Zodiac Suspects
The following makes sense only if one has a basic knowledge of the Zodiac Killer case. Bear in mind that I do not condone the crimes.
I describe, alphabetically by surname, the cases against each possible Zodiac suspect (i.e. as if I were a prosecutor), and the reasons he might not be the Zodiac (as if I were a defense attorney).
The number of points of evidence does not necessarily weigh their merit. I mention that the palm print evidence is useful only if the Zodiac was not always wearing gloves (witnesses saw him wearing gloves).
Arthur Leigh Allen (1933-1992) might have been the Zodiac because:
He is the only person publicly described by authorities as a Zodiac suspect. He was suspected by police more than once, first in the 1970's, and then shortly before his death.
Multiple acquaintances, most notably Don Cheney, claimed that Allen boasted either of being the Zodiac Killer or of having fantasies similar to the Zodiac.
He was allegedly in Santa Barbara County when non-canonical victims Robert Domingos and Linda Edwards were killed in 1963.
He was allegedly in Riverside when non-canonical victim Cheri Jo Bates was killed in 1966. The day after her murder, Allen missed a day of work. The killer may have had defensive injuries from the attack.
He had a Zodiac brand wristwatch, which includes the infamous crosshairs symbol. He received the watch as a gift in 1967.
He volunteered that he had bloody knives the night Cecelia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell were stabbed, in 1969. Shepard and Hartnell are canonical Zodiac victims.
He was placed in a mental institution in 1975. The last confirmed taunting letter from the Zodiac was sent in 1974.
Surviving, canonical victim Mike Mageau tentatively identified Allen as his attacker.
He had bombmaking diagrams. The Zodiac threatened to produce and use bombs.
He allegedly hated his mother, fitting the profile of a serial killer.
However, Allen might not have been the Zodiac because:
His DNA did not match DNA found on a letter sent by the Zodiac.
His palm print did not match a print found on a letter by the Zodiac.
His palm print did not match a print found in canonical victim Paul Stine's taxi.
Richard Gaikowski (1936-2004) might have been the Zodiac because:
A coworker, Blaine Blaine [the repetition is intentional- that is the coworker's name], suspected Gaikowski of being the Zodiac Killer.
He allegedly knew canonical Zodiac victim Darlene Ferrin.
A dispatcher identified Gaikowski's voice as that of the man who made taunting telephone calls boasting of the murders.
At his underground newspaper, he included an ad for Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado", also referenced by the Zodiac in confirmed letters.
Canonical victim Paul Stine's shirt tail was removed and sent to authorities as proof of the murder. Gaikowski was a former Army medic, and combat medics are taught to remove the shirt tail to secure injuries.
He was allegedly at the funeral of Paul Stine.
Richard Gaikowski claimed to have been in Europe, reporting on Northern Ireland, during some of the murders, but his Northern Ireland article was allegedly plagiarized, casting doubt on his alibi.
He bears a strong resemblance to composite sketches of the Zodiac.
He was institutionalized in 1971. Canonical Zodiac murders stopped in 1969.
He may have been professionally acquainted with Bob Vaughn, also a coworker of Rick Marshall, another Zodiac suspect.
Unlike some suspects, Gaikowski's fingerprints and DNA are so far unavailable, meaning that there is no physical evidence against him being the Zodiac.
He might not have been the Zodiac because:
He was a reporter, so attending a funeral of a high-profile crime might have been part of his job.
There is no proof that Gaikowski was in the United States during some of the canon Zodiac murders.
Lawrence Kane (1924-2010) might have been the Zodiac because:
He was a coworker of non-canonical victim Donna Lass.
He and his vehicle allegedly fit the description of the man last seen with non-canonical victim Dana Lull.
He had a known interest in astrology at least as early as 1943, when such an interest was unusual.
He suffered a 1962 head injury that reportedly took away his impulse control.
He allegedly owned a collection of firearms.
He was allegedly obsessed with his mother, fitting the profile of a serial killer.
Unscrambled, a known Zodiac letter's cryptogram reads, "My name is Kane."
Unlike some suspects, Kane's DNA and fingerprints have not been checked against the Zodiac, so there is no physical evidence against him being the Zodiac.
He might not have been the Zodiac because:
He was older than eyewitness descriptions.
Rick Marshall (1926-2008) might have been the Zodiac because:
He made a ham radio broadcast, in 1976, the contents of which are not public, that led an anonymous informant to suspect him as the Zodiac.
He was a silent film enthusiast, as the Zodiac (per known letters) was.
He reportedly lived about 150 yards from the scene of non-canonical victim Richard Radetich's death.
A movie poster associated with Marshall contained handwriting similar to that of the Zodiac.
He was allegedly in Riverside when non-canonical victim Cheri Jo Bates was killed.
Like Gaikowski [see above], Marshall had worked with Bob Vaughn.
He might not have been the Zodiac because:
His palm print does not match a palm print found in Paul Stine's taxi.
His palm print does not match a palm print found on a Zodiac letter.
Bob Vaughn, coworker of two suspects, asserted that the handwriting similar to the Zodiac's was his (Vaughn's), but Vaughn, at 57 when the canonical murders began, was considered too old to be the Zodiac.
At 42 when the murders began, Marshall is older than eyewitness descriptions.
Ross Sullivan (1941-1977) might have been the Zodiac because:
He was a library assistant at the Riverside library in the parking lot of which non-canonical victim Cheri Jo Bates was killed. He reportedly changed his way of dressing and missed work after Bates's death.
He made a high school film about a murder so realistic that its cast was almost arrested.
He was rumored to be feared by other students.
He allegedly studied cryptography.
The Zodiac's references to Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado" could be construed as hinting at Sullivan's name.
Like Allen and Gaikowski [see above], Sullivan spent time involuntarily committed.
He strongly resembles composite sketches of the Zodiac.
His known handwriting bears some resemblance to that of the Zodiac.
Sullivan gained weight late in his life, and died of heart-related ailments in 1977, which could explain why the proven Zodiac murders (1968-69) and letters (1969-1974) stopped.
He might not have been the Zodiac because:
At 6 foot 2, he was taller than eyewitness descriptions.
His palm print does not match the palm print found in canonical victim Paul Stine's taxi.
If any Zodiac letters written 1978 or later are authentic, Sullivan could not have been the Zodiac, as he died in 1977.
His palm print reportedly did not match a greasy palm print found on Cheri Jo Bates's vehicle.
