Ep 25. Sign Of The Zodiac

In Season 8 Episode 25 of Forensic Files titled "Sign Of The Zodiac," the show delves into the infamous Zodiac Killer case that terrorized northern California during the late 1960s and early 1970s. The Zodiac Killer was a serial killer who became infamous for the letters he sent to various newspapers and media outlets, taunting the police and taking credit for his crimes.

The episode begins by examining the first killings attributed to the Zodiac Killer, which occurred in December 1968, when two teenagers were shot and killed outside a Vallejo, California, nightclub. The killer then sent a letter to the San Francisco Chronicle, claiming responsibility for the murders and declaring himself the "Zodiac." Over the next two years, the Zodiac Killer would claim responsibility for at least five more murders and two attempted murders, all while taunting the police, sending cryptic letters and codes, and even calling into a local radio station to speak on the air with the host.

The episode explores the complexity of the Zodiac Killer case, which has remained unsolved for decades despite countless investigations and numerous suspects. The forensic evidence in the case is particularly fascinating, as it includes a mysterious cipher that the killer sent to the newspapers which, until recently, had never been deciphered. The cipher, known as the "340 cipher," remained unsolved for over 50 years until a team of codebreakers finally cracked it in 2020, revealing a message from the killer taunting the police.

The episode also delves into some of the possible suspects in the case, including Arthur Leigh Allen, a convicted child molester who was investigated by the police for his possible involvement in the crimes. While there is some evidence linking Allen to the Zodiac Killer case, the evidence is not conclusive, and he died in 1992 without ever being charged with the crimes.

Forensic Files uses interviews with law enforcement officials, forensic experts, and witnesses as they probe this haunting case, showing viewers the scientific methods used to analyze the evidence. For example, forensic scientists were able to determine that a fingerprint found on one of the Zodiac's letters was an exact match to a fingerprint taken from a suspect. Although this fingerprint match is one of the only pieces of concrete evidence in the case, it is not enough to definitively link any suspect to the killings.

Throughout the episode, the show highlights the tireless efforts of the investigators who have worked on the case over the years, highlighting their passion and dedication to solving this brutal string of murders. In the end, however, the case remains unsolved, leaving viewers to ponder the identity of this elusive killer who terrorized northern California over 50 years ago.