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September 10, 2017

“This is the Zodiac Speaking:” The Serial Killer That May Never Be Found

Winner of the Fall 2017 StMU History Media Award for

Article with the Best Use of Multiple Images

Best Storyteller

Best Descriptive Article

Imagine walking down the street one morning in California. The sun is out and the air is warm as you pass by many people, maybe even hundreds. You keep to yourself, and your business, but a few strangers you pass by make eye contact, and you smile at each other. But some do not smile back. You do not make anything of this; it is normal. This actually happens so often and with so many people that you take little to no notice as to how many people you do pass during the day and the faces you see. But what if one of the strangers who passed by you, maybe smiled at, maybe bumped into, or even held the door for was not a simple stranger? What if one of these people with whom you made a one-second interaction was actually a notorious killer, responsible for many murders. This idea was a reality in the 1960’s for all that lived in the San Francisco Bay Area of California; and actually still may be. This was the reality while in the area of the Zodiac, who claimed he killed thirty seven people.1

Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday | Courtesy of Zodiac Killer Facts Image Gallery

On the night of December 20, 1968, in Benicia, California, Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday were setting out for a night of new memories. The two teenagers were going out on their first official date, and to both of them, the night was full of promise. David picked up Betty Lou and informed both of her parents that he would bring her home by 11:00 pm. The two went out and shared the evening together in hopes of furthering their relationship. As the night passed on, Betty Lou and David found a spot along Lake Herman Road, or “lovers’ lane.” The time was past 11:00 pm and worries arose. The worries turned into horror, because Betty Lou and David were soon found dead. Betty Lou had been shot in the back five times and was found less than thirty feet from the car, leading some to believe she tried to run from the scene of the attack. David just had one shot to his head. Besides the victims’ bodies and spent shell casings, nothing else at the scene was recovered as evidence or as clues as to who could have murdered these teenagers. With no leads, this case produced no clear suspects.2

Darlene Ferrin | Courtesy of Zodiac Killer Facts Image Gallery
Michael Mageau | Courtesy of Zodiac Ciphers

Seven months later, two more people were targeted. It was the fourth of July in 1969 when they were gunned down at Blue Rock Springs Park, which was Northwest of Lake Herman Road where Betty Lou and David had met their tragic end. Darlene Ferrin and Michael Mageau were viciously attacked, and sadly Darlene died after receiving many gunshot wounds. But Michael miraculously survived, although he had been shot in the leg, neck, and jaw. Michael was luckily able to talk despite his injuries and told police what had happened the night of the attack. The friends drove to the park after Darlene picked up Michael and pulled into the parking lot. Darlene parked her Chevrolet Corvair, and a car pulled into the lot as they were talking. Those in the car got out and set off fireworks to celebrate the holiday and soon left.

The Lake Herman Road crime scene | Courtesy of Zodiac Killer Facts Image Gallery

It was immediately after this that another car pulled in. But this time it parked right behind Darlene’s car. A few moments passed, as the headlights shone into the Corvair, but then the car reversed and left the parking lot. Only a few minutes passed before the same car returned. The person driving the car opened the driver’s door and exited the vehicle. Michael recalls that the driver was holding a bright light and approached the two in the car. Michael said that a man approached them, but he assumed that the man was a police officer. Michael reached for his ID and rolled down his window. The man casually walked to the passenger side of the Corvair, lifted up a gun and pointed it at Darlene and Michael. He then repeatedly pulled the trigger. Both Michael and Darlene were hit. Michael remembered looking over at Darlene horrified, but she was already slumped over her steering wheel. After several more shots were fired, the gunman lowered his hand, turned around, and began walking back to his car. The pain from the gunshots pushed Michael to scream in pain. When the gunman heard the screams, he immediately returned to Darlene’s car and shot two more times.3 With the satisfaction of thinking he had just killed the two, the killer returned to his car and drove away. Darlene and Michael were found immediately by three teens who had driven by, finding Michael rolling on the ground. When the police arrived, the two were still alive. Darlene was not moving, but her eyes were open and she was softly moaning as police and an ambulance rushed her and her friend to the hospital. Darlene unfortunately died before arriving at the hospital, but two minutes after she was pronounced dead, a call was made to the Vallejo Police Department.4 The attack on Darlene and Michael had obviously not been the killer’s last stop of the night. A few blocks down the road the killer stopped at a payphone. He then made a call to the Vallejo Police Department, and when Dispatcher Nancy Slover answered, a man began to speak in a colorless, dreary voice that sounded scripted. “I want to report a murder. If you will go one-mile east on Columbus Parkway, you will find kids in a brown car. They were shot with a nine-millimeter Luger. I also killed those kids last year. Good-bye.”5

The payphone the killer used to make the call to the Vallejo Police Department | Courtesy of Zodiac Killer Facts Image Gallery

Now that this bragging killer had made a mistake and left a survivor, it was time to begin the search for this mystery man. Michael Mageau left a description of the man who had killed Darlene and left him wounded. Ed Rust of the Vallejo Police Department took down the description: “short, possible 5′ 8″, was real heavy set, beefy build… not blubbery fat, but real beefy, possibly 195 to 200 lbs or maybe even larger… short curly hair, light brown almost blond… with a large face.”6 After Mageau was shown various photographs of individuals that could possibly be the murderer, he concluded that none of these men were the killer.

