#9 Zodiac Killer's Letters: Analyzed by Dr David Van Nuys

[FreedumbFighter28]

NO DOCTOR....he wanted to be quiet.There were other people at the park, as I am sure you know.HE didnt want to use the gun.He needed a quiet kill, but if the park was empty, than he could of just shot a couple more people. A back up plan if you will.He was gonna kill one way or another.Gun or knife.Whatever was conveinent.

Im going to HAVE to stab you people. Not shoot you because there is a guy over the hill fishing. Sheesh.....are you even trying doc? XP

[gertomaniac]

I probably didn't want to shoot them because that could have driven attention to the crime, while his car was not aside. so his nervousness and his want for control could've been rational.

If he wasn't concerned about being seen, one wonders why he would disguise himself.^

But some very good points are made, I always wondered why he told the story about killing the guard.

I don't know why, but I feel something's wrong with the accounts of the surviving victim.

[msbulldogs2]

love ur 16 movies this one deffinatly i can hear u :P lol some were hard to hear lol but im 15 years old and i am very interested in this

[SageBodisattva]

Zodiac was nervous because this was his most risky crime. He was far away from his car, out in broad daylight where he might be seen, hence the disguise. He wanted to intimidate them yet put them at ease so they would not resist being tied up. So he used the convict story. If they thought he would kill them after being tied, they would have surely fought him, forcing him to fire the gun. The loud shots would increase his risk at being seen or caught so I think he wanted to avoid using the gun.

[Durlwanger]

Why would he wear a Zodiac outfit and then say he is an escaped convict ??

The real Zodiac killer liked himself and would have taken full credit for the incident. He would not used the convict story,,

[sargoth37]

I wish this guy would anilize Larry Kane, the real Zodiac.

[michaelait]

Why are you so convinced it is Larry Kane?

[sargoth37]

Look at Zodiackiller.___ and you'll see. His handwriting matched, his cars matched, his description matched, and he was positively identified by 4 or more witnesses.

[creepysonofabitch]

"I'm going to have to stab you people." .......maybe because he thought people in the surrounded area would hear the shots? It could be as simple as that I suppose.

[jimpurdie]

1 thing ill never understand is why wear a mask if your going to kill them,and the fact he tried to kill them,tells me his story about a prison in montana could be true as he doesnt expect either to survive so thats a good clue that could link zodiac to montanna.

[robfaeedi]

Thanks again Dr Van Nuys, so interesting, can hear you much better on this one too.

[bradcarsontube4]

Z was probably abused by older authority figure who used a similar dialogue against z when he was a child. maybe a religous figure which would explain his crazy world view and distortions from moral schemas.

[fugusushi]

good grief!! you are taking everything this guy says far too literally - you seem to be completely devoid of any ability to get in to this guys head! this guy likes G&S 'operetta' and writes codes to newspapers for christ sakes! and you still wanna take literally every word he says!

one last time Dave, he is playing a role - his role - his game. 'I'm gonna have to...' is not an indication of 'voices in his head', it's a pointer to his reading habits - his own 'fantasy' figure = himself...

[fugusushi]

breaking down what he says is a valid/obvious form of analysis. but you seem incapable of standing back and judging the overall tone/picture/pattern - and you need to do both to gain proper understanding!

'i'm feeling nervous' - could also be 'i'm feeling excited' translated by someone who's in enough control to not say 'excited' and say something the victims would more likely expect to hear and by someone conscious of his own 'perversion'.... c'mon Dave, get with it...!

[fugusushi]

this is no 'cover story'! he's enjoying playing the role - he's got a taste for detective/crime novels/tv shows...

whether he was nervous or not, depends on his tone of voice and overall 'state of mind' - he was clearly relaxed enough to 'dress up' in broad daylight!

'i'm gonna have to tie you up' - you don't watch much tv do you Dave?! even in the '60s this is a line (or ones just like it with same 'tone) right out a cops'n'robbers/cowboys movie/tv show... he's 'playing a role'...

[vdelrio999]

Bravo sir. I greatly appreciate your imparting your professional insight and wisdom on the Zodiac Killer.

[sammy1995]

all subjective interpretation of the events but nonetheless no way near the truth in identifying who the Zodiac is or was.

[Grendeljaeger]

Excellent stuff Doc! I was a school kid just down the bay in Oakland and remember being scared to death of this real life boogey man.

[efxdavid]

I'll bet your parents were scared, too!

[ABCGoogs]

Dr. David Van Nuys rocks my world!!!

KEEP IT COMING!!!!!

[Calculan]

Hope you continue to make these. I really enjoy them.

[TheOriginalGlitch]

Dr Van Nuys, please continue.

Most interesting commentary.

[Bargle5]

Continuing to enjoy the series. I am very curious about the new theory about how the Zodiac name fits that you mention in Part 6. Keep 'em coming.

[efxdavid]

I"m saving that insight for the end. However, I can tell you that it does NOT involve naming an actual suspect... unfortunately.

[Bargle5]

Sorry for the slow reply.

I didn't think you'd be naming anyone specific. Still curious, nonetheless.

