Part two of six:
the crimes
Riverside
October 30, 1966 was the day 18 year old Cheri Jo Bates left for the campus library and never returned. The library closed at 9:00pm, and neighbors report hearing a scream around 10:30. Bates' body was found the next morning near the library, between two buildings which were set to be demolished. She had been brutally beaten and stabbed to death. Near her body police found a mens' Timex wristwatch with a torn strap whose hands had stopped moving at 12:24, though police believe her murder occurred much earlier.
A month after her murder (November 29), three typewritten letters were sent out to the Riverside police department. Titled "The Confession", the letters claimed responsibility for Bates' murder, describing details of the crime that had not been released to the press or the public. The author left a chilling warning, saying that Bates "is not the first and she will not be the last." More letters were sent out exactly six months after the murder. One, sent to Bates' father, said "She had to die there will be more." Two other letters were sent, one to the Press-Enterprise and the other to the Riverside Police. These letters said "Bates had to die there will be more", this time signed with a 'Z'.
Note: the murder of Cheri Jo Bates was never confirmed to have been an actual attack by the Zodiac Killer, but shares enough similarities and reasonable evidence to be considered relevant to this site.
October 30, 1966 was the day 18 year old Cheri Jo Bates left for the campus library and never returned. The library closed at 9:00pm, and neighbors report hearing a scream around 10:30. Bates' body was found the next morning near the library, between two buildings which were set to be demolished. She had been brutally beaten and stabbed to death. Near her body police found a mens' Timex wristwatch with a torn strap whose hands had stopped moving at 12:24, though police believe her murder occurred much earlier.
A month after her murder (November 29), three typewritten letters were sent out to the Riverside police department. Titled "The Confession", the letters claimed responsibility for Bates' murder, describing details of the crime that had not been released to the press or the public. The author left a chilling warning, saying that Bates "is not the first and she will not be the last." More letters were sent out exactly six months after the murder. One, sent to Bates' father, said "She had to die there will be more." Two other letters were sent, one to the Press-Enterprise and the other to the Riverside Police. These letters said "Bates had to die there will be more", this time signed with a 'Z'.
Note: the murder of Cheri Jo Bates was never confirmed to have been an actual attack by the Zodiac Killer, but shares enough similarities and reasonable evidence to be considered relevant to this site.
Lake Herman Road
The first set of killings accredited to the Zodiac killer was that of Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday. It was the night of December 20, 1968, and the pair was out on a date. They pulled off the road onto a well-known "Lovers' Lane" at around 10:15. Their bodies were found less than an hour later. David Faraday had been shot once in the head, and it's suspected that Betty Lou Jensen ran, because her body lay only 28 feet away with five gunshot wounds in her back.
The first set of killings accredited to the Zodiac killer was that of Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday. It was the night of December 20, 1968, and the pair was out on a date. They pulled off the road onto a well-known "Lovers' Lane" at around 10:15. Their bodies were found less than an hour later. David Faraday had been shot once in the head, and it's suspected that Betty Lou Jensen ran, because her body lay only 28 feet away with five gunshot wounds in her back.
Blue Rock Springs
Less than a year later, on July 4, 1969, Darlene Ferrin and Michael Mageau were on their way to a spot only four miles from the site of the previously mentioned murder: Blue Rock Springs. They were in their car when another car drove up next to them, staying for only a brief moment before driving away, only to return about ten minutes later, this time parking behind Ferrin's car. He got out of his car, carrying a 9mm Luger and a flashlight. The flashlight was used to distract the couple as the killer fired five shots. Both of the car's passengers were hit, some bullets passing through Mageau before also hitting Ferrin. The killer walked away, but paused upon hearing Mageau groaning in pain, meaning he was still alive. The killer returned to the car, shooting each victim twice more and then leaving again.
Though he had been shot in the chest, neck, and face, Michael Mageau survived. He was then able to provide police with a description of the attacker: a caucasian man in his mid-twenties or early thirties, approximately five feet eight inches, with short and curly light brown hair.
Less than a year later, on July 4, 1969, Darlene Ferrin and Michael Mageau were on their way to a spot only four miles from the site of the previously mentioned murder: Blue Rock Springs. They were in their car when another car drove up next to them, staying for only a brief moment before driving away, only to return about ten minutes later, this time parking behind Ferrin's car. He got out of his car, carrying a 9mm Luger and a flashlight. The flashlight was used to distract the couple as the killer fired five shots. Both of the car's passengers were hit, some bullets passing through Mageau before also hitting Ferrin. The killer walked away, but paused upon hearing Mageau groaning in pain, meaning he was still alive. The killer returned to the car, shooting each victim twice more and then leaving again.
Though he had been shot in the chest, neck, and face, Michael Mageau survived. He was then able to provide police with a description of the attacker: a caucasian man in his mid-twenties or early thirties, approximately five feet eight inches, with short and curly light brown hair.
Lake Berryessa
On September 20, 1969, a pair of college students were out for a picnic. Cecelia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell were just enjoying their time together when a man approached them. He wore a black hood, much like one an executioner would wear, with sunglasses and a small white square on his chest. On the square was drawn the now infamous symbol of a cross-circle.
