This class will provide a deep dive into a case that continues to capture the public's attention fifty years after the notorious Zodiac ended his reign of terror in the San Francisco Bay area.  As with all of my unsolved crimes classes, this class will include lecture and extensive discussion, with ample opportunities for students to do their own research on various topics of their choice.

In the first week, we will cover the first three crimes of the Zodiac.  We will explore the backgrounds of the victims, seek clues about their connection to the concept of the "zodiac," and attempt a bit of profiling based on the commonalities of these events.

In the second week, we will examine the October 11, 1969 murder of Paul Stine, with extensive analysis of police actions, witness accounts, and reasons to believe that Stine may not have been a random target.  We will also review the first letters from the Zodiac, with an eye to questions of the motive behind the writings.

The third week will be devoted to the non-canon victim list, with a discussion about the possibility that the "Zodiac" crimes were only one chapter in the person's overall criminal history.

The fourth and fifth weeks will be devoted to the writings, including writings which have been questioned as authentic Zodiac products.  

The sixth week will focus on the evidence that the Zodiac was not one but multiple people.  We will consider whether this would likely include a group of equals, or a leader and multiple followers.  We will also explore the concept of coincidence in unsolved crime analysis.  Students will be faced with facts that will suggest a connection between three suspects and the actions of the Zodiac.  Parsing out the difference between coincidence and connection will be a pivotal action in selecting a suspect, or in concluding that perhaps all of these individuals were involved.

The seventh through tenth weeks will be devoted to the suspects, including:
Arthur Leigh Allen
Richard Gaikowski
Rick Marshall
Larry Kane
Ted Kaczynski
Donald Lee Bujok
Gareth Penn

Students will be given lists of optional research opportunities, including websites, books, and online videos, all of which I have reviewed for content and appropriateness.