Although we disagree on the mechanics of the crime, Raymond Grant does raise some interesting issues regarding the Lake Herman Road timeline and discrepancies in certain eyewitness testimony, particularly that of Robert Connelly and Helen Axe.
With just a cursory glance at the police report, it becomes immediately apparent that if we take it at face value, either the eyewitness recollections are incorrect, or a strange sequence of events occurred that night, heaping more suspicion onto the white Chevrolet Impala than ever before. Raymond Grant has emphasized these points in his book 'Zodiac Killer Solved,' and whether you agree or disagree with his overall take on the Zodiac murders, he does make some incredibly insightful and valuable points. Firstly we will focus on the white Chevrolet Impala and take the initial eyewitness testimony at face value.
With just a cursory glance at the police report, it becomes immediately apparent that if we take it at face value, either the eyewitness recollections are incorrect, or a strange sequence of events occurred that night, heaping more suspicion onto the white Chevrolet Impala than ever before. Raymond Grant has emphasized these points in his book 'Zodiac Killer Solved,' and whether you agree or disagree with his overall take on the Zodiac murders, he does make some incredibly insightful and valuable points. Firstly we will focus on the white Chevrolet Impala and take the initial eyewitness testimony at face value.
This is what Robert Connelly stated in the police report "They said that when they arrived there (LHR turnout) at 9.00 pm a white 4-door hardtop, a '59 or '60 Impala, was parked there, and also, a truck coming out of the gate. This coincides with information from Bingo Wesner that when he came out of the gate he saw the same Impala and also saw the red pick-up truck go by."
Bingo Wesner, a local sheepherder, also stated in the police report "he was checking his sheep at approximately 10.00 pm and he observed a white Chevrolet Impala Sedan parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station. He also observed a red Ford pick-up truck with wood side boards in the area."
Instantly we see, that despite the police report stating these two coincide, there is a one hour discrepancy. Raymond Grant believes that Robert Connelly's estimate of 9.00 pm is out by one hour, it should be 10.00 pm, and the facts bear this out.
If the white Chevrolet Impala had parked in the turnout just prior to 9.00 pm, and had remained there throughout until 10.00 pm, then the account of William Crow is patently false. He stated in the police report that "He and his girlfriend were in the Lake Herman Road area between 9.30 pm and 10.00 pm on 12/20/68. He was driving his girlfriend's sports car and he was testing it out and adjusting the motor. He was parked in the open area by the pump station and he observed a blue car, possibly a Valiant coming down the road from Benicia towards Vallejo. They passed his location, stopped in the middle of the road and he saw the white lights of the reverse come on and the car started backing up towards them. Mr Crow put the car in gear and took off at a high rate of speed and the car followed him at a high rate of speed. They did not attempt to gain on him, but when they got to the turn off towards Benicia, William Crow turned towards Benicia and the other car went straight ahead. The subjects were both Caucasians and there is no further identification on the car or the subjects." If the white Chevrolet Impala was there, then clearly William Crow failed to notice it for upwards of 30 minutes, and considering he was parked in the turnout, that doesn't seem likely.
Bingo Wesner, a local sheepherder, also stated in the police report "he was checking his sheep at approximately 10.00 pm and he observed a white Chevrolet Impala Sedan parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station. He also observed a red Ford pick-up truck with wood side boards in the area."
Instantly we see, that despite the police report stating these two coincide, there is a one hour discrepancy. Raymond Grant believes that Robert Connelly's estimate of 9.00 pm is out by one hour, it should be 10.00 pm, and the facts bear this out.
If the white Chevrolet Impala had parked in the turnout just prior to 9.00 pm, and had remained there throughout until 10.00 pm, then the account of William Crow is patently false. He stated in the police report that "He and his girlfriend were in the Lake Herman Road area between 9.30 pm and 10.00 pm on 12/20/68. He was driving his girlfriend's sports car and he was testing it out and adjusting the motor. He was parked in the open area by the pump station and he observed a blue car, possibly a Valiant coming down the road from Benicia towards Vallejo. They passed his location, stopped in the middle of the road and he saw the white lights of the reverse come on and the car started backing up towards them. Mr Crow put the car in gear and took off at a high rate of speed and the car followed him at a high rate of speed. They did not attempt to gain on him, but when they got to the turn off towards Benicia, William Crow turned towards Benicia and the other car went straight ahead. The subjects were both Caucasians and there is no further identification on the car or the subjects." If the white Chevrolet Impala was there, then clearly William Crow failed to notice it for upwards of 30 minutes, and considering he was parked in the turnout, that doesn't seem likely.
