Introduction
The world in which people and various living beings live is a beautiful place and, at the same time, frightening and scary. It is inhabited by the most diverse and dissimilar creatures: cute and kind, dangerous and tragic. However, from the point of view of moral and social beliefs, the most terrible moment that can be done in this world is murder. Moreover, one of the most famous criminals who committed such a terrible crime is the Zodiac Killer, wielding in the 1960s. Police had never arrested Zodiac but could gather information about him through a letter. Zodiac is one of the cruelest and merciless American serial killers, around which a magical mystery and many unexplored secrets were shrouded.
The Events and My Position on What Happened
The Events
The events that have occurred, wrapped around the mystical image of Zodiac, are indicated as follows. Primarily, it should be noted that this person was an unidentified American serial killer based most often in Northern California. In fact, no one knew the real reason for Zodiac’s murders, but some speculated that it had something to do with religious beliefs. He often targeted couples and later confessed to killing them. According to the police, he committed five murders and two attempted murders in the state of California (Butterfield). However, because the Zodiac Killer claimed to have killed more than 37 people, police made false reports of his murder (Montaldo). For years, police tried to find the killer, but Zodiac eluded them (Montaldo). The murderer sent messages to the local press addressed to the police, which contained ciphers in addition to mocking texts. Zodiac wrote that his name was encrypted in one of the codes. However, law enforcement officials were unable to decipher the messages completely. His assassinations astounded many people, and the motive remains unknown today.
My Position
In my opinion, Zodiac is one of the most mysterious persons who had in his arsenal only the most sophisticated and intricate ways to kill. In addition, he showed the flexibility of mind and an unconventional approach to his “work,” deftly covering his tracks and leading law enforcement agencies on the wrong path. Zodiac was such a skilled “assassin” that the police failed to identify the man’s real identity and “expose him.” In fact, the case of a serial killer is officially considered unsolved, and some investigators and criminologists are building many theories around the person of Zodiac.
The Basic Versions of the Events
In the period of the 60s and to this day, there are many facts, versions, and assumptions about the activities of the famous criminal. Zodiac claimed to have killed 37 people in one of the messages, but officially five victims and two attempts are attributed to him (Butterfield). For example, in December 1968, he killed a young man and a woman in their car. In July 1969, there was a similar attack on another couple in a car in which a woman was killed, and a man survived. Then, a little later, in August 1969, there was a confirmed stabbing attack on a couple at one of the lakes near San Francisco, in which the man also survived. Additionally, in the fall of 1969, Zodiac shot a taxi driver in San Francisco. It is assumed that this was the last victim of a serial killer.
Zodiac always revealed his heinous acts that psyched his murders and outlined his plan for future murders in the letters. The four cryptograms, also known as ciphers, were included in some of his letters. On the other hand, three of these ciphers have yet to be cracked. History will judge the Zodiac harshly because of the numerous deaths he has caused. He slaughtered and butchered people as if they were animals.
Alternative Theories of What Could Have Happened
According to official guesses, the crimes that the Zodiac could have committed can be interpreted as follows. Primarily, there could be several times more victims than was initially confirmed. The police found only five victims instead of 37, as the criminal claimed. Moreover, based on the Zodiac’s ciphers, the man collected “slaves” for himself, the souls for the “another world”. The biblical and religious motives say that there is no reason to establish clear grounds that a person acquires slaves in the afterlife by killing.
The Specific Aspects of the Events
The first confirmed Zodiac murders and intriguing events occurred on the night of December 20, 1968. David Arthur Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen drove to a remote location for a date that night. Nothing seemed unusual about the couple, but the scene underwent a tragic change – a serial killer shot two people (“Beyond Zodiac”). The questions “for what” and “why” still remain open and unresolved. Faraday was shot in the head at close range, and Jensen was found with five gunshot wounds to the back. David was the first to be injured, and Betty was later shot while trying to get out of the car. The young girl’s body was discovered 9 meters away from the vehicle, indicating this. In addition, little evidence has been gathered regarding the moment that there was another conflict in the same area. Despite many investigations performed by police, no murderer was found.
