Summary of Zodiac by Robert Graysmith (Essay Sample)

Name
Professor
Course
Date
Summary of Zodiac by Robert Graysmith
Zodiac is a book giving details about the serial murders committed in San Francisco by Zodiac in the 1960s and 1970s. The book gives details of the investigations conducted by the different law enforcement agencies who were trying to unmask the murders. The officers involved in the investigations worked with other policemen in a bid to get the identity of the killer who called himself Zodiac. Graysmith sets out to write the book that tries to give clues about the possible killer through the assistance of officers from the San Francisco Police Department notably Inspector Dave Toschi. At the time of the murders, Robert Graysmith was a cartoonist with the San Francisco Chronicles. He got interested in the murder case owing to the letters the Zodiac used to send to the Chronicle demanding that they are published. Zodiac claimed that he was behind the killings at the time and demanded recognition for the same. It was out of the letters sent that Graysmith took particular interest in and opted to have his account of the events that were happening.
The notable murders committed by Zodiac include of Betty Lou and David Faraday. They were shot inside the car. Approximately a year later, another death was reported by Darlene Ferrin and Mageau Michael, who were shot inside their vehicle. Zodiac claimed to handle the deaths after calling the police to report the incident and confirm his responsibility for the teenagers’ death the previous year. It is not clear what the motive of the killer was, but it appears he was thrilled by the whole events as they occurred.
The book also gives accounts of the death of the college students Bryan Hartnell and Cecilia Shepard. The killer is said to have approached the two who were out having lunch around Lake Berryessa and tied them both up and proceeded to stab them. Cecilia died out of the stab wounds, but Bryan survived the ordeal. Hartnell described the man to have been wearing a hood and was dressed in black. In the incident, the motive of the killing was never known, and it was not certain whether Zodiac was responsible or not. The book Zodiac further describes the subsequent murders that occurred around the same year. In October 1969, Paul Lee, who was a taxi driver, was shot dead in Presidio Heights by a passenger. Police officers attributed the killing to Zodiac, who continued to send communications to the San Francisco Chronicle. Zodiac further claimed that he handled over thirty-seven casualties that had been reported. Since then, however, the real identity of the killer has never been known for people having different theories over the same.
The intriguing part of the murders was the nature of the killings. The deaths occurred near water sources next to geographical features and during the holidays. They also happened in a chronological manner. The killings could have been attributed to certain events. For example, the death of the college student, Cecilia who was stabbed with her friend Bryan took place near a source of the water body at Lake Berryessa. The events could be linked to the 1932 film Most Dangerous Game. It is an indication of the lack of knowledge on what Zodiac the killer aimed at achieving.
The investigators involved in the unraveling of the serial murders included Paul Avery, Inspector David Toschi, and William Armstrong. Avery managed to track down some deaths and linked them to Zodiac. On account of this, the killer sent him threatening messages probably to keep him off the investigations. Paul, however, did not finish up his career at San Francisco Chronicles after he died at age 66 of emphysema of the pulmonary. The homicide investigations into the murders were met with many controversies after the death of Paul Avery and the accusation of Toschi for forging the letter to revive the case. Armstrong left the homicide investigations and joined the bunko squad. With the disintegration of the investigation team, it could have been an opportunity for Robert Graysmith to start working on the case. He began working on the case with the letters sent by Zodiac to the Chronicles. He spent most of his time looking for possible evidence of the deaths and talking to the potential witnesses in a bid to find out about the mysteries behind the murders. It is unfortunate that the killings were never resolved despite the evidence that were presented in the form of the letters that could give a clue as to the true identity of the killer. Efforts made by Graysmith did not provide details over the killer since it only expounds more on the deaths but not the real murderer. The book Zodiac moves slightly out of context by mentioning a death that could not have been related to the Zodiac killings. Notably was the strychnine poisoning, that did not resemble any of the murders committed by Zodiac.
It is worth noting, that Robert Graysmith when he majors his story based on the facts that were existing. For instance, the fact that he acknowledges the deaths were connected in a way tries to explain the truth in his ideas. The stabbing of the two young couple at the lake and the series of other murders committed at significant geographical features is an explanation for the type of killer the person was. In the book, accounts are given of the way the killer used to operate. He would find a reason to have single women look for his help so that he would lure them to commit the murders. For example, he could find a way of draining the car batteries of the women and hang around so that they may go to him for help. Once he is approached, he would seize the opportunity to kill them. In other instances, he would ambush couple’s and take a ride with them. Eventually, he would shoot the driver. Strangely enough, he reported the murders to the police officers who could not do much about the deaths. The fact that he reported his crimes makes it more attractive. It appears that he was having fun all together and was fascinated by the fact that the officers were unable to find his real identity. Robert Graysmith himself in trying to work out the motive for the killings fails to accomplish his goal. Graysmith successively narrates the events of the deaths and successfully provides possible clues that could have led to the capture of the serial killer.
Robert Graysmith appears to have more information about the serial killer than any other person involved in the investigation. He even manages to come up with the likely lead suspect in the case by the pseudo name Richard Starr. The aim of coming up with the story probably was to evoke a challenge from anyone who might come up to contradict the information he had over the killings. Strangely enough, the primary suspect in the book Zodiac was the prime suspect in the investigations of the serial murders. Despite being ...