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Post by ZodiacBusDriver on Aug 28, 2021 2:02:03 GMT -8
The link below is to an article I wrote in July, discussing the Auto Racing Design career that provided a cover story for Reeve Whitson from 1967-1977. Reeve Whitson is linked to conducting surveillance of the Sharon Tate house just prior to the Cielo Drive murders, and he actually knew about the murders hours before the Police were notified by the maid,Miss Chapman, at around 8:40 am. In the Manson family trials, Sharon Tate’s photographer testified that Reeve Whitson called him at 7:00am and explained that Sharon and the others had been murdered. Whitson was also close friends with the Tate family, and was a business associate of Robert Linkletter. Whitson also had business dealings in Auto racing with Art Linkletter, Jay Sebring, and James Garner, who he partnered with on the purchase of 1 of less than 10 Ford GT40 M111 street version prototypes. There is much more that I have come across in my research regarding the many careers that Reeve Whitson became entangled in, but for now enjoy this account of Whitson’s incredible ability to transport himself into the highest ranks of Auto-Racing without any intention of succeeding. Instead, according to co-workers, he carefully ruins each promising business, with the unstated goal of securing the technology and engineering knowledge to transfer to whoever his financial sponsors were: zodiackilleridentified.com/2021/07/The next article will also reveal the stories connection to the Zodiac killer(s). Best, Peter |
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Aug 28, 2021 5:02:41 GMT -8
Thanks for the fascinating information, ZodiacBusDriver and, look forward to the extra information that you plan to post here.
Just wanted to make the point that there are journalists who specialize in crime history who, have had Robert Linkletter under the microscope, with regard to the Tate murders, before. It has been speculated, at least, that a pair of spectacles found at the scene of the Tate murders, belonged to Robert Linkletter.
The '' word '' is, though unconfirmed naturally, that when Charles Manson was informed by Charles Tex Watson, what he and the girls had done, that Manson wanted to go to Sharon's house to see for himself. Manson persuaded Robert Linkletter to drive him to the scene of carnage and, it is believed that Linkletter left his spectacles, accidentally, at the crime scene.
The problem for the prosecution, in their case against Manson and the girls ( Charles Tex Watson was prosecuted at a later date ) was that autopsy reports revealed that either Sharon Tate or Jay Sebring ( or both ) '' may '' have died later than when Watson and the girls visited. The implication being, that when Manson and Linkletter visited later - that Manson '' finished off '' one of the victims that was still alive.
The prosecution desired to keep events as simple as possible, in order to convey to the jury a scenario that would secure guilty convictions for Manson and the girls. So, the prosecution struck a deal with Linkletter, to leave him out of any scenario, since they were obviously convinced by his account that he had only played the role of a driver for Manson.
Hence...it's always possible, that Robert Linkletter had called Reeve Whitson, as a friend to share his worries, after having found himself (Linkletter) being persuaded by Manson, to drive Manson out to Sharon's residence.
It appears that the prosecution, in the trial of Manson, were confident that Manson's defence team would not bring up the subject of Robert Linkletter being the owner of the pair of spectacles, either...since it would just incriminate Manson, even more.
Hence, Robert Linkletter seems to have got off lightly, as having some complicity in the Tate murders. But of course, the police were aware of the reality which, didn't transpire in court....and it seems equally, that as a result, Robert Linkletter became a suspect in the Zodiac murders, simply on technical evidence of times, locations etc....and, that he may have actually committed the act of murder before, by having assisted Manson to '' finish off '' at least one of the victims, at Cielo Drive.
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Post by ZodiacBusDriver on Aug 28, 2021 6:04:28 GMT -8
Rubislaw32:
I appreciate your reply and comments about Reeve Whitson, Manson and Robert Linkletter, and their possible roles in the Manson “Field Operations”. I have read most of what has been written about Robert in the past, including a wide range of theories that typically end with “that’s interesting, but where is the evidence about Robert Linkletter?”
I have spent years collecting the overwhelming circumstantial evidence that has been lacking to move the needle on this subject. I have hours of recorded interviews about Robert, his friends, a one time lover and intimate partner, other business associates, and most importantly, his handler from 1962-1972.
