TRUE CRIME ATLAS
← Back to all cases

Zodiac Killer

Published February 21, 2026Updated August 15, 2026
Jun 4, 1963

Murder of Robert Domingos and Linda Edwards

Seniors Robert Domingos (18) and Linda Edwards (17) were bound with rope, shot repeatedly with a .22 rifle, dragged into an abandoned shack, and doused with accelerant before the fire failed to ignite.

View sequence of events
  1. afternoon
    Domingos and Edwards arrive at a secluded Gaviota State Park beach.
  2. unknown
    A lone attacker confronts the couple, binds them with pre-cut lengths of rope, and opens fire at close range with a .22 rifle.
  3. post-shooting
    The attacker drags the bodies into a makeshift shack, places personal belongings inside, and attempts to ignite a fire with matches.
  4. following morning
    The bodies are discovered the next morning, and investigators begin a homicide inquiry.
Oct 30, 1966

Murder of Cheri Jo Bates

RCC freshman Cheri Jo Bates (18) was lured from her stranded Volkswagen Beetle after her ignition was disabled, ambushed in a dark alley, and brutally stabbed multiple times with a short-bladed knife.

View sequence of events
  1. evening (6:00-9:00 PM)
    Bates studies in the RCC library, then finds her Beetle's ignition and distributor disabled outside.
  2. late evening
    A person offering assistance lures Bates to an alleyway on Terracina Drive, where she is attacked and stabbed multiple times.
  3. 6:28 AM next day
    A groundskeeper discovers Bates's body, and Riverside police begin a homicide investigation.
Dec 20, 1968

Lake Herman Road Double Homicide

On a remote lovers' lane, David Faraday (17) and Betty Lou Jensen (16) were shot by a stranger with a .22 semiautomatic pistol; Faraday died of a contact shot to the head, Jensen was shot five times in the back.

View sequence of events
  1. 9:00-10:00 PM
    Faraday and Jensen arrive and park at the Lake Herman Road turnout for a date.
  2. 10:15-10:30 PM
    A passing motorist notices the couple parked at the turnout.
  3. 11:05-11:10 PM
    The attacker fires warning shots, orders the victims from the car, kills Faraday, and shoots Jensen as she flees.
  4. following minutes
    The crime scene is discovered shortly after 11:10 PM.
Jul 5, 1969

Blue Rock Springs Park Shooting

Just before midnight on July 4, an assailant shot into a Corvair, wounding Michael Mageau (19) and killing Darlene Ferrin (22) with a 9 mm handgun.

View sequence of events
  1. 11:54 PM
    Ferrin and Mageau are shot in their car by an assailant using a flashlight and a 9 mm pistol.
  2. 12:40 AM (July 5)
    The killer calls Vallejo police from a payphone at Springs Road and Tuolumne Street, claiming responsibility for this attack and the Lake Herman Road murders.
Jul 31, 1969

First Letters and Z-408 Cipher Sent

The Zodiac mailed his first three letters to the Vallejo Times-Herald, the San Francisco Chronicle, and the San Francisco Examiner. Together they contained the 408-symbol cipher and a demand that the messages be published.

View sequence of events
  1. August 8, 1969
    Donald and Bettye Harden solve the Z-408 cipher, revealing a taunting message about killing people.
Aug 4, 1969

Examiner Letter Uses the Name 'Zodiac'

In a follow-up letter sent to the San Francisco Examiner, the killer opened with the phrase 'This is the Zodiac speaking,' giving the case its enduring name.

Sep 28, 1969

Lake Berryessa Stabbings

College students Bryan Hartnell (20) and Cecelia Shepard (22) were ambushed by a hooded assailant who bound them and stabbed each repeatedly; Shepard died two days later, Hartnell survived.

View sequence of events
  1. 6:00 PM
    Hartnell and Shepard are approached by a man in a black hooded costume with a white cross-circle symbol.
  2. 6:07 PM
    The assailant forces the couple to lie face-down and binds them with plastic clothesline.
  3. 6:08 PM
    The attacker stabs Hartnell six times and Shepard ten times with a large knife.
  4. 6:15 PM
    The killer writes the cross-circle symbol and prior attack dates on Hartnell's car door before leaving the scene.
  5. 7:40 PM
    The killer calls Napa police from a payphone to report the attack.
Oct 12, 1969

Murder of Paul Stine

Taxi driver Paul Stine (29) was shot once in the head by a passenger in Presidio Heights, and the killer removed a piece of Stine's shirt that he later mailed to the press.