The letter the Zodiac sent news offices on July 31, 1969 | Courtesy of Zodiac Killer Facts Image Gallery

Three weeks passed, and although there was now a description of the murderer, there was nothing else to lead police to him. But then three envelopes arrived at three Bay Area newspaper offices. All envelopes contained handwritten letters and a coded message. The person who wrote the letters left a detailed list about the two shootings. The writer then revealed that the coded message, once deciphered, would reveal his identity. Concluding the letter, a threat was made, “If you do not print this cipher by the afternoon of Fry. 1st of Aug. 1 – 69, I will go on a kill rampage Fry. night…I will cruse around and pick off all street people… then move on until I have killed over a dozen people.”7 The letter was signed with a symbol of a circle with a cross inside it. Following the threat, all three newspapers published the cipher out of fear that the killer would remain true to his word.8 This ignited everyone from experts to even amateurs to attempt to decode the cipher. Investigators followed tips and even received help from citizens who claimed to have solved the puzzle. But what one citizen found was that it did not reveal the killer’s identity. Instead, it was a statement. “I like killing people because it is so much fun… I will not give you my name because you will try to slo(w) down or stop my collecting of slaves for my after life …”9

Cecilia Shepard & Bryan Hartnell | Courtesy of Zodiac Killer Facts Image Gallery

Weeks later in Napa Valley another couple was stabbed at Lake Berryessa. After several stab wounds, Cecilia Shepherd died, but Bryan Hartnell became the second survivor of the Zodiac. Bryan described the man wearing a black squared hood with a white circle with a cross through it on his chest. The Zodiac even left his own mark, by placing his symbol on Bryan’s car with a black marker. He then wrote out “Sept 27 69 6:30 by knife.”10

More victims emerged as time passed, but the Zodiac was never captured. The Zodiac sent in pieces of a blood-stained shirt from a victim who had been the killer’s cab driver. The Zodiac had shot him in the head. Along with the scraps of the shirt, a letter was included as well. This letter sent law enforcement into a frenzy because of what it described.11 It read, “School children make nice targets I think I shall wipe out a school bus some morning just shoot out the frunt tire + pick off the kiddies as they come bouncing out.”12 This forced police cars to follow all school buses with armed officers to protect all from the threat.

A sketch of the Zodiac by Robert Greysmith | Courtesy of Questersite

The Zodiac sent out many more letters, and made a number of odd demands. He wanted the people of the Bay Area to begin wearing Zodiac buttons that were to show his symbol on them. But when this did not happen, he wrote in another letter that his punishment for their not complying with him would be his shooting a man in the head in a parked car.13  The Zodiac taunted the police for being unable to catch him. He even wrote, “If the Blue Meanies are ever going to catch me they had best get off their fat asses + do something… the longer they fiddle… the more slaves I will collect for my afterlife.” He then signed the letter with his symbol and the number seventeen, claiming that this was the number of murders he had committed so far.14

Letter from the Zodiac relieved by the Los Angeles Times on March 31, 1971 | Courtesy of Zodiac Ciphers

The Zodiac killer has never been caught, even as the decades have passed. But his crimes have lived on in infamy and spread throughout the country. Many books have been published telling the story of the Zodiac killer’s spree, and his crimes became extremely well known. Due to the fact that he has never been captured, copycat killers have emerged. They have killed in the same fashion as the Zodiac, leaving behind notes signed, “Zodiac II” or “Zodiac III.”15

What remains true is that the Zodiac’s plea for attention has lived on far more than maybe he ever expected. Or perhaps his ongoing fame is exactly what he always wanted. With no real suspects and no more credible leads, the case is at a dead end. There is nowhere else to turn and no one else to question. The crimes that occurred in the sixties will possibly live on as being unsolved forever. Who knows where the Zodiac is today. Is he dead? Is he in jail for other crimes? Or could he even be alive? Could he, right now, be sitting in front of his television watching as his crimes are still being discussed today and knowing that he got away with everything.

