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Rigorously applying the principle of Occam’s Razor on the Celebrity Cipher, it masks the poem:
DIRGE SETUP RED
EXPERIENCE RIPENED,
I OPT
FOR PLEA /
AS DEAD
EX
DIRGE SETUP RED |
As outlined in the Z 63 Cipher Analysis page, there are some minor variation possibilities in the area of “/ AS” and “EX”. While we acknowledge these possibilities, we strictly followed the direct and most obvious solution path.
While some Zodiac researchers believe that the Celebrity Cipher card has been a hoax, we believe otherwise for the following reasons:
| 1. |
The cipher symbols very much resemble the cipher symbols used in the Zodiac Killer’s 340 character cipher
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| 2. |
There are obvious similarities between the Riverside Desktop Poem of 1966 and the Celebrity Cipher card of 1990. Both poems are morbid and mention the color red. There have been a number of references to poetry in other Zodiac communications
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| 3. |
The card coincides with the 20 years anniversary of the abduction and presumed following murder of possible Zodiac Killer victim Donna Ann Lass at South Lake Tahoe in September 1970. Unlike other Zodiac researchers, we do not believe that the Celebrity Cipher refers to Lake Berryessa anniversary of September 21, 1969
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| 4. |
The similarities of the dates of the “Peek Through The Pines” card postmarked about six months after the disappearance of Donna Lass and the Celebrity Cipher card are striking
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| 5. |
The poem appears to relate strongly to Bob Dylan's song “Dirge” from the “Planet Waves” album. We will elaborate on this great find of Zodiac researcher Clinton Muehlenbrock soon
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| 6. |
The way the Celebrity Cipher has been coded reminds us immensely of other ciphers of the Zodiac Killer. Also, the Celebrity Cipher very much appears to be a simple substitution cipher manually enhanced to homophonic substitution
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| 7. |
There has been another presumed Zodiac Killer communication in 1990. In December, a Christmas card had been sent to San Francisco Chronicle
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| 8. |
For the Celebrity Cipher to be a hoax, a possible hoaxster would have needed a 20 years memory of the Zodiac Killer case chronology, a profound knowledge of the Zodiac Killer’s encryption techniques, and the same perfidious sarcasm. Furthermore, why would a hoaxster take the effort of making such hoax after 20 years had passed? While this is of course possible, we don’t consider this possibility as very likely |
So, if we are right with the above conclusions, what does it mean?
Primarily, it would mean that the Zodiac Killer was either living, traveling or even operating in the area in the year 1990 and possibly beyond. In that case, we could put theories that the Zodiac Killer committed suicide or died through accident or illness in the 1970’s to rest. If the Zodiac Killer had been incarcerated in the meantime, it would mean that he was free again in the second half of the year 1990.
If indeed both, the “Peek Through the Pines” and Celebrity Cipher card, were authored by the Zodiac Killer, and Donna Lass indeed had been a Zodiac Killer abduction and homicide victim, the postmark dates of both cards would suggest that Donna Lass was possibly still alive until at least September 20, 1970. This then again would mean that the Zodiac Killer significantly changed his modus operandi, with the possibility of linking him to a number of similar crimes in that period.
We do not claim to be right with our conclusions and, admittedly, the last deductions are quite speculative. No matter if you agree or disagree with us, we hope that they provide food for new thought on the Zodiac Killer case.
If you have any information, knowledge, comments and suggestions on the Celebrity Cipher, we would be happy if you share them with us via the Contact Us form.
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