Episode 667: The Zodiac Killer (Part 1)

Morbid

Morbid Network | Wondery

True Crime, Comedy, Exhibit C

4.5 • 95.3K Ratings

🗓️ 28 April 2025

⏱️ 78 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Despite the passage of fifty years since his last activity, the case of the Zodiac Killer continues to fascinate and frustrate law enforcement, the media, and the American public, making America’s most notorious unsolved murder case.

Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support!

References

Belcher, Jerry. 1969. "Police certain Zodiac called." San Francisco Examiner, October 23: 1.

Bernhard, Hubert J. 1969. "Killer of cabbie is linked to 4 murders." San Francisco Examiner, October 15: 3.

Bernhard, Hurbert J. 1969. "TV 'Zodiac' reneges on surrender." San Francisco Examiner, October 22: 1.

Blankenstein , Andrew, and Wilson Wong. 2021. 'The case remains open': FBI rebuts claim Zodiac Killer case is solved. October 7. Accessed February 2025. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/case-remains-open-fbi-refutes-claim-zodiac-killer-case-solved-n1281002.

Chabria, Anita. 2018. "Vallejo police have sent Zodiac Killer DNA to a lab. Results could come in weeks." Sacramento Bee, May 3.

Chronicle, San Francisco. 1970. "A Zodiac threat to newsman." San Francisco Chronicle , October 31: 7.

Cole, Michael F. 2020. The Zodiac Revisted: The Facts of the Case. San Francisco, CA: Twin Prime Publishing .

Drake, Rossiter. 2007. "A magnificent obsession with the Zodiac killer." San Francisco Examiner, March 2: 28.

Flaherty, Frances. 1969. "New letter by Zodiac claims seven slayings." Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA), November 12: 1.

—. 1969. "Teenagers' s;ayer still at large." Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA), March 30: 1.

Flaherty, Francis G. 1968. "Investigators lacking clues in 2 slayings." Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA), December 22: 1.

Glover, Malcolm. 1969. "Hundreds of 'Zodiac' tips flood Bay police." San Francisco Examiner, October 18: 1.

Lowe, Lindsay. 2024. Who was Arthur Leigh Allen? October 29. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.today.com/popculture/zodiac-killer-arthur-leigh-allen-rcna176996.

McClatchy Newspapers Service. 1969. "Vallejo Police seek gunman who killed woman, shot man." Sacramento Bee, July 5: 1.

Michelman, Jordan. 2020. "What If You Solved the Zodiac Killer Mystery and No One Believed You? ." Portland Monthly, December 16.

O'Connell, Oliver. 2021. Gary Poste: Who was the alleged Zodiac killer identified by ‘Case Breakers’? October 7. Accessed February 14, 2025. https://www.the-independent.com/news/world/americas/crime/gary-post-zodiac-killer-suspect-b1933700.html.

Peterson, Dave. 1969. "2 survivors tell what they can on 'Code Killer'." Times-Herald, October 1: 1.

Sacramento Bee. 1969. "Officers check leads in Berryessa killing." Sacramento Bee, October 3: 27.

San Francisco Examiner. 1969. "'Cipher Killer's' new letter." San Francisco Examiner, August 4: 1.

—. 1969. "'Cypher Killer' hunt is pressed." San Francisco Examiner, August 6: 57.

—. 1969. "School bus alert on mad killer." San Francisco Examiner, October 17: 1.

—. 1969. "Sketch made of killer in taxi slaying." San Francisco Examiner, October 14: 6.

—. 1970. "Zodiac 'greeting' to police: 'enjoy yourselves at my blast'." San Francisco Examiner, May 1: 50.

Smith, Dave. 1971. "17-plus victims claimed in letter by Zodiac Killer." Los Angeles Times, March 16: 3.

—. 1969. "Zodiac Killer--chilling portrait of madness." Los Angeles Times, October 15: 1.

—. 1969. "'The Zodiac' lives inconspicuously, but murders with flourish." Sacramento Bee, October 10: E12.

Smith, Jane. 1969. "Girl stabbing victim dies in Napa hospital." Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA), September 30: 1.

Times-Herald. 1969. "Cryptogram deciphered by teacher." Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA), August 9: 1.

—. 1968. "Hunt maniac in murders of teenagers." Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA), December 23: 1.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, weirdos, it's Ash here, ready to share a little secret. Have you heard of Wondery Plus?
0:04.8	With ad-free episodes in one week early access, it's like having an all-access pass to our
0:09.0	lighthearted nightmare. So come join us on the dark side and try Wondery Plus today. You can
0:13.4	join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or in Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
0:18.2	You're listening to a Morbid Network podcast.
0:24.4	This episode is brought to you by Netflix.
0:26.9	Their new documentary film, Oklahoma City bombing, American Terror, is now available for streaming, and we were lucky enough to get a sneak peek, weren't we?
0:35.0	Oh my God, you guys, the footage from that day is truly devastating.
0:39.6	The thing that's super wild is how it was partially motivated actually by what happened at Waco.
0:44.2	It was this kind of horrific domino effect of violence. It really was. And the survivor stories
0:49.5	will wreck you. We're talking about people who lived through literal hell. But in true humans
0:56.0	be humaning in the right way fashion, what happened next was absolutely incredible. The entire
1:02.2	Oklahoma City community just they just wrapped their arms around each other. Like the way people
1:06.6	showed up for each other, wild. And the investigation that followed was intense. The FBI went
1:12.8	harder than they had ever gone before, leaving absolutely no stone unturned. We're talking one of
1:18.0	the most thorough investigations in American history. And guys, it changed everything about how we
1:23.6	handle domestic terrorism. And for other true stories coming to Netflix this month,
1:27.8	watch out for The Diamond Heist, a docu series executive produced by Guy Ritchie, as well as
1:33.7	bad influence, the dark side of kid fluencing. Stream all this and more on Netflix.
1:39.4	Lamont Jones is shattered when his cousin dies just weeks after entering prison. The official report says natural causes, but bruises and missing teeth tell a different story.
1:49.1	Wondry presents Death County PA, a chilling true story of corruption and cover-ups.
1:54.2	Follow Death County PA on the Wondry app or wherever you get your podcasts.
	...

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