Paul Stine picked up Zodiac somewhere in the theater disctrict in SF, and entered the destination in his log book as Washington & Maple, but for some unknown reason, wound up at Washington & Cherry instead. When he put the car in park, Zodiac shot him point blank in the head, killing Stine instantly. Zodiac then got out of the car, and opened up the passenger door and proceeded to tend to something in the front seat, ultimately taking Stine's wallet & keys. At this time, some kids in a house across the street saw the aftermath of the shooting, and saw Zodiac himself, who appeared to be wiping down something around the cab. Zodiac then walked off around the corner, and out of site. The kids called police, thinking the cabbie had merely been robbed or beaten up.
Patrol cars quickly swarmed the sorrounding streets and area,and not long after, a police dispatcher put out a description of the perp, as an NMA(negro male adult). But that description was somehow a mistake,and in reality, the perp was white,stocky, had a crewcut style haircut,and black horned rim glasses. Before the correction was made over the radio however, two police officers driving down nearby Jackson St, saw just such a man. They claim that they slowed down, took a good look at him, and since they were looking for a black male, they continued on. It was only a moment or two later that the Zodiac's description was corrected and broadcast over the police radio, and it was only then that the Officers realized that they had just seen the Zodiac. They went back, but he had now vanished into the night, probably in the wooded area sorrounding the military base, the Presidio. At the time of the murder, police had no idea that they were looking for the infamous Zodiac killer, and thought the attack was the result of a robbery gone wrong. All of that would change two days later.
On October 13, two days later, the Zodiac mailed a letter to the SF Chronicle detailing Stine's murder, and even including a bloody piece of Stine's shirt as proof he was the killer. Zodiac would also write that he actually was pulled over by police as he escaped on foot, and questioned. Police to this very day,deny that Zodiac was ever stopped by them. Although he was never caught, the infamous Zodiac sketch was the result of the police officer's, as well as the eye witness description of Zodiac.
Paul Stine's Cab, and the aftermath of his murder
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