True Crime Final Podcast - The Zodiac Killer

The Circle and Cross killer, known as the Zodiac, was a mysterious serial killer who was never caught. Despite wanting to keep his crimes secret, he taunted the police and media with clues and ciphers. The Zodiac's first reported murders occurred in 1968, followed by more attacks in 1969. The killer sent letters and ciphers to newspapers, but his identity remained unknown. The main suspect was Arthur Lay Allen, but there was insufficient evidence to prove his guilt. The Zodiac's violent tendencies seemingly stopped, and he was never caught. People get away with a lot more than you think. Your next door neighbor could be a serial killer and you might not even know. I'm Guy Wenzel. And I'm Jakaria Holman. This is the story of the Circle and Cross killer who evaded cops and was never caught. In the book, The Zodiac Killer, Terror and Mystery by Brenda Hogan, an award-winning journalist and career author, we get a step-by-step run-through of the crimes committed by the mysterious Zodiac Killer. Although this murderer was never identified, he was very vocal with the crimes he committed. You would think that a serial killer like this would want to keep his crimes as secret as possible, but not this one. By taunting the police and media with clues and ciphers, this true crime case is truly unique. The Zodiac's first reported murders occurred on December 20, 1968. Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday were two teenagers on a date at a local restaurant before they decided to park in a secluded area along Lake Herman Road. Many cars passed them by without stopping before a mysterious vehicle pulled up to where they were parked, and a man exited and began to approach the car where the teens were. As quickly as he walked up, the man shot David two times, not giving him any time to react. Betty tried to leave the car and run away from the attacker, but she was shot five times in the back. Neither individual survived. The next attacks happened about seven months later on July 4, 1969. Darlene Ferrin was supposed to go to a Fourth of July party at her home, but she instead went to visit a friend named Mike. The two were driving around when they realized that another vehicle was following them, so they tried to lose a tail. When they thought that they lost the vehicle following them, they stopped and turned the headlights on the car off. Soon after, a vehicle pulled up behind them and left the headlights shining on their car, and a man carrying a big flashlight started walking towards the individuals. Mike believed the man was a law enforcement officer, but the man promptly shot the two while they were sitting in the car. Both individuals were alive when the man left, but Ferrin died on the way to the hospital. It was after this killing that an anonymous caller contacted the Vallejo Police Department and admitted to committing the crime of that night, and also the killings of the teens in the previous year. It was after these killings that this mysterious killer sent letters and ciphers to three different newspapers. A few days after these messages arrived, Donald and Betty Hardin are able to solve the first cipher. However, no useful information about the killer's identity is revealed. A month later, in September of 1969, Cecilia Shepard and Brian Hartnell are relaxing at Lake Berriusa when they are approached by a strange man wearing a sweatshirt with a circle and cross on the front. This man demands the belongings of the two, but then decides that they know too much and stabs both individuals repeatedly. Shepard ends up dying two days after the attack, but Hartnell survives. The crime scene of this attack provides valuable information about the Zodiac to the police, but his identity is still a secret. A month later, on October 11, 1969, Paul Stein, a taxi cab driver, picks up the Zodiac killer. Stein obviously is unaware of this and proceeds with the ride like normal. The Zodiac instructs Stein to drive a block further from where he was originally wanted to drop off and Stein obliged. Once the cab reached the spot where the Zodiac was busted, he shot and killed Stein. As he was clearing the evidence from the cab, a few teens noticed the suspicious activity and reported it to the police. The responding officers likely passed by the Zodiac on their way from the cab, making this the closest they were to catching him. After these events, the Zodiac tried to kidnap a woman and her baby, but this woman ended up getting away. The Zodiac also sent two letters to newspapers threatening to kill more people if his messages weren't published. Shortly after this, the Zodiac went silent and no more killings were reported. Many people came forward pretending to know who the Zodiac killer was, but there was not enough concrete evidence to prove these claims to be factual. Many people believe that after these events, the Zodiac's violent tendencies ceased and he lived the rest of his life normally without ever being caught. The main suspect for this case was a man named Arthur Lay Allen, but the authorities were never able to find enough evidence to prove him guilty of these murders. That's the end of the story of the Zodiac killer. Stay aware and stay safe. Thank you for listening. If you're interested, look into the case of the Zodiac for yourself. This is Guy Wenzel, Indicoria Homeland, signing off.