Victims – Part I

Motivation for investigating the identity of the Zodiac Killer was inspired by two occurrences.

The first being the 2007 motion picture Zodiac – recently viewed for the first time by this writer – directed by David Fincher and starring the gifted and heavily underrated actor, Jake Gyllenhaal. The film is written by James Vanderbilt and based on the non-fiction books by Robert Graysmith: Zodiac (1986) and Zodiac Unmasked (2002).

The second being the unanticipated satisfaction experienced from the unexpected unmasking of the identity of Jack the Ripper – Article: Jack the Ripper.

Even if Jack the Ripper’s identity has not been answered – to the satisfaction of every reader – the case presented in establishing without doubt the number one prime suspect, is compelling and yet to be satisfactorily refuted.

Armed with an albeit new but avid interest in the Zodiac; supported by confidence in successfully dissecting the very cold case of Jack the Ripper, it is with gusto that this writer attempts to shed light on another cold case which has similarly gripped the public’s fascination… the identity of the Zodiac Killer.

In The Top Tens, Top 10 Greatest Unexplained Mysteries of All Time – of which there are currently 62 listings – the Zodiac Killer is ranked number 17, as voted by 2% of readers.

Number 2, being Jack the Ripper with 9% of readers votes.

Between 1968 and 1983, a political cartoonist for the San Francisco Chronicle (Robert Graysmith) morphed into an amateur detective obsessed with tracking down the Zodiac Killer, an individual who terrorised the San Francisco Bay area with a killing spree at lasting during the late 1960s and early 1970s at least if not longer.

All the while taunting police with letters, bloodstained clothing and ciphers mailed to newspapers. To this day the killer remains ‘officially’ unidentified, despite decades of intensive police investigation and numerous amateur sleuthing efforts. The police believe five killings were committed by Zodiac, including two failed attempts resulting in survivors thus totalling seven definite victims. Although other murders have been attributed to the killer.

In 2004 the San Francisco Police Department marked the case inactive, though subsequently re-opened the case in 2006. The California Department of Justice, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the city of Vallejo and the Napa and Solano county sheriffs maintain the case status as open.

As well as endeavouring to unmask the Zodiac Killer’s identity, we will scrutinise some of the murders either claimed by the Zodiac (37 in one instance and 100+ in another) or attributed to them and whether they are guilty of any of them or not.

As we discovered with Jack the Ripper, the total tally of deaths committed by a serial killer is not always accurate, whether claimed by:

a. the killer themselves;

b. resulting from police investigation; or

c. from the public’s own conclusions.

We will begin tragically with the victims – later focussing on the suspects (and after that, the letters) – aiming to discover who were actually killed by the Zodiac and who were sadly (and mercifully in some cases) not.

The seven victims of the Zodiac Killer officially recognised by law enforcement – based on

a. physical evidence linking the scenes; and

b. the killer providing non-public details in their letters which only the true perpetrator could know – include:

David Faraday, Betty Lou Jensen, Darlene Ferrin, Cecelia Shepard and Paul Stine, the five who were murdered between December 1968 and October 1969; and Michael Mageau and Bryan Hartnell, the two who survived.

Investigators have never found forensic evidence to substantiate the additional 32 claims.

Tera Box:

‘The shadow cast by the Zodiac Killer over Northern California in the late 1960s remains one of the most heavily analyzed chapters in American criminal history. Yet, in the decades since the attacks, popular culture has often focused more on the killer’s cryptic letters, his executioner costume, and his unverified claims than on the actual lives he took. The disparity between the killer’s self-reported body count and the forensic reality is stark.

Understanding the Zodiac case requires separating the killer’s carefully constructed mythology from the documented crime scenes. By examining the confirmed victims, the survivors, and the highly debated “possible” victims, we can gain a clearer picture of the reality behind the letters.’

The Zodiac Killer may have conceivably killed previously and or practiced prior to their first officially admitted and recognised murders involving the ‘first’ two teenagers following.

David Arthur Faraday – Betty Lou Jensen

Case number: V-25564


Tera Box:

‘The first confirmed attack occurred on the frigid night of [Friday] December 20, 1968 [at approximately 11.15 pm], on [remote] Lake Herman Road, [a gravel turnout at the entrance to the Benicia Water Pumping Station] a secluded lovers’ lane just inside the city limits of Benicia [on the eastern outskirts of Vallejo], California.

The victims were 17-year-old David Arthur Faraday…’

David at age 17 in 1968

‘… and 16-year-old Betty Lou Jensen, two high school students on their first official date [the first date Jensen had ever been allowed on in fact].’