I have a recorded “confession” from 1966, as well as documents that were left after each Zodiac murder, including 1962 Oceanside cab murder and 1963 Beach couple murder of local High School seniors. And there are other murders that the Zodiac killers counted, but history has yet to link them definitively.
Let’s start off with a story from Art Linkletter about when Robert was 7 years old in his backyard talking over the fence to a neighbor boy who wanted to take a ride in Robert’s toy car:
Robert says no way, and the boy tells Robert “I’m coming over the fence anyhow and will ride your car!”. Robert then shouts out to the neighbor boy “ if you do, I will cut you into pieces and flush you down the toilet”.
His father Art, who was sitting on the back porch watching this exchange, calls Robert over to explain to Robert that “we do not cut up other boys and flush them down the toilet”. “Why not dad”, says Robert. “because you might clog the toilet, and then I have to spend money on a plumber”.
And then there is the interview I had where it was explained to me that “Robert carved his own 4 post bed from a single piece of wood using only a knife”.
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Aug 28, 2021 6:42:40 GMT -8
Most certainly that Robert Linkletter appears to come across as an oddball character, in his own right and, as a product of the '' Hollywood elite '' held links with all sorts of people -in both what might be termed the '' the low life '' and '' the high life ''. A recreational drugs habit might account for this son of Hollywood entertainer, Art Linkletter, associating with the '' have nots '', such as Charles Manson. Robert Linkletter's sister, Diane, died in October 1969 from a presumed suicide, believed to be LSD related. And, his penchant for fast cars, eventually cost him his own life, in 1980.
It was the radio social commentator, Mae Brussell, who in effect let the cat out of the bag that Robert Linkletter was considered a Zodiac suspect, after securing an interview with SFPD's Dave Toschi. An interview for which Toschi later recanted, but it was obvious to the press, by then, that the '' Robert '' referred, had been Linkletter.
Perhaps of note also, is that the pair of spectacles found at Cielo Drive, were prescription issued by Dr.Victor Ohta, the Hollywood ophthalmologist. Dr.Ohta was later murdered with his family and maid, in a gun attack by John Linley Frazier, with an associate, Robert Linkletter, at one time suspected of having been complicit in this carnage, also.
Frazier had an obsession with Halloween and Arthurian legend - and this may be where some of the perceived influences on the Zodiac, emanated from. Though, some the Zodiac's own.
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Post by ZodiacBusDriver on Aug 28, 2021 7:13:39 GMT -8
Rubislaw32: Robert did not use drugs, and rarely drank, but was hypnotized by his handler, which drastically changed his personality, according to those who knew him well during this period. Also, I interviewed an individual who received a phone call from Robert on the day that Diana was murdered. Did you know that among Diane’s other recent affairs, that Diane was secretly engaged to Mickey Rooney’s son when she was murdered? As far as the Ohta murders, I have details to add to that subject, including an exchange I had with Frazier’s court appointed attorney. And as far as the letter that Mae Brussell read on her radio show, I found other letters about the Linkletters that were sent to LA Police Chief by the same individual, Marie Vigil, shortly after the RFK Assasination in June 1968. I previously wrote an article about this and other articles that provide an analysis of the Woodland Hills lady (Marie Vigil) and her husband, Frank Vigil, who designed and received a patent on a deep space collapsible spacecraft concept still being used today. Here are the articles: zodiackilleridentified.com/2020/04/23/marie-vigil-letter-on-rfk-assassination/zodiackilleridentified.com/2020/04/24/marie-vigil-background/zodiackilleridentified.com/2020/04/24/vigils-second-letter-on-rfk-assassination/ |
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Aug 28, 2021 7:29:37 GMT -8
Thanks ZodiacBusDriver, and will be guided by your greater and sometimes '' first-hand '' knowledge .
A genuine honour to have you posting at this site, with your obvious credentials.
Looking forward to a good read.
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Aug 31, 2021 5:00:49 GMT -8
Just as a small but extra link, in the Hollywood circle, James Garner ( The Rockford Files ) and Clint Eastwood ( Dirty Harry Callahan ) were '' Golf Buddies '' and fellow golf addicts. Often, they would be seen attending the Major golf tournaments as spectators and, I have a friend who bumped into them in ( home of golf ) St.Andrews, Scotland, playing pool in a local drinking establishment where, the townsfolk were quite used to this, and would leave them in peace.
