The Zodiac Killer: Arthur Leigh Allen. Has been considered one of the most notorious serial killers of all time. While just stating the name “Zodiac Killer”; will give many nightmares. Now I have actually met him. While in High School I went looking for him. And YES I found him. Now jump 18 years, and I found him, again. Or maybe he found me. After hearing about how much he actually knew about me. I realized how very foolish I was to go looking for him. Because that gave him access to ME. So sit back, get comfortable, keep your lights on and hear my story. Drink a glass of wine to calm your nerves!
**Just a little tidbit about myself. As a small child, I grew up watching all the scary movies and shows. From before school age. Thus becoming known as a daredevil. Of course, I would take many dares. One was to sleep overnight in a graveyard. Surprising the brother and sister that dared me. Both figured I would just go home rather than stay. Ha Ha, I certainly fooled them. However, they would have been totally shocked; by what I did as a teenager. I tried to find a Serial Killer and make him stop killing. I wanted to know just who the Zodiac Killer really was!**
The Zodiac Killer: Arthur Leigh Allen: The Killings
The night was cold and just before Christmas in the year 1968. There were two young teenagers, on their very first date. While never realizing it would be the last night of their lives. Now David Faraday had just asked out Betty Lou Jensen that very afternoon. When they drove out to a popular make-out area, they were unaware that a killer was stalking them. **He was soon to be known as the Zodiac Serial Killer**. A self-proclaimed name that was taken off his watchmaker. As it was they pulled over on Lake Herman Road. This was a secluded road on the edge of the town of Vallejo, California.
Part of the road is also in the next town over, Benicia, California. It was in this area that the teenagers were murdered. Since the shots were quick and unexpected, forced them out of the car. As it was David was the first killed. This gave Betty Lou a chance to try to run for safety. She didn’t get far.
My Fascination With The Area
As it turned out the next victims were killed very close to the Vallejo entrance of Lake Herman Road. This was called Blue Rock Springs. While famous for its golf course, Blue Rock Springs was also a large park. Where families would bring their children for picnics during the day and play. But at night it was a totally different place. It was dark and secluded. Certainly one of the scariest places I have ever been at night. This was mainly due to the peacocks.
During the day their calls were like children’s screams of joy. But after dark, when you were alone. Now, these sounds became the screams of terror and death. Much like the screams uttered that fatal night from the Zodiac’s next victims. It was in this setting that the next two victims were attacked. After being chased through town by what the victims thought was the woman’s husband. Once they thought they had lost their follower. They pulled into the parking area of the park and breathed a sigh of relief. But they were soon surprised. They were shot while still inside the running automobile.
The Zodiac Killer
Now Arthur Leigh Allen was a different sort of individual. There was this need inside of him to observe death. On our second meeting, he would tell me about this need. While living with his mother; he would take small animals down into their basement. This was all done in secret. Since he was torturing and killing them. Oddly, it never seemed to bother him if he was bitten or scratched while choking the life out of them.
Now you might be asking yourself; how did I meet the Zodiac? While the killings in Vallejo had taken place in 1968, and 1969. I was only 13 and 14 years old at the time. But just over two years later, I was driving. Having grown up a (What my friends would call “Wild Thing”). I wanted to know just who this killer was. Clearly, I was not thinking straight, if I was even thinking at all. But my teenage mind told me that he killed couples. Therefore I was safe. Usually, around 11 pm on weekends, I would drive out to Blue Rock Springs and sit on the swings. I was waiting for him to show up, maybe stop him from killing again that time. But that is how I know so much about the sounds in that park late at night.
The Zodiac Killer Arthur Leigh Allen: Our First Meeting
Now Lake Herman Road was a narrow and winding two-lane country road. When I was a teenager; it was thrilling to drive this road at night without using your headlights. Daredevil that I was, that was a challenge. So one night with a full moon. I had asked my friend Debbie to take a ride with me. Here I have to mention; that just as you turn onto Lake Herman from Columbus Parkway. There is an area that was called “Gravity Hill”. When you stopped on gravity hill; you were nose down-pointing downhill. But, if you put your car in neutral and let off the brake, your car would roll backward. In other words, uphill.
Foolishness VS Fear
The very first thing I did on that night of the full moon; was show Debbie gravity hill. Now right off the bat, she did not want to continue further. She had asked me ” What happens if we see the Zodiac Serial Killer”? Quickly I told her if she should see anyone on the horizon; just slip down to the floor and no one will know you are here. Well, several times during our drive down Lake Herman without headlights. She asked me to turn them back on; checking on our position. By now she was beginning to relax slightly.
On our way back into Vallejo, on Columbus Parkway. We were driving uphill; when suddenly we could see the top of someone’s head. Right in the middle of the road! Needless to say, Debbie hit the floorboards. As my car came closer, I saw that it was a man on the road. The closer we drew; the more he resembled the picture in the newspaper of the Zodiac Serial Killer. Every aspect was the same, crew-cut military hair cut, dark-rimmed glasses. Even the shape of his head and ears matched.