Betty Lou at Age 16 in 1968

‘Faraday was a highly regarded student and an Eagle Scout who had recently earned the “God and Country Award.”

‘Jensen was an honor student and a member of the Pythian Sisters, a charitable fraternal organization.

Their backgrounds stand in stark contrast to the brutal nature of their deaths, highlighting the tragic loss of youth that characterized the killer’s early crimes.’

‘According to historical research summaries, the couple was parked in Faraday’s mother’s Rambler station wagon when another vehicle pulled alongside them.

The assailant forced them out of the car [with two shots fired into the vehicle].

Jensen exited the front passenger door first, followed by Faraday. Faraday was shot as he emerged from the car… once in the head at close range and… [was found still breathing and taken to Vallejo General Hospital where he was pronounced D.O.A. at 12:05 AM].’

‘Jensen attempted to flee on foot but was struck by five [out of six] bullets in the back [and was found lying on the ground 10 feet behind the station wagon]. She was pronounced dead at the scene.’

A total of ten shots were fired, with five hitting Jensen; one hit Faraday; two were shot into the car; and two bullets were unaccounted for (including one which had been fired at the fleeing Jensen and missed).

Zodiac Killer:

‘The weapon was a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol. The ammunition was Winchester Western Super X copper-coated long rifle. There was no indication of robbery or sexual molestation. While there were no witnesses, several vehicles were seen in the area just prior to local resident Stella** Borges discovering the crime scene.

In the early 1990s, former Vallejo Police Department detective John Lynch said the couple was killed because Faraday had learned of a major drug deal and had been talking openly about who was involved.

Other sources have speculated that Zodiac wasn’t responsible because no taunting letters or phone calls were received until months after the murders. However, when Zodiac finally took credit for this attack, he provided many details that were not known to the general public [and only to the police].’

‘Perhaps Zodiac’s sense of fulfillment following the Faraday-Jensen murders was so strong that he didn’t feel the need to immediately brag to the news media.

More than 30 years later [1998], local residents still haven’t forgotten this crime.’

‘And the secluded area of the murders hasn’t changed very much at all.’

Specific details of particular interest leading up to the murder of Faraday and Jensen include the following witness testimony.

Zodiac Killer Info – emphasis mine:

‘Russell Butterbach of the Solano County Sheriff’s Department was with his partner Wayne Waterman on the night of the murder. “We got a call from the Sergeant that a man from Benicia who fishes at Lake Berryessa [location of third attempted double homicide] wasn’t home, and that was [well after] 7 o’clock, 8 o’clock. He asked us to look down Lake Herman Road and see if his truck was there. It was a blue truck.”

At around 9 PM, two raccoon hunters, Robert Connelly and Frank Gasser, observed a white 1959 or 1960 4-door hardtop Chevy Impala* parked at the pumping station gate.

Between 9:30 and 10 PM, William Crow was out with his girlfriend. The couple were trying out her sports car, and Crow was making adjustments to the motor. While parked at turnout, they observed a car coming west down the road from Benicia towards Vallejo.

The car passed, then stopped and reversed towards them. Worried, Crow sped off east towards Benicia, followed by the other car. They abruptly turned off on a road towards Benicia (Reservoir Road?), and the other car continued east on Lake Herman Road.

The police report suggests there were two subjects in the car, both caucasians.

In the Police report the car is described as a blue car, “possibly a Valiant”. Many years later, Crow stated that he never told police the car was a Plymouth Valiant, and said instead that he believed the car was a “four-door light-colored Chevy.”*

He also said: “I could not see the passenger seat, but the driver was a man [1] with short hair [2] and glasses [3].”

NOTE: Crow’s testimony is interesting, as it seems to suggest that the Zodiac may have been cruising around the area for some time, looking for a couple to murder. Crow’s statement about a light colored Chevy, driven by a man with short hair and glasses matches Kathleen Johns’ statement about a “late model vehicle, light in color driven by a man with “dark hair, wearing black rimmed plastic glasses.”

At “approximately 10 PM” a rancher named Bingo Wesher was checking on his sheep in an area east of the pumping station entrance, when he observed a white Chevrolet Impala sedan parked by the south fence at the pumping station entrance.

David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen attended a Christmas concert at Vallejo’s Hogan high school, which they left around 10:00 PM. David was driving his mother’s 1961 AMC Rambler station-wagon.

