On August 1, 1969, three Northern California newspapers received mysterious letters that would transform a local murder investigation into a national obsession. The letters connected two previous attacks in the Vallejo area and introduced the Zodiac killer, providing specific details only the murderer could know, along with a threatening cipher. Upon publication, the cipher was decoded by a high school teacher and his wife, revealing the killer's chilling manifesto. This episode recounts the early crimes and the intense public and police scrutiny that followed, setting the stage for the Zodiac's reign of terror.

00:00 A Normal Morning in San Francisco

00:49 The Zodiac Killer's First Letters

00:53 Revisiting the Murders

02:01 The Chilling Phone Call

02:51 Families in Limbo

04:12 A Summer of Fear

04:53 The Killer's Letters Arrive

05:49 The Zodiac's Confession

07:33 The Enigmatic Cipher

11:54 The Newspapers' Dilemma

15:35 Chief Stiltz's Challenge

17:12 The Zodiac's Response

22:47 The Hardens Crack the Code

26:19 The Chilling Message

30:37 The Aftermath and Debate

33:45 Remembering the Victims

36:08 The Zodiac's Legacy

37:20 Next Episode Teaser

About Crime Time Inc.

Season 5 of Crime Time Inc. broadens its reach across two sides of the Atlantic.

This season features cases from Scotland and across the wider UK — rooted in real investigative experience — alongside deep dives into some of the most infamous murder cases in American history.

Hosted by former detectives Simon and Tom, with experience in both the UK and the United States, including time working alongside the FBI, the show strips away sensationalism to explain how crime and justice really work.

Two crime worlds. One podcast.

New episodes released regularly throughout the season.

Our Website: https://crimetimeinc.com/

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