Arthur Leigh Allen: The Zodiac Killer
One man responsible for several individuals being murdered, taunting letters being sent to police, living in constant fear of what this killer would do next: sounds like a plot line to a serial killer movie. To the people of west coast California, however, this was very real. One unidentified individual was on a killing spree and was enjoying it too. This man, known as the Zodiac Killer, was a mystery to the police department, but theories were brought up about possible suspects. Even though some people believe Arthur Leigh Allen was the infamous Zodiac Killer, through eye witness accounts and forensic proof, it can be proven that the Zodiac Killer was actually Earl Van Best, Jr. In the 1960s, murder plagued the coast of California. These murders were committed by an unidentified serial
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killer who called himself “The Zodiac Killer”. This man was credited with at least five murders and is proposed to have committed many more. Before and after many murders, the self-proclaimed Zodiac Killer would taunt and tantalize local newspapers and the San Francisco police department by sending letters to them (Jenkins). These letters often included telling the police how they should have gone about doing investigations into his crimes and would often include cryptic messages for the citizens of California to break (“Zodiac Killer”). This killer was clearly an egocentric psychopath and adored the attention his anonymity was receiving.
As with many historical mysteries, there is more than one theory. The most prominent opposing view is that the Zodiac Killer was a man named Arthur Leigh Allen. Although this is an interesting theory, the facts that back it up are rather weak. One piece of “evidence” used to support it is simply that he had a typewriter that was the same make as the kind used to write the letters sent to the police and newspapers—purely circumstantial and coincidental. Eventually DNA evidence ruled him out as a suspect altogether in 2002 (Hughes). Clearly it can be proven that Arthur Allen Leigh was not the infamous Zodiac Killer. Not long ago, new evidence was brought to light by a man named Chris Harris. Harris was a publicist who traveled to Napa, California, a site of one of the Zodiac’s murders. He entered a local diner and sat down at the bar. Next to him was a mysterious man who took notice of Harris. The man at the bar turned around and said “Do you have any idea what it’s like to know you have to kill?” A year after a book was published on the Earl Van Best, Jr. being the zodiac killer, Chris Harris was shocked by the picture on the back of it. The man pictured on the back of the book, was Earl Van Best, Jr.; the same man that he had spoken to in that diner many years ago (Dailymail.com). Among the evidence held to Earl Van Best, Jr., the most surprising is a drawing of and descriptions of the Zodiac Killer. The descriptions have a consistency among physical appearance: 5’8” or 5’10”, white male, 35-45 years old, and 180-210 pounds (Zodiac Killer FACTS). All of these descriptions match Earl Van Best, Jr. Along with several eye-witness’ physical description of his body, there were at least 2 separate drawings done on his facial features that are very similar to one another. A forensic scientist was able to compare a sketch of the observed Zodiac Killer and a mugshot of Earl Van Best, Jr. The scientist found that “the police sketch matched almost exactly” (Wakshull). In comparing a mugshot of Earl Van Best, Jr. and these drawings, it can be clearly observed that the resemblance is uncanny (Hughes). New conclusions were drawn by a forensic scientist a short time ago.
The scientist, Michael Wakshull, was approached by the son of Earl Van Best, Jr. to help him prove the latter’s father was indeed the Zodiac Killer. Wakshull took up this task and used handwriting samples from Earl Van Best, Jr.’s marriage certificate and compared them to samples from letters from the Zodiac sent to the papers. For example, he placed “-est” from “Best” on the marriage certificate to “-est” from “best” in a letter entitled “Exorcist” in comparison to each other. This evidence shows that the two handwriting samples are very similar. They share a similar style and slant that make it appear that Earl Van Best, Jr. is the Zodiac Killer. The evidence clearly does not end there, sample wise. Wakshull proved that the same thing occurs with several other comparisons between samples of writings. From these observations, the forensic scientist came to the conclusion that, in his professional opinion, there is a “strong probability” that the letters were written by the same person who filled out the marriage certificate. Which essentially concludes that Earl Van Best, Jr. is the Zodiac Killer
(Wakshull). This chilling, but true tale has long been a mystery to many. The letters sent to police departments and newspapers kept people constantly interested in the case and also placed them in fear. The personality of the Zodiac was one that made people wonder how one person could enjoy killing so much and be so egotistical about it. In this sick, twisted mystery, one psychotic man was responsible for the death of so many California citizens. Out of this mystery there were many theories born on who was the terrifying Zodiac Killer. Some may be convinced that Arthur Leigh Allen was the infamous Zodiac Killer. However, this would be incorrect because evidence has proven that the real killer is Earl Van Best, Jr.
