Zodiac Killer Essay Research Paper In the

Zodiac Killer Essay, Research Paper

In the late sixties and early seventies, California was haunted by dozens of unsolved

murders. The offender remains unknown to this day. The murderer, who referred to himself as

“the Zodiac,” made contact with the police and area newspapers throughout his reign of terror

through a series of menacing notes. Although the police were never able to apprehend Zodiac,

they were able to gather information about him via the letters. Zodiac boasted of killing up to

forty victims, however, police estimated he may have killed over 50.

Due to the nature of Zodiac’s letters and from witnesses police have a good idea of what

Zodiac is like even though he remains at large. Given what is known about serial killers in general,

and Zodiac in particular, authorities estimate he was born between 1938 and 1943, making him in

his mid-twenties to early thirties at the time of his first murder in 1966. The estimation is also

supported by witness statements. It is common for serial killers to first begin his career around

this age. (Weis)

Zodiac was believed to be a stocky man, but not overweight. (Graysmith, 316) Multiple

witnesses described him as having a “paunch” belly. He was a white male with light brown, curly

hair, was of average height, and wore dark rimmed glasses held to his head with a black band. He

was also reported to dress in a “military” fashion. He often wore a navy windbreaker and military

issued “wing walker” boots. Most witnesses described him as calm and clean-cut. (Graysmith,

316)

There have been many psychological profiles of Zodiac, perhaps because his true identity

and motives have never been revealed. Graysmith, the author of the best selling novel Zodiac,

also created a profile of the killer. Graysmith described Zodiac as having “delusions of grandeur,

of being a psychotic and a sexual sadist.” ( Graysmith, 321) He hypothesized, like many other

profilers, that Zodiac had an overwhelming and domineering mother and a weak or absent father.

It is speculated that a violent relationship with his mother may have lead to his apparent hatred of

women.

Zodiac’s first victim was Cherri Jo Bates. Although the murder was not attributed to

Zodiac until 1970, she was murdered one day before Halloween in 1966. Like Zodiac’s other

victims Cherri Jo was a student. She lived with her father in Riverside, California and attended

Riverside City College. She was a petite blond with blue eyes, although she was tan at the time of

her death she had a light complexion. (Graysmith, 164)

On the night of October 30th, Cherri Jo had gone to the school library to study.

Authorities estimate that Bates arrived at the RCC library at about six o’clock PM. While Cherri

Jo was studying the perpetrator removed the distributor coil from her engine, causing it to go

dead. Police theorize when Bates found her battery dead, Zodiac offered her a ride. He drove her

approximately seventy – five yards east at her car. He began choking her but Bates fought back.

She scratched his face and was able to rip his watch off, which was later found by authorities.

Between 10:15 an 10:30 PM a neighbor reported hearing a scream. Autopsies revealed that

Bates had been kicked in the head. She had also been stabbed twice. She had cuts on her face and

her jugular had been slashed. When she was found she was nearly decapitated. (Graysmith, 165)

The second murder committed by Zodiac occurred on December 20, 1968. His victims

were David Faraday, 17, and Betty Lou Jensen, 16. Once again the victims were young and

students. David was a Varsity athlete at Vallejo High School were he was one of the top students.

Betty Lou was pretty and described as “hardworking, studious, and had a spotless reputation.”

(Graysmith, 2) The couple were last seen at a friend’s house earlier in the evening. Although they

didn’t say where they were headed next, they drove to Lover’s Lane.

The victims initially made contact with the killer when he pulled his car up ten feet away

from where Betty Lou and David were parked. Graysmith hypothesizes what may have occurred

next. Zodiac may have asked David and Betty Lou to exit the car. When the couple refused the

killer got out of his car, pulled a gun out of his windbreaker and circled the car. He shot a bullet at

the right window sending the couple scrambling to the other side of the vehicle. Zodiac shot one

bullet at close range into David’s head. Betty Lou attempted to flee but was shot five times in her

upper back. No evidence of the killer’s identity was left at the scene. (Graysmith, 6-8)

The nature in which David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen were killed is consistent with

Zodiac’s other murders. Although the murder weapons varied from knives to different makes of

guns, to strangulation, the basic approach seemed to be the same. Betty Lou and David were

killed on a weekend, near a body of water. Zodiac routinely attempted to kill couples. Th

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