Throughout history, there have been more cases of unsolved crime than can be counted. Over time, however, the advancement of science made these cases far fewer. Through forensics; a type of science which revolves around the solving of crimes, there has been an increase in undeniable evidence throughout the world. Regardless of the evidence, though, there are some crimes which have remained unsolved. The case of the Zodiac Killer is one of the most famous of these.
The murders of the Zodiac Killer took place in California’s Bay Area between 1968 and 1969. One of the reasons why the murders are so commonly known of is because of the Zodiac’s relationship with the media. Between the years of 1969 and 1974, 18 letters were sent to local newspapers or citizens in the area. These letters contained details of the murders that the public could have no way of knowing, threats, and even a code made up of strange symbols which are stated to be the real name of the Zodiac.
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All of these suspects have enough evidence for a possible conviction, as well as evidence that could prove that they had nothing to do with the crime. Among these is Arthur Leigh Allen, who supposedly told a friend that he wanted to “kill couples at random,” and often referred to himself as “The Zodiac.” Allen also owned a watch containing the symbol that the Zodiac Killer often used, and, one survivor claims, even wore while committing one of his crimes. Allen wore the same shoe size as the footprints found near one of the murders, and was seen covered in blood and holding a knife on the day of one of the killings. Despite the strong evidence that points towards Arthur Leigh Allen being the killer, his handwriting was found to have no similarities to what was seen on the letters, he doesn’t resemble the sketch of the killer, and he very willingly cooperated with the police, even giving information that might convict
I would like to try and discuss theories and ideas about the Zodiac Killer (1966-1978, 1966 is when the killings started and his letters sent, 1978 was when his letters stopped but the killings unsure about if they stopped). What I have found out is that he killed about 37 or 40 people (he claims to have killed). The Zodiac sent letters to the chief of the SFPD or the News, threatening to kill someone or many people. The Zodiac wrote on some of his letters of how he killed some of his past victims, it explained what he used to kill his victims, to how he used his tools. Some of the letters the Zodiac sent were in ciphers or encrypted; one letter was thought to uncover the name of the Zodiac, but the letter was never cracked. Moving to his victims.
Now this man killed allot of people so this paragraph isn’t for the faint of heart. The first victim will be Paul Lee Stein. He worked as a cab driver in the late 1960s 1968 to be exact. The zodiac hopped in the car of steins cab… A normal customer is all steins must have thought but boy was he wrong…. He asked to get taken across town. About a block before arrival he shot stein in the head with a 9mm. pistol. After he took his wallet keys and a piece of his shirt for proof. Now onto Darlene Elizabeth Ferrin the next victim on the list. She sat in her car with her boyfriend who survived the attack… he must have been devastated by the fact that he couldn’t help what is possibly the love of his life…. When the zodiacs car parked behind them. He got out and shot both multiple times with a 9mm. luger pistol. Later, Ferrin, had a medical professional pronounce her dead. The final victim will be Cecelia Ann Shepard. The zodiac pulled up his car by a couple having a picnic he then said he had just escaped from prison he held tied them up while holding a 45. He stabbed both of them but only Shepard died. As it can see he could be known as a very evil man and killed at weird times as the saying goes expect it when it’s least expect
The Zodiac Killer is an unidentified man who is presumed to be a serial killer that operated in Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Murdering at least five people, but the Zodiac claims to have killed upwards of 37 people in total. In 1969 the Zodiac Killer began sending letters to the Bay Area newspapers, taking credit for the five killings and threatening further violence. The Zodiac Killer would call and send cryptic letters to the law enforcement agencies in Northern California, taunting them since they were unable to bring him to justice. The police had suspects but none that they could ever charge for the murders, due to lack of evidence, so this mystery still remains unsolved. The cultural impact that the Zodiac Killer has had on tv, movies and the media is still around today and has had many shows and movies remade after what this killer did. The cultural impact as well as for the families of the victims still remains today with still no closure, for those families who live in Northern California still there is the fear that crosses the minds on how such an awful criminal was once a part of their society, someone they may
The serial killer sent eighteen letters to newspapers and citizens. The first letter was sent on July 31, 1969, and the last letter was sent on July 8, 1974. After his last letter, the Zodiac Killer stopped all communication with the media and law enforcement agencies. The Zodiac’s signature symbol was a cross-circle which has meaning, but nobody can interpret it’s meaning. His name is yet to be intepreted as well. Many police departments were involved with the Zodiac Killer’s cases, but many abandoned the case, because there wasn’t any progress. In 2004, the San Francisco Police Department discontinued the investigation due to the lack of evidence. However, in 2007, the case reopened in Napa county and the city of Riverside. Today, the Zodiac Killer inspired many to create films, novels, and television
The most resent developments to the Zodiac case have taken place on the East Coast. In 1998, a string of murders occurred in the New York metro area by someone claiming to be the Zodiac. Though police have assumed that this is a copycat case, it has not been ruled out that the Zodiac may once again be on the move. Bibliography Graysmith, Robert Zodiac.
