The Zodiac Killer As The Originator Of Many Mass Market Media Techniques Of Terrorism

The “Zodiac”. “The Zodiac Killer”. The name and words themselves still strike terror in the minds and imaginations of hordes of people worldwide – not only those who lived and survived this monster during his rampage in the San Francisco Bay areas in the late 1960′s.

You may never have heard of this fiend, blackguard and indeed terrible devil. Yet look at the early Clint Eastwood “Dirty Harry Movies ” – the villainous almost psychopathic characters and characters who plagued , no accident – the Frisco area and its environs. No less than Arnold Schwarzenegger – now the Governor of the State of California , as well as major film actor and celebrity claim the Clint Eastwood “Dirty Harry ” movies as his basic model and major influence on his work and movie career.

In a similar evil vein consider such evil fiends as the Manson family and the Son of Sam psychopaths. In many ways their basic models and claims for fame all arose out of admiration if not deep respect for the “Zodiac”.

The “Zodiac “or “Zodiac Killer’ also innovated, if the term can be used, the use of mass media to spread his message, intent and fame, if not to boast of his “victories” and even taunt the local law enforcement authorities, who although they did their best seemed to be hampered in identifying, apprehending or even containing this deadly and dreadful antihero and malefactor. Indeed the mass media methods used by many terrorist organizations and infrastructures today can well be placed back to what might be considered “pioneering “work by the Zodiac himself.

The Zodiac killer haunted people in Northern California throughout the 1960′s. Taking at least 37 lives if not more. This case is one that has left many with an empty feeling, because the zodiackiller was never found out.

Working his killing through different areas, he became known only as the zodiac killer after he included taunting letters to the press. The letters started in 1969 when the zodiac killer placed three almost identical letters out to three area papers.

The killer would continue these letters and taunting for many years. Though only seven victims were conclusively connected to the zodiac, it’s no doubt that he may have easily had a hand in the rest of the slayings.

The main suspect in the case was one Arthur Leigh Allen, but no case was ever made against him. In fact it was in 2002 that DNA evidence was processed, but no links could be made to Allen in any of those tests.

Though Arthur Leigh Allen and his close friend Don Cheney were both ruled out, when envelopes that had been sent from the zodiac killer and his DNA were processed. The police still held to the possible belief that he may be the one and true killer.

He died in 1992 of Kidney failure, but one thing that is quite odd is the fact that Robert Graysmith, who wrote the zodiac killer book. He said that he was receiving calls where someone would hang up after he answered. Upon the death of Allen those calls ended abruptly.

With no more ways to run along the clues of this past killings and the zodiackiller, the San Francisco police closed the case. That was in the year of 2004, it’s a shame that no one will ever really know the real truth. A fascinating case is that of the zodiac killer, if you get a chance read the book.