[infidel10]

I am very intersted in the ciphers.has anybody ever shown the ciphers to a savant like "rainman".also might the ciphers have some sort of musical solution.Music has mathamatical values or letter values.Zodiac quoted the Mikado three or four times.I think it's possable

[efxdavid]

These are excellent suggestions! But it will remain for someone more motivated than I am and with more expertise in that area to explore them. Thanks for watching!

[MilesMilvery]

Dear Mr Van Nuys,

I was interested in your videos. I was fortunate to have studied under Dr Levin from Northeastern University. In my opinion, the Zodiac was from Butte Montana (stongly Irish Catholic), was in the Navy (where he never got to kill anyone but was safe from being killed durig the Vietnam War)and was stationed at the Presidio or one of the adjoining basis. The Zodiac possibly made seargent but never became an officer. You correctly pointed out that he got hoidays off.

[efxdavid]

Do you have a specific suspect or are these more general deductions on your part?

[HentaiSuperStar]

Oh why haven't you posted for such a long time? I'm looking forward to your videos and i think they are really well done! i really would like to know what do you think about the suspects from your point of view,too. keep up with the good work!

[stickyshooZ]

I'd guess he's working on a Zodiac letter and since some of his letters are kind of long, it might take the Doc a little while before he posts more vids. It took 3 videos just to analyze a 2 page letter, think of how many it might take to do a 3-6 page letter.

[efxdavid]

The problem has just been the busy-ness of my life, generally!

[efxdavid]

Thanks for your enthusiasm and encouragement. I plan to keep going. I'll try to not have the gaps be so long in between. I'll try to get Michael Kelleher on with me to talk about suspects at some point.

[area51greys]

you look a little drugged out

[efxdavid]

I can't do much about how I look but I can tell you I am not drugged out. Eye of the beholder?

[lastdiplomat]

Dr. Van Nuys: Any plans to offer an analysis of the Eureka 1990 "secret pal" card? Or if you believe it could be an authentic Zodiac communication? Great episodes so far!

[asdffd]

I'd like to know what he thinks of the suspect "Sam". Anyway, I appreciate these videos. Very interesting.

[efxdavid]

All I know about "Sam" is what I've been told. I think there are folks behind the scenes who are trying to covertly discover as much as they can about Sam.

[cryptoplex]

Dr. Van Nuys,

Great Job! Thanks for your continued analysis of "The Zodiac." There are many of us who have a longstanding, nontrivial interest in this case. I consider us lucky to have access to your insights. This series is a great complement to your and Dr. Kelleher's book.

[efxdavid]

Thanks so much for your encouragement and support!

[arw74]

The Lake Berryesa crime scene is the most chilling attack account I have ever heard described.

The Zodiac's macabre costume, statements and explanations to the victims, his deadly actions and subsequent self-report are overshadowed only by the impossible-to-believe fact that Hartnell somehow survived this horrific, unspeakable attack - after he requests to be stabbed first.

One can see how the lives of so many were tormented by the killings and their unsolved status.

[efxdavid]

Yes, indeed. At the Zodiac task force meeting which I described in one of the early episodes, I met several people whose lives continue to have been damaged by these events, all these years later!

[neve1073]

Thanks for posting! Interesting psychological analysis of the Zodiac case, as usual.

In this case though, we don't have zodiac text to go on but rather the recollection of a surviving victim which may not be as reliable for analysis. Still, working from Hartnell's recollection, I think your points about control, compulsion and the possibility of something like "hearing voices" are all excellent.

Thanks again. I'm a subscriber. :)

[efxdavid]

At least in the instance of the letters, we have first hand information from the Zodiac himself. Thanks for your support!

[methos101]

Please continue with these videos. They have been so interesting to me. Keep up the good work.

[tailguner]

Dr.Van Nuys, thank you for your psychoanalysis of Zodiac. This has always been a mystery to me. Keep up the good work!!! TAILGUNERS GIRLFRIEND

[SkippyDude85]

Just to let you know, every time I get on YouTube, I look for new episodes. I really enjoy these videos. So... 8th, 9th... just keep up the great work!

[stickyshooZ]

Yeah, same here. Every time I'm on YouTube, I check out your profile to look for new additions. What you're doing here is really awesome.

[efxdavid]

Well, with this sort of encouragement, I can only press on! Thanks!

[arw74]

I think it would be interesting if you addressed just how some people's lives have been damaged as you say. Specifics on an anonymous basis.

For some reason, this man's crimes, always so personal, and his psychotic behavior seem to have the ability to get under our skins - more the other very vicious crimes. Why the difference here? Just what is it about the Zodiac?

[efxdavid]

What is it about the Zodiac that has gotten under our collective skin? Good question. I think it has to do with the tantalizing clues he left, the dare to decode his messages, and the fact that he has not been caught.

[asdffd]

Not to mention that one costume he wore scares the crap out of me!!!!!!!!!!!!! So dang bizarre. Anyway, thanks so much for these videos Doc. I really value your insights.

[tailguner]

Dr. Van Nuys, I throughly enjoy listening to your take on the Zodiac killer. Please continue with the series. Thank you!!

[efxdavid]

Thanks for the encouragement.  It keeps me going!

[stickyshooZ]

WHOOHOOOOO, new episode! Though, you labled it as #8, instead of #9. :P

[efxdavid]

Silly me!