This post is posted in ‘Theory’ because it is just that, a theory. While I may post this idea, it does not necessarily mean I personally subscribe to it. I am just posting here as one more possibility.
Recently I’ve thought about all the odd characteristics and witness descriptions given regarding Zodiac’s manner of speech, the way he walked, and a few other thing that witnesses described, and wondered what could be responsible for his slow, soft voice and monotone, his ‘shuffling gait’ slightly hunched forward with head down, and his apparent shaking hands at Berryessa? Here are the main symptoms associated with Parkinson’s Disease:
Posture Problems.
With normal posture our weight is well centered over the middle of our feet making it much easier to balance. When our spine is bent forward, the head also comes forward and our center of mass shifts ahead of the feet. To keep from falling, the forward flexed person tends to bend his or her knees and hips. This leads to difficulty in taking big steps and requires more energy to walk. Falls are more likely to happen due to the reduced foot clearance or shuffling that occurs while walking with knees bent. Also forward slouching limits arm swing, can cause shoulder and neck problems, reduces the lung volume which can lead to shortness of breath and or softness of speech.
Don Fouke said the suspect he saw walked with a shuffling lope, slightly bent forward with head down.
Speech problems:
According to The Parkinson’s Disease Foundation:
"Some 90 percent of people with Parkinson’s experience changes in their speech. They tend to speak softly, even though to them it feels as if they are speaking at a normal volume. Additionally, people with Parkinson’s often speak in a monotone, and their voices can get hoarse. As the disease progresses, they may articulate words less precisely or develop a tremor in the voice."
Zodiac’s tone of voice and his speech patter was always described the same: Speaking softly, but forcefully, in a monotone.
Tremor:
"About 70% of people with Parkinson’s have tremor when first diagnosed, with rest tremor and action tremor being equally common"
Hartnell said Zodiac’s hands were shaking when he was binding his arms behind him.
Again, just a theory, but one that fits with all the known/believed characteristics attributed to Zodiac.
"So it’s sorta social. Demented and sad, but social, right?" Judd Nelson.
Hey WC,
I have a couple of family members who have Parkinson’s and whilst I think you are on a correct path, I think you have the wrong disorder.
I also have a theory on the possibilities of Zodiac having a condition that affects the body and the mind, however my research is leading me more towards the possibility of MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
A full description can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_sclerosis
It can effect mood, cognition and have symptoms similar to Schizophrenia
It affects the central nervous system, and in turn the muscles, most commonly in giving suffer’s a shuffling limp which is medically known as a gait.
Greetings Z trackers:
WC, I like your read on Zs medical condition as maybe the best clue given. Kane’s car crash in the early 60s produced seizures as a result from brain trauma, rt?Since LK was a regular at VA Hospitals (Riverside too?) I’m gonna check Tahoe/Reno area for VA hospitals as a factor to LKs residences. Thank you, Sunsetsully
Interesting Welsh Chapie.. I have been following up on my poi .. I think he is a diabetic and was recently researching on how it affects hand writing at different blood sugar levels. It certainly fits in well.
I thought the trembling described at Berryessa was one of Graysmith’s embellishments, along with the "I’m going to have to stab you people" line?
"There are such devils."
-The Pledge
It was Ranger White who relayed the "stab me first" business to police; Bryan himself was never quoted as saying this.
"Stab me first"
http://www.zodiackiller.com/LBReport7.html
Transcript of Bryan’s conversation with Zodiac ("Your hands are shaking. Are you nervous?")…
http://www.zodiackiller.com/LBReport27.html
…and here’s White repeating the story on TV:
http://youtu.be/K59zZq0rMks?t=24m26s
Hey WC,
I have a couple of family members who have Parkinson’s and whilst I think you are on a correct path, I think you have the wrong disorder.
I also have a theory on the possibilities of Zodiac having a condition that affects the body and the mind, however my research is leading me more towards the possibility of MS (Multiple Sclerosis).
A full description can be found here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multiple_sclerosis
It can effect mood, cognition and have symptoms similar to Schizophrenia
It affects the central nervous system, and in turn the muscles, most commonly in giving suffer’s a shuffling limp which is medically known as a gait.
Huntington’s Disease manifests itself with similar symptoms. Speech impediment, shaking, agitation, unsteady gait, etc. these symptoms progress and become more problematic as time goes on. Somebody with this condition would be expected to become immobile with time. Their physical attributes fail with terrible consequences.
If the Zodiac had this disease, he would know his days are numbered. If he got caught killing people, it would be no big deal to him as he knew he would be dead in a relatively short time span. Also, if the Zodiac was afflicted with this malady, his ability to function could be cut short at any time.
Two things:
Had Zodiac’s hands been twitching spasmodically, Hartnell would have mentioned it. He would have said something like "I think he had a nervous disorder". The way Brian describes the Zodiac’s mannerisms does not indicate he thought the Zodiac was suffering some kind of neurological disorder. Brian was intelligent and discerning enough to differentiate between normal nervousness and a neurological disorder.
Secondly, the Zodiac seems to have possessed a job of some kind, from what we can tell, which would likely preclude MS. He also liked to drive, which again would seem to preclude him suffering a serious neurological impairment.
Regardless, Fouke’s language does not indicate the Zodiac had MS as the officer merely stated the suspect walked with a shuffling gait and had his head down. The Zodiac, feeling guilt or exposure, would have very likely had his head down (which probably indicates he was a browbeaten child, either by parents or at school, or both). A shuffling gait is subjective, as well, and indicates nothing other than perhaps the Zodiac’s idiosyncratic way of walking.
Yeah, good point. We should always remember these theories are all conjecture. We do not know for sure and we may never be sure, but the investigation has to proceed. How many people wish they had a time machine in which they could travel back to the day Jack the Ripper struck, and go to the very spot he committed his horrific butchery. The same holds true as far as Zodiac. Who on this forum doesn’t wish that they could have been there to stop the Zodiac’s attack? To be able to blast him with a shotgun or an automatic rifle before he shot those kids. This could be accomplished if and only if, we had a time machine. And we do not have such a contraption.
I’d settle for just knowing who he was. Naming him would be, at the very least, small justice for the five he killed and the two he severely wounded.
I’d settle for just knowing who he was. Naming him would be, at the very least, small justice for the five he killed and the two he severely wounded.
You’re right on that. It would be good just to know definitely who these criminals were. I just hope it’s one of this forum’s suspects who are fingered for these murders. That would be a feather in the cap of the members of this board who have done so much investigation. Let’s keep our fingers crossed.
