Retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley is joined by Detectives Andrew Houghton and Matt Vartanian from the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit. Elgin PD recently launched a podcast titled Somebody Knows Something, which follows one of their active cold case investigations. We talk about the case, what led them to start the podcast, and how they balanced investigative integrity, public outreach, and storytelling. It’s a rare look at how detectives are using new platforms to generate leads and keep cases in the public eye.

For more information about the Elgin Police Department Cold Case Unit, please visit their website: https://epdopendata-cityofelgin.hub.arcgis.com/pages/cold-cases

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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

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We’re joined once again by Ashland Oregon Police Chief Tighe O'Meara to discuss the 2011 unsolved murder of David Michael Grubbs. This time, we present our profile of the offender. Some of the characteristics in this profile are unique, and we believe that individuals who knew the offender may recognize them.

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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

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In this episode, we talk with Ashland Oregon Police Chief Tighe O'Meara about the 2011 unsolved murder of David Michael Grubbs. Chief O'Meara discusses the facts of the case, the challenges investigators have faced, and how the department continues to seek justice for David and his family. We also examine aspects of victimology to better understand David’s risk level.

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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon for early and ad-free episodes. Visit Patreon.com/theconsultpod to become a subscriber.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode, retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley talks with geographic profiler Douglas MacGregor about his background and how geographic profiling can aid investigations. They discuss the types of cases that benefit most from this approach and take a closer look at the Rachel Morin case and the Zodiac Killer.

To learn more about Douglas MacGregor and his work, please visit https://www.irisinvestigativestrategies.com

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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon for early and ad-free episodes. Visit Patreon.com/theconsultpod to become a subscriber.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer and researcher Michael Butterfield joins retired FBI profiler Julia Cowley to answer listener questions about the Zodiac Killer case.

Michael is the host of the podcast Zodiac: A to Z and the author of the new book The Zodiac Killer: The Story of America's Most Elusive Murderer.

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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

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See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In Part 4 of our series on the Zodiac Killer, we continue our discussion with Zodiac expert Michael Butterfield for a deep-dive discussion into the personality and behavioral characteristics of the infamous, unidentified serial killer. We explore what may have been beneath the mask of calculated manipulation and deadly intent.

Michael is the host of Zodiac: A to Z and the author of a new book The Zodiac Killer: The Story of America’s Most Elusive Murderer.

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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

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Writer, researcher, and podcaster Michael Butterfield returns for Part 3 of our discussion on the Zodiac case. In this episode, we discuss the murder of Paul Stine, a cab driver who was shot and killed by the Zodiac on October 11, 1969, in San Francisco.

Michael is the host of the podcast Zodiac: A to Z and the author of the upcoming book The Zodiac Killer: The Story of America’s Most Elusive Murderer, scheduled for release on May 6, 2025.

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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon for early and ad-free episodes. Visit Patreon.com/theconsultpod to become a subscriber.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer, researcher, and podcaster Michael Butterfield returns for Part 2 of our discussion on the Zodiac case. In this episode, we focus on the chilling attack at Lake Berryessa on September 27, 1969. The victims were college students Cecelia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell. While Bryan survived, Cecelia tragically succumbed to her injuries.

Michael walks us through the details of this attack and how it differed from the earlier shootings. We discuss what the killer’s behavior may reveal, and how it fits within the broader pattern of attacks attributed to the Zodiac.

Michael is the host of Zodiac: A to Z and the author of the upcoming book The Zodiac Killer: The Story of America’s Most Elusive Murderer, scheduled for release on May 6, 2025.

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For additional information and resources, please visit our episode website: https://www.truecrimeconsult.com/81-profiling-the-zodiac-killer-part-2/

Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon for early and ad-free episodes. Visit Patreon.com/theconsultpod to become a subscriber.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Writer, researcher, and podcaster Michael Butterfield joins us to examine the series of murders attributed to the person who called himself the Zodiac. Michael has dedicated 30-plus years to investigating this case. In this episode, we discuss the earliest known attacks: the December 20, 1968, murders of Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday on Lake Herman Road in Benicia, California, and the July 4, 1969, shooting of Darlene Ferrin and Michael Mageau at Blue Rock Springs Park in Vallejo, California. (Michael survived.)

You can listen to Michael's podcast, Zodiac: A to Z, a deep-dive series that methodically examines the Zodiac Killer case, exploring each suspect, clue, and theory with a focus on separating fact from speculation. Michael also has an upcoming book titled The Zodiac Killer: The Story of America's Most Elusive Murderer, scheduled for release on May 6, 2025.

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For additional information and resources, please visit our episode website: https://www.truecrimeconsult.com/80-profiling-the-zodiac-killer-part-1/

Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon for early and ad-free episodes. Visit Patreon.com/theconsultpod to become a subscriber.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We answer listener questions about our analysis of the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee.

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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon for early and ad-free episodes. Visit Patreon.com/theconsultpod to become a subscriber.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.