Nov 5, 2009 9:45 pm US/Pacific
Zodiac And Black Dahlia Murders Linked?
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
The Black Dahlia murder may be 60 years old, but it could have links to the FBI's Zodiac investigation.
The Zodiac and Black Dahlia are among California's most infamous unsolved murders. The crimes were separated by two decades, but CBS13 has uncovered possible connections.
Detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department who are in charge of the Black Dahlia investigation, are confirming that the FBI is asking the department for evidence.
"You realize people are going to say this sounds crazy," says CBS13's Kris Pickel. "Yes, I do realize that and it sounds crazy to me, but we are looking at the evidence and the evidence alone," responds Dennis Kaufman, the man who claims his stepfather was the Zodiac Killer.
For more than year, an FBI investigation has attempted to link Jack Tarrance to the zodiac murders. Much of the investigation has focused on DNA.
Dennis Kaufman, his stepson, initiated the investigation by chronicling his late stepfather's life through paperwork and pictures. Kaufman is attempting to connect his stepfather to Hollywood's most infamous unsolved crime: the murder of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short, known as The Black Dahlia.
In 1947, newspapers published pictures of her body, severed in half, drained of blood, and discovered in a Hollywood field. Autopsy photos reveal the killer sliced the edges of her mouth into a sick smile.
"If you look at the Black Dahlia, the killer wrote letters and taunted police just like the Zodiac did," says Kaufman.
Twenty years later, the zodiac killer terrorized the Bay Area by attacking seven people.
Kaufman has been working with forensic document examiner Nanette Barto. The FBI is examining Barto's findings, findings she believes prove Jack Tarrance is the Zodiac. Barto has also turned over new findings after examining letters sent by the person who murdered The Black Dahlia.
Both killers sent multiple letters to police. Barto claims there are striking similarities in addition to the shapes and slants of letters.
Barto says both the Zodiac and Black Dahlia had issues with E's.
"Consisted of using 'E's' when unnecessary or not using 'E' when it was required in the word," says Barto.
An exact example was also found on letters sent by the Black Dahlia killer and Jack Tarrance.
"The misspelling of Los Angles instead of Los Angeles is an identical trait Jack Tarrance had himself," Barto explains as she points to the examples.
Barto also found it interesting how the both killers abbreviated California, using Calif. instead of CA.
Two decades passed between The Black Dahlia murder and the Zodiac's attacks, but Kaufman believes he can place his stepfather near the Black Dahlia crime scene. A photo taken in 1945 shows Jack Tarrance in the Navy. He was stationed in San Diego, just two hours from where the Black Dahlia's body was found.
The murder happened in 1947, a few months before Jack Tarrance was discharged from the Navy.
This is not the first theory connecting the Zodiac and Black Dahlia through handwriting.
The FBI are not commenting on the Zodiac investigation, which is still active.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
SF Police Holding Up Zodiac Killer Case?
Click to enlarge
Stumble It!
Reporting
Comments