When a spate of chilling murders occurred across Northern California in the late ’60s, the suspect was named the Zodiac Killer. Arthur Leigh Allen was strongly thought to have been responsible, as Netflix takes a fresh look at the case.
The Netflix three-part true crime docuseries This Is the Zodiac Speaking, suggests it has fresh evidence in the case of the Zodiac Killer. Arthur Leigh Allen was the only officially named suspect thought to be behind the five confirmed murders carried out by the infamous killer (although the Zodiac claimed to have taken 37 lives,) but there was never enough evidence to charge him. The Seawater family take the main focus of the documentary, who say Allen was a key figure in their lives at the time of the murders, caring for the family’s children and taking them on trips.
Now adults, the Seawater children share information they say they’ve previously not revealed about Allen, shedding new light on the case. Netflix is famed for gripping true crime documentaries and dramas, with those tuning into Woman of The Hour wanting to know where Rodney Alcala is now, and asking if the Lyle and Erik Menendez Story is based on a true story. As this latest true crime docuseries lands, viewers are sure to ask exactly who was Arthur Leigh Allen, and where is he now?
Who was Arthur Leigh Allen?
Arthur Leigh Allen was a former elementary school teacher and convicted sex offender - he was dismissed from his teaching position in 1968 following allegations of sexual misconduct with pupils. He’s then said to have developed a drinking problem and taken a job at a petrol station, before losing his job once again for allegedly showing inappropriate interest in young children.
According to Zodiac Killer, a website dedicated wholly to Allen and theories surrounding him being the killer, Allen later attended Sonoma State College to study biological sciences and chemistry, before gaining a job at an oil refinery. This position came to an end when he was charged with child molestation in 1974, serving a prison sentence until 1977.
Circumstantial evidence led law enforcement to believe he could be the Zodiac Killer, as he lived close to some of the murder sites, or they were places he was known to frequent. One of the surviving victims even identified Allen in a line up as the attacker, yet there was still insufficient evidence to charge him and he remained free.
Where is Arthur Leigh Allen now?
Arthur Leigh Allen died in 1992 at age 58 after suffering from ill health. The Seawater family at the centre of This is The Zodiac Speaking, first began to believe they had evidence linking Allen to the Zodiac murders when they watched David Fincher’s 2007 film about the case, Zodiac. As the movie filmed at the real murder sites, the family realised Allen had taken them exactly the same places.
According to Variety, the family then discovered a series of letter Allen had written to their mother, that are "the most incriminating letters in the world." Phil Lott, director of This is The Zodiac Speaking, said, "A lot of this material is brand new. It hasn’t been seen before because when [Allen] died, there was no more investigation from a law enforcement perspective. So there’s no one really to send it to. So we got to look all those letters and read the crazy, very incriminating material."
What did the Zodiac Killer do?
The official Zodiac Killer murder spree took place between 1968 and 1969. However, he claimed it went on for much longer, suggesting he continued killing throughout the 1970s. On record, there are four confirmed attacks, with five victims dead and two survivors.
On December 20, 1968, David Faraday, 17, and girlfriend Betty Lou Jensen, 16, were shot and killed by the Zodiac Killer. He struck again on July 4, 1969 - Darlene Ferrin, 22, and her friend Michael Mageau, 19, were parked in a secluded spot when a car pulled up beside them and fired shots through the passenger window. Darlene died, and Michael survived.
On September 27, 1969, Cecelia Shepard, 22, and Bryan Hartnell, 20, were picnicking together. A man ran at them from nearby bushes wearing a hooded costume bearing the Zodiac's symbol, and stabbed them repeatedly. Cecelia died and Bryan survived.
The killer's official final victim was murdered on October 11, 1969. Paul Stine, 29, was working a late shift as a taxi driver. His taxi was was hailed by the Zodiac who shot him to death and later mailed a piece of his shirt to a local newspaper along with a letter taking credit for the murder.
The Zodiac sent 22 taunting letters to local newsrooms throughout this time, containing threats to carry out more killings if his letters weren't published. He also sent cryptograms and other coded messages, suggesting his identity would be revealed if the codes were cracked. Some of them have been deciphered and others remain a mystery - the cracked codes still didn't reveal who he was. The letters always began with "This is the Zodiac speaking", which acts as the inspiration for the Netflix documentary. The case remains open and unsolved.
