Leona Larell Roberts December 1969

The following is a summary of the abduction and murder of Leona Larell Roberts by Steph54 on Websleuths:

On Wednesday, 10 December 1969, 16-year-old Leona Larell Roberts worked her first day at a part-time job at the White Front Discount Store in Pleasant Hill. After her 1-5 p.m. shift, she drove to her boyfriend's apartment (749 Tormey Ave, Rodeo) where she planned to cook him dinner. At the time, Leona attended K's American Beauty College in Napa, where she also lived with her mother. Within 15 minutes of arriving at her boyfriend's apartment, a neighbor heard a girl scream. The neighbor called the sheriff and soon after heard someone running down the stairs at the back of the apartment house followed by the slam of a door from the direction of the downstairs apartment where Leona's boyfriend lived.

When the boyfriend arrived, he saw Leona's red VW out front but did not find her inside the apartment. The apartment was dark and the back door was unlocked. He noticed scuff marks on the wall near the back door. He found that a pair of his pants had been removed from the bedroom closet and left on the living room couch, the belt missing. He noticed Leona's work smock crumpled on the couch. A sheriff's deputy arrived 30 minutes after the call. Another neighbor told the deputy of seeing a white male, about 25 years old, short blonde hair, acting suspicious. He walked several times from the front door to the rear of a blue station wagon before driving away.

On the 28th of December 1969, a man searching for driftwood on the beach at Bolinas Lagoon in Marin County found the nude body of Leona Roberts. It was later determined that a unique wristwatch was missing from the girl's wrist, but a Napa High School class ring given to her by a neighbour still remained on her finger. The tan dress she wore when last seen, along with two pairs of bell-bottomed pants, a blouse, a black purse and wallet, a key chain with car and house keys were also reported missing.

There were marks on the wrists and ankles indicative of binding, but the coroner was unsure whether they occurred before or after death. The cause of death was reported as "due to viral infection of an unidentified species." It was also reported that there was "evidence of choking which could probably be linked to the virus." The coroner estimated that she had been dead 4-7 days(December 21-24)prior to recovery, and he theorized that she had been alive 10-14 days after her abduction. Articles reported the coroner's theory that Leona had been kept bound for a period of time, died as a result of the viral infection, and was disposed of by her abductor(s). Pathological and toxicological tests did not find any drugs or alcohol in her system.

This case has been attributed to Zodiac which is another reason why I believe the Zodiac to be the Golden State Killer Joseph James DeAngelo. Like Elaine Louise Davis, Leona had been abducted, this time from the home of her boyfriend, a struggle had taken place with a neighbour hearing a scream then a door slamming.

The neighbour described seeing a white male, about 25 years old, short blonde hair, acting suspicious. He walked several times from the front door to the rear of a blue station wagon before driving away. The Description does fit Joseph James DeAngelo, there may just be a picture of JJD with the blue station wagon, see below, JJD with an Owl at Bonnie's Science Department taken circa 1969, is that a blue car in the background?

(credits justwonderinif on reddit Golden State Killer Timeline),

There are several flags here that we see in JJD's behaviour, the house was in darkness when the boyfriend got home and the back door was unlocked, something we have seen JJD do as EAR and ONS.

The boyfriend's pants were lying on the couch, the belt removed as well as two pairs of bell-bottomed pants, a blouse, a black purse and wallet, a key chain with car and house keys were also reported missing. We have seen how JJD often takes items/trophy's etc what is interesting here though is that he took clothes for the victim to change into possibly? why take extra clothing, he must have already planned this attack and had somewhere to hold Leona, the Belt that was removed from the pants was probably used to bind Leona before exiting the apartment.

There were no wounds to Leona's body other than what appeared to be binding marks and the coroner thought she may have been choked but he said Leona's cause of death was due to a Viral Infection. It does not say if Leona has been subjected to any form of sexual assault, if Leona had been held for several days not much can be gathered about what this young girl was subjected to.

It is of note however that the Killer should take a Unique Wristwatch that belonged to Leona, this is the 3rd crime we have seen a watch involved, time does seem to be important to him.

On the 20th of December 1969 Zodiac would send a letter to Melvin Belli asking for help as he is losing control and thinks he may kill again, talking of his 9th and 10th victims.

The Letter above to Melvin Belli is interesting and possibly indicates the cases of Elaine Louise Davis and Leona Larell Roberts. Zodiac indicates his urge to kill is so overpowering that he's going to lose control but what if the letter is really an admission of sorts to the murders of the two young girls.

Zodiac states " I will loose control again and take my nineth and posibly tenth victom. I am drownding," Is this referral to drowning about his 9th and 10th victim, could it be a referral to the 2 young girls he has already killed in Walnut Creek and Marin County who were both found in or near the water.

Why did Zodiac contact Melvin Belli? and why did Zodiac think he could help him? what was the purpose of this letter? The Latter part which talks about the murder of children may link to a future crime which didn't quite go the way Zodiac/GSK intended but we'll get to that later.

Was it Zodiac's intention to use Belli if ever caught, it's a possibility, I think the attraction to both Belli and Bailey was the Vietnam/Military connection. In November 1969 F Lee Bailey was a Supervisory Attorney in the Court Martial against Captain Ernest Medina for the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam which Zodiac/GSK would have had an interest in. Zodiac/GSK was pretty much doing what had been done in Vietnam, the murder/rape/torture of Men, Women and Children.

This is also the first indication that Zodiac/GSK may have held his victims over several days as he did Leona. Where did her take her? did he have an isolated property somewhere? When GSK was committing rape as EAR he would often tell his victims that he had a van or a camp on the American River, was he partly telling the truth, did he have a camp in the woods or a van he parked up in an isolated spot. Only time will tell if Investigators have come across any information relating to these cases.