Zodiackillersite.com

A few thoughts regarding the my-name-is cipher: Assuming the 7/19/78 letter is authentic and Z CJB's murderer..according to the mentioned letter, Z's first name could be 'Paul' (my name is on the bottom lid of a scotch tape..

http://www.zodiackillersite.com/viewtop ... f=69&t=726
viewtopic.php?f=97&t=727&hilit=bottom+lid

If those assumptions are correct, some circumstances should be considered:

1. Out of approximately 30,000 names (from different yearbooks, e.g. Ramona, Lompoc etc.), not even one single name matches the my-name-is cipher structure.
2. Most likely, the first four symbols of the cipher would represent the letters 'P', 'A', 'U', and 'L'.
3. Assuming each symbol representing one alphabetical letter, the second but last letter of the cipher cleartext would be a 'P'. Same with the third but last letter of the cipher, it'd represent a 'U'. This is valid for both, simple substitution as well as homophone substitution cipher types.

A cipher cracking line could therefore look somehow like this:

P A U L _ _ _ _ _ _ U P _

It should be considered further that on position 5, 7, 9 the cipher symbol is the same. Furthermore, the symbols on position 8 and 12 are equal, too. The cipher structure would therefore look somehow like this:

P A U L ? _ ? # ? _ U P #

One might replace the repeating symbols with letters to get a list of potential partial solutions, e.g. 'E' and 'M':

P A U L E _ E M E _ U P M
..

As you can see, such a partial solution is not very likely as there do not exist many names ending with '-UPM'.

Such a list of cleartext structures is in fact not very long. Let it consist of no more than 676 values (26x26). It then is possible to preselect each value according to it's likeliness to represent a complete name.

When doing so, one must realize that most of the cleartext combinations are very unlikely to represent a name. Instead, only a few ones have some potential, such as:

P A U L H _ H A H _ U P A

which could be interpreted as a 'Paul H. Chahlupa'.

Frequent last names, such as Miller or Robertson etc. do not occur at all.

In fact, the chance to complete the 'name from the bottom lid of a scotch tape' in a 'normal' way, is quite low. This again is not a surprise as we are already aware that out of approximately 30,000 names not even one could be matched to the cipher structure. At least unless someone doesn'T shuffle everything creating his 'own' cleartext (e.g. anagram & substitution..).

Although not checked-out yet, other first names lead to similar difficulties (the 300 most frequent first names represent approximately 78% of the population). What caught my eye, however, was the following cleartext structure:

P A U L S _ S Y S _ U P Y

On the first look, when trying to place a last name, the structure doesn't make a lot of sense. On a second look, however, it could make sense:

P A U L S U S Y S N U P Y

A combination of three names, e.g. 'Paul, Susy and Snupy'. Or 'Paul, Susy, Stupy' with 'Stupy' for example being the last name of a Paul and a Susy is a possible solution.

Of course this is a 'wild' theory somehow, however it represents the only logical conclusion according to the 7/19/78 letter.

So far, I have not found any other name matching the my-name-is-cipher.

In addition to that, the last name 'Stupy' is indeed present in the LA region. And, although I still believe that Z had mostly been acting alone, there do exist at least some hints that Z had a partner in crime (two persons being seen by witnesses at the CJB's crime scene, searching the watch with their flashlights).

QT

Not sure there's anything to say that any 1978 letter from Z is legit. Plus Zodiac, already lied about giving his name or ID to police if they solved the 408, so I doubt he would ever really include his name in any letter.

Possible. However encryption could have induced him to use is real name (feeling 'safe').

In such a case, e.g. if Paul is not correct, the following list most likely would show his name. It consists of the 300 most frequent first names covering 78% of the population (1990 consensus). Longer first names not matching the cipher have already been excluded (e.g. 'Roberto'). All names were put into a my-name-is cipher structure. In 1990 the name Paul was on rank 13 out of 300:

https://names.mongabay.com/male_names.htm

As one can see, many names can simply be excluded due to the ending of a potential cleartext. It seems plausible that Z could have given both, a hint regarding the scotch tape as well as a short, almost uncrackable (crackproof..) cipher containing his identity. Z was (over-)self-confident, had searched publicity and, imo, can be placed into the 'category' of killers which subliminally always wanted to be caught..

