Even More Mail

28 3 0
                                    

On January 29, 1974, the Chronicle received a letter from the Zodiac describing the movie "The Exorcist" as "the best saterical comidy that I have ever seen."

 It included part of a verse from "The Mikado," a hieroglyph-type drawing, and a threat that the letter had to be published or he would "do something nasty." His signature score changed to "Me-37 SFPD-0."

In May the Chronicle received a letter from a "concerned citizen" complaining about the movie "" and asking the paper to stop advertising it. Although the Zodiac did not identify himself as the author of the letter, some felt similarities of tone and handwriting were unmistakably that of the Zodiac.

On July 8, 1974, a complaint letter regarding conservative Chronicle columnist Marco Spinelli, who used the pen name "Count Marco," was received at the newspaper. The letter ended with:

"Since the Count can write anonymously, so can I -- signed "the Red Phantom(red with rage)."

Some believe the Zodiac sent the letter; others do not. San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) Detective David Toschi sent it to the FBI crime laboratory, which determined that the letters probably were prepared by the writer of the Zodiac letters.

Zodiac killerWhere stories live. Discover now