Preliminary Report on
Project MK-ZODIAC

* Note: Since the time that this report was prepared at the end of December, 2009, there has been another revelation. Please scroll down this page to read the updates regarding the revelation in 2010 which was posted on the internet by Michael Butterfield on August 15, 2010. *

The Patricia Hautz Mystery

A Theory about a Possible Communication from the Zodiac in 1967

The Press-Enterprise Company

During the 1960´s, the Press-Enterprise Company printed two newspapers for Riverside County.

The evening newspaper was The Press and the morning newspaper was The Enterprise, except on Sunday there was only one newspaper, The Press-Enterprise, which was printed in the morning.

In 1967, the office of the Press-Enterprise Company was located at 3512 14th Street, Riverside, CA 92501 (near Riverside City College).

https://maps.google.com/?q=3512 14th Street, Riverside, CA 92501

Here are three photographs of the building at this address as it appeared circa 2009.

3512 14th Street, Riverside, CA 92501 (circa 2009) (1 of 3)

3512 14th Street, Riverside, CA 92501 (circa 2009) (2 of 3)

3512 14th Street, Riverside, CA 92501 (circa 2009) (3 of 3)

The 1967 Envelope

In 1997, Howard Davis´s book, "The Zodiac / Manson Connection" included a copy of an envelope
that had been mailed to this address.

http://www.thezodiacmansonconnection.com

Press Enter
3512 14th
Riverside

ATTN: Editor

Davis had discovered this envelope while researching the Zodiac case.

In 1970, Paul Avery, a reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle, announced that the Zodiac may have been responsible for the murder of Cheri Jo Bates at Riverside City College on October 30, 1966.

In the book, Davis stated that this envelope had been mailed on April 30, 1967, in addition to three other already known communications which may have been sent from the killer of Bates.

http://www.zodiackiller.com/BatesLetter1.html

http://www.zodiackiller.com/BatesLetter2.html

http://www.zodiackiller.com/BatesLetter3.html

In 2009, Davis explained that the person who provided a copy of the envelope had said that the envelope had been mailed April 30, 1967. (Davis had no reason to question this information at the time.)

The actual postmark on the copy of the envelope appears to be illegible.

Davis noticed that the appearance of the envelope suggested several similarities to other communications which may have been sent from the Zodiac.

For example, "ATTN: Editor" was printed on the front of the envelope which was similar to the use of "ATTN: CRIME" on the envelope mailed in November, 1966, which contained the anonymous confession to the murder of Bates.

http://www.zodiackiller.com/FBIConfession.html

The 1967 Note

There was another important discovery that Davis made.

Davis discovered a note which evidently had been sent to the office of the Press-Enterprise Company on or after November 1, 1967.

Davis obtained a copy of the note from a reporter at the Press-Enterprise Company and gave it to Tom Voigt who posted the image of the note on the website www.zodiackiller.com circa 2000.

http://www.zodiackiller.com/SuspiciousLetter.html

Nov 1,1967

To the Editor,

Your human interest story (Oct 1,1967) about Cheri, the RCC girl
that was killed, was very interesting. Perhaps a story about the boy
that killed her could be more rewarding. If people were to read of
the life of a boy that turned killer, they might stop to think about
the lives of their own children. " Are we laying the blue print for
another killer?" might be one of the questions brought to mind by
such a story.

With hope,
Patricia Hautz
Fellow Student

Voigt and other researchers were suspicious that it may have been a possible communication from the Zodiac.

The tone of this note seemed unusual because the writer focused on the killer instead of the victim.

The website www.zodiologists.com features an analysis of the content of this note.

http://www.zodiologists.com/hautz_letter_introduction.html

For example, the writer referred to "the RCC girl that was killed" and "the boy that killed her" which is somewhat similar to how the Zodiac referred to "the boy" and "the girl" in three communications dated July 31, 1969

http://www.zodiackiller.com/VTHLetter1.html

http://www.zodiackiller.com/ChronicleLetter1.html

http://www.zodiackiller.com/ExaminerLetter1.html

The researchers were not able to find any student at Riverside City College named "Patricia Hautz" circa 1967.

