Click image for complete text On the 'Dripping Pen Card' mailed on November 8th 1969 the Zodiac left us his running victim count, but this time he provided us several pointers by displaying the months. He wrote "Des, July, Aug, Sept, Oct = 7." We know of Lake Herman Road (2) in December, Blue Rock Springs Park (1) in July, Lake Berryessa (1) in September and Presidio Heights (1) in October. That is five murders out of the seven he was claiming. That meant he was indicating either two murders in August, or just one in August and another in either of the other months. One consideration was the murder of Cheri Jo Bates on October 30th 1966, that he would belatedly claim in a future correspondence. However his statement in the November 9th 'Bus Bomb' letter is telling: "This is the Zodiac speaking up to the end of Oct I have killed 7 people." This likely meant "This is the Zodiac speaking up to the end of Oct 31st 1969 I have killed 7 people. This doesn't necessarily rule out the Cheri Jo Bates murder, however without proof this is a Zodiac murder, or a murder under the umbrella of Zodiac, it is a curious statement.
Why did the Zodiac Killer specify the end of October, when his most recent murder by all accounts was the brutal slaying of Paul Stine on October 11th 1969. This could be interpreted as a sixth murder in August, and a seventh murder between October 11th 1969 and October 31st 1969. He would expand in his correspondence "I thought you would need a good laugh before you hear the bad news, you won't get the news for a while yet." In view of his 'Bus Bomb' letter declaration that he would "change the way the collecting of slaves. I shall no longer announce to anyone. When I committ my murders, they shall look like routine robberies, killings of anger, + a few fake accidents, etc," this seventh murder may have been committed in the latter two thirds of October, detailed in the total, but not elaborated upon, and the suggestion that we wouldn't get the bad news for a while was somehow related to how or where the person was killed.
Why did the Zodiac Killer specify the end of October, when his most recent murder by all accounts was the brutal slaying of Paul Stine on October 11th 1969. This could be interpreted as a sixth murder in August, and a seventh murder between October 11th 1969 and October 31st 1969. He would expand in his correspondence "I thought you would need a good laugh before you hear the bad news, you won't get the news for a while yet." In view of his 'Bus Bomb' letter declaration that he would "change the way the collecting of slaves. I shall no longer announce to anyone. When I committ my murders, they shall look like routine robberies, killings of anger, + a few fake accidents, etc," this seventh murder may have been committed in the latter two thirds of October, detailed in the total, but not elaborated upon, and the suggestion that we wouldn't get the bad news for a while was somehow related to how or where the person was killed.
There is however a completely different alternative, bringing into play the Melvin Belli letter on December 20th 1969. This correspondence stated Zodiac was in danger of looking for a ninth and tenth victim. The assumption therefore, was that victim number eight was probably killed sometime between the 'Dripping Pen' card on November 8th 1969 (or possibly November 9th), claiming seven victims and the Melvin Belli letter mailed on December 20th 1969. But again, taking the latter 'Bus Bomb' communication, Zodiac had claimed seven victims to end of October, not up to November 9th 1969. He did state seven victims on the 'Dripping Pen' card, but he added the extra hint that "you won't get the bad news for a while yet."
This may suggest that indeed, he had already killed again, prior to November 8th, but he simply wasn't announcing it to anybody, as the following communication would testify. We know that by the end of October (31st) the total was seven, therefore this unannounced eighth murder would had to have been committed from November 1st 1969 up to November 9th 1969.
A contested piece of correspondence was the 'Fairfield' letter on December 16th 1969, claiming "I will go for government life." The accompanying drawing depicted the 'Bleeding Knife of Zodiac,' with eight drops of blood dripping from the weapon, suggestive of an eighth victim. Was this indicative of another Zodiac murder by knife, having been bolstered by his 'successful' attack, in theatric style, on Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard on September 27th 1969 at Lake Berryessa. Or was the knife just a reminder to his last crime we know he committed. If this correspondence was genuine, the term 'government life', may indicate any person in any state run organization, and a distinct hatred towards officialdom, which is unsurprising bearing in mind previous communications.
The question being, can anybody find the eighth murder spanning November 1st 1969 to November 9th 1969, in a relevant geographical location, that doesn't have the hallmarks of Zodiac. After all, he did state he would "change the way of collecting the slaves". If this were the case, we simply wouldn't recognize it anyway.
# A Salesian High School teacher, Daniel Williams had his house broken into, but nothing was taken. A man claiming to be the Zodiac Killer made several threatening phone calls beginning on October 23rd 1969, culminating with the caller saying "You're the dead duck" on November 2nd 1969. Later that day Williams took a drink from the refrigerator, but fortunately spat it out after noticing a metallic taste. The drink contained enough arsenic to kill. Would a teacher be considered 'government life'. The date fits the criteria and the death could have appeared like natural causes, or a killing of anger.
Daniel Williams residence was situated at 1234 Bush Street, Martinez, only 9 miles from the location of Zodiac's first crime at Lake Herman Road.
http://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/youre-the-dead-duck
This may suggest that indeed, he had already killed again, prior to November 8th, but he simply wasn't announcing it to anybody, as the following communication would testify. We know that by the end of October (31st) the total was seven, therefore this unannounced eighth murder would had to have been committed from November 1st 1969 up to November 9th 1969.
A contested piece of correspondence was the 'Fairfield' letter on December 16th 1969, claiming "I will go for government life." The accompanying drawing depicted the 'Bleeding Knife of Zodiac,' with eight drops of blood dripping from the weapon, suggestive of an eighth victim. Was this indicative of another Zodiac murder by knife, having been bolstered by his 'successful' attack, in theatric style, on Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard on September 27th 1969 at Lake Berryessa. Or was the knife just a reminder to his last crime we know he committed. If this correspondence was genuine, the term 'government life', may indicate any person in any state run organization, and a distinct hatred towards officialdom, which is unsurprising bearing in mind previous communications.
The question being, can anybody find the eighth murder spanning November 1st 1969 to November 9th 1969, in a relevant geographical location, that doesn't have the hallmarks of Zodiac. After all, he did state he would "change the way of collecting the slaves". If this were the case, we simply wouldn't recognize it anyway.
# A Salesian High School teacher, Daniel Williams had his house broken into, but nothing was taken. A man claiming to be the Zodiac Killer made several threatening phone calls beginning on October 23rd 1969, culminating with the caller saying "You're the dead duck" on November 2nd 1969. Later that day Williams took a drink from the refrigerator, but fortunately spat it out after noticing a metallic taste. The drink contained enough arsenic to kill. Would a teacher be considered 'government life'. The date fits the criteria and the death could have appeared like natural causes, or a killing of anger.
Daniel Williams residence was situated at 1234 Bush Street, Martinez, only 9 miles from the location of Zodiac's first crime at Lake Herman Road.
http://www.zodiacciphers.com/zodiac-news/youre-the-dead-duck