1. "Zodiac, Revisited"
Posted by Kat on Oct-15th-02 at 1:31 AM

Some night this upcoming week, on a network station, there has been advertised *new, compelling information on the Zodiac killings* from several  decades ago. ('66-'74)
They are comparing serial sniper attacks and picked this old case to profile.

It's possible they will base their coverage on the newish Robert Graysmith book on the murders and investigation:
Zodiac Unmasked, A Berkley Book, NYNY, 2002.

The relevant pages that were the most interesting were from 444-446.  Otherwise, one need not read this book unless you totally missed the Zodiac in his prime.

The relevant new data from the book:

-The suspect of the author is named Arthur Leigh Allen.
-That he had a need of some kind to make his kills near water.
-If he couldn't kill near water, than he would stalk & kill near STREET names or areas associated with "water".
-The cab driver named Paul Stine was chosen (In S.F.) over previous preferences as to couples, because a cabbie could be directed to exact co-ordinates, to fit some weird pattern.
-Stine's original destination was then for 3rd & Lake.
-Stine's last scheduled trip destination, given him by the dispatcher at 9:45 p.m. was an apartment complex called The Allen Arms.  (Allen was the suspects last name)
-Paul Stine's Middle name was Lee.
-His birthday was December 18th, the same as Leigh Allen, the suspect.
-An "Arthur Allen-Student"- was renting an apt. 4 & 1/2 blocks from the murder site.
-Other Zodiac Victims and relations seemingly fit this *name game* of Arthur Leigh Allen. :
--]David Arthur Faraday...first N. Calif. victim.
--Arthur Dean Ferrin...husband of 3rd N. Calif. victim.
--Bill Leigh....her boss.
--Santa Rosa student victim relatives...Lori Lee Kursa, Maureen Lee Sterling, Kim Wendy Allen.

After reading this, it is all that is "new" about the case, other than that the suspect died several years ago.


(Message last edited Oct-15th-02  1:34 AM.

I certainly hope our own personal Zodiac killer is caught before that airs.  It's getting scarier and scarier.  Last night's shooting took place in the nearest shopping mall to my home here in Falls Church.  It's about a mile from my house to the Home Depot.  I never have liked that parking garage.  It's dark in there even in the daytime, and the store entrances are confusing, causing potential customers to have to wander around in the parking garage, trying to find a way to get into the store.  I cannot imagine why they built it that way.  It's very uninviting, and frankly I avoid the store for that reason.  When we first moved here over twenty years ago, the Seven Corners Mall was a fairly elegant place to shop.  It had two anchor department stores and many fine shops on two levels, and across busy Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) was a beautiful Lord & Taylor store.  It was a nice compact little enclosed mall that was very familiar to me, since I had lived near it for years.  Within the space of a few years, both anchor stores went out of business and were replaced by discount stores of various types, most of which have now also gone out of business.  Lord & Taylor relocated, and that building is now a Sears store.  One of the anchor buildings is now a Ross discount clothing store, and the huge Home Depot is at the other end of the mall.  There is a good Barnes & Noble Bookstore, which moved in a couple of years ago, and a G Street Fabrics is also located on that level.  It's one of the world's best fabric stores.  For some reason, the enclosing walls were torn out in a remodeling a few years ago, as were the escalators.  It's now difficult to get from that level (where the sniper struck) to the upper level, which is closer to my house.  The easiest way is to drive.  On our level is a Michael's Craft Store.  Of course, the sniper has struck twice before near Michael's Crafts, so that seems as if it could be a clue.  I haven't even heard it mentioned on the news today!  I was out on an errand just before 7:00 last night and came within a quarter of a mile of that mall.  As I left the grocery store, I saw an off-white van in the parking lot and looked at it warily.  I couldn't tell what make it was.  It did have a ladder rack on top, but there are thousands of those in this area.  While I was on the computer last night, I began to hear sirens, but there wasn't as much noise as I would have expected.  I went to bed without realizing the sniper had struck so near us.  Poor woman!

IF you (or anyone) were to see a vehicle that matched the description, write down the license plate and call it in right now!
Even if the license plate was stolen (usual SOP), that will help the police to locate it and investigate.

It is obviously premature to go out on a limb. But it was not done by a "madman". Those who go berserk in a public place quickly end up killed, suicide, or caught. This is a well planned operation by well trained killers. I suspect two: one to drive and look out, the other to concentrate on the target. The police suspect a military person, because that is the MO.

Remember two weeks ago? There were a few arrested who joined the Army to get military training for Al Qaeda. Also a rumor that AQ would again try to terrorize America. Note that they use low-tech and readily available tools. If anyone would have said that the WTC would be demolished thru use of a small knife they would be laughed at. They are very clever and ruthless.

I've been thinking about you, Edisto.  Because you mentioned that you lived in the area where all this is happening.  And I've been hoping you are a fatalist ... 

I, too, thought about the Michael's connection this morning.  And later I saw a reporter interviewed on CNN this morning who had also linked the three incidents.  She shops at that mall -- she had noted that there was a Michael's store in the complex.  So we are not alone in trying to find a pattern.

It's the universal antidote to irrational acts, I guess -- an attempt to find some rationality in the equation.  

