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Will Idaho murderer be the next Zodiac Killer? Revisiting America's most elusive serial killer's first kill

The first confirmed victims of the Zodiac killer, who murdered five or possibly more people in California, were David Faraday, 17, and his girlfriend Betty Lou Jensen, 16
PUBLISHED DEC 21, 2022
Zodiac Killer (L) remains unidentified just like the murderer of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram and Wikimedia)
Zodiac Killer (L) remains unidentified just like the murderer of Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen, and Kaylee Goncalves (@kayleegoncalves/Instagram and Wikimedia)

Disclaimer: This is based on sources and we have been unable to verify this information independently.

No suspects, no weapon, and no motive. The quadruple killing of University of Idaho students, Ethan Chapin, 20, Xana Kernodle, 20, Madison Mogen, 21, and Kaylee Goncalves, 21, in the early hours of November 13, 2022, remains a mystery even after a month, raising a major question — Will the Idaho murderer be next Zodiac Killer, who has been elusive as well?

The first confirmed victims of the Zodiac killer, who murdered five people or possibly more in the Bay Area of California between 1968 and 1969, were David Faraday, 17, and his girlfriend Betty Lou Jensen, 16. They both were shot dead near their car on December 20, 1968, on Lake Herman Road near Vallejo, states KIRO7. According to the Forensic Science Society, Faraday was shot once in the head at point-blank range and died within minutes, while Jensen was shot five times in the back and was killed instantly. The weapon used in the murders, which took place at around 10.15 pm, was a 0.22 caliber semi-automatic pistol. Following this, the killer targeted a few more young couples. On August 1, 1969, The Vallejo Times Herald, The San Francisco Chronicle, and The San Francisco Examiner received letters from an individual claiming to be the murderer, with each one including one-third of a 408-symbol cryptogram that the killer demanded to be printed on each newspaper’s front page or else he would “cruse [sic] around all weekend killing lone people in the night then move on to kill again until I end up with a dozen people over the weekend," reports Independent

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According to Thought Catalog, a California couple solved this 408-symbol cryptogram that read, “I like killing people because it is so much fun – it is more fun than killing wild game in the forest because man is the most dangerous animal of all – to kill something gives me the most thrilling experience – it is even better than getting your rocks off with a girl – the best part of it is that when I die I will be reborn in paradise and all the (lone or stray people) I have killed will become my slaves – I will not give you my name because you will try to slow down or stop my collecting of slaves for my afterlife.”

Case Breakers identifies Zodiac Killer

An independent group of cold case investigators, around 40 forensic experts, federal agents, and private investigators calling themselves the Case Breakers, claimed to identify the notorious Zodiac Killer. The investigators alleged that Gary Francis Poste, a US Air Force veteran, and housepainter, who passed away in 2018, was behind the killings, as per Independent. Poste’s daughter-in-law Michelle Wynn also accused him of being a serial killer, National World reports. However, according to NBC, the FBI said that claim was inaccurate. On October 7, 2021, they stated on Twitter, "The FBI's investigation into the #Zodiac Killer remains open and unsolved. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, and out of respect for the victims and their families, we will not be providing further comment at this time."



 

More suggested suspects

Several theories regarding who the killer could be have emerged over the years. There have been many suspects in relation to the Zodiac murders, including Arthur Leigh Allen, Richard Gaikowski, Richard Marshall, and Lawrence Kane. Allen, who was dishonorably discharged from the US Navy and faced sexual misconduct allegations that led him to get fired from his position as a primary school teacher, was the only suspect to be served search warrants by law enforcement. However, the DNA and fingerprints from the Zodiac’s crimes didn’t match with Allen, who died in 1992.

Gaikowski, on the other hand, was the editor of a newspaper called Good Times from 1969 to 1971, the period when the killings took place. The paper’s production schedule kept Gaikowski busy on Wednesdays, which happened to be the only day when Zodiac never sent a letter. Also, the letters abruptly stopped at the same time when Gaikowski was hospitalized for going “berserk,” states Allthatsinteresting. He was then diagnosed with a mental illness and began treatment at Mount Zion Hospital in San Francisco.

The Zodiac didn't write letters for almost three years. In 1974, he started sending letters again referring to recent film releases. And Gaikowski was operating a storefront theater in the Mission District of San Francisco. The case had to be dropped as there was no strong evidence against him.

Born in Texas, Marshall's physical appearance and handwriting made him come under the radar. He worked as a projectionist at Avenue, a San Francisco silent-movie theater. This was the same time when Zodiac sent his Red Phantom letter in July 1974, states a website named Zodiacserialkiller. Again, there was no evidence to prove that he might be a culprit.

Kane, who joined the US Navy during the Second World War and served Active Duty in 1943, was arrested several times on charges such as shoplifting, theft, and prowling in the 1960s. The physical appearance of Kane, who died on May 20, 2010, at the age of 86 in Nevada, made him one of the suspects but just like others, there was no valid evidence. To date, the Zodiac killer has never been identified. 

Killer on the loose

The Idaho case, which has attracted thousands of amateur web detectives, and Reddit threads, still has no concrete details about the suspect. Moscow police chief Rogier Lanier said that police analysts are examining videos.

He added, "Tracking down rumors and quelling rumors about specific individuals or specific events that may or may not have happened is a huge distraction for investigators, and oftentimes is the result of social media propagation," reports BBC. 

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