Murder: True Crime Stories

Episode: MYSTERY – The Zodiac Killer

Host: Carter Roy
Air Date: February 13, 2026

Episode Overview

In this gripping episode of Murder: True Crime Stories, host Carter Roy delves deep into the chilling and perplexing mystery of the Zodiac Killer, who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Roy reconstructs the Zodiac’s string of murders, his taunting letters and ciphers, and the devastating impact on victims, communities, and investigators left wrestling with unanswered questions. The episode meticulously covers key events, prime suspects (especially Arthur Leigh Allen), and the broader cultural legacy of a case that remains unsolved after more than fifty years.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Zodiac’s Reign of Terror

• Carter Roy sets the mood with a reflection on legacy—how some seek to be remembered for good, but the Zodiac sought to be remembered through fear ([00:42]).
• “In the late 1960s, one man accomplished just that. He stalked California's Bay Area, leaving a trail of victims in his wake and a region paralyzed by terror. Decades later, that sense of anxiety is still there, because even today, we still don't know the killer's identity.”
  — Carter Roy ([00:42]).

2. The Zodiac’s Proven Victims & Attacks

Lake Herman Road Murders (Dec 20, 1968) ([06:38])

• Victims: David Faraday (17) and Betty Lou Jensen (16).
• Date-night in Vallejo; a quiet lover’s lane becomes a crime scene.
• Randomness, lack of sexual motive or robbery, and the discovery of .22 caliber shells.
• “It was an evening full of promise, but it ended in tragedy.”
  — Carter Roy ([06:38]).

Blue Rock Springs Attack (July 4, 1969) ([08:46])

• Victims: Darlene Ferrin (killed) and Mike Mageau (survived).
• Clandestine affair turns deadly; attacked by a man wielding a 9mm Luger.
• Mike’s description: beefy, round face, curly hair, 5’8”, 26–30 years old.
• Chilling phone call:
  “I want to report a murder. ...I also killed those kids last year. Goodbye.”

The First Letters and Ciphers (July 31 – Aug 4, 1969) ([13:10])

• Three newspapers receive bragging, taunting letters; a 408-character cipher is sent.
• Letters demand front-page publication under threat of a mass killing.
• Donald and Bettye Harden solve the cipher:
  “I like killing people because it is so much fun... Man is the most dangerous animal of all...”

Lake Berryessa Attack (Sept 27, 1969) ([18:20])

• Victims: Bryan Hartnell (survived), Cecelia Shepard (died).
• Attacker appears in ominous hood and Zodiac symbol; binds, then stabs both.
• Leaves a message on Bryan’s car: three dates of previous attacks, “by knife.”
• Zodiac calls police to claim responsibility, another taunt ([21:32]).

Paul Stine Murder (Oct 11, 1969) ([23:42])

• Victim: Taxi driver, Paul Stine.
• Witnessed by teens; police error sends out wrong suspect description (Black male, instead of White male).
• Zodiac escapes, leaves behind bloody fingerprint; sends piece of Stine’s shirt to media as proof of crime.

3. The Zodiac’s Media Games and Threats

Letters and Public Taunts ([26:02])

• Threat to target a school bus, “pick the kiddies off as they come bouncing out.”
• Notable quote:
  “School children make nice targets. Okay, I think I shall wipe out a school bus some morning to shoot out the front tires and pick the kiddies off as they come bouncing out.”
  — Zodiac Killer letter ([26:56])

Zodiac’s Desire for Attention ([27:39])

• Demands to call defense attorney Melvin Belli live on a TV show, refers to himself as “Sam.”
• Disturbing messages oscillate between plea for help and hard-boiled threats of violence.

Kathleen Johns Abduction (Mar 22–23, 1970) ([33:53])

• Kathleen, pregnant and with her infant daughter, is aided then abducted by a man matching the Zodiac’s description.
• Terrifying quote:
  “When I get through with them, they don’t need any help.”
  — Kathleen’s abductor ([32:32])
• Escapes by jumping from the car; later recognizes Zodiac from police sketch.

4. Investigative Roads, Dead Ends, and Suspects

Mounting Pressures and False Leads ([35:34–44:00])

• Kathleen Johns’ account faced skepticism and allegations of fabrication.
• Paul Avery, SF Chronicle reporter, becomes a target of Zodiac’s personal postcards.
• Avery connects Zodiac to the earlier 1966 Riverside murder of Sherry Jo Bates.
• “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.” — Zodiac letter to LA Times ([42:38])

The Arthur Leigh Allen Theory ([44:35–52:12])

• Donald Lee Cheney identifies Arthur Leigh Allen as the Zodiac, based on chilling conversations—Allen references Zodiacs, crosshair symbols, and murder techniques echoing the killer’s methods.
• Allen’s physical features resemble suspect sketches; he wears a “Zodiac” watch with matching insignia ([48:29]).
• Questioned and searched but never arrested—handwriting and fingerprints don’t match evidence.
• Later convicted as a child molester, Allen remains a person of interest until ruled out by DNA in 2002.

5. Current Status and Lingering Mystery ([52:57–57:57])

• 2500+ suspects investigated, including cult affiliates, obsessed fans, and officials—none conclusively proven.
• SFPD declares the Paul Stine case inactive in 2004, others remain open but cold.

6. Cultural Impact and Final Thoughts

• The Zodiac succeeded in securing an infamous legacy as a haunting figure in American crime lore.
• Closing reflection:
  “The Zodiac, whoever he was, went out of his way to make sure he left his mark on society. And he succeeded. ...the Zodiac killer proved man is also the world's most terrifying predator.”
  — Carter Roy ([57:57])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “People’s lives are like a story. There’s a beginning, a middle, and an end. But you don’t always know which part you’re on.” — Carter Roy ([01:30])
• “He left as quickly as he came, leaving cryptic messages in his wake. And each one started the same way. This is the Zodiac speaking.” — Carter Roy ([01:50])
• “If the Blue Meanies are ever going to catch me, they had best get off their fat asses and do something.” — Zodiac Killer letter ([42:38])

Important Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening Reflection & Setup: [00:42]
• Lake Herman Road Murders: [06:38]
• Blue Rock Springs Attack & First Cipher: [08:46] | [13:10]
• Ciphers Solved by Harden Family: [13:50]
• Lake Berryessa Stabbings: [18:20]
• Paul Stine Taxi Murder: [23:42]
• School Bus Threat Letter: [26:56]
• Melvin Belli Phone Call: [27:39]
• Kathleen Johns Abduction: [32:32] | [33:53]
• Riverside Murder Connection (Sherry Jo Bates): [39:08]
• Arthur Leigh Allen Investigation: [44:35] | [48:29]
• DNA Evidence & Exoneration: [52:12]
• Epilogue & Cultural Impact: [57:57]

Summary

This episode provides a detailed, suspenseful chronology of the Zodiac Killer’s known acts, his correspondence with police and press, and the investigators’ painstaking, often frustrating efforts. Carter Roy’s narrative is rich in empathy for the victims and the chilling psychological footprint left by the killer. The show explores major turning points in the case, the evolution of Zodiac’s mythos, and the futility of the many dead ends investigators faced. Concluding with the unresolved nature of the case, Roy pivots from specifics to the larger theme: how the Zodiac, an unknown individual, manifested himself as an enduring symbol of fear and fascination in American culture.