Oh, good.  Somebody did notice the Michael's connection.  Maybe it's meaningless, but there certainly isn't a Michael's Craft Shop on every corner hereabouts, yet there have been three sniper shootings in close proximity to a Michael's.  The Michael's isn't visible if one is on the Route 50 (roughly north) side of Seven Corners, where the shooting took place.  Now that I think about it, there's also a Shopper's Food Warehouse in there, and one of the earlier shootings took place outside one of those.  Coincidence?  Maybe...  I do realize the odds are against my getting shot, but that's probably what Linda Franklin said too.  I heard today that it's thought the gunman shot from across Route 50.  If so, he must have been in a raised area, because there's hardly ever a time when Route 50 isn't absolutely clogged with traffic.  In fact, the whole Seven Corners complex is a nightmare of bad traffic design.  When the Christmas shopping season starts (around November), it becomes absolutely impossible to get through that area in less than half an hour.  I used to park in Lord & Taylor's lot (now Sears) and hike across to the mall, because I could take a back way home and avoid the traffic.  Now I'd be afraid to do that for fear of being run down by a car.  Not to mention shot!

Your story, Edisto, is very scary.  Those high powered rifles can shoot 2 miles.
Stef called me up around midnight last night and told me of the shooting and the proximity to where you live.
The first thing I blurted was "Is she posting?"
Thank God/dess you were, and we thank you for that!

I've noticed in the Zodian picture, the note he wrote claims "...up to the end of October I have killed 7 people..."

Strange coincidence.

BTW:  I can't fathom 2 in cahoots.  It's very rare for "follie aux deux".  (sp.) like Starkweather, or Ian Brady, or Hillside Stranglers.
(Is "very rare" redundant?)

You "can't fathom two in cahoots"? But THAT is the minimum amount needed for a conspiracy!!! Could you have guessed that two DOZEN could be connected in the 9/11 conspiracy???

The "box truck" pictured in the newspaper looks like an Isuzu (?). Did I see too many action pictures to think that others could be involved? Like, open the back door, put down ramps, then drive the Chevy Astro into the back and make it disappear?

This is NOT a one-man operation, IMO.

The really interesting thing about this map is that I have never in my life heard of a place called "Buffalo Hill," which seems to be right on top of where I live.  Where the devil is that, I wonder???  Just incidentally, there is a mental institution right near Seven Corners.  Some of the people living in the nearby neighborhood (which is quite an elegant one) have complained about its proximity, because it houses some violent criminals.  To the east on Route 7 is Bailey's Crossroads, which once housed the winter quarters of the Bailey Brothers Circus, before it merged with Ringling Brothers. 

(Message last edited Oct-16th-02  5:36 PM.)

Edisto, I'm so concerned for you living there!  I got gas in my car the other day and said a little prayer for you and for myself!  I thought, what if we get copycat killers?  I hope they catch the scum soon that is doing this! 

I've only gotten gasoline once since this thing started.  I used the station I usually patronize, but I certainly did look at its surroundings very carefully before I got out of the car.  I chose the middle island, rather than the perimeter one I generally use.  That station happens to be across the street from the shopping mall where Monday's shooting took place, but that hadn't happened yet. Some of the stations in this area are losing 30% of their sales because of the fear.  Late yesterday afternoon I was driving on one of our main arteries.  I passed a gas station, and there was a young woman, dressed in a brilliant shocking pink outfit, vacuuming out her car right beside the heavily-traveled road.  I had to admire her guts!  I'd do that in my own driveway rather than at the service station.  However, people who live in apartments don't have that luxury, I guess. 

Why does everything have to be a conspiracy?

Yes, it takes two to conspire but to me that doesn't fit this profile.

This guys a LONER, or socially inept.
Who is he gonna get to "help" him?

And yes I can imagine 24 foreiners conspiring right under my nose because I am one of those insulated Americans that are mono-lingual!

[Did I just coin a word?  Say it 3x fast]

(Message last edited Oct-17th-02  1:30 AM.)

I would've said the same thing before 9/11/01.  Alas, there ARE people conspiring against us, much as we may wish it weren't so.  I too think this guy's MO sounds like some lone nut, but I wouldn't rule anything out.  I believe the real target of September 11 was the U. S. economy, and this sniper could have the same thing in mind.  I hate to think what it's costing to put all these law-enforcement people out there and respond to these incidents -- not to mention the lost business.  Yes, it's fairly localized at the moment, but will it stay that way?

Because that's the way it is! Very few events happen in a vacuum.

Read Jim Marr's "Rule by Secrecy" for a more realistic history than you get in school. The chapters that deal with the 20th century all appear true, in that it agrees with most of what I knew.

Did you know that a small self-selected cartel of private bankers controls (or greatly influence) the economy? How did this happen?

Do you think that the assissanation of any Head of State is always just a lone gunman, like the Crown Prince of Austria in 1914? I won't mention anything more recent. While a "lone gunman" can and does kill, it takes much more to cover it up.

[Were Abby and Andy killed by a "lone hatchet-person", or were there any others involved in a cover-up?]

(Message last edited Oct-17th-02  11:54 AM.)