The mysterious person did not have a real name because no one was able to identify him. The murder gave his a name which was the Zodiac Killer. The Zodiac Killer was responsible for five murders in California during the late 1960s. The Zodiac Killers first two murders was on December of 1968 in Benicia, California. David Farraday, who was 17, and Betty Lou Jensen, who was 16, were the first two of a series of murders by the Zodiac Killer. The two of them were inside a parked, when the Zodiac Killer came up behind them and shot them. A similar case happened to the next victim of the mysterious killer. The following year, on July 4, 1969, another couple were shot dead in their car, in Blue Rock Springs Park in Vallejo, California. 22 year old Darlene Ferrin was shot dead, but Michael Mageau, who was 19 years old survived the shots. The strange thing after these murders is that the police received a phone call from an unidentified person that confessed to murdering those people. The next killings occurred two months later, on September 27, 1969. Two couples were also in a parked car in Lake Berryessa in Napa County. Cecelia Shepard and Brian Hartnell were shot at by the killer, but Brian Hartnell, who was 20 years old survived the mu...
A mixed psychopathic serial killer torments the San Francisco Bay area through several random violent killings in the 1960's and 70's while never been caught either. The intelligent serial killer also demands that the local newspapers print his vivid and detailed letters describing the horrifying facts regarding his killings. If they choose to ignore or not take him seriously, he will show them in the form of continued killings how serious he is. Leaving several clues to whoever can rise to the occasion and outsmart him, but always stays one step ahead of the authorities. The Zodiac saw himself as the hunter, but he also was thrilled with getting the chance to play the role of the hunted.
In California, December 20, 1968, Zodiac attacked Betty Lou Jenson and David Faraday. This was his first significant criminal act. In a matter of 2 or 3 minutes, the attack was finished and he drove casually away from the scene. He showed no signs of remorse and seemed very calm about all of his actions. After the attack of these two people-murdering the female-Zodiac would have read about his actions in local newspapers, listened to it on a radio report, or watched it on a local news report on the tv. Seven months later he attacked Darlene Ferrin and Micheal Mageau on July 4, 1969, killing the woman of course. Afterward he phoned the Vallejo Police departement to brag about what he did. He also wrote to three newspapers to brag.
The Zodiac Killer was a serial killer from the late 60’s and early 70’s. The zodiac killer identification was never known. The Zodiac Killer was most famous for killing couples in their car at night. He started his killing spree on October 30, 1966 in San Francisco with his first victim, eighteen-year-old Cheri Jo Bates. Cheri’s throat was cut so deep it almost decapitated her. On November 29, 1966, the Riverside police received a copy of an anonymous letter in the mail. This letter taunted the police about the murder of Cheri Jo Bates and how she will not be the last. (Wilbur R. Miller, 2012) This was his way of being in control and getting his voice heard. Just a few months later he kept to his promise that there will be more death. The Zodiac killer murdered a young couple, David Faraday and Betty Jensen, in Vallejo, California. David was killed by one shot to the head and Betty was shot five times ten feet away from the car. The police suspected Arthur Leigh Allen, a child molester, who fit the description of the Zodiac Killer almost to a T, but there was no incriminating evidence, so he was never charged. The Zodiac Killer was suspected of killing 2,500 people throughout his killing spree, and was never caught. The Zodiac Killer’s reason for killing was that once he killed his victims they would be his slaves in the afterlife. He thought of himself as a “God”, all powerful and all knowing. (Wilbur R.
