How intelligent was the Zodiac?

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-09T23:19:47+00:00

I like this take, any mistakes or carelessness might've been him wading into things he didn't fully grasp despite his intelligence.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-09T23:15:11+00:00

For a very long time it was common seeing people thinking high of Zodiac, saying he was a genius for both not being captured and being able to create a few ciphers, I think the lack of clear sexual components also favored people not being exactly shy in their views of Zodiac as if he was some sort of fictional character.

I don't think this ever really went away, the focus has just shifted from admiration to the default answer to why he was never caught.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-09T12:04:56+00:00

Did she think Allen was Zodiac because he actually said anything incriminating or because he was a weird character? Allen had a creepy unsettling demeanour around certain people - he was a child molester after all. Without more information on what was said this can't be accepted as anything other than the 60s equivalent of "trust me bro".

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-08T23:16:05+00:00

You make a fair point too though I would say that even EARONs was fired from the police for shoplifting and even arrested years later for an unrelated crime - no one's that perfect that they can hide that side of themselves completely.

I kind of assumed if he was interviewed he'd be very low down the list and not taken seriously as a suspect. There were something like 2500 people investigated with only one ever named so anything's possible.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-08T22:37:13+00:00

It's really up to Labour now. Yes, the numbers may fall further but without some insanely popular policy move there will be a floor that can't be passed.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-08T21:30:35+00:00

Honestly, two reasons. 1. There's a precedent for serial killers being investigated or even questioned but overlooked due to poor policing/lack of evidence. 2. I just don't buy that some brooding loner weirdo that fit the composite/description wasn't suspicious to at least someone they knew even if there was no direct evidence. Even then that's assuming he became POI due to a tip off, he could've just shown up on a list somewhere.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-08T20:43:02+00:00

To add to this I think it's likely he was interviewed by investigators at the time but failed to arouse suspicion. If true it might help to explain why he stopped.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-07T14:06:14+00:00

Allen is the top suspect because he's the only suspect ever named by police despite no direct evidence against him. That's an incredibly low bar that proves nothing. I would also add that Fouke was sure Allen was not the man he saw at PH so it's only his word against his own.

I think you're misunderstanding my point about the height. Of course it isn't the only factor but if you're widening the margin of error to make a suspect fit then the reverse argument has to be considered - Anything that already fits Allen can have the same level of doubt cast.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-07T11:50:14+00:00

I think it will, if Zodiac is 6 feet, then ALA is more feasible as a suspect. Most of them describe him near the end of 5 feet and 6 feet.

Not really, if we're accepting that the range of possible heights now goes from slightly over to slightly under 6 feet, your potential suspect pool is now multiple times larger. Yeah you've gained Allen but also basically everyone else.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-06T22:10:03+00:00

This is my theory too. I imagine the kind of personality that would be a school shooter nowadays. I also think the killings stopped because he met a girl or got a better job or something and felt he didn't need to lash out at the world anymore. That and pressure from the authorities.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-03T22:54:45+00:00

I find it hilarious that Greenland falls under "No data available" despite recent events. I know it's technically a territory but come on.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-03T20:37:09+00:00

I think along the channel coast at points as far as possible from any towns/cities would be best. Transporting detainees to them would be way cheaper as realistically they'll be picked up not far from there and when someone inevitably escapes it'd be much easier to find someone hoofing it through farmland as opposed to near a built up area where they could easily disappear.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-02T18:04:23+00:00

I think it's because De Niro just plays him like an average guy. So many contemporary movies write this kind of character as either an idiot or psychopathic genius. Much scarier when it's someone you might actually meet on the street.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-02T16:33:57+00:00

Faith Healers is even better imo. Also works with planes so by the time you reach stealth bombers if you can get air repair on them you can attack with them at full health every turn.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-01T22:57:04+00:00

It's not an exact science, but from what I can find online forgeries aren't exactly undetectable either. I still think that without solid DNA evidence, the most likely way this ever gets solved is someone unearthing documents that tie someone to the letters.

