In a world that has given us such horrific criminals such as Charles Manson, Jack the Ripper, and Ed Gein, there is one case that still plagues citizens. Between the late 1960s and the early 70s, San Francisco citizens found themselves in a state of panic. A serial killer was on the loose. Known for murdering female, and young couples, the Zodiac Killer claimed the lives of at least seven victims. In the process, the Zodiac sent in letters to the local newspaper about the murders. The case became so popular that it ultimately spawned two books by crime author Robert Graysmith. The first novel entitled Zodiac (1986), the other Zodiac: The Identity of America’s Most Elusive Serial Killer (2002). The former of the two ended up being adapted into the 2007 film Zodiac, directed by David Fincher and starred Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey, Jr. The case of the Zodiac Killer is one that’s left a major mark in history and still remains a mystery today.
“Famous for peach, love, and tie-dye, San Francisco in the late 1960 was also the setting for one of the creepiest real-life murder mysteries in history” (Campbell 45). On a late October night, the Zodiac claimed his first victim. Cheri Jo Bates was found murdered outside of her college library, “There were reports of a white male driving old car in the area at the time of the murder and police found a man's watch at the scene” (Biography.com). The California town was left in pure shock. Following the murder, the killer sent letters to authorities as well as newspapers and other media sources, and the victim’s. One letter in particular was the most chilling that would leave anyone at a loss for words, “’Bates had to die. There will be more’” (Biography.com). As if the murder itself wa...
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Work Cited
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“The Zodiac Killer.” Wark, Jake. Trutv.com. nd. Web. 27 November 2013. http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/serial_killers/notorious/zodiac/river_1.html
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“Zodiac killer’s identity revealed by newly-discovered evidence in cold case?” Lane, Edward. Examiner.com. 2010. Web. 27 November 2013. http://www.examiner.com/article/zodiac-killer-s-identity-revealed-by-newly-discovered-evidence-cold-case
The murder of JonBenet Ramsey has become one of the nation's notorious unsolved murder mysteries. A wide range of crime scene investigators and police officials have searched for clues for JonBenet's killer, but countless authorities have already considered this murder to be one of the most inexplicable cold-cases in America. As the world marks the twenty first year anniversary of the tragic event with still no standing suspects, an abundance of evidence proven through research points to one suspect in particular.
Tyler, Tracey.The Criminal Case You Can’t Know About. TheStar.com News. Accessed January 15, 2012. http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1080416--the-criminal-case-you-can-t-know-about?bn=1
Serial Killer Floats Theory." The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 03 Dec. 2012. Web. 03 Mar. 2014.
The Cheri Jo Bates murder would have been believed to have been committed by a spurned lover, were it not for a bizarre twist occurring almost a month after the murder. On November 29, 1966 an anonymous letter was sent to both the Riverside Police and the Riverside Enterprise, a local newspaper. The letter, entitles “The Confession”...
2011. “Serial Killers and Mass Murderers.” American Decades. Ed. Judith S. Baughman, et al. Vol. 9:
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.
03 March 2014. Bell, R. (n.d.). Ted Bundy. A Time of Terror — — Crime Library. Retrieved March 4, 2014, from http://www.crimelibrary.com/serial_killers/n.
'Serial murder'; has long been a term used to describe those human beings that repeatedly commit heinous crimes. It is rare that the average person probes the mind of a serial killer without bias. However, what lies behind the eyes of a serial killer deserves more than the cold hard look that society so often gives (Aaronson, Inter...
Christopher, Liam. “Mother ‘vindicated’ after girl’s murder suspect held.” Daily Post. 18 Aug. 2006: 19. Proquest Newsstand. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.
There are multiple serial killers and merciless murderers throughout the history of the United states. Yet the most intelligent and intriguing of them was the Zodiac Killer. The mystery of his personality has been supported by the fact the killer was never caught by law enforcement agents. Despite joined efforts between the police and the FBI, the Zodiac killer managed to foil their efforts for a very long time. Nevertheless, the personality and image of the killer became the nominal cast that caught huge public attention and transcended into the influence of movie villeins. Given the relevance of the topic, John Doe, a former detective of the case who wishes to remain anonymous, describes in detail the mystery that surrounds the Zodiac Killer’s
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.
Brogaard, Berit, DMSci, PhD, and Kristian Marlow. "The Making of a Serial Killer." N.p., 7 Dec. 2012. Web. 29 Oct. 2013.
The dark, ominous alleyways of London’s East End divulge a very gruesome history of women “ripped up like [pigs] in a market” (Grose). The area, once littered with the torn up remains of brutally murdered prostitutes, looms over the city as symbol for the story of one of the most notorious serial killers: Jack the Ripper. The case enthralls and captivates people’s minds even today, over 100 years later (BBC). This begs the question of how serial killers become part of history, an answer found in extensive media coverage. Time Magazine describes the phenomena Jack the Ripper left behind as a “rich legacy” and a “multi-million dollar industry,” eerily analogous to today’s coverage of serial killings (Grose). Jack the Ripper’s case provides an early example of the issues that arose with the advent of the serial killer—issues that still exist. The press has a unique role to play in serial killer investigations, but the line between helping and hurting society is often blurred. While the press has a responsibility to inform society of such serial killings in order to keep them informed and safe, publishing killer communiqués crosses ethical boundaries concerning the investigations and society.
My belief is that the nature of our behavior is based on astronomy; hence the reason that people who share the same zodiac sign have very similar characteristics, and sometimes a combination of people with certain zodiac signs cannot get along or are very compatible. Sometimes I can tell from a person’s sign because of their behavior, and likes and dislikes. Learning more about astrology and the zodiac signs helps us to understand people and their actions. Many argue that it is coincidence, but the odds are too high to be that.