50th Anniversary - Cheri Jo Bates

The watch and the shoeprints at the Cheri Jo Bates crime scene both indicated a connection to the military.

The teletype paper could also have been obtained from a military base.

A few years later, the Zodiac killer would use paper from different sources.

With reference to paper source,Ricardo,and as you have indicated,there is an example of identified writing paper used by Zodiac.

It is my understanding that the three letters sent to SF Chronicle,SF Examiner and Vallejo Times,July 31st 1969,were on paper,with a watermark ''Fifth Avenue''.

The FBI traced this watermark to F.W.Woolworth Company in New York.

Unfortunately,it appears that this paper was distributed all over America.

Unsurprising,since ''Woolworth'' were such a huge company [?].

These are interesting debating points,worth further rumination.

It does seem likely that Zodiac selected writing paper,available ''en masse''[?].The FBI talked about the Woolworth paper,unfortunately not ''indented''.One can only assume that this referred to ''batches'' of distribution [?].Sometimes Law Enforcement can,at least,narrow down a product mass produced,to batches,that indicate specific shipment.But ''no luck'',in this case.

I can't really answer for the teletype paper,but one assumes that there were very few manufacturers of this particular paper type [?].Virtually no one had a telex machine at home,so Zodiac had to have removed it from an office,to which he had access [?].It is possible that the teletype paper was actually for a specific type of machine [?].

Yes,I'm sure you are right to assume that Zodiac would have realized that ''open secrets'' or clues to a military connection,might have sealed Zodiac's fate.

The ''Wing Walker'' shoes or boots,established at Lake Berryessa,appeared to have opened the floodgates on debate over Zodiac's possible military connections.Perhaps unlikely that that footwear was actually available at Military surplus stores.

But,having done some research into Texas A&M University,I am aware that they received a substantial supply of Wing Walkers.Texas A&M University are a military affiliated education establishment,with up to 90% of students becoming military cadets,and are seen,naturally,as a ''feeder'' for the real military.

So,it is also possible that Zodiac obtained Wing Walkers,previously,as a cadet,or from a military affiliated college [?].

Yes,the circumstances of her actual murder seem so clouded in mystery and debate.

Not made any easier by the decision by The Riverside Police to ''cling'' on to it,resisting,what appears to be attempts by the FBI,to ''assist'' [?].

Clearly,the local police were within their rights to keep the case separate from ''The Zodiac collection'' - but given Sherwood Morrill's views on the handwriting,which was shared by the FBI,one feels that potential progress was thwarted [?].

Even if Zodiac was just responsible for the handwriting,as someone perhaps,obsessed with the case,the ''weight'' of Federal resources could have made a difference,for the good [?].

Just as it has always been assumed that Languages Historian,Gareth Penn,was largely responsible for shedding public light on a possible Zodiac connection,to the Joan Webster case [November 1981],so Paul Avery has been attributed with similar exposure,with respect to the case of Cherie Jo Bates [October 1966].

In both cases,there is evidence of correspondence,accompanying the act of murder.The only difference being that the public have yet to be privy to the correspondence in Ms.Webster's case.The unanswered question,in both cases,is whether ''the scribe'' is also ''the perpetrator'' [?].

In both cases,also,it is now known that Law Enforcement were ahead of the public,in knowledge of a possible link.

Paul Avery's ''tip'',came by way of an anonymous writer,of whom the police were already aware.Though the public remain unaware of whether the police ever ascertained the writer's actual identity.The same can,of course,be said for the ''anonymous informant'',in the ''case'' of The Husted Report...an illegally compiled document by Lt.Husted,into the murder of Darlene Ferrin,suggesting that William Joseph Grant might be The Zodiac Killer.Indeed,this also goes for the ''key'' letter to Sergeant Lynch,from ''a concerned citizen'',with regard to Zodiac's ''408'' cipher solution.