Eventually, they did find someone whose middle name was "Patricia" and last name was "Hautz" who went to a different college at the time. However, according to the researchers who have contacted this person, this individual did not want to be involved and declined to make any comment regarding this mystery.

It may be speculated that even if someone named "Patricia Hautz" existed who was a student at the time, it does not preclude the possibility that the Zodiac used someone else´s name as a trick.

The website www.zodiackillertruth.com features a brief account about the search to verify the existence of Patricia Hautz.

http://www.zodiackillertruth.com/hautz.htm

On January 1, 2001, Davis mentioned that the word "patrician" means "a nobleman, one of the senators of Rome, an aristocrat".

On January 2, 2001, a researcher with the online username of Lapumo noticed that the word "haut" is a German word meaning "skin".

http://www.zodiackiller.com/mba/cjb/62.html

This may be another example of the Zodiac´s hidden word game in which the Zodiac used obscure words in foreign languages.

Also, researchers have noticed that the letters in "THE ZODIAC" may be derived from the letters in "PATRICIA HAUTZ FELLOW STUDENT".

The Revelation in 2009

On January 29, 2009, Voigt posted the image of the 1967 envelope on the website www.zodiackiller.com with the three communications mailed April 30, 1967.

http://www.zodiackiller.com/BatesLetter4.html

The addition of the new envelope raised questions because it had been thought that the Zodiac had mailed three communications dated July 31, 1969, to repeat the pattern of the three communications mailed April 30, 1967. A fourth envelope mailed April 30, 1967, was not consistent with this theory.

In 2009, the amateur detective operating on behalf of Project MK-ZODIAC was investigating the possibility that the envelope and the note were connected to each other.

Unexpectedly, it happened that, on December 27, 2009, internet sleuths working together separately from Project MK-ZODIAC made the same discovery.

These researchers, known by their online usernames as morf13, Theforeigner, akwilks, Bently, Zsearcher, glurk, Menecrates, smithy, Gavrilo Princip, and others, deduced together that it was possible that the envelope could have contained the note.

What these researchers did not know is that there is another important clue which was not common knowledge until this report of Project MK-ZODIAC at the end of 2009 (which you are reading now).

The researchers (like many others) assumed that the article was printed in the October 1, 1967, edition of The Press-Enterprise, as specifically stated in the note.

The amateur detective operating on behalf of Project MK-ZODIAC has verified that the article was actually printed in the October 30, 1967, edition of The Press which was the one-year anniversary of the death of Bates.

The note is dated November 1, 1967, which suggests that the note was typed soon after the article was printed.

There is evidence that the Zodiac mailed certain communications promptly.

Also, the wrong date of the article may be significant.

It is an oddity that the writer would have gotten the date of the article wrong.

If the writer typed the note on November 1, 1967, it may be questionable if it would have been likely for the writer to have been confused about whether the date of the article was "October 1, 1967" or "October 30, 1967".

It may be possible that the Zodiac used the wrong date for a reason.

Was it another one of the Zodiac´s clues?

The reason for the wrong date is open to speculation.

* * *

Additional Notes

The word "haut" is a word with several different meanings in French and German.

http://translate.google.com/?hl=en#auto|en|haut

http://translate.google.com/?hl=en#de|en|haut

* * *

In addition to "THE ZODIAC", the letters in "PATRICIA HAUTZ FELLOW STUDENT" may be used to form other words.

There was an alleged communication from the Zodiac sent February 14, 1974, which was from "a friend".

http://www.zodiackiller.com/SLALetter.html

The letters in "A FRIEND" may be derived from the letters in "PATRICIA HAUTZ FELLOW STUDENT".

There was another alleged communication from the Zodiac sent May 8, 1974, which was from "A citizen".

http://www.zodiackiller.com/CitizenCard1.html

The letters in "A CITIZEN" may be derived from the letters in "PATRICIA HAUTZ FELLOW STUDENT".

* * *

* Update - August 15, 2010 *

The Revelation in 2010

On August 15, 2010, Michael Butterfield of www.zodiackillerfacts.com posted a possible solution to the Patricia Hautz mystery.

Here is a link to Butterfield´s blog which explains the information:

http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/blog/archives/riverside-and-the-murder-of-cheri-jo-bates

According to Butterfield, Patricia Hautz is the author of both the 1967 envelope and the 1967 note.