Click for details However, William Crow would later dispute this statement to police "I never told the sheriff who interviewed me that the car I encountered was a Valiant. As I recall, as I was attempting to describe the car, the sheriff came up with a “Valiant”. In the years that have passed, when I have shared the events of that night, I have described the car as a four-door light-colored Chevy. I could not see the passenger seat, but the driver was a man with short hair and glasses. I did not see his specific facial features".
This being the case, it highlights the significance of a white Chevrolet Impala circulating the area in and around the turnout that night. If Robert Connelly's recollection of a white Chevrolet Impala being present in the turnout at 9.00 pm was correct, which appears unlikely, then the Chevrolet Impala would have parked in the turnout sometime prior to 9.00 pm, leaving at some point before William Crow arrived at 9.30 pm. It would then return, spot William Crow and his girlfriend just before 10.00 pm, chase them down the road, before returning to the turnout and being spotted by Bingo Wesner at 10.00 pm. But on both occasions, just prior to 9.00 pm and 10.00 pm, the occupants of the white Chevrolet Impala would had to have vacated their vehicle, because Robert Connelly and Bingo Wesner implicitly stated the vehicle was unoccupied.
If the Chevrolet Impala contained our killer or killers, then it could be argued they were coasting the area by foot and by car, searching for victims by whatever means. Raymond Grant highlights this important period of time in 'Zodiac Killer Solved', involving a 'holding area'. I won't elaborate on his explanation, as it wouldn't be fair to reveal potent sections of his book without permission. If he chooses, he can outline his ideas in the comments section below. However it does address this critical timeline of events.
This above example of the timeline appears extremely convoluted, and the police report "information from Bingo Wesner that when he came out of the gate at 10.00 pm he saw the same Impala and also saw the red pick-up truck go by," makes much more sense, bearing in mind William Crow's testimony of a light colored Chevrolet chasing him down the road just before 10.00 pm. The three recollections coalesce around 10.00 pm that night. This critical period would suggest that the occupants of the white Chevrolet Impala spot William Crow, chase him along the road, return to the turnout and vacate their vehicle just prior to 10.00 pm. At which point Robert Connelly and Bingo Wesner spot each other and the unoccupied Chevrolet.
This being the case, it highlights the significance of a white Chevrolet Impala circulating the area in and around the turnout that night. If Robert Connelly's recollection of a white Chevrolet Impala being present in the turnout at 9.00 pm was correct, which appears unlikely, then the Chevrolet Impala would have parked in the turnout sometime prior to 9.00 pm, leaving at some point before William Crow arrived at 9.30 pm. It would then return, spot William Crow and his girlfriend just before 10.00 pm, chase them down the road, before returning to the turnout and being spotted by Bingo Wesner at 10.00 pm. But on both occasions, just prior to 9.00 pm and 10.00 pm, the occupants of the white Chevrolet Impala would had to have vacated their vehicle, because Robert Connelly and Bingo Wesner implicitly stated the vehicle was unoccupied.
If the Chevrolet Impala contained our killer or killers, then it could be argued they were coasting the area by foot and by car, searching for victims by whatever means. Raymond Grant highlights this important period of time in 'Zodiac Killer Solved', involving a 'holding area'. I won't elaborate on his explanation, as it wouldn't be fair to reveal potent sections of his book without permission. If he chooses, he can outline his ideas in the comments section below. However it does address this critical timeline of events.
This above example of the timeline appears extremely convoluted, and the police report "information from Bingo Wesner that when he came out of the gate at 10.00 pm he saw the same Impala and also saw the red pick-up truck go by," makes much more sense, bearing in mind William Crow's testimony of a light colored Chevrolet chasing him down the road just before 10.00 pm. The three recollections coalesce around 10.00 pm that night. This critical period would suggest that the occupants of the white Chevrolet Impala spot William Crow, chase him along the road, return to the turnout and vacate their vehicle just prior to 10.00 pm. At which point Robert Connelly and Bingo Wesner spot each other and the unoccupied Chevrolet.
