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Nichols/Chandler was indeed living in California during the years Zodiac was known to be active. Nichols apparently did not assume the Chandler ID until about 1977/78, however and he had left his family and dropped out in 1965. So, timeline certainly could fit Zodiacs known crimes and correspondence.
I have never thought the Unabomber and Zodiac were connected. Two TOTALLY different kinds. Unabomber was politically/ideologically motivated crimes of terror basically, whereas the Zodiac was clearly targeting younger, middle class people for self gratification, and his huge ego forced him to make public announcements via the press. It is my first belief that Zodiac still remains unidentified.
Personally, I think Joseph Newton Chandler (aka Robert Ivan Nichols) should be looked at more as a potential Zodiac suspect.
I don't disagree that I don't buy into the Unabomber/Zodiac theory, either.. But, let's be honest. There *IS* the possibility. We can't say "Nope, couldn't have been him because he wasn't born" or "No, couldn't have been him because he was in jail at the time".. or "No, couldn't have been him because he was in another area".. Things that 100% PREVENT it from being him
We can only say "It doesn't fit the profile".. He did a different style of killing.. Which are.. Honestly, more opinion than anything. Can argue that they're based in science, but.. that's more psychological sciences.. Which are far less scientific of science.
Do I think they were the same person? Absolutely not. but, if you close your mind to a possibility.. That's when you get bit in the ass. So, while I discount it and don't give it much thought. I don't dismiss it entirely.
I don't disagree that I don't buy into the Unabomber/Zodiac theory, either.. But, let's be honest. There *IS* the possibility. We can't say "Nope, couldn't have been him because he wasn't born" or "No, couldn't have been him because he was in jail at the time".. or "No, couldn't have been him because he was in another area".. Things that 100% PREVENT it from being him
We can only say "It doesn't fit the profile".. He did a different style of killing.. Which are.. Honestly, more opinion than anything. Can argue that they're based in science, but.. that's more psychological sciences.. Which are far less scientific of science.
Do I think they were the same person? Absolutely not. but, if you close your mind to a possibility.. That's when you get bit in the ass. So, while I discount it and don't give it much thought. I don't dismiss it entirely.
Of course it could be "possible", though Ted Kaczynski was investigated quite thoroughly by the FBI after his arrest in 1996. There just isn't any evidence to support, or even lay a good hint that he is also the Zodiac killer.
Sorry to say, but its like beating a dead horse 25 years later. Within the realm of theoretical possibility, but highly unlikely. In my firm opinion another man was responsible for the Zodiac killings.
While Kaczynski did live in the Bay area in the mid to later 1960s, FBI and SF police confirmed that he was not in California on the dates each of the five murders occurred (between Dec 1968 and Oct 1969). The fact he was able to construct bombs, communicated with the police/public after crimes i think are just coincidences. A lot of violent criminals can and do just that....its interesting, but just does not hold any real weight.
Last edited by Austin023; 12-21-2021 at 08:31 PM..
Reason: correction
Quite a few already have confessed, because they seek notoriety, or want their families to make a buck off of books and appearances, or are just plain bonkers. I think the only definitive proof would be a DNA match (if any DNA exists from the scenes) or a piece of physical evidence the killer has held onto all these years (like an item from a purse that can be DNA-matched to a victim or a piece of blood-soaked clothing, like Paul Stine’s). A confession would work if it could be linked to some physical evidence, and any worthwhile confession would have to be chock full of detail, although so much has leaked out over the years that it’s doubtful there is much more that the police are still withholding from the public. This is one case I don’t have a lot of hope for.
I don't disagree that I don't buy into the Unabomber/Zodiac theory, either.. But, let's be honest. There *IS* the possibility. We can't say "Nope, couldn't have been him because he wasn't born" or "No, couldn't have been him because he was in jail at the time".. or "No, couldn't have been him because he was in another area".. Things that 100% PREVENT it from being him .
Using these criteria, we can't rule out Julia Childs or Mr Rogers either.
What do you guys think of Robert Ivan Nichols (alias Joseph Newton Chandler)?
I know I brought him up in a previous post, but he does seem to fit the bill well enough to be a Zodiac suspect.
Nichols was born in 1926 (false id he assumed c.1978 had him born 1937), so he was the right age in 1969, which would be 42/43 years old. He was a mid-westerner though once he left his family in 1964, he went west to California, where it was known he was living when the Zodiac murders occurred. At some point after 1974 he left CA and by 1978 had obtained a Social Security number in South Dakota, using a birth certificate of Joseph Chandler, who had died in a car accident back in 1945. He was not related to him.
Last edited by Austin023; 12-29-2021 at 07:16 AM..
Reason: addition and clairification
Zodiac was obviously wicked smart--so probably somebody of importance. That rules out any average John doing menial tasks for a living. It's nearly impossible to outsmart law enforcement. My guess is he had some kind of forensic law enforcement or specialized military background. He was adept at going undetected. He knew how to commit crimes without a trace and was confident enough to advertise his capers in major media outlets. Given the time that has passed, I would give it 0% chance that he will be found.
Last edited by MercedesBoy; 12-29-2021 at 08:45 PM..
I agree Mister Rogers fits the profile of many serial killers. I don't know about Julia Childs Little Too Tall and loud.
Well we know the killer spent time in the kitchen!
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