  1.  Salem Press Encyclopedia, January 2016, s.v. “Zodiac Killer,” by Adrienne A. Kennedy.
  2. Brenda Haugen, The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery (Mankato: Compass Point Books, 2011), 13- 15.
  3. Brenda Haugen, The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery (Mankato: Compass Point Books, 2011), 22, 23.
  4. Brenda Haugen, The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery (Mankato: Compass Point Books, 2011.), 23-26.
  5. Brenda Haugen, The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery (Mankato: Compass Point Books, 2011), 27.
  6. Brenda Haugen, The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery (Mankato: Compass Point Books, 2011), 25.
  7. Zodiac, Zodiac to Vallejo Times, Vallejo, Ca, July 31, 1969.
  8. Brenda Haugen, The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery (Mankato: Compass Point Books, 2011), 29-31.
  9. Donald G. Harden, Donald G. Harden to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, Ca, August 9, 1969.
  10. Brenda Haugen, The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery (Mankato: Compass Point Books, 2011), 38-40.
  11.  Brenda Haugen, The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery (Mankato: Compass Point Books, 2011), 52-60.
  12. Zodiac, Zodiac to San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, Ca, October 13, 1969.
  13. Zodiac, Zodiac to San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, Ca, June 26, 1970.
  14. Zodiac, Zodiac to San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco, Ca, March 13, 1971.
  15.  Brenda Haugen, The Zodiac Killer: Terror and Mystery (Mankato: Compass Point Books, 2011), 76-88.

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Gabriela Serrato

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212 comments

  • Irene Astran

    I was so intrigued by this crime case. My attention was first brought to it through the famous movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal. At first, I thought that the person behind these crimes and these letters was a mad man. After reviewing all the strategic decisions, he made and the precautions he took, I thought of him more as a genius in his work. It is very scary that to think that this individual was still on the streets long after the crime spree ended.

  • Lorenzo Rivera

    The Zodiac killer is the definition of s mad man. When you think of the word murderer, the first individual that comes to mind is the Zodiac Killer. The chilling part of the entire story is that unlike many other similar cases, this one remains unsolved. This fact alone is enough to get the mind racing, and brings up so many questions. the fact that his intellect was seemingly greater than that of the police at the time, and his mysterious letters have all contributed to the legacy of the Zodiac Killer. I don’t believe the case will ever be solved, but one thing id for certain, The Zodiac has to have been one of, if not the smartest criminals to ever have existed.

  • Adam Portillo

    The Zodiac Killer is one of the most infamous serial countries in the world. The fact that he practically got away with his crimes is frightening but also interesting. It’s fascinating to hear that the case is still unsolved and we still don’t know the identity of the Zodiac Killer. I’ve always been interested to read and discuss the topic of the Zodiac Killer because it can spark debate. Really enjoyed reading this article.

  • Hailey Rodriguez

    As I was reading this article I could feel the little hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I never truly knew what the Zodiac killer did or what he was known for. I find it mind-boggling that even after he, himself sent in those letters and even though there were witnesses there were still no official suspects, and more important, no killer behind bars.

  • Nathan Alba

    Being from California, I can definitely say the Zodiac is more than infamous. Most of this scare came out when my parents were kids, and they say that the whole state was worried, especially since there were supposed murders as far south as Riverside (which is in southern California). Much like D.B. Cooper, having never been officially arrested/captured, the Zodiac killer will go down as an unanswered question.

  • Madeline Torres

    This article most definitely left me wondering just who the Zodiac Killer may be and what they might be doing now if they are still living. The article itself is very descriptive and tells the story of the Zodiac Killer very well. It’s amazing how this killer never actually got caught for his actions and might never will be caught. The way he carefully planned out every single one of his victims is quite terrifying and the fact that authorities never figured out who did this is insane.

  • Cynthia Rodriguez

    This article was simply brilliant. I loved that your introduction paints a picture in your readers’ minds. You have a lovely writing style. Everything flowed nicely and it was enjoyable to read. I liked that you placed images of the victims next to the paragraphs in which you spoke about them. I like being able to put a face to the name. I also liked that you included pictures of the Zodiac’s letters. I knew that he would send coded messages to the police, but I did not know that he once sent a shirt stained with one of his victim’s blood. He found what he did fun and that’s just hard to wrap my head around. I cannot believe that he still has not been captured!

  • Brianna Ford

    I’ve always been interested in unsolved murder cases, especially the zodiac killer. His murders were carefully planned out and he even would taunt the police. The intro to this article gave a great chill scene that one may never want to encounter. The pictures in the article also added great detailed. I started to realize that the zodiac killer would kill in groups of two. I have always wondered what were his motive and what led to his killing spree. The ending to this article creates a great question… Where is he now?

  • Rebecca Campos

    I love how descriptive the diction was within the article. It made the article that much more interesting and enjoyable to read. The heinous crimes of the Zodiac were terrifying and the article displays that he not only was he a threat to his direct victims but also the larger Vallejo community. To pull of such a reign of terror must have taken a very strategic and intelligent individual. It makes you question whether it really was just one individual or multiple people pulling off these horrible crimes.

  • Alexandria Zapata

    So I was watching the show Criminal Minds and one of the episode that they describe is because of the Zodiac Killer and I picked this article because I never really got the full detail of who he was and so I was curious to see. It’s crazy to think that this person has never been found, even though he killed so many people. I think the most interesting part for me is when he sent in the letter to be published in the newspaper and has everyone try to figure out who he was. Crazy. I loved how this article had all the details, but yet got to the point about everything. It was very interesting to read!

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