I Should Know Better:
We looked at each other as I drove by. Something I was to learn later; that drew me into his interest. During this time; I was driving my 1972 orange Datsun 1200 with a manual transmission. Along with a license plate that read JUNE 17. Sometime later Debbie and I were again riding in my car; when another car started following us. I had become accustomed to outmaneuvering other drivers as I liked to drive fast and would fit into smaller spaces between cars. Therefore I tried to outrun this car. However, I was not able to shake him. So we drove to Blue Rock Springs and got out to mingle with the crowd at the park. It was still daylight then.
While sitting on the swings we watched the car drive by four times. Slowing to look each pass through the park. On the fourth drive by, he was headed in the opposite direction that we wanted to go. So we bolted to my car and sped off into the safety of Springs Road. Our town’s “Cruise” area. Once there we told some friends what had happened and then notified the police.
Of course, being a teenager. I never gave it a second thought and I continued to drive to Blue Rock Springs, at night, alone. Just to sit on the swings, listen to the peacock’s scream, and wait. Needless to say, I never saw him again. Until almost twenty years later.
Round Two With The Zodiac Killer Arthur Leigh Allen
Here I was twenty years later. There were no more killings. Nobody had a clue or proof of the identity of the Zodiac Serial Killer. At least that is what I thought. Because just after my first child was born; we moved to Napa in 1977. Although during all those years the San Francisco detective and some of the Vallejo police were still trying to find out his identity. That is not to say they did not have their suspicions. Certainly, Mr. Arthur Leigh Allen was the prime suspect. I was just starting a new job as an RN in a dialysis clinic in Vallejo. Once I was introduced to the staff on my first day. A very bubbly dialysis technician came up to me and told me that one of our patients was the Zodiac Serial Killer. However, I did not really believe her.
Coming Face To Face
Once I was properly introduced to the staff. I was now to meet the doctors in charge of the clinic. As it turned out; one of the nephrologists, was a man that I had gone to High School with. He had heard me laughing in the next room and immediately recognized to whom it belonged. Moreover, I remembered him playing basketball. So he was giving me the rundown on the facility; when he asked if I knew that the Zodiac Serial Killer was one of our patients. I affirmed his question and told him I would keep an eye out.
Next, it was time to meet the patients. I started at one end of the room; and started introducing myself to my patients. While I was doing this I noticed one patient staring intently at me. By the time I had reached the patient three chairs before him. Suddenly he turned his head towards me and said “June 17 I could never forget you“. His words stopped me dead in my tracks. Luckily I recovered quickly; and walked on to each patient until I reached his chair. That was when he told me that it had been him in the middle of the road that night. Stated that something had broken on his bicycle, and was going to ask for a ride. But once he saw me he changed his mind, as he figured I would be too nervous to stop.
The Zodiac Killer Arthur Leigh Allen: His Revealing Remarks
From the very first day as his RN. There was a reason I was at this facility. First of all, he needed to talk. Second I was the nosy teenager all over again. Did he do those crimes? Why did he kill? Why those particular individuals? I had questions to ask, and he had the answers. Did I ask those questions? No, I did not. But he talked a lot about things. The way the police hounded him. His love/hate relationship with his mother. There is nothing more to tell. Since I cannot reveal what he said due to patient confidentiality.
What I can say is that he was an odd but interesting person. As a patient, I was not afraid of him. But, given his size and general demeanor. He would have been a very scary individual. The one piece of information that I can share with you; he knew I would sit on the swings at night. But he was not sure of my motive. Therefore he stayed in the shadows and I never knew he was there. However, I did find out that he knew so much more about me. He knew I modeled in San Francisco. Another surprise was he knew all about my interview with “Playboy” Magazine. Stated he kept watching for my layout in the magazine.
Was A Serial Killer Observing My Life?
While I obviously survived knowing Arthur Leigh Allen. It was a very scary revelation to find out just how much he actually knew about my life after that night on Columbus Parkway. With the innocent act of driving past him and looking at him, I invited him into my life without knowing that I did so.
I eventually left that facility. Became the administrator for their San Francisco facility. While I did keep in touch with the first woman that told me about Arthur Leigh Allen. When he passed away she informed me that he had left a videotape addressed to the Vallejo Police Department. To this day, no one has released the information contained in that video. What is on that video that no one wants the public to know about?
There Have Been Many Books Written About Serial Killers! As Well As Movies Made, Yet The Books Remain The Number One Resource! GO HERE, And See Why.
“Here Are Some Other Stories I Have Written Please Feel Free To Read Them All”
Cinderella Finally Makes The Ball
More Ways To Incorporate Wine Into Your Life
That First Injection: Do Not Instill Fear
Response Magic