The Zodiac Killer

[buckeyeblogger]

Over the past few years I have become severely obsessed with this case. Needless to say, little tidbits like the following pique my interest:

Voigt's best suspect is Richard Joseph Gaikowski, who died in 2004. He was in his 30s during the confirmed Zodiac killings.

You'll like this: Gaikowski was a newspaperman, editing a Bay Area underground sheet called "Good Times."

A tipster alerted Voigt to him, and Voigt liked what he saw. The term 'good times" is used in some of the letters Zodiac wrote to papers. He actually worked at the Vallejo paper at the time it was the recipient of Zodiac mail. Gaikowski looks like the composite sketch of Zodiac.

Voigt got a recording of Gaikowski's voice and played it for the police dispatcher Zodiac talked to. She told Voigt, "That's the voice."

You can read more about him on the Web site, but suffice to say, the real test will be whether Gaikowski's DNA is a match for the DNA that's been extracted from an envelop or stamp the Zodiac licked before he sent his letters to newspapers. A Virginia lab is testing it.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/z...aikowski-claim



This was news to me, I know that Voigt has really focused on Gaikowski as the main suspect in this case for some time but I had no idea that it had gotten this far. I really wonder if that Virginia lab isn't an FBI lab testing Gaik's DNA against the extracted DNA from the letters.

There may be, finally, an end to all of this after all on the horizon, here's to hoping!

[mikem7715]

I dont think GYKE is a viable Zodiac suspect

[Mastermind]

I dont think GYKE is a viable Zodiac suspect

I'm curious why do you think he is not a viable suspect? How do you compare him to other suspects?

I'm not saying your wrong or anything, I'm just curious.

[Heriberto]

I always liked this case too. I thought they caught the man...maybe not.

[Thiussat]

Zodiac is the modern Jack the Ripper. The case will always have amateur gumshoes who claim they have the answer, each suspect as convincing as the other, but none of them being correct. There will always be a string of guys saying their father gave a death bed confession claiming he was Zodiac (several of these have happened in just the last couple years). Of course, all of these guys are trying to cash in by writing a book.

Each year that ticks by the less of a chance there is that Zodiac lives. It's doubtful he will ever confess, so this case will always remain a mystery. There simply isn't any evidence tying anyone to the crimes and there is no guarantee the DNA on the envelop is his (lots of people touch letters in transit).

IMO, the Unabomber is as convincing of a suspect as any:

1) Same general age
2) He was a highly regarded mathematician with a PhD -- certainly capable of creating ciphers
3) He resembled the sketch
4) He was at Berkeley at the same time that Zodiac was killing in the same area
5) He suddenly resigned from his job right after one of the killings occurred giving no explanation
6) He owned a cabin not far from Deer Lodge, MT (if not a clue, it is so coincidental to be astronomical)
7) He drove the same kind of car (and the same color) as what witnesses said Zodiac drove.
8) The length of his name is the same number of letters as the still scrambled signature of the cipher.
9) Kaczynski, according to his psychological records, had a very hard time with women. Who did Zodiac mostly kill? Kids in lover's lane.
10) Most importantly, we already know Kaczynski is a killer.

What excuse do the experts give for why it wasn't the Unabomber? Serial killers don't change their MO. Really, that's the whole basis for taking Kaczynski off the suspect list. Give me a break. If profilers were always correct, the DC Snipers would have been white males (not black). The guy in Chicago with all the bodies in his house would have been a white male (not black). The person who killed that little girl recently would have been a 30 something white male (not a 15 year old girl). My point is profilers only look at averages; there is still a small, but not insignificant chance, that criminals don't fit the profile. We have seen two prominent cases just in the last couple of weeks.

Am I saying it's definitely Kaczynski? No, I am saying the list of circumstantial evidence and coincidences tying him to the crimes are just as convincing (if not more so) than all of the usual suspects the amateurs have put forth. And that's all anyone has: circumstances and coincidences.

[Zlatko]

This thread deserves a bump. About Gaikowski, wasn't there some evidence that Gaikowski was in Europe during the time some of the murders occurred? Also, no offense to the police dispatch operator but she heard the Zodiac's voice back in 1969. That's roughly forty-one years ago. The human mind can create false memories. IMO, we need more hard evidence.

As for the whole theory that Ted Kaczynski was the Zodiac, there's a chance but it's slim. The Zodiac Killer was a bold individual. He was crazy enough to kill couples in brood daylight. Ted Kaczynski preferred to keep his distance. Plus, he never taunted the police the way Zodiac did.

[Mastermind]

This thread deserves a bump. About Gaikowski, wasn't there some evidence that Gaikowski was in Europe during the time some of the murders occurred? Also, no offense to the police dispatch operator but she heard the Zodiac's voice back in 1969. That's roughly forty-one years ago. The human mind can create false memories. IMO, we need more hard evidence.

1. There is some question as to whether anybody can actually prove Gaikoswksi was in Europe or not.

2. I agree with you on the operator. But it should be mentioned that she had listened to Allen;s and Ted K's voices a while back. She was negative on those guys.

