Wier wrote:For some reason the whole "did they didn't they speak to Zodiac" argument has been one of the most devisive over the years. While having no particular agenda one way or the other, I've always inched toward "they did" side for no other reason than there was much to Foulkes claims and what he did and didn't do that didn't make a lot of sense to me. Then that video surfaced with Pellissetti's comments and I can't for the life of me, figure why he would lie. It's not just what he had to say but the way he said it. He also tried his best ( I thought) to minimise to effect, by saying it probably wasn't Zodiac in the first place, as if to try to cover for Fouke. Why would he sell a fellow officer up the river like that?
In any case, back on topic....another reason why Z may actually have been in the area that night (after the murder)....no phone call! He didn't leave evidence as to his involvement at the scene (like LH) and appeared to be in a hurry (as evidenced by the timing of the letter) to take credit ASAP. His last two calls were traced in quick time and perhaps he couldn't get out on the night in question and /or was unwilling to risk a call from where he was.
Its funny you should bring the 'did they/didn't they stop Zodiac argument because it's something I had been thinking about recently. I, like yourself, have always thought that Fouke did stop and speak with Zodiac. I have also asked myself the same question as you asked, that being, why on Earth would A.P lie regarding something Fouke had said to him? What possible motive would there be, or what could he gain from it? And as you point out, why would he make up lies about something Fouke had said, then appear to try and play down the whole incident with "I believe Fouke would have been honest, but that scratch (memo/incident report) and what he told me do not coincide." He later continues "Fouke was also very clear about what the person was wearing and it just so happens that that area is extremely well lit and I cannot imagine his not seeing the shine of blood on the clothing if it had been Zodiac. I feel bad for him if he feels that was the Zodiac, I don't think it was"
As A.P states, Fouke was 'Very clear about what the person was wearing'. That's an understatement IMO, there was so much detail in his description that it is one of the reason's i've pointed to in support of him having stopped and spoke to Zodiac. In regards to Fouke's sighting, I do believe his statement that the suspect turned into the entrance way of a house and onto the drive toward the front door. The reason I believe Fouke in this account is because two specific comments he makes in his original memo seem to support it. They are...
"Light coloured hair, possibly greying
in rear" & "Brown Wool pants pleated type baggy
in rear"
As I said before, Fouke was driving up Jackson st while the Zodiac was coming down Jackson St which means they would have to have been heading straight toward each other and any encounter would be face on. Knowing this, how can it be that Fouke see's the back of this mans head and pants well enough to enable him to make the two comments above? Now there will be some who may say 'he probalby passed him and looked into his side door wing mirror'. That couldn't be how he saw the back of Zodiac because Fouke is the driver, sitting in the left side of the vehicle on the left side of the street. Zodiac is 'stumbling along with a lumbering gait' down the right side of the street, the opposite side to Fouke. It makes perfect sence to me that Zodiac would see the approaching police car and, after putting his head down, turn into a house pathway towards a house before Fouke and Zelms got too close to him because the front of Zodiac's clothes (his pleated pants specifically) would have been absolutely soaked in blood after having Stine's head resing in his lap. So Zodiac would have had every reason to turn his back toward the police car. I have also pointed out on the old site that the description of Zodiac's clothes given by Bryan Hartnell and Don Fouke are almost identical. I say almost because there is one slight difference which to me, is significant. Here are the two men's descriptions.
Hartnell: Dark/Navy Blue cotton coat with Collar and zipper down the front. Older style Pleated Pants, either black or dark blue. Wearing Boots.
Fouke: Dark waist length zipper type jacket with collar, navy or royal blue. Brown Rust coloured pants, pleated style. Engineering type boot, low cut shoe.
It's fairly obvious that Zodiac wore the same 'outfit' for both murders. The one minor, yet significant difference in their description, is the colour of the pleated pants. Bryan said they were black or dark blue. Fouke described the colour in his memo as 'Brown wool pants pleated type baggy in read (rust brown)'. I think the reason they looked a rust coloured brown was because they were saturated in blood turing them from Hartnell's Black or dark blue, into rust redish brown colour, and this was why Zodiac would have had to turn away from the passing police car to hide the obvious blood soaked front of the pants.
And your final point about Zodiac not phoning is also one i've though quite a lot about. The most obvious reason for his silence that night would be him being on foot. (Funny enough, i've often thought Zodiac may have been on foot at LHR for reason that are not suitableto post here, but are on the LHR thread) Zodiac didn't phone after LHR either. Zodiac was never really consistant in his communications when you look at them. For example, he murders Betty & David at LHR on Dec 20, 1968 and neither phones nor writes to take credit in the aftermath. Seven months later, he attack's Mike and Dee at BRS. The same night he calls LE to inform them "You'll find the kids in a brown car, I also shot those kids last year. Goodbye". He then writes to inform the media and police that not only is he responsible for the double shooting earlier that month, but also for the double homicide in Dec of the previous year. Then he attacks Bryan and Cecelia at Berryessa, stabbing both many times before leaving them stranded and driving to another payphone to tell Napa Police Dpt he 'Wants to report a murder... No, a double murder". He writes the dates on Hartnells car along with the cross hairs symbol but never writes one letter to confess that he was the LB attacker. Then finally we get to Paul Stine and he doesn't phone this time, yet instantly fires off a letter telling the Cronicle "This is the Zodiac Speaking. I am the murderer of the cab driver over by Washington & Cherry streets last night. To prove this, here is a blood stained piece of his shirt". So he seemed to change his communication habbit, or at least one specific part of his communication method, for each attack, the same way he changed weapons every attack, along with jurisdiction's (Lake Herman Road - Benecia. Blue Rock Springs Park - Vallejo. Lake Berryessa - Napa. Presidio Heights - San Francisco.)
Posted: Sun May 19, 2013 10:21 pm