The testimony of Michael Mageau after the Blue Rock Springs attack on July 4th 1969, described an assailant who approached their vehicle, fired off five shots, before retreating and returning to deliver a final volley of four shots. Nine shell casings were recovered from the crime scene, seven found on the right side of the couple's Corvair and two on the floorboard of the back seat. But is this what actually happened.
One thing may help us uncover the order of events that night, that of the ballistics and Darlene Ferrin's autopsy report, which has some unusual details to untangle. Here is a section of that report, indicating that Darlene Ferrin had nine entry wounds and seven exit wounds. An extremely high number considering Michael Mageau was shot four times. Some bullets of course passed through both victims, but it still takes some explaining. The report describes two entry wounds on her right arm and two entry wounds on her left arm, with two bullets recovered internally.
One thing may help us uncover the order of events that night, that of the ballistics and Darlene Ferrin's autopsy report, which has some unusual details to untangle. Here is a section of that report, indicating that Darlene Ferrin had nine entry wounds and seven exit wounds. An extremely high number considering Michael Mageau was shot four times. Some bullets of course passed through both victims, but it still takes some explaining. The report describes two entry wounds on her right arm and two entry wounds on her left arm, with two bullets recovered internally.
On page 13 of the police report it states 'With Sgt Rust went to the parking lot in front of Blue Rock Springs and observed a 1963 brown Corvair parked in the south east area of the lot. This Corvair had the head and tail lights on. The left blinker light was blinking front and rear. The ignition was in the on position, the transmission was in first gear, and the hand brake had not been set.'
On page 17 it states 'After both victims were taken to the Kaiser Hospital, writer checked the area for any spent bullets, upon checking the Corvair writer observed what appeared a bullet hole in the left door panel.'
Hardly surprising if multiple shots were fired through the right side window.
Then we have one bullet described as having been recovered from Michael Mageau's thigh. Michael was struck in the neck, hip, left thigh and shoulder.
On page 17 it states 'After both victims were taken to the Kaiser Hospital, writer checked the area for any spent bullets, upon checking the Corvair writer observed what appeared a bullet hole in the left door panel.'
Hardly surprising if multiple shots were fired through the right side window.
Then we have one bullet described as having been recovered from Michael Mageau's thigh. Michael was struck in the neck, hip, left thigh and shoulder.
The report above describes one bullet removed from Michael Mageau's left thigh. This was fired into his thigh while he was squirming on the back seat. There is no other alternative. Two spent casings were retrieved from the back seat floorboard. These are the two shots fired at Michael Mageau as he sought escape from the front seat, the two shots fired at him when Zodiac returned after the initial barrage. These two shots therefore did not pass through Mageau's body to strike Darlene Ferrin, one of which was described above in the police report, that lodged in his left thigh, the other likely struck his hip.
This is important because it leaves only seven shots left to create nine entry wounds and seven exit wounds detailed in Darlene Ferrin's autopsy. Two bullets remained inside Darlene Ferrin, so didn't produce any exit wounds. Now we have only five bullets remaining to create seven exit wounds, two of which struck Michael Mageau in the front seat.
Darlene Ferrin it has been surmised was shot in the arms while gripping the steering wheel, 2 bullets that struck her right arm, exited her right arm and struck her left arm, which they exited also, producing 4 entry and 4 exit wounds.
The 2 bullets that struck Mageau on the front seat would have lost velocity, entering Darlene Ferrin but not exiting her body. These were the 2 bullets found internally at her autopsy. The other 3 bullets that struck Darlene Ferrin's torso directly produced 3 exit wounds (add this to the 4 exit wounds on her arms, gives us the total of 7 exit wounds).
She had 4 entry wounds in her arms from 2 bullets, she had 2 entry wounds via Michael Mageau (the lodged bullets at autopsy) in her torso and 3 entry wounds that struck her directly (one during the initial barrage and two when Zodiac returned).
In total giving us 9 entry wounds.
Michael Mageau was targeted directly 4 times, Darlene Ferrin was targeted directly 5 times (2 at her arms, 3 at her torso).
One bullet, the one discovered in the left panel of the driver side door, therefore was the only bullet that exited her torso, because the other 2 were retrieved internally at autopsy.
This is important because it leaves only seven shots left to create nine entry wounds and seven exit wounds detailed in Darlene Ferrin's autopsy. Two bullets remained inside Darlene Ferrin, so didn't produce any exit wounds. Now we have only five bullets remaining to create seven exit wounds, two of which struck Michael Mageau in the front seat.
Darlene Ferrin it has been surmised was shot in the arms while gripping the steering wheel, 2 bullets that struck her right arm, exited her right arm and struck her left arm, which they exited also, producing 4 entry and 4 exit wounds.
The 2 bullets that struck Mageau on the front seat would have lost velocity, entering Darlene Ferrin but not exiting her body. These were the 2 bullets found internally at her autopsy. The other 3 bullets that struck Darlene Ferrin's torso directly produced 3 exit wounds (add this to the 4 exit wounds on her arms, gives us the total of 7 exit wounds).
She had 4 entry wounds in her arms from 2 bullets, she had 2 entry wounds via Michael Mageau (the lodged bullets at autopsy) in her torso and 3 entry wounds that struck her directly (one during the initial barrage and two when Zodiac returned).