My essay is going to be about the unsolved murders of the Zodiac Killer. The Zodiac killer was never discovered and remains unknown to this day. Between 1968 to 1969 he went on to kill 5 people that the police knew about, but claims to have killed up to 37 people in total. But some say it’s just the rambling of a sick man who just craves for attention. On the other hand, they might be people he never spoke about or who has never been investigated. It’s really a question of if he really did kill that many people or was he just making things up. He was really known for sending threats and codes along with letters to newspapers from 1969-1974 to get his message out to the world before disappearing forever. Most of the Zodiacs murders took place
On the other hand, The Zodiac recounts another true story about the hunt for the Zodiac Killer by detectives and journalists in San Francisco. In Spotlight, the victims of the historic sexual abuse are the emphasis of the storyline. The journalists pursue the story in an attempt to publicly expose and condemn the Church’s history of criminal complicity. More than anything, the journalists want justice for the victims and accountability for the Church. In opposition, The Zodiac revolves around the cat-and-mouse game played between the newspaper and the Zodiac Killer. The emphasis is not on justice or the victims, but on the perpetrator. Throughout the film, the murders are reproduced to disturb the audience without consideration for the real victims. In the cinema, watching Spotlight, I experienced the audiences involuntary verbal reactions to the revelations made about the extent of the Church’s coverup. I did not see The Zodiac in the cinema, but I viewed it with an audience and the reactions were more of anxiety due to the suspense rather than anger at the journalistic revelations. Spotlight bought empathy into the theater, while The Zodiac reenacts crimes for shock
Forensic evidence can provide just outcomes in criminal matters. However, it is not yet an exact science as it can be flawed. It can be misrepresented through the reliability of the evidence, through nonstandard guidelines, and through public perception. Forensic science can be dangerously faulty without focus on the ‘science’ aspect. It can at times be just matching patterns based on an individual’s interpretations. This can lead to a miscarriage of justice and forever alter a person’s life due to a perceived “grey area” (Merritt C, 2010) resulting in a loss of confidence in the reliability of forensic evidence.
Introduction: On the spectrum of criminal activity, serial killers are rather rare. Rarer still is a serial killer like Ted Bundy. Bundy confessed to killing 28 women in the 1970s in ghastly fashion and some believe he may have killed far more. It is hard to imagine what could cause any person to cross the mental boundary into such macabre behavior as Bundy perpetrated. Nevertheless, it is important to try to understand that behavior because only though such an understanding would society be able to identify and deter mass murderers in order to save lives.
As far back as 1832, James Marsh was the first to use forensics at trial to give evidence as a chemist in 1832. Since that time forensic science and evidence has come a long way in various ways and technology to help in determine if the suspect is guilt or not, through such things as DNA testing, blood, and fingerprints. The first forensic police crime lab was created in 1910. The contributions of Dr. Edmond Locard, a French scientist and criminologist, proposed that “everything leaves a trace”. This principle is still valid today as it was so many years ago. No matter how small, the specialized trained technicians and investigators can take these methods and go to a crime scene to get evidence. “Forensic science is the application of sciences such as physics, chemistry, biology, computer science and engineering to matters of law.” (Office of Justice, 2017) These different sciences can help achieve and assist in solving a case. Forensic science has also the ability to prove that a crime was committed, it can find the elements of the crime, it can help place the suspect at the scene and whether the suspect had any contact with the victim. However, in the last several years the techniques and with the use of technology the evidence that forensic science uncovers can also exonerate an innocent individual who has been falsely accused of the
“The word ‘forensics’ means “connected with the courtroom”; so forensic science is, therefore, concerned with gathering hard evidence that can be presented in a trial” (Innes 9). Forensic science is a science that is applied specifically to legal matters, whether criminal or civil. “Few areas in the realm of science are as widespread and important as forensic science” (Hunter 12). Forensics is the one science that is most commonly used in everyday life. It is also a branch of science that incorporates other branches of science such as biology, chemistry, and etc. Since it is used almost every day “No one can dispute the importance of the contributions to society made by forensic science; the ability to solve crime is undeniably important” (Hunter 13). Forensic science has given criminal investigation a new edge. “Advances in science have opened the door for more effective evidence discovery, howev...