Uncovering The Zodiac Killings and The Manson Family Murders

The zodiac killer was a serial murderer whose identity sill remains unknown. He terrorized northern California in the late 1900 to the early 1970s. The killer left taunting letters for the police, including cryptograms for them to decode. One cryptogram read;

“I like killing people because it is so much fun it is more fun than killing wild game it is the hardest because man is the most dangerous animal of all to kill something gives me the most thrilling experience it is even better than getting your rocks off with a girl the best part of it is that when I die I will be reborn in paradise and the (?) I have killed will become my slaves I will not give you my name because you will try to slow down or stop my collecting of slaves for my afterlife”

"Cryptogram shows how Zodiac used code in messages, letters, and symbols, gave police puzzle to solve."

He said blizzard and terrible things in his letters. In his last letter sent in 1974 he claimed to have killed 37 people, however, the police have only verified 5 killings and two people he left injured.

            This mystery has left many questions about who the zodiac killer may be. There are many theories behind the identity of the killer, including many memes suggesting senator Ted Cruz. While, this particular murderer remains unknown, so did his motives. Many theorize that the above quote from his cryptogram explained why he killed. The zodiac killer suggested these killings would benefit him in the afterlife by building a slave mass purely for his benefit. The more victims he murdered the larger total of people he would have upon death to serve him and perhaps be his army. Also, many believe this to be his motive because he mentioned it in only a few of his letters. If this were just a scare tactic, wouldn’t he have mentioned it in more letters instead? This may suggest that he really did believe this ideology of ruling in the afterlife because he did not keep reminding everyone of this aspect of his motive.

What do you think? Is this motive big enough to comprise (possibly) 37 deaths?

            Around the same time the zodiac killer was terrorizing San Francisco, the Manson Family murders sent a shock through Hollywood. Manson taught his followers that they were the reincarnation of the first Roman Christians. He implied he was Christ and led his willing followers (aka “family”) down a dark path. The Manson family encompassed around 100 followers; including a group of young girls that believed without a doubt, Manson was Jesus. The Manson Family is thought to have carried out around 35 killings; however, most of these cases were never tried for lack of evidence. Among these murders were the Tate/La Bianca killings.

            For the sake of goriness I will not go into much detail about these murders. However, the slaughter known as the Tate killings ended with four brutally murdered residents in their own home by four of the Mansons followers. The La Bianca killings occurred the following night when Manson took three of his “family members” and had them kill Leno LaBianca and his wife in a similarly horrifying fashion.

            As disturbing as this is, many think Mason lead these killing sprees as a way to get back at the wealthy for his failed career in the Hollywood industry.

-Savannah Fillion

To learn more about the Zodiac killer and his beliefs click https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxiJXka1CJI and http://www.zodiackiller.com/mba/gzd/23.html

To learn more about the The Manson Family Murders click https://www.biography.com/people/charles-manson-9397912