From July 8, 1974 until April 24, 1978 no letters were received from the Zodiac Killer. Where was he, on vacation? Let us go over some theories again, about why the 4 year hiatus, if in fact the letter in 1978 was authentic, which it appears to be. He’s is back in the world again. But where was he, what was he doing that prevented him from mailing letters. Maybe some new light can be shed on these crimes.
The 1978 letter was a hoax.
"There are such devils."
-The Pledge
People generally move because of job or for economic reasons. They either do well and move to better surroundings, or they move to cheaper living arrangements. I believe the Zodiac lived in Vallejo at the time of the murders out in the country. With evidence of a poor man being the culprit insomuch as two different tires were on his vehicle, as determined by tread marks observed at the crime scene. Taken at face value it points to a man driving a crappy car. Not a man of means I would wager. Then we have his last known crime. He did not use his own vehicle to get to the murder scene. It seems to me that this is the course of a man in a downward spiral. He has no car, he doesn’t even have the price of a cab fare. He kills the driver over the fare money. He is a crazed killer that would do something like that, we know this from his taunting, insane letters. Someone on his downward path of self destruction must have been incarcerated at some point for other crimes. Where else would he dissapear to, did he take an extended holiday on the continent?
The 1978 letter was a hoax.
Ok good, that’s a start. The validity of this letter has always been highly suspect. So now we can go on the idea that he did not take a break. He stopped writing the letters. These letter writers never stop. A couple of good examples are, the BTK, and Albert Fish. Both were caught by these correspondence. They didn’t stop writing their taunting letters until they were caught. This could be a reason to seriously consider that the Zodiac is dead.
I don’t remember the BTK details, but he stopped for a long time – both the killing and the letter writing, IIRC.
Hard to say with Z. He’s atypical in many ways. I wouldn’t rule out that he simply stopped – that he had taken whatever ride he was on to the max, and then he just…moved on, somehow, bizarre as it sounds.
I have this idea, which refuses to go away altogether, that he was in some way, to some extent under the influence of drugs while he did his "thing", including (or perhaps even especially) when he wrote the letters. Perhaps he kicked the habit.
Then again I certainly wouldn’t rule out that he’s been dead for decades either.
I don’t remember the BTK details, but he stopped for a long time – both the killing and the letter writing, IIRC.
Hard to say with Z. He’s atypical in many ways. I wouldn’t rule out that he simply stopped – that he had taken whatever ride he was on to the max, and then he just…moved on, somehow, bizarre as it sounds.
I have this idea, which refuses to go away altogether, that he was in some way, to some extent under the influence of drugs while he did his "thing", including (or perhaps even especially) when he wrote the letters. Perhaps he kicked the habit.
Then again I certainly wouldn’t rule out that he’s been dead for decades either.
I also think he was doped up on acid pills. I think he may have stopped for three reasons. He died. He was seen, perhaps by the eight year old we are waiting on the name of, or he went away somewhere. Each reason has pros send cons as far as a viable theory is concerned. I like to think he died, that’s a given, but I have my doubts. Until the case is solved we shall never know.
The 1978 letter was a hoax.
In al respect, please don’t state something as a fact when it is not.
First of all there were actually THREE possible 1978 Zodiac letters :
April 24th 1978
May 2, 1978
July 19th 1978
Concerning the April 24, 1974 letter, there were conflicting document examiner expert views on whether it was an authentic Zodica letter or not.
Sherwood Morrill was convinced (and never changed his mind) that it was a genuine Zodiac letter, and so was other handwriting experts at first, but then, 3 months later, one of a sudden these other experts later changed their mind and stated they believed it was a hoax, I have never found any explanation what changed their minds.
Later it has been stated that this April 24th 1978 was a hoax due to that the DNA under the stamp on the letters envelope was not consistent with the DNA found on other Zodiac letters/envelopes, BUT the apparent fact that the DNA was not consistent with the DNA found on other letters, IMO do NOT rule out the letter bc Zodiac could have made someone else lick the stamps PRIOR to writing address etc on the envelope. I am not saying this is the case, I am just saying it is a possibility.
April 24th 1978
Sent to: the S. F. Chronicle
May 2, 1978
Sent to: KHJ-TV, Los Angeles, Calif.
Property of the Los Angeles Police Department
July 19th 1978
( info found here : http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/forum/ … f=12&t=521 )
Sent to: the Chronicle, typewritten, no envelope image published.
Mailed from: Los Angeles
http://zodiackillertruth.com/control.htm
"I am the ZODIAC and I am in control of all things. I am going to tell you a secret. I like friction tape. I like to have it around in case I need to truss someone up in a hurry….I have my real name on a small metallic tape. You see, while you have it in your possession, I want you to know it belongs to me and you think I may have left it accidentally. I am athletic. It could be swim fins, or a piece of scuba gear. But maybe you play chess with me. I have several cheap sets in closets all over. I have my name on the bottom of the lid with the scotch tape….My tape is waiting for me all over California. Do you know me? I am the ZODIAC and I am in control."
Personally I am convinced that Sherwood Morrill was the expert that knew Zodiac’s handwriting the best, and I will always believe him over other document/handwriting experts.
Hi, english is not my first language so please bear with me 
I posted my take on the May 2, 1978, Channel Nine letter here-
I believe the letter to be a hoax.