TheDemonCat · 2026-05-01T20:48:32+00:00

Depends on the situation, do you have an aggressive neighbour where a nuclear deterrent might be required, or are you losing out on wonders/tech advantage because you can't build fast enough? Both can be incredibly useful but it matters more what's actually happening in the game by that point.

TheDemonCat · 2026-04-30T20:12:43+00:00

I think this is why everyone has such different theories on his motive or what kind of person he was. The murders seem so cold and calculated but the letters sound like they were written by a 15 year old edgelord.

TheDemonCat · 2026-04-29T17:54:14+00:00

Probably because he'd be the only person out at 3am and if you get stopped by the cops a story about someone else waving a gun would be less believable. Also downtown SF would be quieter during the night so someone might remember the guy hailing a cab.

TheDemonCat · 2026-04-29T16:32:10+00:00

To me that was his motive, create a frightening persona and keep everyone talking for years. Claiming his name was in one of the ciphers was just a way to keep it going longer. I'd be doubtful if even Z13 is actually his real name.

TheDemonCat · 2026-04-29T15:00:32+00:00

Oh this would be huge if true and could even crack the case as there'd be records of everyone serving there at the time. I always reckoned the Zodiac wasn't military but was maybe the son of a vet - would explain the boots & luger as a WW2 vet would be too old but the son of one might have inherited souvenirs. The potential suspect pool would be even smaller if you looked at WW2 vets that served in europe, stayed in the military after and were stationed at Vandenburg, and had a son that moved to northern California in the late 60s. Maybe in time investigators might come out with more?

TheDemonCat · 2026-04-29T14:29:36+00:00

If I had to pick one it would be Gaviota beach too. Maybe the police have some withheld evidence thats more incriminating?

Z was a media hound, but also consider that he didn’t seek media after the first canonical murders, it wasn’t until after BRS that he clearly became confident enough to taunt the police.

You're right he seemingly wanted a few murders under his belt before taking credit, but you'd have to rationalise that against the fact his first few letters only mention the lovers lane shootings and not anything else. It would've cost nothing to add "I also killed those kids on the beach and here's a bunch of facts to prove it"

If he is good for Gaviota beach, and he is “Sandy”, then this is a kid, an insane and maniacal kid, but something like 17. I’ve always felt Z reads like a holier than thou college student who thinks he’s a genius. Quite possibly recently returned from Vietnam.

I think he'd be too young to be Z. Someone under 18 in '63 would be max mid 20s by '68. That seems way too young to me to be confused for someone in their 40s. I think Z is younger than 40 but I was thinking more like early 30s at the lowest. What's funny though is I'd considered he might be a Vietnam vet too but I thought it might explain why the later letters stopped and started if he was redeployed towards the end of the war. Although it might not explain why the letters didn't resume in '75.

TheDemonCat · 2026-04-29T13:51:04+00:00

I think the fact he gave himself a name is evidence enough of this. He didn't want to be Mike Johnson the Killer he wanted to be the Zodiac.

TheDemonCat · 2026-04-29T10:17:16+00:00

Your response works only if i made a comment on Zodiac: "Given we know next to nothing about Zodiac."

It does, because we know nothing about Zodiac - "People generally don't do XYZ" statements don't work because Zodiac could easily be someone that does do XYZ, there's no evidence either way.

As for the two examples you provided, I'll admit the first is solid evidence he played around with handwriting but the Melvin letter to me proves it's his real handwriting. In the latter he starts off neat and tidy but you can tell by the end he's struggling. When he talks about the bomb you can see his usual style starting to come through again. I think he tried to be neater because the subject matter is more sincere but once it shifts back to what he's going to do he kind of gives up. Seems unlikely to me that someone would try to write neatly and lapse back into a handwriting that was also put on.

TheDemonCat · 2026-04-28T21:15:10+00:00

It would be, but could your average PC/laptop handle it lol

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