Re: Interview with Schoolmate of Ross
I've argued before that it's possible Fouke's quite detailed description may have been based on notes he took on the night. Cops are trained to take notes - and this was a serious crime even before it became known Z was involved.
I'm also of the opinion that the time frame makes it very unlikely that Fouke's man and Stine's murderer was not one and the same - as does the fact that "NN = Not Z" has never been identified.
Anyway, the sketch is what it is - my take on it is that it should be treated like a general representation of what the man looked like, not an actual image of his face.
I wouldn't rule out that Z looked something like that sketch. But there are details in it which are very unlikely, not to say anatomically impossible, and which obviously do not represent what the teens actually saw. My guess is that the witnesses caught a general impression of what he looked like but not such details as the infamous "laze eye" and whatnot - which is not bad, by the way: If the sketch reflects this general impression, then we do know roughly what he looked like.
Another thing to consider is Z's own comments. These arguably indicate that he did look like the sketch. If he did not, then why give away a potential edge by outlining his game? Was his desire to rub it in and taunt so strong that he couldn't resist telling everybody about his clever "descise", even though it would clearly be tactically wiser to just let them go on looking for Mr Crew Cut n' Glasses? I don't quite buy that myself. I think the most logical explanation for his remark is that he was a bit rattled, having been observed by those teens.
I'm also of the opinion that the time frame makes it very unlikely that Fouke's man and Stine's murderer was not one and the same - as does the fact that "NN = Not Z" has never been identified.
Anyway, the sketch is what it is - my take on it is that it should be treated like a general representation of what the man looked like, not an actual image of his face.
I wouldn't rule out that Z looked something like that sketch. But there are details in it which are very unlikely, not to say anatomically impossible, and which obviously do not represent what the teens actually saw. My guess is that the witnesses caught a general impression of what he looked like but not such details as the infamous "laze eye" and whatnot - which is not bad, by the way: If the sketch reflects this general impression, then we do know roughly what he looked like.
Another thing to consider is Z's own comments. These arguably indicate that he did look like the sketch. If he did not, then why give away a potential edge by outlining his game? Was his desire to rub it in and taunt so strong that he couldn't resist telling everybody about his clever "descise", even though it would clearly be tactically wiser to just let them go on looking for Mr Crew Cut n' Glasses? I don't quite buy that myself. I think the most logical explanation for his remark is that he was a bit rattled, having been observed by those teens.