I also think the 78 letter is bogus.
There is more than one way to lose your life to a killer
http://www.zodiackillersite.com/
http://zodiackillersite.blogspot.com/
https://twitter.com/Morf13ZKS
The May 2nd letter and the July 19th letter might as well go in the trash. They are pure speculation as to them being from Zodiac.
The April 24th letter was stated flat out by the S.F.P.D – "DNA obtained, not authentic Zodiac letter".
If they were using that letter in comparison with one of the other letters prior to 1978, it would have stated the same thing in regards to the previous letter.
The April 24th 1978 letter was unique. It was unique in the fact that the DNA proved it was "not authentic". It was Nachtsider who pointed out the possibility of it being female DNA.
Could Zodiac have had a female lick the stamp or envelope? Sure, but we must ask ourselves what is probable and imo, that’s not it.
April 1978 = Fake, S.F.P.D. (with imo, good reason)
Zodiac…Alive and kicking is very much a possibility and one I tend to lean towards.
“…they may be dealing with one or more ersatz Zodiacs–other psychotics eager to get into the act, or perhaps even other murderers eager to lay their crimes at the real Zodiac’s doorstep.“ L.A. Times, 1969
The April 24th 1978 letter was unique. It was unique in the fact that the DNA proved it was "not authentic". It was Nachtsider who pointed out the possibility of it being female DNA.
Could Zodiac have had a female lick the stamp or envelope? Sure, but we must ask ourselves what is probable and imo, that’s not it.
Another possibility is that they matched the DNA to someone specific – who could not possibly be Z.
At any rate the uniqueness, as you say, is the real point here: It seems to have been ruled out based on something much less debatable than handwriting.
The 1978 letter was a hoax.
In al respect, please don’t state something as a fact when it is not.
First of all there were actually THREE possible 1978 Zodiac letters :
April 24th 1978
May 2, 1978
July 19th 1978
Concerning the April 24, 1974 letter, there were conflicting document examiner expert views on whether it was an authentic Zodica letter or not.
Sherwood Morrill was convinced (and never changed his mind) that it was a genuine Zodiac letter, and so was other handwriting experts at first, but then, 3 months later, one of a sudden these other experts later changed their mind and stated they believed it was a hoax, I have never found any explanation what changed their minds.Later it has been stated that this April 24th 1978 was a hoax due to that the DNA under the stamp on the letters envelope was not consistent with the DNA found on other Zodiac letters/envelopes, BUT the apparent fact that the DNA was not consistent with the DNA found on other letters, IMO do NOT rule out the letter bc Zodiac could have made someone else lick the stamps PRIOR to writing address etc on the envelope. I am not saying this is the case, I am just saying it is a possibility.
April 24th 1978
Sent to: the S. F. Chronicle
May 2, 1978
Sent to: KHJ-TV, Los Angeles, Calif.
Property of the Los Angeles Police Department
July 19th 1978
( info found here : http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/forum/ … f=12&t=521 )
Sent to: the Chronicle, typewritten, no envelope image published.
Mailed from: Los Angeleshttp://zodiackillertruth.com/control.htm
"I am the ZODIAC and I am in control of all things. I am going to tell you a secret. I like friction tape. I like to have it around in case I need to truss someone up in a hurry….I have my real name on a small metallic tape. You see, while you have it in your possession, I want you to know it belongs to me and you think I may have left it accidentally. I am athletic. It could be swim fins, or a piece of scuba gear. But maybe you play chess with me. I have several cheap sets in closets all over. I have my name on the bottom of the lid with the scotch tape….My tape is waiting for me all over California. Do you know me? I am the ZODIAC and I am in control."
Personally I am convinced that Sherwood Morrill was the expert that knew Zodiac’s handwriting the best, and I will always believe him over other document/handwriting experts.
I didn’t know they had a letter that threatened Susan Atkins. It’s a funny thing, she is from Milford NH. My buddy bought a house on Tilton St in Nashua NH. The guy he bought it from was from California. The guy had been renting the house to Susan Atkins for years. It seemed odd to me. A man from CA owning a house in NH who happens to be renting it out to a person keeping a low profile for crimes in CA. My ex wife’s sister used to go to Keene State College, and Susan Atkins was at a big party over there in the late seventies. Atkins is still alive, so I guess the Zodiac didn’t get her yet.
Susan Atkins never lived in NH. Your thinking of Linda Kasabian. While Susan Atkins was the first to spill the beans about the Manson Family having committed the Tate LaBianca murders she ultimately retracted her confession and was tried and convicted along with Manson and the others. It was Kasabian who testified in court during the trial against the Family.
Atkins died in prison in 2009.
Susan Atkins never lived in NH. Your thinking of Linda Kasabian. While Susan Atkins was the first to spill the beans about the Manson Family having committed the Tate LaBianca murders she ultimately retracted her confession and was tried and convicted along with Manson and the others. It was Kasabian who testified in court during the trial against the Family.
Atkins died in prison in 2009.
You’re right I had the two confused. It was Kasabian who lives over this way. I remember looking around in the house in Nashua for writing on the walls. We saw some scribbling in the basement but it was of no consequence. No Helter Skelter or any of that nonesense. My pal was just glad none of her friends came by looking for her.
Tell your friend not to worry, she lives completely across the US from NH now.
