81. Profiling the Zodiac Killer – Part 2
The Consult: Real FBI Profilers
PodcastOne
4.8 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 23 April 2025
⏱️ 53 minutes
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Summary
Writer, researcher, and podcaster Michael Butterfield returns for Part 2 of our discussion on the Zodiac case. In this episode, we focus on the chilling attack at Lake Berryessa on September 27, 1969. The victims were college students Cecelia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell. While Bryan survived, Cecelia tragically succumbed to her injuries.
Michael walks us through the details of this attack and how it differed from the earlier shootings. We discuss what the killer’s behavior may reveal, and how it fits within the broader pattern of attacks attributed to the Zodiac.
Michael is the host of Zodiac: A to Z and the author of the upcoming book The Zodiac Killer: The Story of America’s Most Elusive Murderer, scheduled for release on May 6, 2025.
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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | In the consult, we discuss cases involving violence, sexual violence, abduction, and murder. |
| 0:08.1 | Sometimes the cases we discuss involve children. |
| 0:12.1 | Listener discretion is advised. |
| 0:16.0 | Music Welcome to the consult. I'm Julia Cowley, retired FBI agent and profiler. |
| 0:36.0 | Joining me are my colleagues, Susan Costler Drew and Bob |
| 0:39.5 | Drew, who are both also retired FBI profilers. The three of us work together in the FBI's |
| 0:45.8 | behavioral analysis unit. This is part two of our consultation on the Zodiac Killer. We're also |
| 0:52.7 | joined by a special guest for this series, Michael |
| 0:55.6 | Butterfield. Michael is a writer and researcher who has investigated the Zodiac killer for more than |
| 1:01.4 | 30 years. He's widely recognized as a leading expert on the case and has consulted on documentaries |
| 1:07.8 | and films about Zodiac. He also hosts the podcast Zodiac A to Z and has an upcoming book titled The Zodiac Killer, the Story of America's Most Elusive Murderer. His book is scheduled for release on May 6, 2025. If you haven't listened to Part 1, I recommend going back and doing that first. |
| 1:30.3 | In that episode, we covered the December 20th, 1968 murders of Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday |
| 1:37.3 | on Lake Herman Road in Benicia, California, as well as the July 4th, 1969 attack on Darlene Ferron and Michael Majeaux at Blue Rock Springs Park in Belayo. |
| 1:49.0 | This was only a couple of miles from the first crime scene, and Michael Majo survived the attack. |
| 1:55.0 | In both cases, the couples were parked in cars at night when they were approached and shot, making the similarities between the true crimes significant. |
| 2:04.6 | We also started to explore how the Zodiac became known not just for his crimes, but for his ongoing communication with law enforcement and the media. |
| 2:13.6 | Most notably, he mailed a series of letters to local newspapers that included |
| 2:19.3 | taunting messages, demands for attention, and ciphers he claimed would reveal his identity. |
| 2:25.3 | Before we get started, I'd just like to remind you that if you'd like early and add free access to our episodes, |
| 2:31.3 | you can check out our Patreon at patreon.com slash the consult pod. |
| 2:36.9 | And if you're looking to connect with other listeners of the consult, you can join the Facebook |
| 2:41.7 | group called Unsubs. And it's a fan page created by fans for fans of the consult, where you can |
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