A mysterious murderer known only as the 'Zodiac'( signed from his taunting letters
sent to newspapers), killed five people in San Francisco between December 1968 and October
1969. The Zodiac killer selected his victims at random and killed them usually by a
blitz shooting attack.
The first known murder by the Zodiac killer happened on 20 December 1968, a man approached
a couple sitting in their car in Vallejo, California, and shot them dead.
On the 5 July 1969 the Zodiac struck again, shooting a couple in their car near the
Vallejo area, leaving a woman dead and a man wounded.
Letters were sent to newspapers in San Francisco supposedly claiming to be from the
killer, and were signed 'Zodiac' which was adopted by the media to name the mysterious
killer. In some of the letters there was lines in code which was decoded by a cipher
expert, this read some things such as -- 'hunting humans was the most exciting of all
sports'.
The Zodiac killer struck again on the 27 September 1969 at Lake Berryesa. A hooded
plump man wearing glasses held a couple at gunpoint at a picnic area and then stabbed them
both, killing the woman. The killer then notified the police with a telephone call.
The last known murder happened on the 11 October when a San Francisco taxi driver was shot
dead. A letter was sent to a San Francisco newspaper accompanied by a bloodied piece
of the taxi driver's shirt. That was the last known murder although the Zodiac sent
more letters threatening more murders.
The Zodiac Killer case remains unsolved. It is still believed that the Zodiac Killer
is continuing his tally.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It was a tepid night in Vallejo,
California on the 17 of October. Two teenagers, after telling their parents they were
going to the Homecoming dance for their high school, took their car down lover's lane.
These two would later be identified as Joseph Weatherman, 17, and Denise Statz, 16. The
two were enjoying an extra long lip-locking make-out session.
"Have you ever heard about the Zodiac killer,
Denise?" Joseph asked lightly. "Who's that?" Denise replied. "The
Zodiac killer was one of the most ruthless killers in history. Supposedly, he killed about
thirty-seven people in the San Fran area. In fact, later this month, it's the twenty-fifth
anniversary of his first slaying... Wait... Where are we?" There was a short pause.
"Lake Herman Road," Denise retorted.
"His second and third victims were on this exact road, probably in this exact spot.
It was almost the same scenario..." Denise was scared as she replied, "Joey,
stop you're freaking me out!" Joseph, knowing that there hasn't been an authentic
Zodiac death since 1974 continues his story... "Yeah, a couple of teenagers like us
were getting nasty when a light-colored Chevy pulled up behind them, he got out... Shot
the boyfriend in the head, and then chased the girl and shot her five times in the
back..."
'Joey' stops the story, as he hears a car pull up
behind them... The couple ducks down, hoping the car will drive-by without looking. The
car behind them stops. Joey says, "Stay here, I'm going to see who it is..." The
seventeen year old steps out of the car, but stops at the right rear tires... The car
still has it's lights on, as Joe squints, trying to see who's in the car in front of him.
BANG! A .22 bullet flies through the windshield of
the car in front of Joey, and the bullet hits him in the head as he falls backwards, dead.
Denise saw the entire confrontation happen, as she opens up the passenger door, and begins
to run down the road screaming. The car door opens from the car in which the bullet came
from...
A dark, obscure figures walks out. Holding a handgun,
he points his handgun to the sky and fires two bullets into the sky, and then runs down
the road, chasing the young girl. The girl, frantically screaming for help, trips over her
own feet, which allows the murderer to catch up to her. The girl tried to get up, but fell
down again. Her ankle was sprained.
She tried to drag herself down the road, as the
killer was within ten feet. The girl continues to drag herself on her belly as the killer
stood above her. The killer aimed his handgun loaded with .22 LR ammunition and fired 5
shots into the girl's back... Ranging from between fifth and sixth ribs all the way down
to her pelvis. After the deed was done, the murderer hopped back into the vehicle, and
headed toward Northern Benicia down Lake Herman Road...
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
It has been less than 12 hours
since the murder of Joseph Weatherman and Denise Statz took place. The newsroom of the San
Francisco Chronicle is busy with people questioning what the headline for October 18, 2003
will be. An intern, on his way into the building stumbles across a letter which reads,
"SF Chronicle... Please Rush to Editor." The intern picks up the letter, and
carries it into the newsroom. The female who picked up the letter shows it to her
supervisor, and he takes it.
The supervisor then takes the letter
to the editor. He opens the letter, and begins to read it...
The editor gasps... All he could utter was,
"He's back... Oh my good god, he's back." The headline for the San Francisco
Chronicle, "Zodiac Killer Strikes Again," is the feature story. The police rush
to Lake Herman Road to find the bodies of the two teenagers, just like the letter had
said.
Back at the station, the chief of police is
consulting with several forensic advisors. One man begins to speak up... "We tested
the blood on the letter. It matched that of one of the victims we found at the crime
scene. It belonged to Denise Statz." The police chief nods his head, as the next man
begins to speak... "We found no fingerprints, a few foot prints, but that's about it.
No witnesses, no suspects, no motives. We're tesing what we have found, and if anything
relevant comes up, I'm sure I'll provide it to you."
The police chief again nods. The chief then breaks
his silence... "Is there a possibility of this being the actual Zodiac killer, or
just another copycat?" Another man speaks up, "As far as that goes, we aren't
very sure. The crime scene looked almost exactly like the original crimescene of the first
Vallejo murder. At this point, we can only speculate."
"Well, if this is a copycat or the real thing,
we have one sick bastard on our hands. I want everyone to be on alert... Try to figure out
patterns... Do what you can... Let's catch the fuck this time," the police chief says
emphatically. The police chief takes a sip of his coffee, and begins brainstorming with
his advisors... "Where will he strike next?"
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
A man is walking down Battery
street in the Bay area of San Francisco... He walks past a stand which is selling the
daily news... He knows exactly what he wants, as he gently says, "Can I get the San
Francisco Chronicle?" He lays a dollar onto the stand and walks away... He glances at
the headline... The man, fitted in a tannish trenchcoat, short buzzed brown hair, and
glasses, doesn't seem very happy with the headline.
"It wasn't enough," the man thought.
"It was time for the Zodiac killer to return..."