He told them that he was an escaped convict who had killed a guard and stolen a car, but that he now needed their money and car to flee to Mexico. He had brought precut plastic clothesline and ordered Shepard to tie Hartnell up with the clothesline. She cooperated, and then she herself was tied up. The killer checked Hartnell's bonds and found that Cecelia Shepard had bound his wrists very loosely. The killer tightened the clothesline to ensure that Bryan Hartnell would not escape.
It seemed like a strange robbery until a knife came into view. The killer stabbed each of them several times, Hartnell with six stab wounds and Shepard with ten. He then left them there to die and walked to find Bryan's car.
[The note written on the car door can be found in the 'THE LETTERS' tab under 'THE FIFTH LETTER']
A nearby fisherman heard the couple screaming for help, and immediately called for help. When officers arrived, Shepard was still conscious and provided a description of the man who attempted to take their lives. Both students were hospitalized. Shepard slipped into a coma during her hospital stay and never woke up. Hartnell, however, survived and gave his account of the attack.
On September 20, 1969, a pair of college students were out for a picnic. Cecelia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell were just enjoying their time together when a man approached them. He wore a black hood, much like one an executioner would wear, with sunglasses and a small white square on his chest. On the square was drawn the now infamous symbol of a cross-circle.
He told them that he was an escaped convict who had killed a guard and stolen a car, but that he now needed their money and car to flee to Mexico. He had brought precut plastic clothesline and ordered Shepard to tie Hartnell up with the clothesline. She cooperated, and then she herself was tied up. The killer checked Hartnell's bonds and found that Cecelia Shepard had bound his wrists very loosely. The killer tightened the clothesline to ensure that Bryan Hartnell would not escape.
It seemed like a strange robbery until a knife came into view. The killer stabbed each of them several times, Hartnell with six stab wounds and Shepard with ten. He then left them there to die and walked to find Bryan's car.
[The note written on the car door can be found in the 'THE LETTERS' tab under 'THE FIFTH LETTER']
A nearby fisherman heard the couple screaming for help, and immediately called for help. When officers arrived, Shepard was still conscious and provided a description of the man who attempted to take their lives. Both students were hospitalized. Shepard slipped into a coma during her hospital stay and never woke up. Hartnell, however, survived and gave his account of the attack.
Presidio Heights
A mere two weeks later, on October 11 of 1969, cabdriver Paul Stine picked up a passenger who asked to be dropped off at Washington and Maple. Paul Stine, for whatever reason, continued for another block, passing Maple and arriving at Cherry Street. That was the point when his passenger pulled out a 9mm and shot him in the head one time. The killer tore off .a piece of the cabdriver's bloodied shirt and took it, along with his car keys and wallet. A group of three teenagers witnessed the murder and watched the killer wiping down Stine's cab. These teenagers alerted the police, but once they arrived, the killer was already gone, walking north. They described the killer as a white man in his early thirties who was about five feet, eight inches tall. They later worked with a police sketch artist to try to depict what the killer looked like.
[Further information regarding the killer taking a piece of Stine's shirt can be found in the 'THE LETTERS' tab under 'THE SIXTH LETTER']
A mere two weeks later, on October 11 of 1969, cabdriver Paul Stine picked up a passenger who asked to be dropped off at Washington and Maple. Paul Stine, for whatever reason, continued for another block, passing Maple and arriving at Cherry Street. That was the point when his passenger pulled out a 9mm and shot him in the head one time. The killer tore off .a piece of the cabdriver's bloodied shirt and took it, along with his car keys and wallet. A group of three teenagers witnessed the murder and watched the killer wiping down Stine's cab. These teenagers alerted the police, but once they arrived, the killer was already gone, walking north. They described the killer as a white man in his early thirties who was about five feet, eight inches tall. They later worked with a police sketch artist to try to depict what the killer looked like.
[Further information regarding the killer taking a piece of Stine's shirt can be found in the 'THE LETTERS' tab under 'THE SIXTH LETTER']
Santa Barbara
November 13, 1972, Bill Baker (Santa Barbara Sheriff's Dept.) claimed that the double murder of two Santa Barbara teens may have been the work of the Zodiac Killer. Nearly a decade earlier, in June of 1963, two students skipped school for senior ditch day and instead went to the beach. The pair had been shot several times in the back and chest with a .22, which led police to believe that they may have been attempting to flee. After the two students were dead, the killer placed both bodies in a small shed and tried to burn it to the ground. The killer's efforts were unsuccessful; the shed did not burn.
November 13, 1972, Bill Baker (Santa Barbara Sheriff's Dept.) claimed that the double murder of two Santa Barbara teens may have been the work of the Zodiac Killer. Nearly a decade earlier, in June of 1963, two students skipped school for senior ditch day and instead went to the beach. The pair had been shot several times in the back and chest with a .22, which led police to believe that they may have been attempting to flee. After the two students were dead, the killer placed both bodies in a small shed and tried to burn it to the ground. The killer's efforts were unsuccessful; the shed did not burn.