Who Was the Zodiac Killer? The Chilling Mystery That Still Haunts America

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Who was the Zodiac Killer? is one of the most awkward and unanswered mysteries of the American criminal history. The identity of the Zodiac Killer remains unclear decades after the murders ceased, which is the subject of books, documentaries, podcasts, and endless discussion on the Internet.

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Unlike the majority of serial killers, the Zodiac did not merely kill people, he harassed the population, played with law enforcement officers, and made murder a psychological game. Coded letters, his cryptic letters, and his weird belief made him a legend and memorable.

This paper discusses the Zodiac Killer, his possible identity, the offences he committed, why this case went cold and why the mystery continues to intrigue the world.

1Zodiac Killer: A Brief Overview.

Zodiac killer is an unknown serial killer who committed most of his killings in Northern California in the late 1960s and the early 1970s.

Key Facts at a Glance.

Active period: 1968–1974
Confirmed victims: 5
Claimed victims: 37
Location: San Francisco Bay Area.
Identifying mark: Secret letters and ciphers to newspapers.

The murderer even changed his own name to Zodiac, and used it alongside a cross-circular symbol that would be one of the most well-known signs of criminality in the history of the world.

The Victims of Zodiac Killer: What Went Wrong?

Despite the countless murderous acts that the Zodiac had boasted about, the police made it official that there were five victims in four attacks.

Confirmed Zodiac Killer Attack List.

1. Betty Lou Jensen (16) & David Faraday (17).
December 20, 1968 – Vallejo
Shot near a lovers’ lane.

2. Darlene Ferrin (22).
July 4, 1969 – Vallejo
Gunned down in a parked car; died afterwards.

3. Michael Mageau (19).
July 4, 1969 – Vallejo
Escaped with shot wounds and realized who the shooter was.

4. Cecelia Shepard (22).
September 27, 1969 – Lake Berryessa
Picnicking, stabbed, later died.

5. Paul Stine (29).
October 11, 1969 – San Francisco
Killed in a taxi; killing that teenagers witnessed.

The Paul Stine murder was a transitional event – it had been urban, public and bold, and this showed that the Zodiac could attack anywhere.

The Zodiac Letters: An Attention-seeking Killer.

What made the Zodiac Killer really different compared to other criminals was the fact that he was obsessed with a publicity.

Between 1969 and 1974, he sent letters to newspapers, in which he threatened more violence or demanded to be published.

What Was Terrifying in the Letters.

Included coded ciphers.
Mocked police incompetence.
Claimed future killings.
bits of the clothing of the victims.
It was signed by the Zodiac symbol.

A single cipher, the so-called 340 Cipher, was only cracked in 2020, more than half a century on, revealing chilling, although nonsensical text, indicating that the killer would prefer confusion to confession.

2Who was the Zodiac Killer who was in Suspension?

Hundreds of suspects were researched during the years. None of them were conclusively established to be the Zodiac Killer.

Top Ten Zodiac Killer Via Capita.

Arthur Leigh Allen (Most Famous Suspect).

Lived near crime scenes
Owned Zodiac-style weapons
Had a Zodiac watch
Reported that she wanted to kill people.
Not charged because of the absence of physical evidence.

Lawrence Kane.

History of violence
Lived in Zodiac attack areas
Liked eyewitness drawings.
DNA and handwriting were not a definite match.

Richard Gaikowski

Reporter who has access to newspapers.
Lived close to San Francisco crimes.
There are certain similarities in handwriting.
No legal proof.

Gary Francis Poste (Recent Claim).

Spotted by a team of amateur detectives.
Only circumstantial evidence.
Unverified Law enforcement has not verified this allegation.

Why Has Zodiac Killer Never been Caught?

Although the Zodiac received enormous media coverage, he managed to get away with it due to a number of reasons:

Critical Reasons why the Case Went Cold.

Criminal technology Inadequate forensic technology in the 1960s.
Mismatched eyewitness reports.
False confessions
Communication ceased by the killer.
There were incomplete or damaged DNA evidences.
In comparison with the recent cases, there were no DNA databases, and surveillance cameras were uncommon.

Was Zodiac Killer a One Person?

There is also an opinion of some investigators that the Zodiac could be not a single individual but at least a person who wished to draw attention to crimes he committed.

Reasons behind this theory:

Different killing methods
Inconsistent handwriting
Different psychiatrical personalities.
Nevertheless, the majority of professionals are sure that there was a single person who committed the certain murders.

The Zodiac Killer has had a Cultural Influence.

The Zodiac Killer altered the manner in which serial crimes were dealt with by the media and the police forever.

Zodiac Killer in Pop Culture.

Films (e.g. Zodiac by David Fincher).
True crime documentaries.
YouTube research and podcasts.
An online community of ciphers and books.
The case was a road map to how media publicity can strengthen criminals.

Is Zodiac Killer Still Alive?

Taking into consideration the time, it is probable that the Zodiac Killer is 80-90 years old today, assuming he survived.

It may also be possible that:

He was killed without recognition.
He had been put in jail due to non-related crimes.
He simply stopped killing
Even today, there has not been an arrest made.

Final Thoughts.

The truthful response is disappointing: Zodiac Killer was a stranger to us. The Zodiac is one of the most challenging criminal mysteries in history despite the suspects, theories, and even decades of investigation.

It is not only a case of violence that is so powerful; it is the coldblooded use of fear, media, and human curiosity to manipulate others by the killer. Until some conclusive DNA evidence is produced or an irrefutable one is made, Zodiac Killer will always remain what he wanted to be; A mystery.