The Zoo Coffee Shop 1963

Around the the 7th of April 1962 in Oceanside, California, a telephone call was made to Police, a man on the line said "I'm going to pull something here in Oceanside and you will never be able to figure it out". The Police did'nt take much notice of the caller until the 9th of April when another call was made, this time the man said " I killed the cab driver and I am going to get me a bus driver next".

This was probably the first two Zodiac calls to Law Enforcement, the Golden State Killer is known for his taunting of victims, phone calls made before and after his crimes sometimes calling the victim years later even though they had moved residence. Zodiac taunts the Police and Journalist's through phone calls and letters with the famous codes.

I also find it interesting that Jospeh James DeAngelo enrolled at Sacramento University in 1971 getting his Degree in Criminal Justice in 1973 becoming a Police Officer in May the same year. During the years of 1964 to Sept 1968 Joseph J DeAngelo was deployed to Vietnam on the USS Canberra after his Naval Training in San Diego. Zodiac would appear in December 1968 when he attacked Betty Lou Jenson and David Faraday.

I don't have the actual date in for this next murder which took place near Fleishhacker Zoo, San Francisco, California sometime in 1963 at the Zoo Coffee Shop. The Owner Arthur L Alford, 41 years of age, former Bus Driver was shot 3 times when thieves broke into his shop. They believe Arthur caught the thief opening a pinball machine and got two shots of his gun off before being shot himself. Arthur was well known in the Ocean Beach area where he had operated Dick's Coffee Shop. He was shot by 38 Calibre Revolver. See newspaper clip below.

Is it possible that this could be the Bus Driver that the Zodiac mentioned in his call to Police on 9th April 1962. It would show premeditation on the killers part. The Zodiac/Golden State Killer both stalk their victims and it would make sense if he was living in the area at the time, he could have frequented one of the coffee shops, or took a ride on one of his buses. How did he learn that he was a former bus driver? the only answer I find is that Arthur probably knew his killer.

Throughout the Golden State Killer's crimes there have been several where he may have had help, especially when commiting rape & burglary as the East Area Rapist, a second man is sometimes mentioned by victims. It is possible he had someone close to him who could have been there for some of these crimes.