Netflix true crime docuseries reveals the secret life of a serial killer
From Robert Scucci
| Updated
As a fan of all things true crime, I spent my senior year of high school reading Robert Graysmith’s books Zodiac And Zodiac signs exposed books, not knowing that a film adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhall as the Zodiac-obsessed author was just a few years away from production. I revisit the case every few years because there’s something so fascinating about a high-profile serial killer case – especially one that’s still unsolved more than 50 years after the elusive killer’s alleged first crime in 1968 . This is the zodiac speaking turns away from the media sensation surrounding the Zodiac murders and focuses on those who were close to the investigation’s still prime suspect, Arthur Leigh Allen.
Was Arthur Leigh Allen the Zodiac Killer?
Arthur Leigh Allen, who died in 1992, was either a victim of mistaken identity, harassed by police until the day of his funeral, or the actual Zodiac Killer. This is the zodiac speaking looks at the case again from the perspective of the Seawater family. Siblings David, Connie and Don welcomed Allen into their lives when the Marine veteran and future school teacher began dating their mother, Phyllis.
The Seawater siblings look back fondly on the time they spent with Allen when the Zodiac Killer was still regularly making headlines with his crimes, threatening letters to the police and cryptic encryption codes. Through their personal accounts of growing up with Allen, they wanted to tell their story as they remembered it over the decades, because there are too many coincidences linking Allen to the murders for only decades of hindsight to help them to put together.
A series of coincidences and circumstantial evidence
This is the zodiac speaking makes a compelling argument for why Arthur Leigh Allen – the man who was such a positive father figure to David, Connie and Don as children – remains the main character of interest. Using Connie’s recollections of the events, she reveals how Allen took her and her brothers on a road trip through Tajiguas Beach in 1963, but then left them in the car while he explored the area. When he returned to the car he had blood on his hands and they immediately left the beach.
Years later, the siblings learned that the timing of their trip with Allen coincided with the murders of Robert Domingos and his fiancée Linda Edwards, who were killed in the same area. Forensic evidence suggests that the killing was consistent with Zodiac’s modus operandi, which included pre-cut lengths of rope to bind his subjects and executing them with a point-blank rifle shot. Although this murder was never “officially” linked to the Zodiac rampage, which officially began in 1968, the Seawater siblings claim that he was in the area when the crime was committed.
In 1966, another incident occurred in which Allen allegedly drugged the brothers and sisters during a trip to the Riverside racetrack. During this two-day ordeal, which they only realized later in life was a messed up situation, the siblings learned that Cheri Josephine Bates was likely stabbed while unconscious.
The most damning piece of evidence ever This is the zodiac speakinghowever, is the time period in which this is elusive Serial killers stopped contacting the police. Ironically, Arthur Leigh Allen served a prison sentence for child molestation and was incarcerated at Atascadero State Hospital from 1974 to 1977. Shortly after Allen’s release, letters to police resumed.
There are convincing arguments
This is the zodiac Speaking of which is a frustrating watch, not because of any creative failure on the part of directors Ari Mark and Phil Lott, but because of SeaWater The siblings earnestly try to tell the story of their relationship with Allen in order to close the case. You make a very convincing case that he is our man. Unfortunately, this “evidence” is circumstantial, anecdotal and speculation at best.
There were multiple search warrants against Allen that did not uncover enough physical evidence to properly bring him to trial for his alleged crimes. But as Connie speaks out in this three-part documentary, it’s hard to think of anyone checking all the same boxes as a viable suspect.
If you’re already familiar with the work of Robert Graysmith, the cartoonist-turned-cipher-breaking detective who devoted most of his adult life to the Zodiac case, then you’ve come to the right place This is the zodiac Speaking of which is exceptional true crime supplemental content that you’ll want to immerse yourself in. If you are just getting your feet wet, you may want to familiarize yourself with the cold case on a more basic level, as it is a personal and subjective recollection of events that does not necessarily cover all of the physical evidence, as outlined further Documentations on the topic.
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You can stream This is the zodiac speaking with a Netflix subscription.
