"This is the Zodiac speaking."
Thus was the infamous introduction of several letters sent to the San Francisco Chronicle by the Zodiac Killer, a serial murderer who tyrannized Northern California in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The Zodiac Killer became well-known for sending dozens of letters to local newspapers, most of which ended with the Zodiac's signature, a crosshair symbol likely inspired by the Zodiac watches.
Though the perp gave the cops several letters to use as evidence, they were never able to find the Zodiac Killer, and people to this day continue to claim responsibility for the murders.
The Zodiac Killer remains one of the most well-known serial killers of the 20th century, but how much do you really know about him and his crimes?
Read on to find out 10 shocking facts about one of the most infamous serial killers of our time. You'll be amazed by how much information exists on this notorious killer, given that his true identity was never revealed!
1. The Zodiac Killer May Actually Be Two People
Over the years, many have come to believe that the murders pinned on the Zodiac Killer may have in fact been committed by the original Zodiac Killer and a copycat. Given that the Zodiac Killer has been able to evade the police for decades, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Zodiac Killer was actually two people.
2. One Of His Victims Got Away...
On March 22, 1970, more than a year after the Zodiac Killer's first murders, 22-year-old Kathleen Johns and her infant daughter managed to escape unharmed after being kidnapped near Modesto, California. When she frantically entered the police station, she noticed a sketch of the Zodiac Killer and immediately identified him as her abductor.
3. Two Of His Other Victims Survived
Both nineteen-year-old Michael Renault Mageau and twenty-year-old Bryan Calvin Hartnell were attacked by the Zodiac Killer in 1969, yet managed to survive.
In 2007, Bryan, who is now a probate attorney in California, went on CNN to discuss the attack and what he saw that night, though he never saw his attacker's face.
4. His Killings Inspired An Episode Of 'Criminal Minds'
The Zodiac Killer's story has been depicted in films and on television numerous times, including in the 2007 film Zodiac, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo.
In 2012, drama series Criminal Minds aired an episode loosely based off of the murders, in which a Zodiac Killer copycat resurfaces in San Francisco.
5. The Police Had A Prime Suspect
During the time of the Zodiac murders, Don Cheney approached the police and alerted them to a possible suspect, Arthur Leigh Allen.
According to Don, Arthur had told him how he wanted to "murder random couples" and inquired about how to disguise his handwriting. Upon further investigation, police found several other pieces of circumstantial evidence, including a Zodiac watch engraved with the infamous crosshair symbol and a Royal typewriter similar to the one used to write the coded letters.
Despite Arthur Leigh Allen being the police's best lead, they were never able to prove anything, and he ultimately died a free man in 1992.
6. A Schoolteacher And His Wife Decoded His First Letter...
On July 31, 1969, the Zodiac Killer sent a three-part coded message to local newspapers and demanded that they publish them on the front page, or else he would murder more people.
The papers obliged, and a little over a week later Donald G. Harden, a schoolteacher from Salinas, and his wife cracked the code.
Though the message gave no clues as to the Zodiac's identity, it did reveal that he was killing people because he believed it would make them his slaves in the afterlife.
7. But His Other Letters Remain A Mystery
Of the four ciphered letters the Zodiac Killer sent to members of the media, only one has been decoded and its true meaning revealed. The other three remain undeciphered to this day.
8. He Signed A Letter With His Name In Code
On April 20, 1970, in an effort to taunt the police and media, the Zodiac Killer sent a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle asking them if they'd cracked his last code and giving them yet another to unravel — his name. It too remains unsolved.
9. He Claims To Have Killed 37 People
In a letter sent to the San Francisco Chronicle on January 29, 1974, the Zodiac Killer claimed to have killed 37 people, but the police have only connected 5 murders and 2 non-fatal attacks to the Zodiac.
10. The Case Is Still Open
Though the case was marked 'inactive' in April 2004 by the San Francisco Police Department, it has since been reopened and remains so in several cities and counties in California.
Do you know anyone who loves a good crime story? Make sure to SHARE this article with them!