At 10:15 PM a young woman named Helen Axe drove past the pumping station entrance with her boyfriend and reported seeing the Rambler parked at the turnout, facing the gate. She recognized Faraday and Jensen in the car. When she returned about 15 minutes later, the car was still there, but “turned around and the front was facing the field, a little to the side.”

At sometime around 11 PM… Peggy Your… driving west on Lake Herman Road… observed Faraday’s car parked “facing east towards the field at the left of the gate.” Mrs. Your “described the location of the car as the front facing the fence, the rear section of the station wagon facing directly west towards Vallejo.”

Sometime around 11:15 PM, a car pulled into the turnout and parked to the right of Faraday’s station wagon. The driver (the Zodiac killer) apparently sat in the car for a brief period, either to intimidate his victims, or perhaps to build up the courage to go through with the murder. Or maybe he saw the lights of an approaching car (see below) and waited for the car to pass.

Apparently just after the Zodiac killer pulled into the turnout, a man named James Owen was driving east on Lake Herman Road, going from his home in Vallejo to^ work at Humble Oil in Benicia. As he passed the turnout, he observed two cars parked 10 feet apart. Owen estimated the time to be 11:20 PM.

(NOTE: It seems likely that the actual time was slightly earlier… around 11:15-11:18 PM. This is based on the below testimony regarding Stella** Borges.)

In the police report, there are two separate statements given by James Owen – the first on December 21 and the second on December 24. In the latter statement, Owen said the distance between the cars was “three or four feet,” and that he “did not see anyone in the cars or around them.”

He also said that after driving about a quarter mile past the turnout, he thought he heard a gunshot. Just before reaching the turnout he had been passed by a car going in the opposite direction (west) toward Vallejo, but could give no description of the vehicle. This car has never been identified.

NOTE: Owen’s initial statement in the police report is a bit confusing as it says that he was “driving home from^ work at Humble Oil, Benicia.” This is an error – Owen was in fact driving to^ work, as he worked the graveyard shift. The diagram [not shown] showing the cars as he saw them indicates he was driving east, which would make sense only if he was driving to work.

The killer seems to have have waited for Owen’s car to pass, then exited his vehicle and approached the station wagon. It is not entirely clear what sequence of events followed… The entire murder, from the point where zodiac exited his vehicle, to the time when he drove away, probably took no more than 1 or 2 minutes.

At around 11:20 PM, Stella** Medeiros was driving east on Lake Herman Road. When she passed the pumping station turnout, she saw Faraday and Jensen lying on the ground. The boy “”looked like he had fallen out of the open door,” and the girl was “lying on her side facing the road.” There was only one car at the scene (the Rambler).

Medeiros drove to Benicia to report the incident to Police, and flagged down Captain Daniel Pitta and Officer William Warner at 11:25 pm on East 2nd Street (approximately a 3 minutes drive from the turnout).

… there are a couple of fairly specific times logged In Captain Pitta’s report, and it is possible that the times were accurately logged while looking at a clock. Pitta’s report states that Mrs. Madeiros flagged them down at 11:25 PM, and that they then drove to the crime scene, arriving there at 11:28 PM… [meaning] Stella Madeiros would have passed the turnout at around 11:22 PM. This would allow the time the Zodiac LEFT the turnout to be as late as about 11:20 PM.

The police report on the Lake Herman Road murder mentioned an incident that happened at “the Pancake House” on Tennessee St. This was The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) where Darlene Ferrin [next case below] worked in 1966-67.’

“Mrs. _____ is the mother of SHARON HENSLIN, BETTY LOU’s friend. She relates that, in a conversation with her daughter, a subject identified as MARK ____ of 137 ___ way, had spoken of an incident that happened at the Pancake House on Tennessee Street. The story went on to say that DAVID was going to turn in a subject for pushing grass (or Marijuana), and the man had threatened him.”

The IHOP (International House of Pancakes) at 1400 Tennessee Street

Salient observations about the double homicide which may prove relevant or pivotal as this investigation progresses include the following points.

The killer, rightly or wrongly appears to have been on edge and nervous. Perhaps orchestrating their first kill – in this ambush like manner at least. Firing panicky shots wildly into the car, rather than calmly telling the victims to get out of the car.

This is amplified by how the killer fired only one shot (under kill) at David Faraday, failing to kill him outright, yet fired five rounds (over kill) into Betty Jensen, undoubtedly killing her in seconds.

The excess of bullets fired at Jensen probably indicates a greater degree of anger towards her because she was female.

