Wow! You just may be onto something!

Morf, I’m thinking if your theory proves fruitless and Z did not live in Vallejo, then he might have just waited to make the call for other reasons. He could have lived anywhere BUT there and wanted to be sure he was able to get away. Maybe he figured if he placed the call right away, the police would be all over stopping everyone and anyone so he waits, thinking he’ll hop onto the closest highway leading him away from Vallejo. He could have had all the evidence with him or even hidden it somewhere temporarily thinking he’d get it later. He might have done this just in case he were to be stopped by the police for any reason such as speeding or in the event he had a flat tire!

I’m sorry I’m not as sophisticated as yourself and unable to research that far back. I’m wondering where any storage facilities might have been located or post office boxes at that time.

Further, I’m thinking maybe Z left the scene of the crime and was headed home or wherever and thought about calling the police while he was driving as he could have come to his senses and had pangs of remorse. If he were on drugs or had some medical condition that could have contributed or caused his actions, he might have thought "OMG what have I done" and thought he’d better at least let someone know what had happened.

Or, maybe he thought of placing the call as an afterthought as he wanted to make sure it was publicized.

Or, maybe it really wasn’t Z who made the call but one of those who were in the area or another unknown witness who didn’t want to be identified by name as they were fearful of being involved. I’m remembering there were raccoon hunters out that night.

We will never know, but personally, I think it’s very possible he lived close by. Driving around at 1am is just that more of a chance to get noticed, afterall, they are looking for a car that pulled up behind the Victims, but somebody on foot, close to home, could easily avoid detection. And he would really be taking a risk carrying the murder weapon around with him

Any idea how many other payphones were in the area at this same point in time? You may be able to narrow down the number of blocks to look in by figuring out the amount of time it would have taken Z to leave the crime scene, get back to his house, change and walk to the phone. If the timing works out to fit more than one payphone then it will make the search a bit larger, but if that was the only payphone within walking distance then it would have to be very close.

Also, I would think Z using this phone suggests he had used it before and knew where it was. Any other calls made by Z back in the day that they may be able to cross reference a particular call with that phone number? And finally, I would think if Z knew this particular payphone then he had to have made other calls, not related to Z killings, from it as well. I wonder if there are any records at the time for the businesses called from that phone. He said he mail ordered his killing items in one letter….I wonder if he called the places he ordered them from at that pay phone by any chance…..

Did the companies even keep records of numbers dialed from payphones back then, and would they still have them? Could be very interesting if they do and you get a list of suspects and a list of calls made from that phone. If any of the calls were made to places you could mail order weapons from then you could get a name, if their records are still around, and trace it back to one of the people in the area possible.

Yes..I know….WAY long shot, but one can dream!

Remember, this was a gas station at the time too, so he may have been there before getting gas,etc,or knew the phone was there from living close to it

I just found a very promising Suspect living 0.07 miles from the phonebooth!

Remember, this was a gas station at the time too, so he may have been there before getting gas,etc,or knew the phone was there from living close to it

Any idea what this neighborhood was like as far as income level or population in the area based on race? Also, what other businesses were within walking distance? Any hardware stores, etc….?

Wasn’t there a car wash there too? He could have gone there to get his car washed, bought gas and made a phone call while he was at it. However if that was the case and he did it on any regular basis, I’d think someone from the car wash or neighborhood would have recognized him from the wanted posters that surely must have been plastered all over the place as well as it being the talk of the town.

Everyone in that neighborhood must have been on high alert? I would be if I knew a call like that had been made close to me. That is why I don’t tend to think he lived in Vallejo as it looks to be a rather small town and would just be too easy for identifying him.

Look at the map and you will see there are at least two highways directly from there south and it is less than an hour from Vallejo to Berkely, for example. There are many other small suburbs around the area where he could have been living or even staying in a motel if he was just passing through. He even could have gone to the Oakland or San Francisco airports and gotten completely out of the bay area with no trouble whatsoever.

Wasn’t there a car wash there too?

You are thinking of the car wash in Napa perhaps? After the Berryessa attack.

Never realized how close this was to 32 Fresno St.

Why wouldn’t the Zodiac just call from the 7-11 on Springs Road very close to Columbus PKWY–where Dee and Mike where murdered. Why call where it is very close to Vallejo Police Department and where they hang out?

The same reason arsonists hang out and watch the fire being put out. In this case hanging by the scene is not the best option.

It’s a worth attempt, but I personally don’t think Z lived in Vallejo. He didn’t seem to know the name of BRS park, used incorrect directions and even seems to admit to having been seen at the phone with a brown car. He read that his car was brown in the paper and had to assume they got that info from the black man by the phone booth.

Why wouldn’t the Zodiac just call from the 7-11 on Springs Road very close to Columbus PKWY–where Dee and Mike where murdered. Why call where it is very close to Vallejo Police Department and where they hang out?

The policeman was in a hurry to make the call.

Why wouldn’t the Zodiac just call from the 7-11 on Springs Road very close to Columbus PKWY–where Dee and Mike where murdered. Why call where it is very close to Vallejo Police Department and where they hang out?

It wasn’t all that close though. Could have been closer.

Something of interest, at 700 Tuolumne St, there was a Sylvia’s union svc station, across the street from the one that Z called from. Its likely that it also had a payphone. Wonder why he would choose one over the other?