The Zodiac Killer

[Rapunzel676]

Butterfield is as obsessed with Zodiac as Graysmith is and undoubtedly considers Graysmith a rival for expert status. Both men are equally equipped and qualified as experts on the case, and Butterfield's website is a goldmine of Zodiac material. However, his charge that Graysmith deliberately attempts to mislead by manufacturing evidence is not supported by the facts. Some theories put forward by Graysmith may be weak and their validity questionable, but I think it's more a case of him keeping an open mind and considering all possibilities than deliberately falsifying facts. Without getting into an argument on this, I suggest reading all the available evidence on the case with an open mind and drawing your own conclusions.

John

I couldn't agree more, and the same can be said for the other Zodiac "expert," Tom Voigt of zodiackiller.com. While I do believe that Graysmith got some of his facts wrong (as did many of the authors of the first Ripper books) and disagree with his conclusions, I think his book is a solid introduction to the case. It troubles me that the owners of the two best Zodiac sites -- as well as their members -- show such disdain for him and refuse to acknowledge that were it not for Graysmith, many of us would not have even heard of the Zodiac. Similarly, it's unlikely that the city of San Francisco would have spent the time and money to run the DNA tests that have ruled out many suspects without the interest people like Voigt and Butterfield have managed to sustain over the years. I don't care for Voigt (or some of his methods) personally but I would never dismiss the contributions he's made to the field of Zodiac research.

As far as Gareth Penn goes, I think the piece Michael O'Hare wrote for The Washington Times pretty much says it all. You can find it on Butterfield's site, http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/gareth.htm slightly more than midway down the page. I think Penn is a very smart guy and I admire his zeal in going after the truth, but I cannot agree with his conclusion or his methods.

What's left to say about Allen? If it weren't for the fact that he was a pedophile I might actually feel sorry for him. He clearly wasn't the Zodiac. I don't think any of the other named suspects make good candidates, either. The only conclusion I can tentatively support is the one reached in This is the Zodiac Speaking, by Michael Kelleher and Dr. David Van Nuys (a professor of psychology) after Van Nuys' exhaustive analysis of the Zodiac's letters. I don't want to spoil it for anyone who has an interest in reading the book, but the case they make for Zodiac's fate is a logical and compelling one.

[jason_c]

If you go on youtube you'll find a number of clips under the heading of "This is the Zodiac Speaking". Im not sure if its in any way related to the book.
I've only watched a few of the clips but it is very in depth and interestingly talks to many of the first police responders at the scenes of crime.

[sdreid]

Linda Edwards, 17, and, her high school sweetheart, Robert Domingos, 18, were shot and killed on a California beach on June 4 of 1963. Some have speculated that these might have been the first slayings of the Zodiac Killer. If you are in this group then this coming Tuesday marks the commencement of Zodiac's semi-centenary.

[sdreid]

I see there's a new book coming out claiming that Earl Van Best Jr. was Zodiac.

[Brenda]

.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/05/zodiac-killer-is-my-father-claims-new-book.html

should be interesting.

[Barnaby]

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer...-new-book.html

should be interesting.

What is it with people accusing their fathers of being notorious serial killers?

[Brenda]

What is it with people accusing their fathers of being notorious serial killers?

I don't know....hopefully this guy has some good research to back up his claims, otherwise people will just assume he's just another one looking to soothe his daddy issues with a large paycheck.

[GUT]

G'day Barnaby

What is it with people accusing their fathers of being notorious serial killers?

Some people will do anything for their moment of fame, even sell out their father.

[Steadmund Brand]

My father was a serial killer of chicken wings.... but then again so is almost everyone in Buffalo.....I should write a book about it....

Steadmund Brand

[Abby Normal]

What is it with people accusing their fathers of being notorious serial killers?

$$$$$

[Beowulf]

My father was a serial killer of chicken wings.... but then again so is almost everyone in Buffalo.....I should write a book about it....

Steadmund Brand

That's a hot story!

[MayBea]

I'm a total Arthur Leigh Allen as Zodiac supporter like Kensei (believing there was more than one), but I decided to take another look at the case and to finally read the original Graysmith Zodiac book. It gives me a different view of Zodiac than Zodiac Unmasked.

Now I'm intrigued by the first main suspect mentioned in the book who's real name was Bill Grant. The patrolman, mentioned in Graysmith's book and who first suspected him, wrote a book about him three years ago.

He claims first-hand knowledge of a cover-up and that the motive was revenge for adultery, so I have to be interested for sure.

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Zodiac-Kill.../dp/0982936303

[sdreid]

Oddly, the original police sketch, after Stine I believe, looks nothing like Allen but does look like Kaczynski. I really don't think it was either though.

[Ausgirl]

I'm a total Arthur Leigh Allen as Zodiac supporter like Kensei (believing there was more than one), but I decided to take another look at the case and to finally read the original Graysmith Zodiac book. It gives me a different view of Zodiac than Zodiac Unmasked.

Now I'm intrigued by the first main suspect mentioned in the book who's real name was Bill Grant. The patrolman, mentioned in Graysmith's book and who first suspected him, wrote a book about him three years ago.

He claims first-hand knowledge of a cover-up and that the motive was revenge for adultery, so I have to be interested for sure.

http://www.amazon.ca/The-Zodiac-Kill.../dp/0982936303

I have tended to give stories like this one a LOT more credence since I learned of the Scott Lee Kimball fiasco. Just some mind-blowingly bad/corrupt decisions all round, and Kimball got to commit another couple of murders while roaming free as an "informer"- which appears to be perfectly fine with all official parties involved. Except, when it became public knowledge.

There's a few other cases I could cite... So when people say "hushup conspiracy" where killers are concerned, I do not automatically look around for people in tin foil hats any more.

I'd really like to read this book.

[Ausgirl]

Oddly, the original police sketch, after Stine I believe, looks nothing like Allen but does look like Kaczynski. I really don't think it was either though.

That Kaczynski spammer makes my teeth hurt. Guilty of everything! Evar! My ass.

I'm dealing with someone exactly like this elsewhere atm, one of those "my daddy it" nutters, and daddy is also guilty of everything, ever. And. They won't. Shut. Up. About it. Drives me up the freakin wall.

Sorry, I think I just needed to vent.