This possible solution to the Patricia Hautz mystery would not have happened if the other researchers had not been involved and asked questions, so it is understandable that everyone deserves credit for their role in this process.

Project MK-ZODIAC respects the work of these researchers who are investigating the Zodiac case.

This is an example of how researchers are able to find answers to questions which have been lingering for over 40 years.

Project MK-ZODIAC considers Butterfield´s additional revelation to be a possible solution to the Patricia Hautz mystery.

However, as acknowledged by Butterfield, there will still be other theories.

It is possible that some researchers may not be convinced that Butterfield contacted the individual who was known as "Patricia Hautz" in 1967.

There may not be any way to prove to everyone´s satisfaction that the person who communicated with Butterfield is not someone else pretending to be Hautz.

Some researchers may find it odd that, until now, Hautz declined to make any previous comment to any other researcher regarding the Patricia Hautz mystery.

It is a fact that as of August 15, 2010, the Riverside Police Department has never announced any solution to the Patricia Hautz mystery.

If the police had discredited the idea that the Zodiac had written the 1967 envelope and the 1967 note, then researchers may have been less likely to continue to investigate the issue and Hautz could have avoided further publicity.

Project MK-ZODIAC would like to present another idea which may be considered as an alternate theory.

Butterfield does not clarify whether or not Hautz specifically claims to remember writing either the envelope or the note in 1967.

Also, there is no explanation for the specific reason that Hautz would have been confused about the date of the article which was printed in the October 30, 1967, edition of The Press.

As explained in Project MK-ZODIAC´s separate report about the envelope sent to Melvin M. Belli, there is evidence that the Zodiac copied the font used for the address number at Melvin M. Belli´s former residence.

https://mk-zodiac.com/1228.html

Similarly, Project MK-ZODIAC continues to examine the hypothesis that the Zodiac copied other people´s handwriting when sending communications because the Zodiac had ulterior motives.

Therefore, while the evidence that Butterfield has provided does suggest the high probability that Hautz was responsible, it may be impossible to prove beyond any doubt whatsoever because there are still lingering questions.

* * *

* Update - August 20, 2010 *

The Controversy Continues

Michael Butterfield initiated a discussion about the Patricia Hautz mystery on the internet forum at Zodiac Killer Facts (Board index » Zodiac Killer Facts Forum » "Possible" Zodiac Crimes / Victims » Cheri Jo Bates » IDENTITY CRISIS).

Here is a link to this discussion which began on August 15, 2010:

http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=767

On August 18, 2010, Zsearcher verified that Tom Voigt had previously obtained an October 30, 1967, edition of The Press.

http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=767&start=10

Here is a link to the News Center on the website www.zodiackiller.com which announced that on November 2, 2001, Bo Edlund won an October 30, 1967, edition of The Press:

http://www.zodiackiller.com/Newscenter3.html

It is a fact that the discrepancy regarding the date of the article in connection with the 1967 note was not mentioned by Voigt in the News Center.

As previously explained, the note dated November 1, 1967, clearly stated that the date of the article was supposed to be October 1, 1967.

Additionally, other researchers, including Sandy Betts and morf13, have corroborated independently that there was not any article about Cheri Jo Bates printed in the October 1, 1967, edition of The Press-Enterprise.

Project MK-ZODIAC maintains that it was the first source to announce that there was the discrepancy regarding the date of the article.

Until the report was posted by Project MK-ZODIAC on the internet at the end of 2009, there does not seem to be any evidence that any researcher had posted on the internet that there was anything untoward specifically regarding the date of the article.

In other words, the discrepancy regarding the date of the article appears to have gone unnoticed until the end of 2009.

Nevertheless, if any researcher finds any previous posting on the internet which clarified the discrepancy regarding the date of the article, then, as a courtesy, please email project@mk-zodiac.com so that this report may be amended. As of August 20, 2010, no one has notified Project MK-ZODIAC that any researcher announced this discovery before the end of 2009.

