yes I know, Arthur! I really am sorry about that……Arthur.
But seriously, what do we all think? Is he alive, or stumbled along to his afterlife? And do others think as I do that, unless he was hit by a bus, I cannot envisage him being content with leaving this World with his screenplay missing the final act so to speak? I think either he has left us the answer to this mystery and that it’s either waiting to be found in some filing cabinet, desk drawer or even hard drive, or it already has been discovered by someone who’s devastated enough to discover their Brother or Uncle was Zodiac that the last thing they will want is the S.F press, along with the major news stations like NBC, CBS Fox and everyone in between to splash it all over their pages and channels.
So, no rite or wrong answers, just opinions. What are they?
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
OK, WC. I’ll bite. I think it just possible that the person who called himself Z may still be out there; and if found
could be matched with palm print found in telephone booth near Lake Beryessa (apologies to Morf on this!), the partial palm print found at Stine killing and ID by K. Johns.
2. He, of course, would be in late seventies, early eighties, for sure.
3. May have attend elite school, but dropped out.
4. Went in to coast guard, or maritime service of some sort, where z picked up navigation, semaphore, teletype, etc.
5. Possible Westerner, but not necessarily SF or California-born. (Hence, does not abbreviate CA, also seems to love city
landmarks, which native folk tend to be blase or indifferent about. [Maybe I speak for myself here, but born in NY, I’ve
never been atop Empire State Building. I realize this is not scientific!:])
6. Fairly deep knowledge of music (the continual references to music may represent some sort of link: consider
some telegraphic setups (which I’ve explored in other posts) had actual keyboards, akin to a piano; references to the beatles, G& S operettas, heck even the Zodiac signature is a musical symbol for coda "the end, or ending" of a piece of music, art, cinema (including history thereof),etc. Must sign off now will finish later.
7. I do not, of course, know whether nos. 1-6 are true, just possible.
8. Z. probably had some affiliation with a technical or art school as many posters here have written with great verve, elegance, insight.
(Also, absences around evenings, weekends, or holidays, not so unusual.)
9. The "exorcist" letter has on its what Graysmith termed "Chinese" ideograph. Unsure of this, believe it to be some kind of telgraphical printing or early version telefascimile, I’ve seen examples of this blotchiness must recheck this.Consider too Baudot telegraphy, etc. See "Stop" symbol.)
(will recheck this, though.)
Well there is no question that if Zodiac is still breathing somewhere that it may still be possible to match a print or maybe even DNA. In the past several years or so there have been so so many criminals brought to justice for crimes committed 15,20, 30 plus years ago with the advance of DNA and the National Database. In the UK in the past decade or so there has been the capture of the man who hoaxed the tape sent to Police claiming to be The Yorkshire Ripper back in 1978 and 79, that led police away from Peter Sutcliffe because the man’s voice on the tape who stated "I’m Jack. I See you are still having no luck in catching me. I recon your boys are letting you down, George…." had a thick Wearside accent and police focused their search efforts around the Sunderland area instead of where it should have been, that being, Bradford and Leeds.
For American readers who may not be aware of the hoaxer and how he was flushed out. It had been 24 years since he sent his hoax tape and letter which allowed Sutcliffe to remain free to club several more women to death, in 2005 Cold Case Investigators decided to review the case. The envelope used by John Humble to send his hoax letter was sent to the forensic lab for Swabs to be taken to look for any DNA that the hoaxer may have left on the seal as he licked it. Sure enough, a profile was found, which was entered into the database, and the rest, as they say, is history.
That is the sort of reassuring type of result that it’s good to hear of because it makes you think and realise that not all hope is lost just yet for a Zodiac Cold Case review and resolution
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
Well yes, WC, but that was a hoaxer, rather than a murderer. Not the same thing at all.
Well yes, WC, but that was a hoaxer, rather than a murderer. Not the same thing at all.
Can’t get much past you Smithy, can I? 
I don’t think I seemed to indicate that I was saying that a hoaxer and serial killer are the same thing but if I need to clarify the point Smithy then, just because it’s you, I will 
The specific’s of the case wasn’t really important. What John Humble (the hoaxer) did, weather he was a sad little man who caused the entire investigation to focus on the wrong part of England or weather he was a serial killer himself who had killed 500 people is totally irrelevant to the point. That point being, John Humble was caught because he licked the seal of the envelope that he sent to police with the hoax letter, the same way that saliva was apparently found on at least one Zodiac stamp that was affixed to one of his letters.
Can you see what I am trying to imply yet? Can you see the comparison and why I said there may still be hope to catch Zodiac yet? 
