Zodiac Halloween Card Possible Solution Reveals Name and More B.D. Holland1, BSc (Hons) Life Science. 1 www.zodiachalloweencard.com E-mail: [email protected] Abstract The Zodiac was a moniker self-given by the writer of numerous letters sent to various newspapers and persons connected to a serial killer case, claiming responsibility for multiple homicides that occurred in and around the Vallejo area and San Francisco, Calfornia in the late 1960s and possibly the early 1970s. One of those communications was sent to journalist Paul Avery of the San Francisco Chronicle dated October 27th, 1970 and contained a Halloween card that alleged to contain a non-cipher code that could clue the reader into the Zodiac’s name. The Halloween card includes illustrations of skeletons, some of which the Zodiac added himself, writing, numbers, drawings, and symbols as well as clues on the envelope and the stamp he used. One of the symbols similar to a cattle branding symbol was found frequently in Tim Holt comics (Jul 1948- May 1951). Four issues of these comics,#8, #14, #22 and #30 can be used with Zodiac’s Halloween Card code as keys to reveal what appears to be a first name and surname. Part of that name, what appears to be the first name, can be derived from a greeting card called the ‘Dragon Card’ sent to San Fransico Chronicle dated April 28th, 1970. There are also correlations to mailing dates. We speculate reasons why the Zodiac has given his real name. Overall this is a possible solution to the Zodiac Halloween Card and the Dragon Card and possibly his real name. Keywords: Zodiac Killer, Halloween Card, Paul Avery, Dragon Card, San Francisco Chronicle, Don Farley, Donald Farley These attacks are as follows: 1. The Zodiac case (1966-1974) David Arthur Faraday, 17, and Betty Lou Jensen, 16: shot The Zodiac Killer was a modus operandi changing serial and killed on December 20th, 1968, on Lake Herman Road killer in the 1960s and possibly 1970s who had a serial killer’s [3][6][7]. signature of writing letters to get published in the local press to terrorize the citizens of Northern California, in particular, Michael Renault Mageau (survived), 19, and Darlene Benicia, Vallejo, Napa, and San Franciso where he struck Elizabeth Ferrin, 22: shot on July 4, 1969, in the parking lot of [1][2][3]. He shot some victims and stabbed others [3]. He Blue Rock Springs Park [3][6][7]. usually targetted couples in lover's lane type environments [7]. Canonically there are five confirmed Zodiac attacks [3][7]. Bryan Calvin Hartnell (survived), 20, and Cecelia Ann These occur in late 1968 up until late 1969. The Zodiac Shepard, 22: stabbed on September 27, 1969, at Lake continued communications after the last canonical attack Berryessa [3][6][7]. which appear to stop in 1974 [3][4]. There is a non-canonical attack that occurs before the canonical series in 1966 that is of Paul Lee Stine, 29: shot and killed on October 11, 1969, in interest to the Zodiac case as the Zodiac claimed responsibility the Presidio Heights neighborhood in San Francisco [3][6][7]. for this homicide [5][7]. 1 © B.D. Holland 9th June 2019 B.D. Holland Unconfirmed victim of interest: Zodiac Killer letter, October 13th 1969, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle following the killing of cab driver Paul Cheri Jo Bates, 18: stabbed to death and nearly decapitated Stine [4]. on October 30, 1966, at Riverside City College in Riverside [5][7]. Zodiac Killer letter, November 8th 1969, the "Dripping Pen" card [4]. 1.1 Zodiac communications Zodiac Killer letter, November 9th 1969, the "Death For the canonical crimes, the Zodiac communications start machine" or "Bus bomb" letter, sent to the San Francisco with phone calls to police dispatch reporting a homicide that Chronicle [4]. has just been perpetrated while claiming responsibility for it and others [7]. The Zodiac writes letters and sends them to Zodiac Killer letter, December 20th 1969, sent to celebrity newspapers with the broadest coverage in the area, which are attorney Melvin Belli [4]. the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner and Vallejo Times. He has also sent letters addressed directly to Zodiac Killer letter, April 20th 1970, sent to the San individuals working at these newspapers, such as to journalist Francisco Chronicle [4]. Paul Avery and to famous TV celebrity lawyers, such as Melvin Belli [3][6][7]. Zodiac Killer letter, April 28th 1970, greeting card, “Dragon During the Lake Berryessa crime, the Zodiac wrote on the card”, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle [4]. car door of his targets [3][6][7]. For the non-canonical 1966 crime, homicide letters were Zodiac Killer letter, June 26th 1970, sent to the San sent to a local newspaper, to the father of the victim [4][5] and Francisco Chronicle [4]. Riverside PD. A possible poem carved a college library desk Zodiac Killer letter, July 24th 1970, sent to the San Francisco may also be linked to the Zodiac [4][7], but some doubts have Chronicle [4]. been expressed over this by the FBI [3][4]. There are two Zodiac letters from April and May of 1978 that are likely Zodiac Killer letter, July 26th 1970, sent to the San Francisco forgeries [4]. Chronicle [4]. 