The episode overall reflects an inexperienced or anxious individual who was either

a. not use to firearms;

b. was not a professional assassin; or

c. whom was fearful of being caught by another car arriving and therefore acted with intentional alacrity.

We learn that the crime was not overtly sexual as in the perpetrator molesting or raping either of the victims. Though the act of an execution type killing of two young people on a renowned lover’s lane and who were likely to become intimate in some fashion, hints at the killer gaining a measure of sexual satisfaction in interrupting their sexual intent.

It may also reveal some form of impotency on the killer’s part, by virtue of

a. they did not have sexual contact with either victim; yet

b. brutally killed both victims in rage violence who were in a situation promising sexual activity.

Four key deductions to ponder are:

1. a hurried attack (perhaps due to location);

2. leading to an amateur (unprofessional) ambush;

3. with an excessive amount of ammunition fired and

4. non-sexual (or asexual) motivated violence.

Possible facts are the sighting of a suspicious white Chevy car (thrice) – which may have had two occupants – and was driven by a man with short hair and wearing glasses.

The aspect of an accomplice will be discussed further and we will learn the description of short hair and eye glasses is repeated. There is reason to believe the glasses may have been part of a disguise. As could the dyeing of the killer’s hair from descriptions ranging from light to dark brown.

A coincidence which could be much more than that, is the alleged altercation between David Faraday and another man at the International House of Pancakes; where a subsequent murder victim, Darlene Ferrin had previously worked. Ferrin meanwhile had been the focus of interest from the man who would become the prime Zodiac Killer murder suspect: Arthur Leigh Allen.

Notice Allen has the same first name as Faraday’s middle name. Whether it was Allen or somebody else, did they know (of) both Faraday and Ferrin? Is there a connection between the murders of Faraday (and Jensen) with the later killing of Ferrin?

Darlene Elizabeth (“Dee” nee Suennen) Ferrin – Michael Renault Mageau

Case number: 243146

Tera Box:

Approximately six and a half months later on Friday, July 4, 1969, at approximately 11.55 pm, ‘the killer struck again at [a parking lot in] Blue Rock Springs Park… [on the eastern outskirts of] Vallejo, just a few miles from the site of the first murders.’

‘Darlene Elizabeth Ferrin, a 22-year-old popular waitress, wife, and mother, was parked in the lot with her friend, 19-year-old Michael Mageau.

Zodiac Killer:

‘Ferrin was married and worked as a waitress at Terry’s Restaurant. Mageau was single and worked as a laborer. Ferrin’s husband, Dean, was initially a suspect in the murder, however, was ruled out once it was established he was working as a cook at Caesar’s Restaurant at the time of the murder. Ferrin’s first husband, James Phillips Crabtree, was also briefly a suspect.’

Darlene at age 18 in 1966

‘Darlene and Dean lived at 1300 Virginia Street, Vallejo. Darlene’s sister, Linda Del Buono, lived at 449 Cedar Street. Darlene’s parents were Mr. and Mrs. Leo Suennen of 130 Jordan St, Vallejo. One of Darlene’s babysitters said that she covered up for “Darlene’s running around with other men while she was married to Dean. One of the men mentioned was… Michael Mageau.”

Michael at age 16 in 1966

‘According to surviving victim Mageau, he and Ferrin had parked at the isolated location to talk. A car, possibly a light-brown Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Corvair, pulled into the lot just a few feet away. A man with a flashlight exited the vehicle and approached them. There were no other cars in the parking lot. Thinking it was a police officer, the couple had their identification ready.’

Tera Box:

‘The attacker approached their vehicle with a flashlight [taped to the firearm], blinding the occupants… [and without warning] opening fire with a 9mm Luger. Ferrin was struck multiple times and was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.’

Zodiac Killer:

‘After five shots were fired, the man walked slowly back to his car. Mageau screamed in pain, at which point the man returned and fired two more shots into each victim [and Marceau got a look at the killer].

No conversation between the victims and the man occurred.’

Tera Box:

‘… Despite being shot in the jaw, shoulder, [hip] and leg, Mageau survived.

His initial description of the killer – a heavy-set [1] white [2] male [3], roughly 5’8” to 5’9” [4], with a round [5] face – formed the basis of the early police profile.’

Zodiac Killer adds:

‘The man was… in his late 20s to early 30s [6], stocky build, round face, and brown [7] hair.’

Tera Box:

‘Mageau’s involvement in the case resurfaced dramatically in 1991. According to biographical profiles of the case, Vallejo police [George Bawart] presented Mageau with a photo lineup 22 years after the attack. He pointed to a photo of Arthur Leigh Allen, a long-time suspect, and identified him as the shooter.