View sequence of events
  1. 9:55 PM
    Stine picks up a passenger near Mason and Geary Streets, who directs him toward Presidio Heights.
  2. 9:58 PM
    At the intersection of Washington and Cherry Streets, the passenger shoots Stine once in the head.
  3. 10:00 PM
    Three teenagers across the street witness the killer wiping down the cab and taking Stine's wallet and a piece of his shirt before calling police.
Oct 13, 1969

Stine Shirt Letter Sent to the Chronicle

Two days after the Presidio Heights murder, the Zodiac mailed a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle that included a piece of Paul Stine's shirt, proving responsibility for the killing.

Oct 22, 1969

Imposter Call to the Jim Dunbar Show

A man claiming to be the Zodiac called the live Jim Dunbar television show to speak with guest attorney Melvin Belli, but the caller was later identified as an imposter named Eric Weill.

View sequence of events
  1. live broadcast
    A caller identifying himself as the Zodiac speaks by phone during a live television appearance by Melvin Belli.
  2. later
    Investigators conclude the caller was not the Zodiac and identify him as Eric Weill.
Nov 8, 1969

Z-340 Cipher Letter Sent

The Zodiac mailed a card to the San Francisco Chronicle containing his most infamous and difficult cipher, the 340-character Z-340.

View sequence of events
  1. December 5, 2020
    David Oranchak, Sam Blake, and Jarl Van Eycke successfully crack the Z-340 cipher after more than 51 years.
Nov 9, 1969

Bomb Letter Sent to the Chronicle

The Zodiac mailed a lengthy letter to the San Francisco Chronicle that threatened a bomb attack and described his claimed methods in greater detail.

Dec 20, 1969

Zodiac Sends Letter and Stine Shirt Piece to Melvin Belli

The Zodiac mailed a letter and another piece of Paul Stine's shirt to attorney Melvin Belli, asking for help and proving authenticity.

View sequence of events
  1. December 20, 1969
    The Zodiac mails a letter to Melvin Belli expressing fear of losing control and includes another swatch of Paul Stine's blood-stained shirt.
Apr 20, 1970

My Name Is Cipher (Z-13)

The Zodiac mailed a short 13-symbol cryptogram with the phrase 'My name is ____,' implying he might reveal his identity.

Apr 28, 1970

Dragon Card Sent to the Chronicle

The Zodiac mailed a greeting card, often called the Dragon card, continuing his taunting correspondence with the San Francisco Chronicle.

Jun 26, 1970

Map and Cipher Letter (Z-32)

The Zodiac mailed a Phillips 66 map of Northern California marked with a cross-circle on Mount Diablo and included a 32-symbol cipher that implied a bomb location.

Jul 24, 1970

Letter Claims the Kathleen Johns Abduction

The Zodiac mailed a letter that appeared to claim responsibility for the earlier abduction account reported by Kathleen Johns, expanding the case's contested victim list.

Jul 26, 1970

Little List Letter Sent

The Zodiac mailed the so-called Little List letter, borrowing language from Gilbert and Sullivan while mocking police and threatening further violence.

Oct 5, 1970

Button Letter and School Bus Threat

The Zodiac mailed a postcard demanding that people wear Zodiac buttons and repeated his threat to attack a school bus.

Oct 27, 1970

Halloween Card Sent to Paul Avery

The Zodiac mailed a large Halloween card to Chronicle reporter Paul Avery, including the warning 'You are doomed.'

Mar 13, 1971

Los Angeles Times Letter Sent

A letter attributed to the Zodiac was mailed to the Los Angeles Times, complaining that the writer was no longer receiving front-page attention.

Jan 29, 1974

Exorcist Letter Sent

The Zodiac resurfaced to send a letter to the Chronicle praising The Exorcist as 'the best satirical comedy' and adding the score 'Me = 37, SFPD = 0.'