He appeared suddenly out of nowhere, and quickly walked up to the young couple as they were enjoying a quiet moment and a beautiful view of the Lake. Zodiac wearing a hood,and carrying a handgun,possibly a .45, ordered them to stay calm,and told them that he was an escaped convict from Deer Lodge, MT. He said that he was simply going to take their money, and car so that he could flee to Mexico. The couple cooperated, and he forced Cecelia to tie up Bryan using pre-cut lengths of plastic clothesline that he had brought with him. He then tied up Cecelia. After the couple was tied and bound, Zodiac put his gun away, but their ordeal was just beginning.
Zodiac pulled out a knife and savagely stabbed the couple repeatedly many times. Then, after his frenzied attack, he simply walked off. Before he left, he scrawled a taunting note on Bryan's car door, leaving no doubt that the 'Zodiac' was responsible for this attack. Bryan managed to survive, but Cecelia died two days later in the hospital. Zodiac was never caught, but there are clues from the scene that may lead to his identity.
First, he mentioned 'DeerLodge' MT. But police quickly verified that no prisoners had recently escaped from the prison. Why did Zodiac lie about that if he was about to kill them? Maybe he had ties to that area? Next, we have the writing on the Victim's car door, it's quite likely that this is Zodiac's true,every day undisguised writing. Somebody may recognize it. Lastly, a sketch was made of a man seen in the area of the attacks shortly before the attack. He was acting oddly, and watching a group of sun bathing girls. His clothes closely matched the outfit Zodiac was wearing in his attack that day. The sketch describes a man in his late 20's. After the attack, Zodiac defiantly called police in Napa to claim the attack. "I am the one that did it", he told Officer Dave Slaight, who had taken the call. Slaight,as well asHartnell,both described the Zodiac's voice as possibly being in his early 20's, or sounding "like a student's voice". The sketch of the mystery man seen by the girls showed a man in his late 20's or early 30's, and a sketch made a month later of Zodiac after his San Francisco attack showed a man 25 -35, but was ammended to show a man 35-45. The sketches do not resemble each other, and neither sketch has lead to Zodiac being identified.
44 years later, the case remains unsolved, and as cold as ever. Zodiac, if he alive today, may take a moment today to reflect on his attack, there is no doubt that surviving witness Bryan Hartnell, as well as Cecelia's Family will do the same. My hope is that by the 45th anniversary, police can attach a name to the serial killer known as 'Zodiac'
Shepard & Hartnell
Zodiac in his disguise
Zodiac's writing on Hartnell's Door
Sketch of the suspicious man seen by female sun bathers