Raymond Grant also questions the account of Helen Axe at 10.15 pm and 10.30 pm. Her account is detailed in the police report: "Miss Axe reports that she and her boyfriend, a sailor, were driving on Lake Herman Road. They passed the area of the pumping station, she recognized the Rambler and the victims, Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday. Stated that when she went by about 10.15 pm, the car was facing in towards the gate and when she returned about 15 minutes later after having gone to the end of the road and then came back, the car was turned around and the front was facing the field, a little to the side. There is some conflict in this statement and Miss Axe has consented to bring her boyfriend to the office to clarify the actual position of the car. The first time she stated when she called, that the car was backed in. Nothing this discrepancy the RO contacted her by telephone."
Her account raises questions. For her account to be correct, the white Chevrolet Impala driver would had to have returned to the turnout just prior to 10.00 pm, after chasing William Crow, the occupants would then have to vacate their vehicle so that Robert Connelly and Bingo Wesner saw it unoccupied. They would then had to have returned to their vehicle minutes later, driven away, without passing Helen Axe's vehicle, to be replaced in the turnout by the Faraday Rambler by 10.15 pm.
Raymond Grant, understandably takes the position that Helen Axe likely saw the white Chevrolet Impala, not the Faraday Rambler. It returned to the turnout just shy of 10.00 pm, the occupants vacated the vehicle, and according to Bingo Wesner was 'parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station'. A short time later, circa 10.15 pm, Helen Axe passed the turnout and viewed the Chevrolet Impala in the same position as viewed by Bingo Wesner, also 'facing in towards the gate.' Unless of course we contend that the Faraday Rambler arrived just before 10.15 pm and parked in the identical position as the Chevrolet Impala previously, as viewed by Bingo Wesner.
Fifteen minutes later, at approximately 10.30 pm, Helen Axe had returned up Lake Herman Road, by which time the occupants had returned to the Chevrolet Impala and repositioned it facing the road. It is a plausible line of investigation and is merited by the details of the case. The scenario presented by Raymond Grant would indicate that the white Chevrolet Impala had a much more pivotal role in the proceedings on December 20th 1968 than first imagined, and place this vehicle in the turnout much closer to the murders than ever before. The question is, how long did it remain in the area.
This presentation just scratches the surface of Raymond Grant's Lake Herman Road timeline, and I have attempted to skirt around the issues presented in 'Zodiac Killer Solved', without giving too much away. To read the full story...
ZODIAC KILLER SOLVED ON AMAZON
Her account raises questions. For her account to be correct, the white Chevrolet Impala driver would had to have returned to the turnout just prior to 10.00 pm, after chasing William Crow, the occupants would then have to vacate their vehicle so that Robert Connelly and Bingo Wesner saw it unoccupied. They would then had to have returned to their vehicle minutes later, driven away, without passing Helen Axe's vehicle, to be replaced in the turnout by the Faraday Rambler by 10.15 pm.
Raymond Grant, understandably takes the position that Helen Axe likely saw the white Chevrolet Impala, not the Faraday Rambler. It returned to the turnout just shy of 10.00 pm, the occupants vacated the vehicle, and according to Bingo Wesner was 'parked by the south fence of the entrance to the pumping station'. A short time later, circa 10.15 pm, Helen Axe passed the turnout and viewed the Chevrolet Impala in the same position as viewed by Bingo Wesner, also 'facing in towards the gate.' Unless of course we contend that the Faraday Rambler arrived just before 10.15 pm and parked in the identical position as the Chevrolet Impala previously, as viewed by Bingo Wesner.
Fifteen minutes later, at approximately 10.30 pm, Helen Axe had returned up Lake Herman Road, by which time the occupants had returned to the Chevrolet Impala and repositioned it facing the road. It is a plausible line of investigation and is merited by the details of the case. The scenario presented by Raymond Grant would indicate that the white Chevrolet Impala had a much more pivotal role in the proceedings on December 20th 1968 than first imagined, and place this vehicle in the turnout much closer to the murders than ever before. The question is, how long did it remain in the area.
This presentation just scratches the surface of Raymond Grant's Lake Herman Road timeline, and I have attempted to skirt around the issues presented in 'Zodiac Killer Solved', without giving too much away. To read the full story...
ZODIAC KILLER SOLVED ON AMAZON