However, because the identification relied on a “cold” memory from a highly traumatic event over two decades prior, prosecutors felt it was not strong enough to secure an indictment before Allen’s death in 1992.’

Michael Mageau in 1998

Zodiac Killer:

‘When Bawart asked Mageau why he had never identified Allen in the 20 years Allen had been the top suspect, Mageau said that he had never been shown any pictures of suspects and he had only been asked if he recognized certain names. If Mageau’s statement is true, it’s probably the biggest law-enforcement blunder of modern times.’

Tera Box:

‘Shortly after the attack [forty-five minutes later], a man called the Vallejo Police Department from a public payphone, claiming responsibility for the shooting and explicitly taking credit for the murders of Faraday and Jensen the previous year. This phone call marked the beginning of the killer’s direct communication with law enforcement.’

Specific details of particular interest leading up to the attack on Mageau and Ferrin include witness testimony, as well as pertinent facts.

Zodiac Killer Info:

“At approximately 11:30 or shortly thereafter [nearer 11:40]” Darlene Ferrin picked up Mike Mageau at his house at 864 Beechwood Ave, Vallejo, a 5 minute drive from Darlene’s house. According to Mageau, they were going to “have a lover’s lane type thing, and kiss, and talk and hold each others’ hands.” Mageau also said that he and Darlene were dating and that her husband was aware of this.

They were both hungry and decided to get something to eat. But after briefly heading west down Springs Road, Darlene said she wanted to talk to him about something, so they turned the car around and headed to Blue Rock Springs Park. They turned around at “approximately the location of Mr. Ed’s” at 1339 Springs Road – an 8 minute drive from Blue Springs Park.’

‘At sometime around 11:45 to 11:48 PM, Darlene and Mike arrived at Blue Rock Springs Park. After parking, Darlene turned off the headlights and the motor, but left the radio playing. After being in the park for “a very short time, a few minutes,” three cars pulled in… some young kids laughing and carrying on lighting firecrackers. The three vehicles left “within a short time.” “This was just a very short space of time, a few minutes,” according to Mageau.

“Shortly after this [11:50],” another car pulled into the lot, coming from the direction of Springs Road and Vallejo. The driver pulled to the left or east of their car and turned off the headlights and sat there for a minute. Michael asked Darlene if she knew who it was and she said, “Oh, never mind.” (Note: in 2007, Mageau said “She told me it was a friend of hers and not to worry. He was just jealous.”)

Mageau could not see the car very well, or the color of the car, but said it was similar in shape to Darlene’s [Chevrolet] Corvair. The car then drove off at a fast rate of speed back towards Vallejo to the south.

Approximately 5 minutes after driving away [11:55], the same car returned and parked about 10 feet behind and to the right of them.’

‘The driver exited the vehicle, approaching the passenger side door of Ferrin’s car, carrying a flashlight and a 9 mm pistol. The killer shined the flashlight into Mageau’s and Ferrin’s eyes before shooting at them, firing five times. Both victims were hit, and several bullets had passed through Mageau and into Ferrin. After the shooting the car drove off again towards Vallejo.

At “approximately midnight” gunshots were heard by a witness named George Bryant who lived 800 ft from the Blue Rock Springs parking lot. George then heard the car “take off at super speed and it burned rubber and was squealing its tires as it sped along the road.”

In the 2007 documentary “This is the Zodiac Speaking” Mageau said that someone in another car chased him and Darlene from the restaurant, all the way to the park. The car drove off, and then came back, at which time the driver got out and shot them.

In what seemed to Mageau to be 8 or 10 minutes later [12:05], a car came by with three “hippy types” in it: Debra ___, 19, Roger ___ 17, and Jerry ___, 17. The teens later said that they “guess the time they were at the park as real close to midnite, possibly a little before midnite.”

Mageau told them, “I’m shot and the girl’s shot. Get a doc.” The teens drove off to call police from Jerry’s house at 938 Castlewood Drive, Vallejo, which was 2.4 miles from the park (a 5 minute drive).

At 12:10 AM, police dispatch operator Nancy Stover received a call from a female stating that 2 juveniles were being shot at Blue Rock Springs parking lot. Officers were then dispatched to the scene.’

‘Approximately 40 minutes after the shooting, the killer called Vallejo police and spoke with dispatcher Nancy Slover:

“I want to report a double murder. If you will go 1 mile east to the public park on Columbus Parkway you will find the kids in a brown car. They were shot with a 9mm Luger. I also killed those kids last year. Goodbye.”

