# Woman Claims Dad Was Zodiac Killer **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 30, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805 "2009-04-30T02:39:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/1 "2009-04-30T02:39:23Z")
and that he took her along when he did some of the killings, she printed some of his letters and embroidered his hood. [News Link](http://www.ktvu.com/news/19322231/detail.html#-) She’s currently involved in making a documentary about the crimes. Good time for some publicity. OTOH, she also says she has one of the victim’s glasses. It’ll be interesting to see if it’s all a hoax. StG ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/2 "2009-04-30T02:48:29Z")
Wasn’t there some dude also who claimed the Zodiac killer was his dad? Or did I imagine that? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/3 "2009-04-30T02:49:39Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > Wasn’t there some dude also who claimed the Zodiac killer was his dad? Or did I imagine that? I remember it too. ---
**Author:** ![shantih](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f6c823/32.png) [@shantih](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shantih)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/4 "2009-04-30T07:27:04Z")
Wow, some people take ‘Take Your Daughter to Work Day’ a bit too seriously, don’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 7:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/5 "2009-04-30T07:39:46Z")
And someone claimed the Black Dahlia killer was her father. (IIRC.) ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 9:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/6 "2009-04-30T09:56:36Z")
I saw the movie but did not read the book. Was this one of the guys that they had looked at? ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/7 "2009-04-30T10:30:59Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > She’s currently involved in making a documentary about the crimes. Good time for some publicity. OTOH, she also says she has one of the victim’s glasses. It’ll be interesting to see if it’s all a hoax. > > StG If she really does have something from one of the victims, wouldn’t she be opening herself up to charges of obstructing justice? It’s still an open case. ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/8 "2009-04-30T11:07:43Z")
The article says that her claims have been being investigated for the last two years (it was unclear exactly by who) and that the police have been notified. So it doesn’t exactly sound like she’s sitting on evidence that ought to be turned over. There is something about this bit though… > [@](#): > > McLean said Perez came forward on Wednesday because another investigator in Sacramento was about to come forward with a different theory of the killings. She was also currently involved in making a documentary on the crime. that I find a little offputting. But as long as she’s given what information she can to law-enforcement _before_ running off to make movies about it, I suppose there isn’t a problem. ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/9 "2009-04-30T11:29:41Z")
Shouldn’t they be able to easily exclude her dad? They extracted DNA samples from the stamps and flaps of a couple of the letters that were positively from the killer (e.g. the one that included a scrap of the victim’s clothing). They used this DNA profile to check the main suspect after he passed away several years ago, and there was no match. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/10 "2009-04-30T12:16:51Z")
I am pretty dubious at this stage. The father isn’t listed as a suspect anywhere that I can find. Seems like a way to make a quick buck- blame a person who can’t defend themselves. **minor7flat5** , I think the suspect you are thinking of was Arthur Allen. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/11 "2009-04-30T13:19:43Z")
But they found the Zodiac killer, no? I’m off to Googleland now but I’m sure I saw a Cold Case file on this and the killer was identified. ETA: Jeez, that’s weird. I was sure I saw a show where they solved this. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/12 "2009-04-30T13:28:38Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > But they found the Zodiac killer, no? I’m off to Googleland now but I’m sure I saw a Cold Case file on this and the killer was identified. > > ETA: Jeez, that’s weird. I was sure I saw a show where they solved this. There have been a lot of theories and it’s likely that a show’s producers felt they made a strong case and spoke more definitively than they should have. The movie “Zodiac” casts a pretty serious light on one suspect and strongly suggests that he did it but the documentaries on the directors cut DVD indicate otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/13 "2009-04-30T14:44:54Z")
