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San Francisco police are searching for the man known as the Zodiac who they say murdered five people in Northern California in the late 1960's. To this date the case remains an open investigation and possible suspects are being looked at. In each instance police have tied the murders to one man. What follows is a synopsis of the cases.
On December 20, 1968 at 11:15 p.m., police say the unidentified killer murdered David Farady, 17 and Betty Lou Jensen, 16 on Lake Herman Road in Vallejo, CA in a popular lover's lane area. According to police, Faraday was shot at close range behind his left ear, and Jensen was shot five times in the back as she ran away from her attacker.
On July 5, 1969 at around 12:00 a.m., police say Darlene Ferrin, 22 and Michael Mageau, 19 were attacked at another well known lover's lane in Vallejo by a man driving a tan colored car which resembled a >58 or >59 Falcon with old California plates. Police say the man emerged from the tan car shining a bright light in the couple's eyes and fired into the car killing Ferrin and wounding Mageau.
On September 27, 1969 sometime after 4:00 p.m. police say college sophomores Cecilia Shepherd and Bryan Hartnell were attacked by the same man at Lake Berryessa in Napa County. According to police, the suspect was dressed in a midnight black hood that hung down almost to his waist with slits for the eyes nose and mouth. On the portion of the hood which covered the suspect's chest was a hand painted white circle with a cross on top of it. After the victims were hogtied, the suspect pulled out a one foot knife and stabbed Cecilia to death and wounded Bryan.
On October 11, 1969 police say the suspect killed Yellow Cab driver Paul Stine, 29 between 9:30 and 9:55 p.m. on Washington Street in San Francisco, CA. Police say the killer pressed a gun against Stine's right cheek and fired. The suspect took Stine's wallet and tore off a portion of his shirt, police say.
On August 1, 1969, police say the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper received the first of 21 letters bearing the same crossed symbol that was seen on the hooded suspect in the Lake Berryessa attack. In the letters, several of which included swatches of Stine's bloody shirt, the killer refers to himself as Athe Zodiac,@ admits to the murders and threatens to kill again. Some of the letters also included a coded message made up of symbols which resemble symbols used in astrology. Portions of the letters were printed in the newspaper, and a couple in North Salinas cracked the killer's code. All leads and clues were investigated, but police were unable to identify the killer.
On the night of March 17, 1970, police say Kathleen Johns was abducted by the suspect on Maze Road near Interstate 5 in Vallejo, CA. She managed to escape by jumping out of his moving car. Between 1969 and 1981 there were 42 other murders which police say may have been committed by the Zodiac however there is not enough evidence to link the 42 murders to the same man responsible for the six attacks listed above.
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DOB: | 1928-1938 (Between 60 and 70 yrs.) |
| Sex: | Male | |
| Race: | White | |
| Height: | 6' | |
| Weight: | 180 - 200 pounds | |
| Eye Color: | Unknown | |
| Hair Color: | Brown | |
| Scars: | Acne scars on chin | |
| Tattoos | None known | |
America's Most Wanted, CASE:THE ZODIAC