killer who called himself “The Zodiac Killer”. This man was credited with at least five murders and is proposed to have committed many more. Before and after many murders, the self-proclaimed Zodiac Killer would taunt and tantalize local newspapers and the San Francisco police department by sending letters to them (Jenkins). These letters often included telling the police how they should have gone about doing investigations into his crimes and would often include cryptic messages for the citizens of California to break (“Zodiac Killer”). This killer was clearly an egocentric psychopath and adored the attention his anonymity was receiving.
As with many historical mysteries, there is more than one theory. The most prominent opposing view is that the Zodiac Killer was a man named Arthur Leigh Allen. Although this is an interesting theory, the facts that back it up are rather weak. One piece of “evidence” used to support it is simply that he had a typewriter that was the same make as the kind used to write the letters sent to the police and newspapers—purely circumstantial and coincidental. Eventually DNA evidence ruled him out as a suspect altogether in 2002 (Hughes). Clearly it can be proven that Arthur Allen Leigh was not the infamous Zodiac Killer. Not long ago, new evidence was brought to light by a man named Chris Harris. Harris was a publicist who traveled to Napa, California, a site of one of the Zodiac’s murders. He entered a local diner and sat down at the bar. Next to him was a mysterious man who took notice of Harris. The man at the bar turned around and said “Do you have any idea what it’s like to know you have to kill?” A year after a book was published on the Earl Van Best, Jr. being the zodiac killer, Chris Harris was shocked by the picture on the back of it. The man pictured on the back of the book, was Earl Van Best, Jr.; the same man that he had spoken to in that diner many years ago (Dailymail.com). Among the evidence held to Earl Van Best, Jr., the most surprising is a drawing of and descriptions of the Zodiac Killer. The descriptions have a consistency among physical appearance: 5’8” or 5’10”, white male, 35-45 years old, and 180-210 pounds (Zodiac Killer FACTS). All of these descriptions match Earl Van Best, Jr. Along with several eye-witness’ physical description of his body, there were at least 2 separate drawings done on his facial features that are very similar to one another. A forensic scientist was able to compare a sketch of the observed Zodiac Killer and a mugshot of Earl Van Best, Jr. The scientist found that “the police sketch matched almost exactly” (Wakshull). In comparing a mugshot of Earl Van Best, Jr. and these drawings, it can be clearly observed that the resemblance is uncanny (Hughes). New conclusions were drawn by a forensic scientist a short time ago.
The scientist, Michael Wakshull, was approached by the son of Earl Van Best, Jr. to help him prove the latter’s father was indeed the Zodiac Killer. Wakshull took up this task and used handwriting samples from Earl Van Best, Jr.’s marriage certificate and compared them to samples from letters from the Zodiac sent to the papers. For example, he placed “-est” from “Best” on the marriage certificate to “-est” from “best” in a letter entitled “Exorcist” in comparison to each other. This evidence shows that the two handwriting samples are very similar. They share a similar style and slant that make it appear that Earl Van Best, Jr. is the Zodiac Killer. The evidence clearly does not end there, sample wise. Wakshull proved that the same thing occurs with several other comparisons between samples of writings. From these observations, the forensic scientist came to the conclusion that, in his professional opinion, there is a “strong probability” that the letters were written by the same person who filled out the marriage certificate. Which essentially concludes that Earl Van Best, Jr. is the Zodiac Killer
(Wakshull). This chilling, but true tale has long been a mystery to many. The letters sent to police departments and newspapers kept people constantly interested in the case and also placed them in fear. The personality of the Zodiac was one that made people wonder how one person could enjoy killing so much and be so egotistical about it. In this sick, twisted mystery, one psychotic man was responsible for the death of so many California citizens. Out of this mystery there were many theories born on who was the terrifying Zodiac Killer. Some may be convinced that Arthur Leigh Allen was the infamous Zodiac Killer. However, this would be incorrect because evidence has proven that the real killer is Earl Van Best, Jr.