A chilling new theory has reignited one of America’s most infamous cold cases. Federal authorities have confirmed they are reviewing material linked to a newly named suspect in the Zodiac Killer investigation, more than five decades after the murders shocked California.
The Zodiac Killer case remains one of the darkest chapters in US criminal history. Now, a fresh investigation claims it may finally have a name — and the FBI is taking a closer look.
FBI reviewing new Zodiac Killer suspect
An independent investigation has put forward evidence suggesting a single man could be responsible for both the Zodiac murders and the killing of Elizabeth Short, famously known as the Black Dahlia.
The claims are currently under review by the FBI, marking a rare and significant development in a case that has remained officially unsolved since the late 1960s.
While no charges have been filed, the review alone has reignited global interest in the mystery.
A case that haunted California
The Zodiac Killer terrorized Northern California between 1968 and 1969, targeting young couples in remote locations around the San Francisco Bay Area.
After the attacks, the killer sent taunting letters and cryptograms to local newspapers, mocking police and threatening further violence. At least seven victims were confirmed, with two survivors. The killer also claimed responsibility for dozens more murders, though those claims were never verified.
Despite massive public attention and countless investigations, law enforcement never identified the perpetrator.
Linking the Zodiac Killer and the Black Dahlia
The latest theory goes further than most. Investigator Alex Baber believes the Zodiac murders and the 1947 Black Dahlia killing are connected — and that both crimes were committed by the same man.
According to Baber, the suspect had known Elizabeth Short before her death and was living in California during key periods linked to both cases.
Short’s mutilated body was discovered in a Los Angeles park in January 1947, in a crime that became one of the most infamous unsolved murders in US history.
Evidence under FBI review
Baber’s case relies on a combination of circumstantial and physical evidence.
Among the most striking claims is a weapon allegedly brought home by the suspect after serving overseas during World War II, which Baber believes could match injuries seen in Zodiac attacks.
He also points to the suspect’s presence in the right locations at the right times, along with a series of handwritten materials that he claims resemble Zodiac correspondence.
One drawing, created decades after the crimes, is described as a possible deathbed confession. Baber argues that details in the image align with injuries suffered by Elizabeth Short — information that was not publicly available at the time.
After digital enhancement, Baber claims the word “Zodiac” can be detected beneath the ink.
“It’s not coincidence,” Baber has said. “Either this man was extraordinarily unlucky, or he was responsible.”
Family firmly rejects the accusations
The suspect’s family has strongly denied the allegations.
His son has publicly dismissed the theory as speculative and deeply flawed, stating he does not believe his father committed either crime.
While expressing sympathy for the victims’ families, he insisted there is no credible evidence linking his father to the killings.
Other Zodiac Killer suspects over the years
The Zodiac case has generated countless suspects since the 1970s.
A former Navy veteran has long been considered a leading suspect by some investigators, while another man was named by a private cold-case group in 2021.
None of those individuals were ever charged, and authorities have repeatedly stated that no suspect has been definitively proven to be the Zodiac Killer.
Why this review matters
Cold cases are rarely reopened at the federal level without cause. While an FBI review does not confirm guilt, it signals that the evidence presented is being taken seriously.
For the families of the victims, it represents a rare flicker of hope — and a reminder that even decades later, the search for truth continues.
For now, the Zodiac Killer remains unidentified. But this latest development ensures that one of America’s most haunting mysteries is far from forgotten.
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