It’s long been my contention that the Zodiac exhibited signs of reactive attachment disorder in his writing.

For those not familiar, reactive attachment disorder is a form of mental illness often seen in individuals who were subject to extreme neglect or abuse in early childhood and manifests during those years as an inappropriate seeking of approval/affection from virtually any adult or older person who shows the slightest interest. Conversely, it can also manifest as avoidance or discomfort with receiving similar treatment from familiar adults in the child’s life.

Reactive attachment disorder was first understood by surveying children in orphanages who’d been brought up in deprived conditions. There has long been a correlation between early childhood neglect/abuse (especially a lack of stability and bonding during infancy) and the later development of psychopathy and it’s no coincidence that a fair number of serial killers (i.e., David Berkowitz, Gerald Stano, Joel Rifkin) were adoptees or foster children. Zodiac was doubtless a psychopath, but the tone of many of his letters (especially his correspondence with Mel Belli) suggest a deep need for approval and attention, with authorities such as the police, news reporters, and high-profile attorneys taking the place of available adults in the killer’s early life.

So, the question is: was Zodiac himself an orphan or in the foster care system at some point? And if so, could this be a way of generating fresh leads?

Interested in hearing peoples’ thoughts.