By 12:47, a PT&T (Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company) operator called Vallejo Police to report that the call had been traced to a payphone at Joe’s Union, at the corner of Springs Road and Tuolumne Street.’

‘The phone booth where Zodiac called Vallejo PD… was… a 9 minute walk from Arthur Leigh Allen’s house, roughly between Allen’s house and Darlene Ferrin’s house on Virginia Street. It seems likely that Zodiac may have also called Ferrin’s house at this time, which would indicate that Zodiac knew Ferrin.’

Recall, the killer may have known both Darlene and David Faraday.

Therefore it is critical information which supports Darlene Ferrin’s association with either prime suspect, Arthur Leigh Allen or someone else.

Zodiac Killer Info:

‘Among Darlene’s closest friends, according to Darlene’s sister Linda Doris Del Buono, was a man described as:

“Lee who used to bring Darlene presents from Tia Juana” – statement of Linda Doris Del Buono, on the morning after the murder.

… [a] babysitter of Darlene’s named Karen___, 17 years-old, was contacted by Vallejo PD in June 1977. When babysitting in [February] or March 1969 at Dean and Darlene’s previous address of 560 Wallace Ave, at approx 10 PM, she noticed [a] middle-aged man sitting in [a] white [American made] sedan, watching the [apartment]. He was there for several hours, but left before Dean returned home from work at midnight.

The following day, she told Darlene… Darlene asked her what the car and the man looked like, and after relating a description to her, Dee said something to the effect, ‘I guess he’s checking up on me again. I heard he was back from out of state.’ Followed by, ‘He doesn’t want anyone to know what I (meaning Darlene) saw him do. I saw him murder someone.”

Karen stated that sometime during this conversation Darlene mentioned the man’s name, and that the first name was very short, three or four letters, and that the second name was just slightly longer. The name was quite common. Karen stated that Dee appeared to be genuinely frightened of this individual and mentioned sometime that he had been checking up on her at Terry’s Restaurant where Darlene was employed.

Terry’s Waffle Shop on Magazine Street, where Darlene Ferrin worked in 1969, at the time of the murder.

Under hypnosis, Karen described the man as “heavy-set [1], middle-aged [2] white [3] male [4] adult, very round [5] face, curly, wavy [6] dark brown [7] hair. The vehicle was a white sedan with a large windshield.”

This description is telling, for it closely matches the Zodiac killer with the additional detail of curly or wavy hair.

Zodiac Killer Info:

‘In his book Zodiac, Robert Graysmith claimed that Darlene spoke to an older man in a white car at Terry’s Waffle Shop at around 10:30 PM on the night of the murder [the killer drove a light brown vehicle].

There has been much speculation and debate about a supposed “painting party” that may or may not have taken place at Darlene Ferrin’s house [May 1969, at 1300 Virginia Street] prior to the murder.

Police interviewed Darlene’s sisters, Pam and Linda. Both sisters recalled a “painting party” held at Darlene’s home several months before her murder, and a mysterious, well-dressed man who attended and scared Darlene.

Karen, the babysitter, said she was there taking care of Darlene’s daughter, and that “three unidentified white males arrived, and that she soon left the residence, due to the fact she was uncomfortable with these strange individuals.”

… later versions of the painting party story would focus on the individual allegedly seen by Steve Baldino and Darlene’s sisters Pam and Linda – a sinister, well-dressed yet older man.

… Linda (Darlene’s sister) told investigators that the menacing stranger had been following and bothering Darlene and brought her gifts he purchased in Mexico. In 1969, Linda had mentioned a man who brought Darlene presents from “Tia Juana”, and said that the man was named “Lee” and further described him as one of Darlene’s “three closest friends,” and not a menacing stranger.

Pam would later claim that she had seen this mysterious man on at least eight occasions, and that Darlene warned her to stay away from him because he was a murderer. Like Linda, Pam failed to mention this potentially important information during her many interviews with police, and her selective silence and sensational stories cast doubt on her credibility.

Vallejo police detective George Bawart had come to know Pam after investigating claims that she was the victim of harassment by an anonymous and threatening stalker. Bawart once told a television producer that Pam was “nutso.” Darlene’s husband Dean Ferrin told the same producer that Pam and Linda were prone to prevarication.

Pam had claimed that Darlene’s cousin Sue Ayers had visited surviving victim Michael Mageau as he recovered in the hospital. According to Pam, Mike told Sue that he and Darlene had [been] chased to the crime scene and the gunman had uttered Darlene’s nickname, “Dee,” just before the shooting started.’