QT

J A M E S _ S _ S _ M J _
J O H N _ _ _ _ _ _ H J _
R O B E R T R _ R _ B R _
D A V I D _ D _ D _ V D _
J O S E P H P _ P _ S J _
T H O M A S A _ A _ O T _
D A N I E L E _ E _ N D _
P A U L _ _ _ _ _ _ U P _
M A R K _ _ _ _ _ _ R M _
D O N A L D L _ L _ N D _
G E O R G E G _ G _ O G _
S T E V E N E _ E _ E S _
R O N A L D L _ L _ N R _
K E V I N _ N _ N _ V K _
L A R R Y _ Y _ Y _ R L _
F R A N K _ K _ K _ A F _
S C O T T _ T _ T _ O S _
E R I C _ _ _ _ _ _ I E _
A N D R E W E _ E _ D A _
J O S H U A U _ U _ S J _
J E R R Y _ Y _ Y _ R J _
D E N N I S I _ I _ N D _
W A L T E R E _ E _ L W _
P E T E R _ R _ R _ T P _
H A R O L D L _ L _ R H _
H E N R Y _ Y _ Y _ N H _
C A R L _ _ _ _ _ _ R C _
A R T H U R U _ U _ T A _
R Y A N _ _ _ _ _ _ A R _
R O G E R _ R _ R _ G R _
J O E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ E J _
J U A N _ _ _ _ _ _ A J _
J A C K _ _ _ _ _ _ C J _
A L B E R T R _ R _ B A _
J O N A T H T _ T _ N J _
J U S T I N I _ I _ S J _
T E R R Y _ Y _ Y _ R T _
G E R A L D L _ L _ R G _
K E I T H _ H _ H _ I K _
S A M U E L E _ E _ M S _
W I L L I E I _ I _ L W _
R A L P H _ H _ H _ L R _
R O Y _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y R _
B R U C E _ E _ E _ U B _
A D A M _ _ _ _ _ _ A A _
H A R R Y _ Y _ Y _ R H _
F R E D _ _ _ _ _ _ E F _
W A Y N E _ E _ E _ Y W _
B I L L Y _ Y _ Y _ L B _
S T E V E _ E _ E _ E S _
L O U I S _ S _ S _ U L _
J E R E M Y M _ M _ R J _
A A R O N _ N _ N _ R A _
R A N D Y _ Y _ Y _ N R _
H O W A R D R _ R _ W H _
E U G E N E N _ N _ G E _
C A R L O S O _ O _ R C _
B O B B Y _ Y _ Y _ B B _
V I C T O R O _ O _ C V _
M A R T I N I _ I _ R M _
E R N E S T S _ S _ N E _
T O D D _ _ _ _ _ _ D T _
J E S S E _ E _ E _ S J _
C R A I G _ G _ G _ A C _
A L A N _ _ _ _ _ _ A A _
S H A W N _ N _ N _ A S _
S E A N _ _ _ _ _ _ A S _
P H I L I P I _ I _ I P _
C H R I S _ S _ S _ R C _
J O H N N Y N _ N _ H J _
E A R L _ _ _ _ _ _ R E _
J I M M Y _ Y _ Y _ M J _
D A N N Y _ Y _ Y _ N D _
B R Y A N _ N _ N _ Y B _
T O N Y _ _ _ _ _ _ N T _
L U I S _ _ _ _ _ _ I L _
M I K E _ _ _ _ _ _ K M _
N A T H A N A _ A _ T N _
D A L E _ _ _ _ _ _ L D _
M A N U E L E _ E _ N M _
R O D N E Y E _ E _ D R _
C U R T I S I _ I _ R C _
N O R M A N A _ A _ R N _
A L L E N _ N _ N _ L A _
M A R V I N I _ I _ R M _
G L E N N _ N _ N _ E G _
T R A V I S I _ I _ A T _
J E F F _ _ _ _ _ _ F J _
C H A D _ _ _ _ _ _ A C _
J A C O B _ B _ B _ C J _
L E E _ _ _ _ _ _ _ E L _
M E L V I N I _ I _ L M _
A L F R E D E _ E _ F A _
K Y L E _ _ _ _ _ _ L K _
J E S U S _ S _ S _ S J _
R A Y _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y R _
J O E L _ _ _ _ _ _ E J _
E D W I N _ N _ N _ W E _
D O N _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N D _
E D D I E _ E _ E _ D E _
R I C K Y _ Y _ Y _ C R _
T R O Y _ _ _ _ _ _ O T _
B A R R Y _ Y _ Y _ R B _
M A R I O _ O _ O _ R M _
L E R O Y _ Y _ Y _ R L _
M A R C U S U _ U _ R M _
M I G U E L E _ E _ G M _
O S C A R _ R _ R _ C O _
J A Y _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y J _
J I M _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M J _
T O M _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M T _
C A L V I N I _ I _ L C _
A L E X _ _ _ _ _ _ E A _
