THE EVIDENCE ROOM – (Plus an early review of MOST EVIL)

 The Evidence Room is now open for viewing and I will in the following days and weeks begin to add various exhibits which I consider to be of an evidentiary nature. They will include: police composite sketches (as seen below), maps, handwriting samples & exhibits,  forensics, comparative photographs etc.

These exhibits will not be limited to just “ZODIAC” but will include any and all new evidence related to any of the crimes that I believe adds insight or clarification into the ongoing investigations. These will include:  The 1945-46 Chicago Lipstick Murders, The 1940s Los Angeles, Lone Woman Murders, the 1967 Manila, Philippines, Jigsaw Murder and the 1966-1969, San Francisco Zodiac serial-killings.  

 I here provide two examples of the types of exhibits I will be including in THE EVIDENCE ROOM.

First is the original SFPD Zodiac Police Composite Sketch. This was obtained from three teenagers who observed “Zodiac” immediately after the shooting of cab-driver, Paul Stine on October 11, 1969. As indicated on the bulletin  the drawing was “amended” to include a description believed provided by SFPD officers Donald Fouke and Eric Zelms who observed Zodiac walking on the sidewalk, several blocks away as they were responding and enroute to the shooting location.  

 

OCTOBER 18, 1969 PAUL STINE POLICE COMPOSITE  

 

 

 

Stine/Fouke Zodiac Composite comparison to George Hodel

(SKH Note- George Hodel normally wore black-rimmed glasses identical to those worn by Zodiac. However, in the 1962 photo seen below he is not wearing them, so I have inserted glasses onto his photo at far right for comparison purposes.)While the above description lists the suspect as:  White Male 35-45 Years, 5-8, Heavy Build, Short Brown Hair…” (The S.F. Chronicle report the following morning had the teenagers giving a suspect weight of 170 pounds.) 

Likewise, SFPD officer Donald Fouke in his November Memo to homicide detectives gives a different description as follows:

 “White, Male, American, 35-45 years, 5-10, 180-200, medium heavy build, Barrel-chested, medium complexion, light colored hair, possibly graying in rear, may have been lighting that caused this effect. Navy blue jacket, brown pleated pants, baggy in rear. (Rust brown) Possibly wearing low cut shoes.” 

In a later media interview, officer Fouke told the press that “the suspect appeared older than represented in the original composite drawing.” 

 

 

 

       George Hodel – 1962                     (* Glasses added to GHH photo for comparison)

 

 Here is a second sample of the type of exhibit to be included in the EVIDENCE ROOM for your review. This is a comparison of handwritten letters taken from the 1948 Los Angeles Gladys Kern Murder which the “AVENGER” wrote and mailed to the police and was received the day before her body was found. (She was stabbed to death with a long-bladed knife)

 In this exhibit I make a side-by-side comparison of the Avenger Kern lettering to the known handwriting of Zodiac from his 1967 Cheri Jo Bates letter. Also, included to the left are letter samples from the suspected handwriting of Zodiac, from a card mailed to the S.F. Chronicle in 1990.  Admittedly, I’m no “expert” but as a lay-person, viewing them I find many (most) of the letters to be strikingly similar. Judge for yourself, just as if you were a seated juror considering evidence presented to you in a trial.

 These are just two samples of the type of evidence I hope to include and expand upon in THE EVIDENCE ROOM.   

 

 1948 “AVENGER” KERN LETTERING compared to 1966 “ZODIAC” BATES LETTERING

(Also included at left is 1990 lettering from suspected Zodiac “Eureka Card”)

ALSO, THIS JUST IN- AN EARLY BOOK REVIEW OF MOST EVIL- THE FIRST!  
 

 

“MAKES THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES LOOK LIKE PUPPY’S PLAY”

                                                                            Rosco the Boxer

EXCLUSIVE– An Early Review   

I just finished reading MOST EVIL and I’d bet my pedigree that Steve Hodel is barking up the right tree. I am somewhat of an expert on Mr. Hodel’s investigations, having read Book I, Black Dahlia Avenger: A Genius for Murder in all of its foreign language translations. (French, Greek, Japanese, and Romanian)

 

Full disclosure.  Since, I am a family member, many will consider my opinion biased, therefore, I took the liberty of asking several close friends of mine to also take an objective look.

 

 First, I loaned my copy to, Miss Marple, a well-groomed and exceptionally bright little Basset Hound who lives in the green-and-white townhouse at the end of our cul-de-sac. (The one with the red fire hydrant in front.) After her weekend read, I waited on the front porch, knowing her master would be taking her for their regular afternoon walk. Right on time, Monday at 3:05 ” Missy” tail wagging in the warm sun, looked over, winked and blinked those sad brown eyes at me and barked out her critique, “Tell Mr. Hodel I am convinced his dad did all of them. But, I’d like to see a little more done on the overseas investigation.”

 

 Wanting to be sure I wasn’t just chasing my tail, I then gave the book to Toby, a rather eccentric old Sod who constantly reminds me he was almost accepted into the Baker Street Irregulars. “Just missed it by a whisker- one vote short!”) Toby, a thespian, is half Spaniel-half Lurcher, and is now long retired from the Broadway Stage. He finished MOST EVIL in four-hours, and just this morning, crawled through the hole in the backyard fence, sat in the shade of our flowering Kumquat tree and without even so as a, “May I?” chewed up the last three of my biscuit treats. Then, after a dramatic pause, he took three long licks of cool water. (A real tease.  He knew full well that I was dying to hear his verdict.) Finally, sitting up high on his haunches with both forelegs extended and pretending to be a two-legged human, he gave me his best oriental squint and in perfect imitation of the film screen legend and Master Detective Charlie Chan, said:

 

                                     “I’d say yes, but facts say maybe.”

 

For the next several hours, Toby detailed, point-by-point all the compelling evidence and strengths of the case that in the end, convinced him of the doctor’s guilt. Or, as he put it, “He’s treed the right fox.” 

 

So there it is-   It’s a doggone good read and definitely something to bark about! FIVE PAWS way-up for the sequel!   

                                                                              

  Rosco the Boxer

                                                        (With welcome assistance from Miss Marple and Toby)