Jensen was shot dead on July 4, 1969, just 6 kilometers away from Faraday. Michael Magor and Darlene Elizabeth Ferrin were parked in Blue Rock Springs Vallejo Park when they confronted the killer. It was past midnight when a man armed with a pistol and flashlight jumped out of a car passing near the parking lot. At first, Magor mistook the man for a police officer and wanted his car to be inspected (Graysmith 56). But when he started shooting at her car, a flashlight flashed in her eyes, and he realized he was dealing with a killer. The two hit multiple shots but did not die on the scene. Zodiac left immediately after shooting the woman but returned after hearing Magor scream. He retaliated with four more bullets, and Magor was hit by one bullet, while Ferrin was hit by the other. After a while, a group of teenagers rushed to the rescue and dialed 911. Magor lived to inform the police about the killer, but Ferrin died shortly after arriving at the hospital.
At around 12:40 p.m. the next day, an anonymous man reported the murder to Vallejo police. He claimed in the call that he was to blame for the deaths of Faraday and Jensen the year before (Graysmith 56). Thus, he revealed to police that he had just killed two teenagers in Blue Lock Springs. Until then, police were unaware of the murderer and had no evidence of finding him. Moreover, no one understood the motivation that prompted the murderer to do so. Zodiac’s murders had provocative motives and oddities – for example, he liked to intersperse religious aspects, describing and depicting his crimes. For instance, from the letters received by various newspapers, he was killed because he believed that the Zodiac Killer had everyone that he had killed as his slaves in his afterlife. Therefore, many believed that a mysterious religion influenced the murderer.
Later, two college students, Cecilia Ann Shepard and Brian Calvin Hartnell, were attacked while picnicking on Lake Berryessa near Napa. Shepard was stabbed ten times, and Hartnell was stabbed six times. The attacker then approached Hartnell’s car and drew a cross. Cecilia Shepard died four days later, but Hartnell survived and told authorities about the incident and the murderer. As usual, Zodiac later called the Napa County Police Department to claim responsibility for the murder. The real motive of the Zodiac Killer is still unknown, and people have always wondered why he kills young people.
In brief, the main oddities were that Zodiac called the police to confess to the crime and sent a text message with details about the subsequent murder. However, police were unable to decipher the codes in the messages, and as a result, the Zodiac case went unsolved. Moreover, Zodiac insisted that all the victims of the afterlife would be his slaves, and he was willing to kill as many people as possible to increase the number of slaves he owned. One could say that he is hungry for power and will not stop.
What “Really” Happened
At present, there are several facts and arguments regarding the acts of the Zodiac, committed in reality and in fact. For example, the police know that Zodiac began murder in the late 1960s when he attacked a couple staying in remote areas. Officially, Zodiac is credited with five victims, two of whom managed to survive the attack. Although, initially, the criminal himself wrote that he had killed at least 37 people. Moreover, he sought police and media attention through the letters. The Zodiac Killer also used the encrypted message he sent to all newspapers in the area. The mystery of the Zodiac Killer has not yet been clarified. He has never been caught and may be dead or still in large numbers.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the identity of the Zodiac and his cipher in the world of criminal activity has remained and remains one of the most mysterious to this day. Indeed, he was a kind of genius, but even such a gifted person can be “woven” into the fabric of atrocities, evil, cruelty, and inhumanity. I think that the Zodiac figure was remembered by many Americans and went down in history. Hence, in my opinion, his unconventional, cunning tricks, coupled with artfully thought-out murders, will be remembered and explored in the future. Moreover, the above information is important for a more comprehensive understanding of the events of the past and the current problems in the world of “secret crimes.” This mystery is important because its correct interpretation and analysis will help prevent the emergence of new types of murders and serious crimes.
Works Cited
“Beyond Zodiac: A 360 Video Tour of the Bay Area Crime Scenes.” YouTube, uploaded by Stanford Journalism, Web.
Butterfield, Michael. “The Zodiac Killer: A Timeline.” HISTORY, 2018, Web.
Graysmith, Robert. Zodiac: The Shocking True Story of the Hunt for the Nation’s Most Elusive Serial Killer. Berkley, 2020. pp. 56-57.
Montaldo, Charles. “Mass Murderers, Spree and Serial Killers.” ThoughtCo, Web.