Killer In The Code – Chapter 5: The Zodiac Motel

Host: Michael Connelly
Air Date: January 15, 2026

Overview:

In this gripping episode, Michael Connelly and the investigative team follow Alex Baber as he explores a breakthrough lead in the infamous Black Dahlia case: the possible discovery of the “murder room” where Elizabeth Short met her end—at the once-operational Zodiac Motel. Along the way, astonishing links are drawn between the unsolved Black Dahlia and Zodiac killer cases, converging on one suspect, Marvin Margolis (aka Marvin Merrill). The episode traverses forensic details, cryptographic revelations, and on-the-ground investigations, offering the most tantalizing theory yet about two of America’s legendary cold cases.

Main Discussion Points & Investigative Insights

1. Elizabeth Short’s Murder and the Elusive Crime Scene

• Introduction to the mystery: The police’s historical fixation on finding the “murder room” where Elizabeth Short was killed and bisected (02:12–03:00).
• The challenge: Despite exhaustive investigation, the site was never found—until Baber’s recent work may have led to its identification (03:04).

2. Cryptographic Breakthrough: The Zodiac Connection

• Alex Baber’s code-breaking:
  • Employing AI and cryptography, Baber spent months trying to solve the Zodiac’s “unbreakable” Z13 cipher, which supposedly contained the killer’s name (03:29–03:56).
  • Baber’s solution: “Marvin Merrill” reveals itself as an alias of Marvin Margolis, a principal suspect in the Black Dahlia case (04:04).

“In a solution that has now been independently confirmed by some of the top cryptographers in the world, Baber came up with the name Marvin Merrill...”
—Michael Connelly (04:06)

• The Elizabeth sketch:
  • In Margolis’s final year, he drew a nude sketch titled “Elizabeth,” eerily reminiscent of Short’s autopsy and with the word “Zodiac” hidden in its graphite shading (04:33–05:14).
• Forensic confirmation:
  • Forensic analyst George Riis confirmed the word “Zodiac” was intentionally hidden in the art, added after the initial drawing with pencil (05:54–06:16).
  • The sketch also features accent lines matching wounds from Short’s autopsy.
  • A second sketch backing “Elizabeth” depicted Ross Perot neckties, dating the artwork to Margolis’s last year (06:45–07:15).

3. Independent Validation of the Suspect’s Name in Zodiac Ciphers

• Expanded cryptographic analysis:
  • International researchers, using Baber’s method, applied it to the Zodiac’s Z18 cipher and—independently—found “Marvin Merrill” encrypted there as well.
  • Ed Giorgio, ex-NSA chief codebreaker, affirms the cumulative findings:

“It is certainly getting solid by the day...when you look at the combination of two cipher messages, one name, one keyword Elizabeth, one encryption method, and the potential keyword Sherry Jo… the evidence went from likely to very likely to very, very likely to almost beyond a shadow of a doubt likely.”
—Ed Giorgio (08:39–09:55)

• Further confirmation:
  • Paul Brookbanks (Australia) independently validated Baber’s solution to the Zodiac's Z32 cipher, which plots out a path to Mountain View Cemetery—Elizabeth Short’s burial site (09:57–10:34):

“You know, two people on different sides of the world come up the same solution. That's good validation. You know, it's a reasonable suggest that this is the correct solution and a really compelling solution.”
—Paul Brookbanks (10:34)

4. Revisiting the Crime Scene: The Investigation at the Zodiac Motel

• Historical police efforts:
  • LAPD prioritized finding the murder room, chasing leads about a bathtub—where Short’s body was believed bisected and meticulously washed (12:22).
  • Multiple independent motel operators reported a nervous young man repeatedly asking for a room with a bathtub on the night of the murder (14:13–14:30).
  • Descriptions matched Margolis’s age and appearance precisely (15:21–15:40).

“All the accounts were between 21 and 23 years of age and Marvin's right in the middle of it...for them to independently give this same age range across the board is very compelling to us.”
—Alex Baber (15:48)

• Possible abduction sighting:

  • A DMV investigator saw what she believed was a woman struggling in a black sedan on the night of the murder—possibly Elizabeth Short, with Margolis and apparent accomplices (16:20–16:51).

• Mapping the Motels:

  • By tracing the locations of the reported motels, Baber discovered a June 1946 ad for the Zodiac Motel, offering one-bedroom bungalows with baths—right along the suspected route (17:45–18:00):

“That was one of those moments is what we refer to as a ha moment...I knew then that this was the location Elizabeth Short was murdered at.”
—Alex Baber (18:00)

• Site exploration:
  • Baber and team visit the Zodiac Motel site, now a converted set of apartments (19:06–19:27).
  • While the current bathrooms lack bathtubs, evidence of a remodelling was found—a repurposed “bathtub space” now serving as a kitchen nook, fitting postwar renovation trends (20:49–21:44).

5. Final Impressions and Reflections at the Zodiac Motel

• Atmosphere of the scene:
  • Despite modern renovations, the place evokes a somber, haunted feeling for the investigative team (21:44–22:10):

“It's a bit eerie of course, to think that anytime you think that somebody lost their life at a location is sort of hollowed ground.”
—Investigator/Resident (21:59)

• Connelly’s closing sentiment:
  • The team concurs that, while direct proof is elusive, the overlap of names, cryptic codes, and physical evidence around the Zodiac Motel is a coincidence that “cannot be easily dismissed.” (18:52–19:06)

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• Michael Connelly (on the Black Dahlia case’s legacy)
  “One thing that stands out very clearly from the police reports and media accounts…is that the investigators put a high priority on finding the so-called murder room.” (02:31–02:38)

• Ed Giorgio (weighing the cryptographic evidence)
  “The evidence went from likely, to very likely, to very, very likely, to almost beyond a shadow of a doubt likely.” (09:54)

• Alex Baber (on suspect identification)
  “He’s literally a fitting description…for them to independently give this same age range across the board is very compelling to us.” (15:48)

• Paul Brookbanks (on cryptographic validation)
  “Two people on different sides of the world come up the same solution. That's good validation.” (10:34)

• Investigator/Resident (on the Zodiac Motel site)
  “It's sort of hollowed ground.” (21:59)

Key Timestamps for Notable Segments

• Discovery at the Zodiac Motel: 17:45–19:06
• Codebreaking Unification Around ‘Marvin Merrill’: 03:29–04:28; 08:08–09:55
• Forensic Revelation in the Elizabeth Sketch: 04:47–06:41
• Motel Witness Reports and Case Linkage: 14:13–16:14
• On-site Exploration and Final Reflection: 19:06–22:10

Episode Structure

• Intro & Case Background: 01:47–03:15
• Codebreaking & New Suspect Evidence: 03:25–11:13
• Search for the Murder Room: 11:13–17:45
• Discovery & Investigation at the Zodiac Motel: 17:45–21:44
• Closing Notes & Reflections: 21:44–22:10

Takeaway

In “The Zodiac Motel,” Michael Connelly weaves together codebreaking, forensic discovery, and traditional detective legwork, bringing chilling new context to both the Black Dahlia and Zodiac murders. The convergence of cryptic ciphers, a long-lost sketch, eyewitness accounts, and the physical site of the Zodiac Motel build a persuasive, if not conclusive, case that the two most storied unsolved murders in America may share their roots in a single, overlooked location—and one man who lurked within it.

For more details, visit killerinthecode.com or listen to the full episode for the team’s own words and emotional reactions on site.