Over fifty years ago, the notorious Zodiac Killer began terrorizing the Bay Area cities of Benicia, Vallejo, Napa and San Francisco. With little regard for human life, he attacked two couples in lover's lanes, one couple on a deserted beach and a taxi cab driver in an affluent neighborhood. From there, his reign of terror widened as he claimed a total of thirty-seven victims in Santa Rosa, Lake Tahoe and Modesto. Ruthlessly, he threatened to shoot school children saying; "School children make nice targets. I think I shall wipe out a school bus some morning. Just shoot out the front tire and then pick off the kiddies as they come bouncing out." The infamous killer's weapons of choice were a High Standard .22 pistol, a .9-millimeter semi-automatic and a double-edged bayonet. He also insinuated that he had a death machine being stored in his basement for future use. While eluding police, his getaway mobile was a classic, muscle car, a white Chevy Nova. He even saw it fitting to lurk in the shadows, wearing a mysterious, black, executioner's hood. Ironically, he had the gall to ask the people of San Francisco to wear some nice Zodiac buttons, saying that it would cheer him up considerably; while he terrorized their streets. Although few serial killers have left calling cards behind, the Zodiac made morbid phone calls to law enforcement, wrote an incriminating message on a victim's car door and used pieces of a victim's bloody shirt to prove his identity. The poster boy for egotism, he requested the world-renowned lawyer, F. Lee Bailey; although he settled for the no-less-acclaimed attorney, Melvin Beli. The definitive publicity hound, the Zodiac wrote haunting cryptograms to three, major, Bay Area newspapers, demanding that they display them on their front pages or he would go on a "killing rampage." Over the years, reams of newspaper articles have been penned about him. Mountains of books, some that appeared on the Best Sellers list, have been printed about him. And, although he has yet to make a personal appearance, reels of movies and documentaries have been aired about him. More recently, cyber space has been filled with webpages about him, including ZodiacKiller.com, which regularly got over a million hits a month during its inception. My suspect, although nearly seventy, is still alive and well and enjoying life in sunny California. Hiding in plain sight, he is a beloved son, brother, father and grandfather. Ever the chameleon, he made a living as an ordinary salesman, coming into contact with thousands of people throughout his career. In the past, he has played the role of church elder, worship leader and Sunday School teacher; all the while carrying a Bible for all to see. But, perhaps his biggest betrayal of all was pretending to be a caring husband and father where he used his own, unsuspecting family as the ultimate façade. Today, feeling no remorse for his crimes, he frequents restaurants, movie theaters, book stores and grocery stores. Yet, most individuals would never suspect this psychopath of being anything more than the average man next door. Worthy adversary, or just plain lucky, he has been roaming the streets, a free man, for over fifty years since committing his crimes. It is my sincere hope that this book will bring the attention of
law enforcement to my suspect.
X, Madame: - I grew up in the quaint town of Benicia, California, three miles from where the Zodiac killed his first victims in 1968. Three years later, I met a man from Vallejo who drove the same kind of car, matched the Napa Composite Drawing and went to the same school as one of the first victims. I took my information to law enforcement, who took it to two profilers. They both agreed, based on handwriting samples, etc., that my suspect was possibly the Zodiac Killer. This book is about that man.
