Zodiac Killer Facts

The unsolved crimes of California’s Zodiac killer continue to frighten and fascinate decades after Bay Area newspapers received the first chilling letters from the deranged pen pal.

Former cartoonist Robert Graysmith wrote two books about the unsolved case titled ZODIAC and ZODIAC UNMASKED. Both books presented distorted and largely fictional accounts of the story, using unsubstantiated claims, curious fact-fudging, questionable evidence and other dubious methods to convince readers that Graysmith had solved the case and identified the murderer as suspect Arthur Leigh Allen. While Graysmith enjoyed the spotlight and convicted Allen in the court of public opinion, investigators watched in disbelief, families of the victims waited for real answers, and the Zodiac killer enjoyed his freedom, Graysmith’s books served as the basis for a major motion picture from Warner Bros. and Paramount Pictures. Director David Fincher’s ZODIAC renewed interest in Graysmith’s legend, yet the true story of the Zodiac tragedy remained untold. Recently released FBI files, police reports, independent research, interviews with those involved in the case effectively refute Graysmith’s revisionist accounts, and new DNA evidence appears to exonerate his suspect.

Over the years, other opportunists have stepped into the spotlight in search of fifteen seconds of fame. Gareth Penn created his Radian Theory and named former Harvard lecturer Michael Henry O’Hare as the Zodiac in the book TIMES 17.

In his book The ZODIAC/MANSON CONNECTION, Howard Davis claimed that he possessed inside information that Charles Manson and his murderous “Family” were responsible for the Zodiac crimes but authorities conspired to conceal this shocking connection.

Blaine T. Blaine aka Goldcatcher told many wild tales, authored a book titled GOLDCATCHER AND ZODIAC, claimed he had witnessed and/or participated in several murders, and named reporter Richard Gaikowski as the Zodiac.

Steve Hodel claimed that his own father was responsible for the Zodiac crimes, the infamous “Black Dahlia” murder, the Chicago “Lipstick” killings and many other crimes in the book MOST EVIL.

A memorable quote from the classic western, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, reads, “When the legend becomes fact, print the legend.”

While the legend of the Zodiac killer becomes fact, the truth behind the headlines is online at ZodiacKillerFacts.com.