J O N _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N J _
R O N N I E I _ I _ N R _
B I L L _ _ _ _ _ _ L B _
L L O Y D _ D _ D _ O L _
T O M M Y _ Y _ Y _ M T _
L E O N _ _ _ _ _ _ O L _
D E R E K _ K _ K _ R D _
W A R R E N E _ E _ R W _
J E R O M E M _ M _ R J _
F L O Y D _ D _ D _ O F _
L E O _ _ _ _ _ _ _ O L _
A L V I N _ N _ N _ V A _
T I M _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M T _
W E S L E Y E _ E _ S W _
G O R D O N O _ O _ R G _
D E A N _ _ _ _ _ _ A D _
G R E G _ _ _ _ _ _ E G _
J O R G E _ E _ E _ R J _
D U S T I N I _ I _ S D _
P E D R O _ O _ O _ D P _
D A N _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N D _
L E W I S _ S _ S _ W L _
C O R E Y _ Y _ Y _ R C _
H E R M A N A _ A _ R H _
V E R N O N O _ O _ R V _
C L Y D E _ E _ E _ Y C _
G L E N _ _ _ _ _ _ E G _
H E C T O R O _ O _ C H _
S H A N E _ E _ E _ A S _
S A M _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M S _
R I C K _ _ _ _ _ _ C R _
L E S T E R E _ E _ S L _
B R E N T _ T _ T _ E B _
R A M O N _ N _ N _ M R _
T Y L E R _ R _ R _ L T _
G E N E _ _ _ _ _ _ N G _
M A R C _ _ _ _ _ _ R M _
R U B E N _ N _ N _ B R _
B R E T T _ T _ T _ E B _
A N G E L _ L _ L _ G A _
R A F A E L E _ E _ F R _
L E S L I E I _ I _ S L _
E D G A R _ R _ R _ G E _
M I L T O N O _ O _ L M _
R A U L _ _ _ _ _ _ U R _
B E N _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N B _
C E C I L _ L _ L _ C C _
D U A N E _ E _ E _ A D _
A N D R E _ E _ E _ D A _
E L M E R _ R _ R _ M E _
B R A D _ _ _ _ _ _ A B _
R O N _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N R _
R O L A N D N _ N _ L R _
A R N O L D L _ L _ N A _
H A R V E Y E _ E _ R H _
J A R E D _ D _ D _ R J _
A D R I A N A _ A _ R A _
K A R L _ _ _ _ _ _ R K _
C O R Y _ _ _ _ _ _ R C _
C L A U D E D _ D _ A C _
E R I K _ _ _ _ _ _ I E _
D A R R Y L Y _ Y _ R D _
J A M I E _ E _ E _ M J _
N E I L _ _ _ _ _ _ I N _
J E S S I E I _ I _ S J _
J A V I E R E _ E _ V J _
T E D _ _ _ _ _ _ _ D T _
M A T H E W E _ E _ T M _
T Y R O N E N _ N _ R T _
D A R R E N E _ E _ R D _
L O N N I E I _ I _ N L _
L A N C E _ E _ E _ N L _
C O D Y _ _ _ _ _ _ D C _
J U L I O _ O _ O _ L J _
K E L L Y _ Y _ Y _ L K _
K U R T _ _ _ _ _ _ R K _
A L L A N _ N _ N _ L A _
N E L S O N O _ O _ L N _
G U Y _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Y G _
H U G H _ _ _ _ _ _ G H _
M A X _ _ _ _ _ _ _ X M _
D W A Y N E N _ N _ A D _
D W I G H T H _ H _ I D _
F E L I X _ X _ X _ L F _
J I M M I E I _ I _ M J _
J O R D A N A _ A _ R J _
I A N _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N I _
K E N _ _ _ _ _ _ _ N K _
B O B _ _ _ _ _ _ _ B B _
J A I M E _ E _ E _ I J _
C A S E Y _ Y _ Y _ S C _
D A V E _ _ _ _ _ _ V D _
I V A N _ _ _ _ _ _ A I _
S I D N E Y E _ E _ D S _
B Y R O N _ N _ N _ R B _
J U L I A N A _ A _ L J _
I S A A C _ C _ C _ A I _
M O R R I S I _ I _ R M _
D A R Y L _ L _ L _ R D _
R O S S _ _ _ _ _ _ S R _
V I R G I L I _ I _ R V _
A N D Y _ _ _ _ _ _ D A _
P E R R Y _ Y _ Y _ R P _
K I R K _ _ _ _ _ _ R K _
S E R G I O I _ I _ R S _
M A R I O N O _ O _ R M _
T R A C Y _ Y _ Y _ A T _
S E T H _ _ _ _ _ _ T S _
K E N T _ _ _ _ _ _ N K _
R E N E _ _ _ _ _ _ N R _
W A D E _ _ _ _ _ _ D W _