But,re-focusing on Paul Avery's ''anonymous writer''.....an obvious question is whether this person was Zodiac,himself [?].

Was the letter sent to Avery,in the wake of the publication of the Halloween Card,an attempt by Zodiac,to perpetuate the public spotlight on himself [?].

Zodiac,in ignorance of LE already aware of the possible Cherie Jo Bates link,electing to ''pull out of the draw'' an ''old stunt'',for ''extra mileage'' [?].

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The implication being that,despite the ''anonymous writer's'' claims of ''harrying'' Captain Cross.....at the very least,Napa Police and Riverside Police would have already discussed a possible link between Zodiac and Cherie Jo Bates,and at least a year prior.

Napa Police would have had a legal obligation to have informed the FBI of this ''liaison'' with Riverside Police since,by then,the FBI would have had jurisdiction over the Zodiac case,on account of it being officially,that of a serial killer.

In addition,the California Department of Justice would unlikely to have been,left out of the loop.

So,the ''anonymous writer'' is really ''craving'' for the ''Riverside link'' to be made public,rather than concern that the police were not listening to him [?].

If we then move forward to March 13th 1971.....a letter mailed to the LA Times,from Zodiac,in a seemingly ''confident'' frame of mind....and four months following Paul Avery's ''Zodiac link is definite'' article,in the SF Chronicle :

''.....I do have to give them credit for stumbling across my riverside activity,but they are only finding the easy ones,there are a hell of a lot more down there...''

Yes,Zodiac ''back in control''.....having ''directed proceedings'',to his desires [?].

Telling coincidences in the Desktop poem [?].
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Following a cipher analysis article,by Dave Oranchak,which made mention of Edward Hyde,Earl of Clarendon,and sometime poet,Richard Grinnell of Zodiac Ciphers,found an interesting line of Hyde's poetry :

''They who are most weary of life,and yet are most unwilling to die''

If we compare this line with,what appears intended as,the title of the Desktop poem :

''Sick of living / unwilling to die''

One can see that,not only do the two lines share ''unwilling to die'',but the meaning derived from both lines,are the same.

The obvious inference is,that the author of the Desktop poem,has plagiarised the line from Edward Hyde's poem.And naturally,our inclinations are,that this person is The Zodiac Killer.

Edward Hyde,Earl of Clarendon,achieved fame by becoming King Charles II's Lord Chancellor,and leading England and its colonies,out of a troubled 11 year period of Republicanism,under the leadership,of Oliver Cromwell.

London's famous ''Hyde Park'' is named after him.But as a poet,he is little known.

However,it appears more than likely,that when Robert Louis Stevenson set about writing a novel about a man who is seized by an evil ''second self'',he adopted Hyde's name in his work : ''The Strange Case of Dr.Jekyll and Mr.Hyde'',with Dr.Henry Jekyll becoming addicted to a self concocted potion,that turned him into the ''amoral'' Mr.Edward Hyde.

Jekyll found himself becoming addicted to this potion,although he was aware of the consequences of his ''counter self'',Edward Hyde's actions.And one day,indulging in the potion and,realizng there was none left,and no antidote,would remain as the evil Mr.Hyde,for evermore.With this depressing thought Dr.Jekyll commits suicide.

One can perhaps,see parallels with Zodiac and the case of ''Jekyll and Hyde''.A man who developed a split personality,with good and evil,and to an extent,acknowledging his bad side...with an occasional ''disclosure'' that he was concerned that it would take him over.Latterly,it would seem,that evil did take over Zodiac.....but he was never to ultimately,give himself up,or commit suicide,over the matter.

Concerning the Desktop poem,in particular,there is compelling evidence that its author plagiarized Edward Hyde's poetry.

Did the ''author'' spot the ironic link,with namesake ''Mr.Edward Hyde'' ?

Was the author of the Desktop poem,Zodiac,with another of one of his ''clews'' ?

Documents Examiner,Sherwood Morrill,certainly thought so.