Clint Eastwood now holds links, albeit subliminal, to the Zodiac's 1990 Celebrity Cipher which, in its picture postcard format, displays Carmel Beach. Just two years prior, ( son of Piedmont, Oakland ) Eastwood had served a term as Mayor of this exclusive coastal town, Carmel and, is a member of the golf club '' Pebble Beach '' which in part, is visible in the background of the postcard's photograph ( Arrowhead Point ).
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Aug 31, 2021 8:10:20 GMT -8
From a personal perspective, ZodiacBusDriver, I believe that the Zodiac did, later on, find an opening into the world of motor racing, with the assistance of oil company sponsorship and, in the class of Rallying. With close ties to the Scottish '' McRae'' family. Jimmy McRae was British Rally champion 5 times in the 1980's, with his son Alister winning the title once, and his late second son Colin twice, before going on to win the World Rally Championship in 1995. The Zodiac then embarking on the class of '' Hill Climb '' and, managing a Go-Kart team. Stirling Moss started his career in '' Hill Climb '', so I believe, with many F1 champions serving their apprenticeships in Go-Karting.
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Post by ZodiacBusDriver on Sept 16, 2021 0:48:51 GMT -8
You may be correct about a link to an oil company…. A clue that you would appreciate is that a “ British sports car” was initially reported by a witness being near one of the killings by Zodiac, and was purposefully obfuscated in police report, may have actually been a two-seater Excalibur that was owned by one of the trio that were directing the “Zodiac Killers”.
In 1968-1969, very few people even knew what a small “series 1” 1968 Excalibur was or even looked like, so it was described as a British “MG type”, which was a more familiar car to the public.
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Sept 16, 2021 4:48:54 GMT -8
That's ringing '' healthy '' alarm bells with me, ZodiacBusDriver.
A number of indicators suggest that the Zodiac was residing in the Vallejo vicinity, for the purposes of work involvement in the Exxon-financed Benicia Oil Refinery Construction Project ( 1968 - 1970 ).
Well...what can I say ? - '' MG type '' produces deafening reverberations !
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Sept 16, 2021 11:51:35 GMT -8
I have been searching for Reeve Whitson, and what became of him. But so far, nothing of significance has turned up. I have made a mental note, though. I used to hang with the Scottish Hill Climb scene, in the 1980's, and some Go-Karting. But, I don't know much about the Far East where, I believe that the Zodiac may have emerged, for a while.
I think he may have been involved in the Automotive Repairs club, at college/university, also. And, '' library work ''.
An unusual combination ?
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Sept 16, 2021 17:03:58 GMT -8
How strange ? Reeve Whitson was a friend to both Jay Sebring, a victim of the Tate murders....and Richard Linkletter, probably complicit in those murders.
And yet, it is still claimed that Manson had targeted record producer Terry Melcher - the previous tenant of the Polanski and Tate residence.
It really does seem likely that Linkletter was an official Zodiac suspect, with Whitson simply recognised as an associate of Linkletter, and business associate to Linkletter's father, Art.
Whitson's remaining ten years of life, back in Scotland, seems a mystery.
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Sept 16, 2021 17:30:55 GMT -8
As a general observation, it seems that with SFPD detectives, anyway, working the Zodiac case, into the 1970's, that they were given a portfolio on a '' pool '' of suspects handed down from CA DOJ special agents and criminologists. And, that the SFPD detectives would work through this pool of suspects, spending either greater or lesser amounts of time on specific individuals, according to how investigations panned out. Suspects might be added to or subtracted from the pool, at any time.
Robert Linkletter was one such suspect.
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Post by ZodiacBusDriver on Sept 18, 2021 13:57:18 GMT -8
Reeve Whitson:
Was alleged by Iranian immigrant Shahrokh Hatami to have phoned him with knowledge of the killings of Sharon Tate, et al, before the crime was reported by the news media and before law enforcement even arrived at the crime scene!
Was alleged by the LAPD’s top investigator and Sharon Tate’s father (a Colonel in Army intelligence) to have been deeply involved with the Manson investigation.
Was alleged by attorney Neil Cummings to have maintained some kind of surveillance on the Cielo Drive home, as part of some sort of work he was doing for the intelligence community.
Was confirmed as an officer of the CIA by his own ex-wife.