It is a fact that the discrepancy regarding the date of the article was not mentioned until December 30, 2009, when morf13 referred to this report during the discussion on the internet forum.

http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=380&start=230

Also, it is a fact that the discrepancy regarding the date of the article was not mentioned in Butterfield´s blog dated August 15, 2010.

http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/blog/archives/riverside-and-the-murder-of-cheri-jo-bates

Project MK-ZODIAC considers the discrepancy regarding the date of the article to be one of the factors which suggest that the Patricia Hautz mystery is still open to speculation.

Of course, the readers of this report may decide for themselves whether or not they agree after careful consideration.

It is hoped that other researchers will be able to substantiate the evidence presented by Butterfield that Patricia Hautz was the author of both the 1967 envelope and the 1967 note.

* * *

Additional Notes

There are some researchers who would like to find out whether or not Patricia Hautz has any information regarding either Cheri Jo Bates or any possible suspect, including the individual known as "Zode" who attended Pacific High School. (There is a brief anecdote about this student in Robert Graysmith´s book, "Zodiac Unmasked" which describes an incident in which the student wrote the word "ZODIAC" on a blackboard circa 1964.)

Paul_Averly initiated a discussion about the individual known as "Zode" on the internet forum at Zodiac Killer Facts (Board index » Zodiac Killer Facts Forum » "Possible" Zodiac Crimes / Victims » Cheri Jo Bates » Pacific High School Zodiac Guy?).

Here is a link to this discussion which began on April 26, 2010:

http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=46&t=601&start=0

It is a fact that any comment by Hautz specifically regarding either Bates or any possible suspect was not mentioned in Butterfield´s blog dated August 15, 2010.

http://www.zodiackillerfacts.com/blog/archives/riverside-and-the-murder-of-cheri-jo-bates

It is possible that, for personal reasons, Hautz may not wish to make any comment regarding the case.

Also, it is possible that Hautz may not have any knowledge of the case other than what was reported in the news media.

In respect of the privacy of Hautz, these types of questions may never be resolved.

* * *

* Update - August 27, 2010 *

1967 envelope

1987 sample of Patricia Hautz´s handwriting from public records

2000 sample of Patricia Hautz´s handwriting from public records

2002 sample of Patricia Hautz´s handwriting from public records

Handwriting Confirmed from Public Records

As with any investigation, the validity of a particular theory may be tested as additional evidence is collected.

It is important that researchers confirm the findings of other researchers to make sure that the information is authentic.

Howard Davis has explained that the 1967 note does not seem to have been able to fit inside of the 1967 envelope.

If this particular document could not fit inside of this particular envelope, then obviously that would mean that there must have been another document and another envelope which have not been made public.

Presumably, the Riverside Police Department has the original documents.

Furthermore, Davis has suggested that a forensic analysis could be done by checking the DNA and/or fingerprints to confirm that Patricia Hautz sent the 1967 envelope.

At this time it does not seem that the Riverside Police Department will follow up regarding the Patricia Hautz mystery.

It has happened that morf13 obtained other samples of Hautz´s handwriting from public records.

By comparing the handwriting, it is evident that the handwriting of Hautz is similar to the handwriting on the 1967 envelope.

Thus, morf3 has confirmed Michael Butterfield´s verification regarding the handwriting.

The readers of this report may compare the handwriting for themselves to determine whether or not they concur with morf13 and Butterfield regarding the similarity of the handwriting.

Those who may question that the handwriting was not done by Hautz will now have more difficulty justifying their theories because of the compelling evidence which has been presented by these researchers.

As previously explained, there are still other questions that researchers would like to ask Hautz (even though it may not be possible because of privacy concerns).

Also, it has not been completely confirmed that the 1967 envelope and the 1967 note are actually related to each other.

Barbara Metzler was one of the reporters at the Press-Enterprise Company who thought that the 1967 note was suspicious.

Now, years later, the researchers have been able to accomplish something that the reporters were not able to do in the past.

* * *

If you have information about this (or any other) possible communication from the Zodiac, please email project@mk-zodiac.com.

Also, in the event that for any reason there is any discrepancy in this report, as a courtesy, please advise.

* * *

To return to the message to the Zodiac, click here.

Project MK-ZODIAC

An Investigation of the Zodiac Killer

by Ricardo Eugirtni Gomez

Please be aware that sections from the Preliminary Report on Project MK-ZODIAC are available only on this website.

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