1.1.1 Zodiac letters and cards. Zodiac Killer letter, October 5th 1970, sent to the San The following is a list of Zodiac written communications Francisco Chronicle [4]. that have been released to the public and also includes non- canonical letters for the 1966 homicide of Cheri Jo Bates [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, October 27th 1970, Halloween card sent It is believed that investigators are holding some back for to Paul Avery of the San Francisco Chronicle [4]. investigative reasons. The Zodiac killer often used a Zodiac symbol associated the name the Zodiac in his Zodiac Killer letter, March 13th 1971, sent to the Los communications. Many of his communications contained Angeles Times [4]. ciphers and codes he claimed would reveal his name [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, March 22th 1971, the "Lake Tahoe" card Zodiac Killer letter, November 29th 1966, titled "The sent to Paul Avery at the San Francisco Chronicle [4]. Confession", Zodiac authorship disputed [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, January 29th 1974, the "Exorcist" letter, Zodiac Killer letter, December 1966, titled "Sick of sent to the San Francisco Chronicle [4]. living/unwilling to die", poem carved on a desk, Zodiac authorship disputed [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, Feb 14th 1974, the "SLA" card, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, April 30th 1967, Zodiac authorship disputed [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, May 8th 1974, the "Badlands" card, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, July 31st 1969, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner and Vallejo Times [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, July 8th 1974, the "Count Marco Red Phantom" letter, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, August 4th 1969, sent to the San Francisco Examiner [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, April 24 1978, sent to the San Francisco Chronicle, considered a forgery by most experts [4]. Zodiac Killer letter, September 27th 1969, written on a car door at the Lake Berryessa crime scene [4]. 2 9th June 2019 B.D. Holland Zodiac Killer letter, May 4 1978, sent to Channel Nine, Zodiac Killer letter, April 28th 1970, greeting card “Dragon authorship disputed [4]. card” sent to the San Francisco Chronicle, the October 27th 1970, “Halloween” card sent to Paul Avery of the San 1.1.2 Appearance and disappearance of the name the Zodiac in the Francisco Chronicle and March 22th 1971, the "Lake Tahoe" communications. card sent to Paul Avery at the San Francisco Chronicle. The Zodiac killer did not always sign off his For the purpose of this article, the April 28th 1970, greeting communications as the Zodiac or use his symbol [4]. This card “Dragon card” sent to the San Francisco Chronicle and moniker, which the Zodiac assigned to himself, first appeared the October 27th 1970, “Halloween” card sent to Paul Avery in the August 4th 1969, letter sent to the San Francisco of the San Francisco Chronicle are the basis for the Examiner [4]. Before this, Zodiac communications claiming discovering his hidden name the Zodiac had provided in them. responsibility for the Zodiac crimes were sent to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner and Vallejo 1.1.5 Linking the Zodiac communications to the Zodiac killer Times on July 31st 1969. The writer simply referred to There are several ways that the communications have been themselves as the murderer [4]. linked to the Zodiac killer. The first is that the Zodiac killer All the other known communications from August 4th, 1969 phoned in many of his crimes to police dispatch and talks to January 29th, 1974, either contain a reference to himself as about these in some letters. The second is that the handwriting the Zodiac and/or contain the Zodiac symbol. In most cases, at the car door in Lake Berryessa matches the Zodiac letters he includes the name the Zodiac at the start of his handwriting. The third is writing about inside information, communications with the sentence “This is the Zodiac especially noticeable in the murder of taxi driver Paul Stine speaking.” [4]. where the Zodiac letter writer gave the correct destination he He stops using the name the Zodiac in his January 29th, had given to Paul Stine, but during the taxi trip asked Stine to 1974 communication [4]. However other elements of this go one block more before shooting him.