What excuse do the experts give for why it wasn't the Unabomber? Serial killers don't change their MO. Really, that's the whole basis for taking Kaczynski off the suspect list. Give me a break. If profilers were always correct, the DC Snipers would have been white males (not black). The guy in Chicago with all the bodies in his house would have been a white male (not black). The person who killed that little girl recently would have been a 30 something white male (not a 15 year old girl). My point is profilers only look at averages; there is still a small, but not insignificant chance, that criminals don't fit the profile. We have seen two prominent cases just in the last couple of weeks.

1. IMHO, if you read Ted K's manifesto and compare it to the Zodiac letters, the style does not seem similar. Ted K. does not have Zodiac's taunting and venemous tone.

2. Nobody has found anything Zodiac related among Ted K;s posessions. They didn;t find any of the letter, code books, clippings, Paul Stine;s shirt, Paul Stine;s driver;s license. Any of the guns. The mask. They specifically did not find a machine that was capable of printing the codes. Considering they found so much stuff that Ted K did not want found...how could they not find even a shred of Zodiac related material?

3. So far there has been no DNA, handwriting or fingerprints done to match Ted K. to Z.

4. I personally do not think Ted K looks anything like the San Francisco composite sketch

5. If you really think about it, the only reason Ted K is a suspect is for the same reason the Manson clan was a suspect. They were local psychopaths that fit the timeline. If Son of Sam committed murders in San Fran, he too probably would have been a suspect for Z. If the Boston Stangler committed murders in San Fran, he too would have been a suspect.

[Mastermind]

IMO, the Unabomber is as convincing of a suspect as any:

Unlike Allen, Gaikowski and Rick Marshall, nobody close to Ted K has ever accused him of being Zodiac.

[Zlatko]

Mastermind, I have a question for you regarding the Zodiac. Do you think the Zodiac killer is most likely dead or alive? If you think he's alive, do you think he's in jail?

The more I read about the Zodiac case, the more I'm convinced that the culprit had either died or was incarcerated. The Zodiac killer was very bold and sadistic. The killer couldn't have blended back into society without a trace.

[Mastermind]

Mastermind, I have a question for you regarding the Zodiac. Do you think the Zodiac killer is most likely dead or alive? If you think he's alive, do you think he's in jail?

Z could very much be alive, as to whether he is active or in any condition to be active is another thing. Z could be strung out on life support tubes at a Veterans Hospital, for all we know.

1. Most of the investigators of the Zodiac case are still alive and functioning as active individuals well into the 70s and even 80s. Zodiac was in Dave Toschi's age range, so Z could very much be alive.

2. It is interesting that all of the prime suspects for Z are all dead (Allen, Gaikowski, and Marshall).Ted K is alive. I know Larry Kane is alive, but I don't consider either prime suspects.

3. I have to figure with all the Zodiac mania over Fincher's movie..I find it hard to believe that Z could resist making another letter. Sort of introducing himself back to the world and letting people know tht he's still out there. I know David Fincher, and The Chronicle, and Graysmith were very vigillant in watching their mail, telephone messages to see if Z might make an appearance.

[Zlatko]

Originally Posted by Mastermind

3. I have to figure with all the Zodiac mania over Fincher's movie..I find it hard to believe that Z could resist making another letter. Sort of introducing himself back to the world and letting people know tht he's still out there. I know David Fincher, and The Chronicle, and Graysmith were very vigillant in watching their mail, telephone messages to see if Z might make an appearance.

That's true. What's strange about the case is that the letters and the murders suddenly stopped. Whoever was the Zodiac killer, something must have happened to him.

One interesting theory I heard was that the Zodiac killer became the East Area rapist. It seems far fetched. But it sounds stranger that the Zodiac killer could become a normal law abiding citizen.

[Mastermind]

One interesting theory I heard was that the Zodiac killer became the East Area rapist. It seems far fetched. But it sounds stranger that the Zodiac killer could become a normal law abiding citizen.

That's not far fetched.

There actually was some speculation that Zodiac became the Circleville Writer or the Ohio Prostitute killer. I forget where I heard this.

I have to admit, the Cirlceville Letters do sound like something Z would do if he was retired or living in Ohio.

[Zlatko]

Originally Posted by Mastermind

That's not far fetched.

There actually was some speculation that Zodiac became the Circleville Writer or the Ohio Prostitute killer. I forget where I heard this.

I have to admit, the Cirlceville Letters do sound like something Z would do if he was retired or living in Ohio.

Hmm...well, it sounds a bit strange that the Zodiac killer would move to a small town in Ohio, and start writing letters. There are some similarities.

There are a couple of eerie connections with the Zodiac killer and the East Area Rapist. The Zodiac started killing people in the late 60's to early 70's in the Bay Area. Starting in the mid-70's, the East Area Rapist began to terrorize Sacramento. Sacramento is roughly an hour away from San Francisco. It's as if there's a continuation from one to another. However, the EAR seemed to have animosity towards women.

[Corkys-Place]

Here's an interesting recent Article from an Australian Newspaper on the Case:

http://www.news.com.au/world/fresh-o...-1226356457846

[WishfulDreamer]

Yeah, I definitely don't believe the Zodiac became the EAR/ONS, especially not the EAR because that didn't involve any actual killing. I don't think Zodiac seems the type to kill, then attack but not kill, then kill again. He seemed to enjoy killing.

The Circleville theory is very interesting. If he was old and retired, but I don't think he would do it for 18 years. Scary thought though, still terrorizing when elderly!