‘Mike Mageau later claimed that he and Darlene were chased around town by another car prior to the shooting. He did not tell this to police at the time. Graymith claimed that Darlene and Mike were trailed by a “light-colored car that had been parked in the shadows of the tree-lined street.”

Joseph Shores, August 10, 2024:

‘Zodiac Victim Michael Mageau was interviewed for the 2007 documentary “This is the Zodiac [Speaking.”]

Michael Mageau:

“We were chased by this guy we [were] chased by him from the restaurant[,] he was chasing us and I told her to pull off at the park. He chased me all night long [from the] restaurant Paul’s or whatever it was called, and he chased us all the way to the park that’s where we ended up Blue Rock Springs Park, I thought he drove off drove away, but he came back later on and shot us.

It was like a Brown Raunair [Corvair] Car a small compact car. [But] it could of been a Cadillac too. I’m not really sure. I don’t really remember[,] she told me it was a friend of [hers and] not to worry about [it], he [is] just jealous that is all, she said about it he’s just jealous.

[She] didn’t mention a name, but somehow Richard his name was Richard I had heard Richard and I think that was his name, she referred to him as Richard. It’s all I have of the guy.

She says mean temper and if he ever found out he’d kill her. [He] was jealous she mentioned the words he would kill me if I knew she was talking to you[,] about that she told me that. We were on the run, literally on the run literally. This guy was chasing us big time.”

Michael Margeau in 2007 documentary

Shores:

‘I know what you are thinking.

In 1969 when Mike Mageau was interviewed by the Vallejo Police he said nothing about [a] Richard… Michael states a vehicle pulled into the lot, coming from the direction of Springs Road around to the left or east side of their car, approximately six or eight feet away and sat there for a minute. Michael states he asked Dea if she knew who it was and she stated, “Oh never mind.”

Michael stated at this time he is always kidding Dea about knowing so many people and does not know whether she meant this as she knew the fellow or not…

But [let’s] give Michael Mageau the benefit of the doubt maybe the Vallejo cops somehow did not get this important piece of information out of one of the few witnesses in one of the most infamous crimes in history.’

This may also be critical information and relate to Darlene’s mystery stalker, if their identity was not Arthur Leigh Allen. Thus not only, according to Michael Mageau – if we can wholly rely on his testimony – he did not

a. see photos of prime suspects in the case, but

b. the police crucially, may not have extracted this vital piece of information about the suspects first name.

Of course, that is if we can trust Michael Mageau. For there is a seeming discrepancy between sighting Allen in a photograph line up, yet naming a ‘Richard’ some sixteen years later.

Mageau may have known the killer and for whatever reason – perhaps fear of reprisal – sought to protect their identity. Or it could be – Mageau suffering from severe shock – his mind did not think clearly at the time and his memory grew clearer later. Lastly, he may have been influenced by police reports, the media and civilian investigations; whereby Arthur Allen and or a Richard ‘someone’ became a real recollection to Mageau.

We will return to this potential mind boggling oversight when investigating the extensive list of Zodiac suspects and particularly anyone called, you guessed it… Richard.

Zodiac Killer Info:

‘The IHOP at 1400 Tennessee St, where Darlene Ferrin worked in 1966-1967 was right around the corner from Arthur Leigh Allen’s house at 32 Fresno Street. Don Cheney told Tom Voigt in an interview that Leigh had been interested in a waitress that worked at the “pancake house” around the corner from Leigh’s house.’

While the Zodiac Killer initiated his first communication directed to the police with a phone call after the shooting of Ferrin and Mageau on July 5, 1969, it was nearly four weeks later when he wrote and sent on July 31 three identical letters.

Zodiac Killer:

‘For the next few weeks, the investigation went nowhere. Then, on July 31, 1969, letters were sent to the Vallejo Times-Herald, San Francisco Examiner, and San Francisco Chronicle. The letters claimed to be from the killer of Faraday, Jensen, and Ferrin. Details were included that only the killer could have known. And each letter contained one-third of a cipher that, if solved, supposedly contained the killer’s identity [which it did not]. While the killer hadn’t yet given himself the name “Zodiac,” [this occurred in their second letter] this marked the beginning of a letter-writing spree [of over twenty letters] that would go on for more than five years.’

Certain of the Zodiac letters will be scrutinised after the investigation of

a. definite;

b. probable; and

c. possible victims of the killer; and

d. the examining of the prime suspects in the case.