ALFRED E NEUMAN mad magazines mascot does fit nicely. you nearly have that in your list above quicktrader.

Not sure there's anything to say that any 1978 letter from Z is legit. Plus Zodiac, already lied about giving his name or ID to police if they solved the 408, so I doubt he would ever really include his name in any letter.

Actually Morf, He didn't lie, In My opinion. He said if you solve it, it would include his Idenity (identity). Not necessarily his name. I believe he included his Identity in the code in the last letters.

EBEORIETEMETHHPITI , what he Identifies as

a code within in a code... and I believe it's not his name.

trying to think what i can share... but the Z13 or My Name is... Cipher is NOT a simple substitution cipher.

Why? it was an answer to a challenge he was given: This is from my report to the Police/FBI





So, IMO, the letter formation doesn't have to fit that strict format, he wanted to make it as difficult as possible.

the 3 8's are, I believe, Magic 8 balls or Wildcards to make the cipher more difficult.

No matter what type of cipher, on the long run all symbols represent letters. 99% of all encryption methods consist of letters, letter chains or numbers, eg. Vigenere. Only few use symbols instead of letters or numbers, so to say homophone substitution or symbol-based substitution ciphers. Even modern encryption methods are based on numbers or letters. Although the 8-symbol has a slightly different look, I don't see any reason why this particular symbol should be dealt as a wildcard..it could rather represent a frequent letter instead of a non-frequent but everything is possible.

QT

True, and that's just my theory. But I don't think the 3 8's necessarily have to represent the same letters.
What if, in his crazy made up cipher rules, the crossed circle means you move 4 spaces from the next letter etc.

Maybe it is much more simple. But he was challenged by them...

Perhaps not the case but I always likened the 8's to spaces where we have a four letter first name, two middle initials and, a four letter last. But i must admit i am biased in this regard as I have a poi with two middle initials and a four letter last name. His first name is actually seven letters long however a name this long is often shortened by many to three and sometimes four letters.

Soze

Everything is possible..nevertheless I think there is no difference in handling one symbol from another. So far, Z had never used any blanks in his cipher, either. With 13 letters there is a good chance that some frequent letters show up twice or even three times (such as in a name like 'Stephen Sanders'..three S, three E, two N..). Indeed parents often choose their children's first name so it fits well to the family name). I'd be quite satisfied if we'd find any real names matching the cipher structure.

QT