What We Know: A Physical Description Of The Zodiac Killer 

The Zodiac Killer Case Remains Unsolved After 50+ Years 

It’s been more than 50 years since the Zodiac Killer began his spree of horrific crimes in Northern California. Starting in the late 60s, the Zodiac took the lives of innocents while taunting the public through his letters and ciphers. How much longer will this case remain unsolved? Is there a chance that we’ll finally solve the final mysteries surrounding the man who called himself the Zodiac? 

What Do We Know About The Zodiac Killer? 

If solving this decades-old serial killer case is possible, considering the facts that are currently known is important. What is known about the Zodiac Killer? 

What Did He Look Like? 

There are only 7 officially recognized victims of the Zodiac Killer. Of the Zodiac Killer’s known victims, only two survived. Witnesses were present for only one of these crimes. However, based on witness accounts, clues left behind at some of the crime scenes, and the testimony of some of the victims, we have a general idea of the Zodiac’s physical appearance. 

According to Mike Mageau, who survived an attack by the Zodiac in 1969, the man who attacked him and Darlene Ferrin was a white man. His height was somewhere between 5’8″ to 5’9″ and he appeared to be in his late 20s to early 30s. He had a stocky build, round face, and brown hair. 

The scene where Cecelia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell were attacked revealed footprints that allowed police to extrapolate a shoe size – size 10 ½ – and an approximate weight – 210+ pounds. 

Three witnesses saw a suspicious man cleaning Paul Stine’s cab after his gruesome murder. They described him as a white male approximately 25 to 30 years old. He was about 5’8″ to 5’9″ with a stocky build. His reddish-brown hair was worn in a crew cut style and he wore heavy-rimmed glasses and dark clothing. 

Two patrol officers also witnessed a man near the scene of Paul Stine’s murder, but due to a police dispatcher mistakenly describing the suspect as a black male adult, they failed to stop and question him. The patrol officers described the man they saw similarly to how the witnesses described the suspect. He was a white male aged 35 to 45 years old, 5’10” tall, and somewhere between 180 and 200 pounds. The patrol officers also described him as barrel-chested, wearing glasses, and with light-colored, crewcut hair. 

The slight differences between the account f the witnesses and the patrol officers could easily be the result of the distance at which they saw this man. The patrol officers likely got a better look at him, while the witnesses watched him from a distance of approximately 60 feet. 

All of these accounts reveal similar enough information to put together a general description of the man we only know as the Zodiac: a white male of about average height and perhaps a little above average weight. He had a large build, wore glasses, and kept his hair short. 

Want To Learn More About The Zodiac Killer? 

Are you ready to learn more about the Zodiac Killer case? If so, consider Tom Voigt’s Zodiac Killer: Just the Facts – a facts-only account of the Zodiac Killer case featuring 200 pages of Zodiac Killer related police reports and an easily searchable index. Want to talk more with people who share an interest in studying the Zodiac Killer case? Then join the Zodiackiller.com official discord channel

Information Gathered From the #1 Zodiac Killer Website 

Tom Voigt is responsible for the creation, curation, and editing of the #1 Zodiac Killer website, Zodiackiller.com. Launched in 1998, Zodiackiller.com remains the ONLY Zodiac Killer website recognized by law enforcement. To learn more about the release of Zodiac Killer: Just the Facts, as well as other information about the Zodiac Killer case, visit Zodiackiller.com today.