With what we have so far compiled, we can propose a certain overall profile for The Zodiac Killer. This is a profile based on clues, not on guessing psychological makeup.

 

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    Physical appearance

   For the details and solution, please read Gian J. Quasar’s book HorrorScope.

   Two possibilities for The Zodiac’s look at Lake Berryessa (September 27, 1969). Left, a 1960s track jacket and charcoal pleated baggy pants from the late 1950s, with cuffs. Due to the hood, Bryan Hartnell could not see the collar. Right, a vintage 1960s Derby with shawl collar, elastic waistband and cuffs. Fouke saw the collar of the jacket on the suspect in San Francisco. He said it was the standard fold down collar. Below, a 1960s Derby with fold down collar, dark blue. The Zodiac wore the same type of obsolete pleated pants, but here in San Francisco (October 11, 1969) he wore rust colored ones. Fouke thought they were wool (dress pants). If they weren’t, then they perhaps were cotton “gardening pants.”

This may or may not be the case. But one thing is for certain. The Zodiac was a young man. Three witnesses independently heard his voice and confirm it was a young man’s voice. He was between 20 and 30 years old.

   The Zodiac’s most dramatic ensemble was the executioner’s hood. This was worn only at his attack at Lake Berryessa.  The police sketch shows how heavyset Zodiac was.

When the Zodiac was next seen (San Francisco, Stine Murder, October 11, 1969), he appeared in the above rust brown pants and casual blue Derby. His face and hair were now seen. This gives us, BELOW, the following composite.

   The Zodiac had a crew cut. His hair was light brown to blondish, with a
red or chestnut tint to it.  Don Fouke said he was heavier than the teenagers
had estimated in the first composite, and older too. He walked with a
shuffling lope (he was, however, walking downhill when seen by Fouke).
Fouke would later say that The Zodiac had a “widow’s peak.”

     If he is correct, this feature is a genetic feature that is often associated with widely spaced eyes. I loath to link to Wikipedia, but the pictures may at least help the reader to visualize it. The widow’s peak does not appear on the first composite.

     The widow’s peak could have been a hairpiece. We cannot discount that. The Zodiac went to great lengths to make that hood and wear it at Lake Berryessa. Anybody who would go to that level of theatricality for his own amusement is capable of preplanning a disguise that would consist of makeup and a hairpiece, especially since he was planning on killing in a crowded area like San Francisco. But all the composites show widely spaced eyes. This is not a feature The Zodiac could adjust. Also, it seems indisputable The Zodiac had a thin nose. A thin nose might be disguised by a prosthetic, but a thick nose cannot be disguised as a thin nose.

     We must also add into the equation that at San Francisco Zodiac still wore essentially the same outfit he had worn at Lake Berryessa. Since he retained his outmoded fashion, he may not have bothered to adjust his facial appearance. After the composite came out, he never struck again.

     Voice and Words

     Letters

   Eaton also made Zodiac-themed stationary. It was available is varying colors and textures. Each month and therewith each sign was available. The Zodiacal sign was on the left upper corner of the stationary. If Zodiac used this stationary, one explanation for why his letter paper seemed cut irregularly at times may be that he needed to excise the Zodiacal symbol to prevent the paper from being traced. It also might have identified his birth month. He used plain common white envelopes. The Zodiac-themed stationary came with envelopes upon which was pasted (on the inside) the symbol of that particular sign. It was impossible to remove.          

   If Zodiac was inspired by this stationary to come up with his name and game of Murder and Seek, this would explain why he trimmed his writing paper (to remove the sign) and why he had to use separate envelopes.

     Zodiac appears to have started his crime spree out of nowhere, had no previous record, stopped it suddenly, and never had a record thereafter.