The San Diego Honeymoon Murders

The killer had been hiding next to a concrete projection from a sea wall above the patio where the couple was standing. There was enough light for the killer to see his intended victims. Joyce was shot first with two rounds. She fell paralyzed. Johnny bent over his fallen wife and was struck by two bullets, one into the top of his head. According to the police report the killer then approached the couple and "shot them at close range." Johnny was shot in the left ear (like Zodiac victims David Faraday (12/20/68) and Paul Stine (10/11/69).) Joyce was shot in the back of the head. A total of six bullets hit the victims out of seven or eight shots fired. The San Diego Police Department's report ends with this statement: "It is also possible that it was an entirely motiveless murder with robbery either a secondary motive, an afterthought or an attempt to confuse investigating officers."

In a paste-up message sent by Zodiac to the Sacramento Bee newspaper on 12/10/69 (published for the first time ever in The Zodiac / Manson Connection book) he speaks of "flight 555." A reporter found out that there was a regularly scheduled United Airlines flight 555 to San Diego that left at 7:30 P.M. Was Zodiac, in 1969, making insinuations to this 1964 murder? The basic Zodiac elements present in this unsolved case are enough to at least suspect that the younger, future Zodiac was involved. In 1969 San Diego Chief of Police O. J. Roed thought so when he sent the Seaside Honeymoon Slayings report (see below) to Vallejo detective Sgt. Les Lundblad (who was investigating the 12/20/68 Zodiac case) hoping the cases could be connected.

"There are a hell of a lot more down there."

Zodiac's 3/13/71 letter to the Los Angeles Times.

Back         Contents         Top of page

\

The Water Connection

Water held a very important place in the symbolic teachings of Celtic / Druid lore. Charles Manson studied these subjects and in at least one taped interview affirmed Druidism. Manson instructed the Family that, whenever possible, they were to conduct their "activities" near water or it's symbolic representation. As Manson went so went Bruce Davis - both believed alike.

Cheri Jo Bates was killed at Riverside City College in Riverside, California. The killer's car was parked on Riverside Drive. In a typed letter the killer indicated that Bates was not the first.

Go back to 1963 and a couple was killed in Santa Barbara near water. This case is unsolved. In 1964 the unsolved Seaside Honeymoon Murders in San Diego were committed right next to the ocean. In Zodiac's 1968 attack, the couple was murdered on Lake Herman Road, very near the lake itself. In 1969 Zodiac attacked a couple at Blue Rock Springs. He may have left the area using Lake Herman Rd. The killer made his phone call from the intersection of Tuolumne and Springs Road. In September of that year he attacked another couple at Lake Berryessa and made a phone call from near the Napa Car Wash. Came October and Zodiac murdered a cab driver in San Francisco on Washington St. very near to a fire hydrant. At least one suspected Zodiac killing took place in Lake County. Donna Lass (a possible Zodiac victim) was murdered near Lake Tahoe.

On at least one occasion the killer appeared in Navy-like clothing. Zodiac was also interested in astrology and when the attack dates and times are astrologically charted the three water signs and their associated planets figure prominently.

Back