Many questions have been asked about the Presidio Heights sketch of the Zodiac Killer, in particular, why was the drawing amended in the wanted poster from October 13th 1969 to October 18th 1969 - and did Officer Donald Fouke have any involvement in the amended sketch? If he didn't, many people have asked, why then did the three teenagers change their description so radically from a 25-30 year old male in the first sketch, to a man described as 35-45 years of age in the second sketch? The short answer, is that they didn't. They had always described an older male in the descriptions they furnished. The assumption that the second sketch was a result of the teenagers unsure of their initial description, are unfounded. The description of a 25-30 year old male exiting the taxicab and walking up Cherry Street was never uttered from the lips of the three teenagers, and the proof lies in the Armond Pelissetti two page police report.
The police report was dated 10/12/69 12:30 am on page one, and countersigned by Armond Pelissetti on page two, with a time and date stamp of Oct 12 6:29 am '69. In effect, the report was completed and ratified by the following morning. Obviously, this is before the first wanted poster was released on October 13th 1969. This report at no point mentions Officer Donald Fouke - and his signature is nowhere to be found on the report. That is because he never contributed to it whatsoever. How can we be sure?
The police report clearly states on page 2 that the "suspect was last seen walking north on Cherry Street, from Washington Street". There is no mention of the Zodiac Killer's movements after this sighting. In other words, by 6:29 am on October 12th 1969, the sighting of a man by Officer Donald Fouke walking along Jackson Street was immaterial to this report. Otherwise, the report would have stated "suspect was last seen walking east on Jackson Street" - which it didn't. Here is the full statement on page 2:: "#2 SUSPECT: WMA, in his early forties, 5'8", heavy build, reddish-blond, crew cut hair. wearing eyeglasses, dark brown trousers, dark (navy blue or black) "Parka" jacket, dark shoes. Suspect should have many blood stains on his person and clothing, suspect may also be in possession of the keys to the Yellow Cab, possibly has wallet belonging to the victim. Last seen walking north on Cherry Street, from Washington Street". The only eyewitnesses that could possibly have viewed the suspect to our knowledge, before he exited Cherry Street were the three teenagers. Officer Donald Fouke hadn't even entered the picture yet.
The above description of a white male in his early forties was given by the three teenagers before 6:29 am on the 12th October 1969, dispelling the notion they initially described him as aged between 25 and 30 years. Their description of a man in his early forties actually tallies with Officer Donald Fouke's memorandum submitted one month later, on November 12th 1969. In the memorandum he describes the suspect as a "WMA, 35-45 yrs, about 5'10", 180-200 lbs, medium heavy build, barrel chested, medium complexion, light colored hair possibly graying in rear, crew cut, wearing glasses. Dressed in dark blue waist length zipper type jacket (Navy or royal blue). Elastic cuffs and waist band zipped part way up. Brown wool pants pleated type baggy in rear (Rust brown)". The two descriptions near corroborate one another, totally debunking the conspiracy theories that depend on these two sightings being two different people.
The police report clearly states on page 2 that the "suspect was last seen walking north on Cherry Street, from Washington Street". There is no mention of the Zodiac Killer's movements after this sighting. In other words, by 6:29 am on October 12th 1969, the sighting of a man by Officer Donald Fouke walking along Jackson Street was immaterial to this report. Otherwise, the report would have stated "suspect was last seen walking east on Jackson Street" - which it didn't. Here is the full statement on page 2:: "#2 SUSPECT: WMA, in his early forties, 5'8", heavy build, reddish-blond, crew cut hair. wearing eyeglasses, dark brown trousers, dark (navy blue or black) "Parka" jacket, dark shoes. Suspect should have many blood stains on his person and clothing, suspect may also be in possession of the keys to the Yellow Cab, possibly has wallet belonging to the victim. Last seen walking north on Cherry Street, from Washington Street". The only eyewitnesses that could possibly have viewed the suspect to our knowledge, before he exited Cherry Street were the three teenagers. Officer Donald Fouke hadn't even entered the picture yet.
The above description of a white male in his early forties was given by the three teenagers before 6:29 am on the 12th October 1969, dispelling the notion they initially described him as aged between 25 and 30 years. Their description of a man in his early forties actually tallies with Officer Donald Fouke's memorandum submitted one month later, on November 12th 1969. In the memorandum he describes the suspect as a "WMA, 35-45 yrs, about 5'10", 180-200 lbs, medium heavy build, barrel chested, medium complexion, light colored hair possibly graying in rear, crew cut, wearing glasses. Dressed in dark blue waist length zipper type jacket (Navy or royal blue). Elastic cuffs and waist band zipped part way up. Brown wool pants pleated type baggy in rear (Rust brown)". The two descriptions near corroborate one another, totally debunking the conspiracy theories that depend on these two sightings being two different people.