Was known to have felt that he was–in the end–betrayed by the faction of the CIA for which he worked.
Was able to pull strings in a pivotal way: “. . . . A British film director who himself claimed to have ties to MI5, [John] Irvin said that Whitson got meetings ‘with minutes’ at “the highest levels of the defense industry—it was amazing.’ ”
Was apparently a close associate of retired General Curtis LeMay, George Wallace’s Vice-Presidential candidate in 1968.
Was associated with LeMay when the latter became vice-president of a missile parts manufacturer, which was headed by Mihai Patrichi. Patrichi was a former Romanian army general and a member of the Romanian Iron Guard, whom we have spoken about and written about in many programs and posts. The Iron Guard was part of the Gehglen “Org,” the ABN and the GOP.
Was associated, through his intelligence work with Otto Skorzeny and his wife Ilse.
Was the special adviser to the chairman of the board of the Thyssen firm, also as part of his intelligence work.
The 10 items above are based on Interviews by Tom O’Neill from his 2019 book “Chaos, the CIA and the Charles Manson Family”, and we’re listed in an article on the “Spitfire List”.
My research has shown that much of the above is true, some embellished, and the rest is simply “TradeCraft”. My research has also uncovered the difference and puts these activities in the proper context.
Regarding Reeve’s last 10 years of life, he spent some time working with British Film Director/ Producer/Intelligence Officer John Irvin. Check out his list of films from 1970-1990’s, and you will understand why Reeve worked with him so closely as a consultant in these films.
I believe that Reeve was not a CIA employee or CIA Officer as has been alleged, but rather he was a CIA contractor, and was also working closely with former Defense Secretary and Former Director of the US Treasury, Robert Anderson, as a BNDD agent in LA.
Regarding the McCrae family, I have a photo from 1958 of the Richfield Oil Refinery dedication in 1958, and 2 of the 3 individuals in the photo include a Gordon McCrae and of course, Art Linkletter!
Finally, in reference to Benicia Refinery, there is certainly also a Humble Oil/Zodiac connection. The refinery was built in 1968 for Humble Oil and completed in 1969. And as I am sure you know, Humble Oil changed its name to Exxon in 1972. These jackals were always hiding their past by mergers/acquisitions, just like the Defense Industry.
Check out the British Intelligence/John Irvin/ Reeve Whitson connection, and then we can continue this angle. International Oil was a central theme of several of John Irvin’s Special Forces/ Secret War films, some of which is actually based on Reeve Whitson’s involvement in Vietnam, Panama, Contras, The Congo and Bolivia.
The Panama Papers scandal revealed Reeve Whitson as a CIA “supervisor” in Panama, in charge of the loading and transfer of the Iran/Conta/ Israel Contra exchanging of money, drugs and weapons for the Reagan/Bush Administration!!
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Post by Rubislaw32 on Sept 19, 2021 5:01:38 GMT -8
Some fascinating information put forward, ZodiacBusDriver, and much appreciated.
As you intimate, even if some of the claims are not substantiated, there are many claims that are difficult to simply dismiss.
These were brutal times, in what emerged as a counter-revolution to a right-of-centre dominated establishment, by factions representing the liberal left ( and beyond ), finding it difficult to unify as a solid opposition, in the fight for expanded civil rights. These factions also found it difficult to survive without having to resort to armed robbery ; kidnapping and illicit business in general, for financing.
One can see therefore, that covert organizations such as the CIA and FBI were concerned about the Hollywood scene in particular where, there was potential funding to be found in an entertainments institution, with a reputation for left-wing leanings and sympathies. Hollywood in effect, always had the potential to make '' lefties '' opposition '' legit ''. So, it is always possible that individuals such as Reeve Whitson might be approached by covert law enforcement, to '' infiltrate '' Hollywood. Whitson being a relative outsider, with a background difficult to trace...and offered skills in a commodity much in demand with the wealthy - fast and exotic cars.
It certainly seems strange that Whitson always seemed to be able to produce sums of money to acquire business partnerships with individuals such as Art Linkletter. And, that these partnerships would always flounder. Moreover, that Whitson seemed to be able to '' re-invent '' himself financially. It certainly appears as if he was being fed money from '' somewhere '' which, tends to increase the likelihood that Whitson was in someone's '' pocket ''....such as the CIA.
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