What We Really Know About the Zodiac Killer Today
For nearly 60 years, the Zodiac Killer has haunted America's crime nightmares. Let's dive into the chilling saga of the enigmatic murderer who mocked the police.
The Terrifying Timeline
Shockingly, while five murders are confirmed, letters from the Zodiac Killer alluded to about 37 victims.
Dec. 20, 1968: The terror began in Vallejo, California. High school sweethearts Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday became the Zodiac's first confirmed victims.
A heartbreaking end: Murder victims Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday.
July 4, 1969: The horror continues. Darlene Ferrin and Mike Mageau were attacked in a parked car only a few minutes away from the first killings. Mageau lived to tell the chilling tale.
A few weeks later, the San Francisco Chronicle, the San Francisco Examiner, and the Vallejo Times-Herald received letters from someone claiming to be the killer. He referred to himself as the Zodiac for the first time, writing, "This is the Zodiac speaking."
Sept. 27, 1969: The Zodiac turned his sinister sights on a picnicking couple at Lake Berryessa, Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard. He left behind a creepy message on their car with what would become his signature cross-circle symbol.
The Zodiac Killer's calling card, an eerie crosshairs symbol.
Mysterious Messages
Cryptic letters to Bay Area newspapers only deepened the mystery. Everyone loves puzzles, but these were just spooky. One's been cracked, but what the other letters would reveal is still a mystery.
Can you crack this mystery? The cipher from July 31, 1969, unraveled by Donald and Bettye Harden, was sent to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Who Was the Zodiac Killer?
A 1969 composite sketch based on accounts from eyewitnesses.
Suspects? There have been plenty. Here are the prime ones:
Arthur Leigh Allen, but DNA evidence has said: Not him.
Gary Francis Poste was recently added to the suspect list. Convicted murderer? Yes. Zodiac Killer? The jury's still out.
Throughout the years, and despite eyewitness accounts, no suspects have been definitively identified as the Zodiac Killer.
The Hunt Continues...
The Zodiac's legacy? Terror and enigma, but also an unsettling allure. But there's hope! Efforts are underway at the Vallejo Police Department to procure the Zodiac Killer's DNA from the back of the stamps used on his letters.
As investigations persist, the Zodiac Killer's dark legacy continues to captivate and horrify in equal measure.
Hungry for more?
Keep scrolling. Unsolved mysteries have a way of clinging to our curiosity, and the Zodiac is no exception. Dive deeper, and maybe you'll find a clue others missed!
References: Will DNA Solve 1969 Zodiac Killings? | The Zodiac Killer: A Timeline. | Cold case group claims they've finally ID'd the Zodiac Killer. | Will DNA submitted to genealogy sites also finally catch the Zodiac Killer? | Donald and Bettye Harden break Zodiac's first code.
