What the Zodiac Killer Evidence Board Covers
The Zodiac Killer evidence board organizes information related to the series of unsolved attacks attributed to an unidentified assailant in Northern California during the late 1960s. It compiles authenticated crime scene materials, official reports, and documented correspondence attributed to the suspect. This overview explains what has been verified, what remains contested, and how investigators distinguish between evidence, tips, and speculation.
Key Crimes Linked to the Zodiac
Confirmed Attacks
Law enforcement associates these crimes with the Zodiac based on investigative findings, surviving victims, and the subject’s own claims. Not all details are universally accepted, but these cases are commonly referenced in official summaries.
| Victim(s) | Date | Location | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| David Faraday, Betty Lou Jensen | December 20, 1968 | Benicia, CA | Fatalities |
| Michael Mageau, Darlene Ferrin | July 4, 1969 | Vallejo, CA | One fatality, one survivor |
| Bryan Hartnell, Cecelia Shepard | September 27, 1969 | Lake Berryessa, CA | Survivor, victim died later |
| Paul Stine | October 11, 1969 | San Francisco, CA | Fatalities |
Attempted Kidnapping (Survivor)
Cheri Jo Bates survived a serious assault near a Riverside college in April 1968, though this case is not universally attributed to the Zodiac by all agencies. Differences in MO and evidence handling mean it is often listed alongside related incidents rather than as a direct Zodiac act in some board summaries.
Verified Ciphers and Communications
Several encrypted messages were sent to newspapers and law enforcement. Only a subset has been definitively linked to the killer through forensic and linguistic review. The most widely accepted ciphers are outlined below.
- Z340 — Solved in 2020. A private team and the FBI confirmed partial plaintext, revealing segments consistent with the writer’s style.
- Z408 — Solved in 1969. Short cipher with a transposition method; provided limited usable content.
- Z13 — Partially solved. Small fragment decoded; remainder remains unsolved.
- Z490 and Z103 — Unresolved. Lengthy, complex systems without confirmed decryption.
Authentic Evidence Items
Certain physical objects carry strong documentation linking them to the investigation. These items are tracked in evidence repositories and referenced in court files.
| Artifact | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Zodiac Killer ciphers (Z340, Z408, Z13) | Forensically examined; partial or full solutions available | Law enforcement and cryptanalysis reports |
| Lake Berryessa crime scene photos | Officially documented; some images restricted | Investigative files |
| Paul Stine crime scene photographs | Documented by SFPD; evidentiary records | Police evidence archive |
| Handwritten threat letters to newspapers | Received and retained by publications and FBI | Newspaper archives, FBI FOIA |
| Audio recordings of press conferences | Preserved by media and law enforcement | Broadcast archives |
Common Misidentified Items
Many objects circulate online as Zodiac evidence but lack verified provenance. Treat the following with caution unless corroborated by multiple authoritative sources.
- Unverified handwriting comparisons without chain-of-custody documentation.
- Photographs claiming to show Zodiac scenes that are actually from other unsolved cases.
- Anonymous digital files lacking forensic metadata or retrieval context.
Reliable Sources for Evidence Review
To maintain accuracy, consult primary repositories and official summaries rather than informal aggregations. Consistency across agencies and publications increases confidence in an item’s status.
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) FOIA and case summaries.
- California Department of Justice and local police evidence archives.
- University and library special collections that preserve authenticated newspapers.
- Court filings and public records tied to active or historical investigations.