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Letter From Self-Proclaimed 'Chinese Zodiac Killer' Sent To Upstate New York TV Stations
The Albany New York FBI Office is asking any news outlet who receives a letter from anyone calling themselves the Zodiac, not to open them, in order to preserve forensic evidence.
Letters from someone claiming to be the “Chinese Zodiac Killer” have been sent to several television stations in Albany, New York. The Albany Times Union reports.
The Albany New York FBI Office sent a notice to media outlets in the area on Wednesday night asking them to keep an eye out for further letters. Anyone who receives one is asked not to open it in order to preserve any possible DNA which can be used as evidence.
The contents of the letters have not been disclosed publicly.
Media in Albany has received a letter from someone claiming to be the “Zodiac” before. In 1973, the Times Union received a letter that said in part: "YOU Were WRONG I AM NOT DEAD OR IN THE HOSPITAL I AM ALIVE AND WELL AND IM GOING TO START KILLING AGAIN Below is the NAME AND LOCATION OF MY NEXT VICTIM But you had Better hurry because I'm going to kill her August 10th at 5 P.M. when the shifts change. ALBANY is A nice Town."
While the letter writer threatened violence in Albany, it never happened. All the killings attributed to the serial killer played out in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Zodiac Killer has been linked to five brutal murders between 1968 and 1969 there, though one of the victims did once live in Albany. Darlene Elizabeth Ferrin, 22, who had previously lived in Albany with her husband, was shot to death by the Zodiac in the outskirts of Vallejo in 1969. Mike Magueau, who was 19 during the attack, was also shot but survived.
It’s not the only link between the serial killer. Albany newspaper editor Richard Gaikowski was considered a suspect, according to the Times Union. He died in 2004.
The Zodiac Killer was infamous for taunting the public and the media about his crimes through coded messages and ciphers. Over the years, many armchair detectives have claimed to have solved the case but investigators have never confirmed that any of them were correct.
In a statement, the FBI said: "There is no threat to the community and we will continue to gather and review the facts. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, we will not be providing further comment at this time but encourage anyone with information to call our office at (518) 465-7551."