So why does the sketch, compiled from the recollections of the three teenagers say the suspect was 25-30 years? One could ask why does the description now say reddish-brown hair, when the police report states reddish-blond? Why does the wanted poster say the suspect sat in the front seat and directed Paul Stine to Washington and Laurel, when the trip sheet supposedly gave a destination of Washington and Maple? Why does the wanted poster invent the notion of a passenger who pulls a gun out and orders Paul Stine several blocks further? If we accept the credibility of 25-30 years, then why don't we accept the rest of this garbage on the wanted poster? The three teenagers certainly helped in the creation of the suspect composite, but that doesn't mean they played any part in the fantasy accompanying it - and that includes the age range. They had clearly contributed to the police report a day earlier, describing the suspect as somebody in his early forties, which not only is corroborated by Officer Donald Fouke, but a third party sighting by Spruce Street, near the Julius Khan playground. This was detailed in the Sunday San Francisco Chronicle below. This sighting described the suspect as "about 40".
In summary, we have three independent sightings describing the features of the suspect as somebody in his "early forties, with a reddish-blond crewcut", followed by "35-45 years, with light colored hair in a crewcut" and finally "about 40, with a blond crewcut". There is a distinct possibility that the Zodiac Killer had light hair and was aged around 40.
In summary, we have three independent sightings describing the features of the suspect as somebody in his "early forties, with a reddish-blond crewcut", followed by "35-45 years, with light colored hair in a crewcut" and finally "about 40, with a blond crewcut". There is a distinct possibility that the Zodiac Killer had light hair and was aged around 40.
The teenagers certainly helped compile the sketch, but because of its rather youthful appearance appearing to contradict their police report of a suspect in his early forties, law enforcement likely used some artistic license to reduce the age of the suspect in the wanted poster, more in line with the sketch created. It is also important to consider that Michael Mageau estimated his attacker as 26-30 years on page 10 of the Blue Rock Springs police report, Michael stated "Subject was not blubbery fat, but real beefy, possibly 195-200, or maybe even larger. Stated he had short curly hair, light brown, almost blond. States he just saw subject's face from the profile, side view, and does not recall seeing a front view. Michael reemphasized that he really did not get a good look at subject other than his profile. Stated subject was a white male, approximately 26-30 years". Bryan Hartnell's recollections were stated on page 23 of the Lake Berryessa police report "Victim thought suspect was possibly 20 to 30 years of age by voice concept". It is not unrealistic to conclude, that based on previous estimations of the suspect's age and the youthful depiction generated by the sketch artist from the recollections of the teenagers, law enforcement took it upon themselves to guesstimate the age range of 25-30 years for the purpose of the first wanted poster. It is apparent that the teenagers were dissatisfied with the quality of the initial sketch and the age range attributed to it, so a second sketch qualifying their statements in the police report was generated.
Officer Donald Fouke Officer Donald Fouke had no input into either of the two wanted posters, which is absolutely astonishing, if you believe his superiors were aware that he had crossed paths with a man on Jackson Street, who he described almost identically to the suspect described in the police report. The fact that his description in the memorandum was extremely detailed, yet he wasn't asked to independently sit down with a sketch artist sometime between October 11th 1969 and November 12th 1969, beggars belief. How do we know he had no input?
In the 2007 Zodiac documentary he stated "One month later, when the composite drawing came out at Richmond Station and was posted on the wall, he looked similar to the man I had seen on October 11th. I then wrote a scratch, interdepartmental memorandum, to my lieutenant to forward to homicide division, so that they would have the additional information about the appearance of the suspect. I never spoke to Toschi that I personally know of or remember. He may have been the inspector that came out and asked me about the composite drawing and I told them the suspect was older and heavier". Not the words of a man who played any part in the composite drawings released on October 13th and October 18th of 1969. For the life of me, I cannot understand why.
In the 2007 Zodiac documentary he stated "One month later, when the composite drawing came out at Richmond Station and was posted on the wall, he looked similar to the man I had seen on October 11th. I then wrote a scratch, interdepartmental memorandum, to my lieutenant to forward to homicide division, so that they would have the additional information about the appearance of the suspect. I never spoke to Toschi that I personally know of or remember. He may have been the inspector that came out and asked me about the composite drawing and I told them the suspect was older and heavier". Not the words of a man who played any part in the composite drawings released on October 13th and October 18th of 1969. For the life of me, I cannot understand why.