Salient observations on the death of Darlene Ferrin and the attempted murder of Michael Mageau which may prove relevant or pivotal as this investigation progresses, include the following points.

The time of death was again close to midnight and on the weekend. The murder site was very close to the first murders. This does not mean the Zodiac was from the same area, but it cannot be ruled out; as in the case of Arthur Leigh Allen living close by for example.

Darlene Ferrin was shot five times… the same number as Betty Lou Jensen. Michale Mageau was shot four times: three more than David Faraday.

Even so, the killer was sloppy for not only did they walk back to their vehicle thinking they were done – returning when they heard the cries of Mageau – they did not include a chest or head shot on Mageau.

Richard Grinell:

‘That is…7 exit wounds in total (as noted at autopsy). This shows that Darlene Ferrin was struck by 7 bullets, two of which passed through Michael Mageau into her. It cannot be claimed with certainty that Darlene Ferrin was targeted first that morning [just past midnight on July 5th], but the coinciding bullet wounds to her right and left wrist, in addition to her vehicle being “primed” to drive away, could suggest an uneasiness in Darlene Ferrin caused by the approaching man at Blue Rock Springs. If the Zodiac Killer had suspected this, it would have made sense to target the driver first.’

So while the killer was definitely more methodical and clinical than the Faraday and Jensen killings, the assassin still displayed an amateurish approach. One wonders, if they were under the influence of a substance or drunk and acting during some type of trance during the attack.

As with the previous murder, there was no indication of robbery, sexual molestation and no witnesses.

This ‘second’ attack by the Zodiac as with the ‘first’ is not based on overt sexual satisfaction or control and rather seems to have stemmed from a form of frustration towards sexually active heterosexual couples. There is a sense of either impotency on the killer’s part or a sexual interest (deviancy) out of the norm – such as pedophilia, as will be investigated later.

The motivation – with the above in mind – appears to be fuelled by anger and jealousy. Control is certainly a factor, just not a sexual dominance typically sought through an assault or rape.

What does stand out, is that though all attacks and rape are tragically horrific, the Zodiac upped the ante by making the experience for both couples truly intimidating and frightening in the manner of the alacrity of the surprise ambush and severity of the attack, firing a hail of bullets in a confined space.

One cannot imagine the shock and terror of such loud shots and painful bullet wounds in short seconds for all four victims and certainly the ordeal of the aftermath for the survivor, Michael Mageau.

The Zodiac now felt powerful and perhaps invincible but with no one to tell, craved attention. Thus the phone call shortly after the ‘second’ attack and nearly a month later, the first letter.

Understandably, the killer’s car has changed some six months later and is not a Chevrolet Impala, but a Chevrolet [still] Corvair. And again, light coloured.

According to Mageau, he and Ferrin were being stalked and chased around town. It is difficult to know how much credence can be placed on this information, for it was issued much later rather than at the time. Just as Mageau claiming this person was a ‘Richard’ years after the event. When earlier, he had described and visually confirmed a person who looked like Arthur Allen.

Online Encyclopaedia:

‘Ferrin did know Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday. She lived less than two blocks from Jensen and attended Hogan High School. She was also familiar with Lake Herman Road’s status as a lover’s lane. There is a picture [see below] of Ferrin and an unknown man who closely resembles a composite sketch of the Zodiac [yet does not possess a round face or a husky build]. In a 2011 episode of America’s Most Wanted, police stated they believe the photo was taken in San Francisco in either 1966 or 1967.’

Regarding the physical appearance of the Zodiac Killer, the early details after the ‘first’ attack describe a white male with short hair and glasses. Margeau as a surviving witness is crucial and he adds that he was short, heavyset with a round face.

Zodiac killer Info:

‘Mike Mageau described the suspect as a white male “older than me.” He also described the man as young and heavyset, “short, possibly 5’ 8”, real heavy set, beefy build… not blubbery fat, but real beefy, possibly 195 to 200 [pounds], or maybe even larger… short curly hair, almost light blond [with a large face]” Approximately 26-to-30-year-old. He also said that “it was dark out and hard to see the subject.” He said the car was brown.’

Yet in all this, no mention of glasses.

The use of glasses in the ‘first’ attack may have been part of a disguise. If for example the killer was Arthur Allen – who had very short hair due to balding – then the Zodiac may have worn wigs of different colours. Ruling out dyeing their hair in this instance.

To be continued…

© Orion Gold 2026 – All rights reserved. Permission to copy, use or distribute, if acknowledgement of the original authorship is attributed to orion-gold.com