1. A Forensic Linguistics Case Study of the Mystery of the Golden Coast Serial Killer:
The Zodiac
Presented By:
Razan S. Badawi

2. What is Forensic Linguistics?
“… no two people have the same handwriting. Thus, handwriting is viewed as being as identifiable as a fingerprint.“ Nicole Letch (2004)

3. Types of Linguistic Evidence
Other
s, Blogs, Graffiti ,etc…
Written
Notes
Suicide
Ransom
Letters
Serial Killers
Verbal
Voice Fingerprints
Intellectual
Property
Plagiarism

4. Who is the Zodiac?

5. Main Suspects Richard Gaikowski Arthur Leigh Allen (1936 – 2004)
( )

6. Research Methodology
"linguistics helps build a profile, not identify an individual" (Leonard, 2005) …
- Linguistic analysis of hand-written evidence:
Spelling
Punctuation
Lexical Choice

7. ” This is the Zodiac Speaking…...” Spelling I …
Cipher + Cypher = cyipher !?

8. (ci·pher) Pronunciation: /ˈsīfər/
(also cypher)
noun
1a secret or disguised way of writing; a code.
verb
1 [with object] put (a message) into secret writing; encode.
oxforddictionaries.com

9. ” This is the Zodiac Speaking…...”
Spelling II …

10. ” This is the Zodiac Speaking…...” Punctuation …
The Zodiac’s Bates letter that he sent to the Riverside Police Department

11. ” This is the Zodiac Speaking…...” Lexical Choice I
Mailed: July 31, 1969 Sent to: San Francisco Examiner
Kill (verb):
to deprive of life in any manner; cause the death of; slay.

12. ” This is the Zodiac Speaking…...” Lexical Choice II…
Mailed: July 31, 1969 Sent to: San Francisco Chronicle
Murder (noun):
Law. the killing of another human being under conditions specifically covered in law. In the U.S., special statutory definitions include murder committed with malice aforethought, characterized by deliberation or premeditation or occurring during the commission of another serious crime, as robbery or arson (first-degree murder)  and murder by intent but without deliberation or premeditation (second-degree murder)

13. Results: Creating a Profile
Educated
Knowledgeable
Well-read
Religious
Had a non-stop desire to kill
Had a god complex
A linguistic prodigy

14. References http://www.zodiackiller.com/Letters.html

15. Thank You