The Zodiac Killer

Background The Zodiac was a serial killer active in Northern California during the late 1960’s (1968-1969). He killed 5 people and claimed 37 victims. Police investigated over 2,500 suspects.

The killer originated the name "Zodiac" in a series of taunting letters sent to the local Bay Area press. Over 20 letters and 4 ciphers were sent. Of the four cryptograms (ciphers) sent, only one has been confirmed to have been decoded.

December 20, 1968 David Arthur Faraday, 17, and Betty Lou Jensen, 16: They were two high school kids out on a first date. Around 11:15 pm they were discovered lying outside their bullet-riddled car, parked on Lake Herman Road, within the city limits of Benicia Ca, a few blocks from Betty Lou’s home. Betty was dead at the scene and David died en route to the hospital.

July 4, 1969 Mike Mageau, 19 and Darlene Ferrin, 22: Darlene Ferrin (22) and Michael Mageau (19) were parked at the Blue Rock Springs Golf Course in Benicia around midnight (four miles from where Jensen and Faraday were shot). A car pulled up behind couple’s car. A man thought to be a cop, blinded the couple with a flashlight and began shooting. Darlene was shot 5 times, Mike was shot 4 times. Darlene Ferrin died before reaching the hospital Michael Mageau survived the attack (able to describe the killer).

The Description Short heavy set man. About 5’8’’ About 195 lbs.

The Phone Call At 12:40 a.m. an anonymous male caller called police and reported the murder of Ferrin and Mageau. On the phone he took responsibility for Faraday and Jensen’s murder. Police traced the call to a phone booth located blocks from the police department (less than 1 mile from Darlene Ferrin’s home).

The Cryptic letters August 1, 1969 The Zodiac Killer sent a series of cryptic letters he sent to the press and others. He disclosed his insanity which motivated the killings. Offered clues to future murder plots. This is where he adopted the name Zodiac. In one of the decoded letters he wrote, “I like killing people because it is so much fun…”

2 Days later Another letter

September 27, 1969 Bryan Calvin Hartnell, 20, and Cecelia Ann Shepard, 22: stabbed at Lake Berryessa in Napa County. Hartnell survived eight stab wounds to the back, but Shepard died as a result of her injuries on September 29, 1969.

October 11, 1969 Paul Lee Stine, 29: shot and killed in the Presidio Heights neighborhood in San Francisco. Twenty-nine year old Paul Stine was a husband, student and cabdriver.

Nov. 8, 1969

The “Dripping pen” card included this 340 character cipher

The July 31, 1969 Cypher Vallejo Times-Herald received the following cipher: Cipher = A cipher is any method of encrypting text (concealing its readability and meaning). .

Zodiac 408 Cipher Key .

Each newspaper also received a different cipher .

Who do you think Solved the Cipher CIA (Central intelligence Agency)? NSA National Security Agency)? The California Department of Justice? FBI (federal Bureau of Investigations) ? Office of Naval Intelligence?

Solved by High school history teacher Donald Harden and his wife Betty at their breakfast table.

Cipher Details The Cipher was a homophonic substitution cipher Δ = ‘S’, etc. Homophones – more than one symbol represents ‘S’. Throws off statistical analysis * Homophonic = Having the same sound

I LIKE KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH FUN IT IS MORE FUN THAN KILLING WILD GAME IN THE FORREST BECAUSE MAN IS THE MOST DANGEROUE ANIMAL OF ALL TO KILL SOMETHING GIVES ME THE MOST THRILLING EXPERENCE IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN GETTING YOUR ROCKS OFF WITH A GIRL THE BEST PART IS THAE WHEN I DIE I WILL BE REBORN IN PARADICE AND ALL THE I HAVE KILLED WILL BECOME MY SLAVES I WILL NOT GIVE YOU MY NAME BECAUSE YOU WILL TRY TO SLOI DOWN OR STOP MY COLLECTING OF SLAVES FOR MY AFTERLIFE EBEORIETEMETHHPITI