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
weather he was a sad little man who caused the entire investigation to focus on the wrong part of England or weather he was a serial killer himself who had killed 500 people
Weather is the rainy, sunny stuff my friend. Whether is the word you should use in this context. Don’t feel offended, Smithy corrects me all the time on my spelling and rightly so. It’s good to learn.
“I don’t know Chief, he’s very smart or very dumb.“
Well yes, WC, but that was a hoaxer, rather than a murderer. Not the same thing at all.
Unless he’s the Zodiac, you mean. 
Well yes, WC, but that was a hoaxer, rather than a murderer. Not the same thing at all.
Unless he’s the Zodiac, you mean.
That’s what I’m starting to feel. Z was both the killer and the hoaxer. Possibly a unique skill set? I’m not so set on it but maybe time will tell. Maybe we’re just good at making stuff up? But in saying that, the stuff I think I’m seeing in his writing suggests this could be a possibility. Maybe we’ll get there in the end my friends,
“I don’t know Chief, he’s very smart or very dumb.“
Can you see the comparison and why I said there may still be hope to catch Zodiac yet?
WC, yes, I think it’s beginning to make sense.
[Not the same thing]
Unless he’s the Zodiac, you mean.
Well, I suppose there’s that possibility to consider, Ducky! 
Trav – I await your lengthy examinations and deliberations with great interest, indeed. (I hope I’ve spelled that correctly.)
Y’know, I think the one letter which might have really helped in the process never got sent. The one after Berryessa, I mean.
weather he was a sad little man who caused the entire investigation to focus on the wrong part of England or weather he was a serial killer himself who had killed 500 people
Weather is the rainy, sunny stuff my friend. Whether is the word you should use in this context. Don’t feel offended, Smithy corrects me all the time on my spelling and rightly so. It’s good to learn.
I will never get out of that habit. I know that it’s ‘whether’ opposed to ‘weather’ but I just seem to have incurable dyslexia with this one word! Subconsciously my Brain seems to keep on deciding that it will decide ‘whether’ I ever kick this habit.
Now Trav I know you must be absolutely disgusted at my lacking ability to conform to the English Language, and I deserve to be cast out from your midst I know but, if I pledge to try not to do it ever again (Swear on The Bible and everything), would you be able to forgive my sickening attempts at English? *Wipe’s tears away as I appeal to your good nature* Hehe
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
It’s no good, I have brought shame upon myself. From now on I have decided to post in Welsh so that nobody has the slightest clue what I am saying regardless of the weather.
bod yn braf pawb wybod. Ffarwel fy hen chaps 
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
It’s no good, I have brought shame upon myself. From now on I have decided to post in Welsh so that nobody has the slightest clue what I am saying regardless of the weather.
bod yn braf pawb wybod. Ffarwel fy hen chaps
Ha ha ha,
No please don’t. There’s nothing wrong with Welsh and in fact I encourage it. It sounds more like a language than Irish Gaelic to me TBH. You know I wasn’t being harsh about your spelling. I know, that you know that Thank you though for taking time to reply I did suspect it was a habit thing. We’ve all got those. Just being friendly in my own ‘oblique’ way. Now …. who gets that reference?
“I don’t know Chief, he’s very smart or very dumb.“
It’s no good, I have brought shame upon myself. From now on I have decided to post in Welsh so that nobody has the slightest clue what I am saying regardless of the weather.
bod yn braf pawb wybod. Ffarwel fy hen chaps
Ha ha ha,
No please don’t. There’s nothing wrong with Welsh and in fact I encourage it. It sounds more like a language than Irish Gaelic to me TBH. You know I wasn’t being harsh about your spelling. I know, that you know that
I can’t understand the Irish at the best of times and that’s not being racist, I just can’t. Speaking of which, I got called racist yesterday and I was irate! I couldn’t wait to reply to tell my accuser "HOW DARE YOU! I am not racist what-so-ever you disgusting little man…." I continued "I am absolutely outraged and most offended by the mere speculation of my being racist. I’ll have you know I cant stand anybody no matter what colour they are!" How rude some people are!
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
Trav I have designed, produced, manufactured, and patented the new Zodiac Wanted Poster for 2014. What do you think….
Trav now as I tolf you last time, Copyright Theft is a serious crime so I warn you in advance against shop-lifting this latest masterpiece of mine!
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
Trav I have designed, produced, manufactured, and patented the new Zodiac Wanted Poster for 2014. What do you think….
Trav now as I tolf you last time, Copyright Theft is a serious crime so I warn you in advance against shop-lifting this latest masterpiece of mine!
I got to say, I kinda like it! You pretty much nailed it! Very creative!
Zam*
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If Zodiac ever joined a Z forum, I’m sure he would have been banned for not following forum rules. Zam’s/Quote
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