In total giving us 9 entry wounds.
Michael Mageau was targeted directly 4 times, Darlene Ferrin was targeted directly 5 times (2 at her arms, 3 at her torso).
One bullet, the one discovered in the left panel of the driver side door, therefore was the only bullet that exited her torso, because the other 2 were retrieved internally at autopsy.
Darlene Ferrin This backs up Michael Mageau's statement that the killer shot him twice while he was in the back seat (hip and left thigh), and therefore Darlene Ferrin was shot separately twice while alone in the front section of the vehicle (twice in her right back).
The strange thing about this scenario is the conception many believe of how the shooting unfolded. That Michael Mageau was targeted first, yet Darlene Ferrin was still likely gripping the steering wheel with both arms even by the time of the third shot, to facilitate the through and through wounds to both her arms. Bearing in mind the vehicle was in first gear, with the hand brake off, had she attempted to prepare the vehicle to drive away, valiantly gripping the steering wheel as Michael was being shot.
A letter was received by the San Francisco Examiner on July 4th 1969 in which Zodiac describes his attack "On the 4th of July I did not open the car door. The window was rolled down all ready. The boy was origionaly sitting in the front seat when I began fireing. When I fired the first shot at his head, he leaped backwards at the same time, thus spoiling my aim. He ended up on the back seat then the floor in back thashing out very violently with his legs; that's how I shot him in the knee. "
The strange thing about this scenario is the conception many believe of how the shooting unfolded. That Michael Mageau was targeted first, yet Darlene Ferrin was still likely gripping the steering wheel with both arms even by the time of the third shot, to facilitate the through and through wounds to both her arms. Bearing in mind the vehicle was in first gear, with the hand brake off, had she attempted to prepare the vehicle to drive away, valiantly gripping the steering wheel as Michael was being shot.
A letter was received by the San Francisco Examiner on July 4th 1969 in which Zodiac describes his attack "On the 4th of July I did not open the car door. The window was rolled down all ready. The boy was origionaly sitting in the front seat when I began fireing. When I fired the first shot at his head, he leaped backwards at the same time, thus spoiling my aim. He ended up on the back seat then the floor in back thashing out very violently with his legs; that's how I shot him in the knee. "
Michael Mageau This account also confirms the ballistics, in that the shots to Michael Mageau's neck (head) and shoulder occurred while he was positioned in the front seat, passed through his body and struck Darlene Ferrin's upper torso. The shots to his lower body (left thigh and hip) occurred while he was in the back seat "thashing out very violently with his legs."
One order of events and by no means the only one, is that Zodiac targeted Darlene Ferrin first, striking both her arms with 2 shots, after all she was the driver and means of escape. He quickly turns the gun onto Michael Mageau, striking him in the neck and rear shoulder as he is turning away from the gun. He then fires a further shot into Darlene Ferrin's torso, as Michael hurls himself backwards into the rear seats. Five shots have now been fired. Zodiac walks away, then returns to shoot Michael in the rear seat twice (hip and thigh), then Darlene twice more into her torso, before leaving the scene.
This version explains the movements of the killer that night, his account in the 'Debut of Zodiac' letter, the nine shots fired and the nine entry wounds and seven exit wounds detailed in Darlene Ferrin's autopsy report.
It is equally possible Darlene Ferrin sensed danger early on, preparing the vehicle for a quick exit, disengaging the hand brake, setting the transmission and at some point either grabbing the steering wheel or attempting to start the ignition, when the Zodiac struck. She then turned away in a defensive motion and was struck several times in her right rear.
What the autopsy does, is paint a picture of the sequence of events that night, and that Michael Mageau's version of catapulting himself backwards to the rear seats of the Corvair, to escape the initial barrage, is supported by all the ballistics evidence, but what the autopsy results won't reveal about the events that night, is why.
One order of events and by no means the only one, is that Zodiac targeted Darlene Ferrin first, striking both her arms with 2 shots, after all she was the driver and means of escape. He quickly turns the gun onto Michael Mageau, striking him in the neck and rear shoulder as he is turning away from the gun. He then fires a further shot into Darlene Ferrin's torso, as Michael hurls himself backwards into the rear seats. Five shots have now been fired. Zodiac walks away, then returns to shoot Michael in the rear seat twice (hip and thigh), then Darlene twice more into her torso, before leaving the scene.
This version explains the movements of the killer that night, his account in the 'Debut of Zodiac' letter, the nine shots fired and the nine entry wounds and seven exit wounds detailed in Darlene Ferrin's autopsy report.
It is equally possible Darlene Ferrin sensed danger early on, preparing the vehicle for a quick exit, disengaging the hand brake, setting the transmission and at some point either grabbing the steering wheel or attempting to start the ignition, when the Zodiac struck. She then turned away in a defensive motion and was struck several times in her right rear.
What the autopsy does, is paint a picture of the sequence of events that night, and that Michael Mageau's version of catapulting himself backwards to the rear seats of the Corvair, to escape the initial barrage, is supported by all the ballistics evidence, but what the autopsy results won't reveal about the events that night, is why.