> [@NinetyWt](#): > > Wasn’t there some dude also who claimed the Zodiac killer was his dad? Or did I imagine that? Probably, at some point, though you may be thinking of a more recent story and book – [Black Dahlia Avenger](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/article865027.ece), released in 2003, which has an LA private investigator accusing his deceased father. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/14 "2009-04-30T14:56:04Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > Shouldn’t they be able to easily exclude her dad? > > They extracted DNA samples from the stamps and flaps of a couple of the letters that were positively from the killer (e.g. the one that included a scrap of the victim’s clothing). > > They used this DNA profile to check the main suspect after he passed away several years ago, and there was no match. The woman claims that she wrote and stamped some of the letters. That should be easy to debunk or confirm. But her story sounds like hogwash. Taking your kid along for your murder spree? Come ON! ---
**Author:** ![Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troy_mcclure_sf/32/4150_2.png) [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/15 "2009-04-30T16:04:47Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > I am pretty dubious at this stage. The father isn’t listed as a suspect anywhere that I can find. Seems like a way to make a quick buck- blame a person who can’t defend themselves. I concur. Plus, the Examiner, who seems to be the only major source of the story, could say that San Francisco tends to be chilly and I’d say that no one even owns long sleeves. ---
**Author:** ![dragonlady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@dragonlady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dragonlady)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/16 "2009-04-30T16:16:46Z")
I think it was a woman who wrote a book claiming her father was the Black Dahlia killer. She was pretty throughly debunked, if memory serves. ---
**Author:** ![Skara\_Brae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Skara\_Brae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skara_Brae)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/17 "2009-04-30T16:40:57Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > Shouldn’t they be able to easily exclude her dad? > > They extracted DNA samples from the stamps and flaps of a couple of the letters that were positively from the killer (e.g. the one that included a scrap of the victim’s clothing). > > They used this DNA profile to check the main suspect after he passed away several years ago, and there was no match. Yes, that was Arthur Lee Allen. The movie \*Zodiac \*made a compelling case for him being the killer. The DNA did not match, but serveral of his relatives stated that he never licked his own stamps anyway… ---
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/18 "2009-05-01T03:55:35Z")
> [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](#): > > The woman claims that she wrote and stamped some of the letters. That should be easy to debunk or confirm. But her story sounds like hogwash. Taking your kid along for your murder spree? Come ON! The Green River Killer (Gary Ridgeway) killed a couple of women with his son in the nearby truck iirc. ---
**Author:** ![joyfool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df788c/32.png) [@joyfool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joyfool)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2009, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/19 "2009-05-01T14:17:47Z")
Also, [Joseph Kallinger](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Kallinger) took his 13 year old son around with him on his killing spree. His nickname was The Shoemaker. \< shudder \> ---
**Author:** ![Mislav](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mislav](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mislav)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2013, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805/20 "2013-10-27T17:51:23Z")
I still believe Zodiac was Arthur Leigh Allen. I don’t think the fact that his fingerprints didn’t match to bloody ones found in Paul Stine’s car mean that he was innocent. Forensic science wasn’t the same as it is today. Fingerprint comparison was made by people at that time, there was no computer program for that, and people make mistakes, like in Clifford and Alma Merck murder case killers weren’t arrested until ten years later because during initial investigation fingerprint comparisson expert made a mistake and failed to link their fingerprints with those found in victim’s home. Later examination prooved that those were their fingerprints. DNA doesn’'t clear him either. He said it himself: he never licked stamps by himself. And about handwriting… I think he was able to change it. Sometimes when I write quickly, my handwriting looks completely different than the handwriting I have when I am writing slowly and carefully. The fact that his guns didn’t match to balistic evidence doesn’t clear him either. He could change gun barrels/firing pins. Witness identifeid him. Logo on his watch was almost identical to sign that Zodiac left drawn on few of his murder scenes. His shoe size was 10 1/2. Boot prints found on Lake Berryessa crime scene were size 10 1/2. His glove size also matched to gloves found in Paul Stine’s car. He was charged for child molestation in 1971, and Zodiac stopped killing two years prior. I think that he may commited the murders to keep police busy and prevent them to find out about him commiting that sex offences. Or maybe he was under stress due to fear of being caught and started killing young people in order to get rid of stress-on his own twisted way. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/woman-claims-dad-was-zodiac-killer/494805.md?page=2)