Episode Details

In Episode 6 of The Zodiac Killer, we return to San Francisco—two weeks after Lake Berryessa—for the case that changed everything: the murder of taxi driver Paul Stine in Presidio Heights on October 11, 1969.

This attack was different. Different victim. Different setting. Different risk. Under streetlights, with witnesses watching from across the road, the killer lingered—cutting a piece of Stine’s shirt, wiping the cab, and walking away with eerie calm.

We break down the full Presidio Heights timeline, what the Robbins witnesses reported, the police response, and the error that may have helped the Zodiac escape: a broadcast description that sent officers looking for the wrong suspect.

We also examine the evidence that made this the most significant Zodiac crime scene: bloody latent fingerprints, the composite sketch, the shirt piece mailed to the San Francisco Chronicle, and the Zodiac’s chilling escalation—threats against schoolchildren and a school bus.

Finally, Simon and Tom dig into the investigative angles: patterns, escalation, and what the “gap” before the Zodiac claimed responsibility might suggest.

If you’re researching the Zodiac case, this episode is your deep dive into the murder many consider the turning point—and the last confirmed Zodiac killing.

00:00 Two Weeks of Silence… Then Zodiac Strikes in San Francisco

01:19 Who Was Paul Stine? The Man Behind the Fifth Confirmed Victim

02:50 October 11, 1969: A Routine Fare Turns Deadly

05:13 Witnesses Across the Street: Shirt Tearing, Wiping Prints, Calm Escape

08:16 Police Arrive—And a Radio Description Error Changes Everything

12:02 Fouke & Zelms Encounter: Did Zodiac Speak to Police or Walk Past?

14:44 Best Evidence Yet: Bloody Fingerprints, Composite Sketch, and a Flood of Tips

21:12 Zodiac’s Shirt-Swatch Letter & the School Bus Threat

24:54 Aftermath and Meaning: Why Stine Changed the Case (and Why Zodiac Got Away)

35:39 Simon & Tom React: Military Links, Fingerprints, and “Triangulation”

44:31 Open-Minded Investigations: Bring in Outside Expertise & Test Your Theory

46:13 Presidio Heights Patrol Stop: Why Not Talking to the Witness Matters

48:29 Mistakes, Blame Culture, and Why Candour Saves Cases

50:43 Surveillance Lessons: No Guesswork, Instant Comms, Total Honesty

55:00 Control Room & Radio Descriptions: How One Error Warps the Search

01:00:18 Forensics and Disclosure: When “No DNA” Becomes the Defense

01:02:41 Zodiac’s Escape Route: The Park, the Military Angle, and Policy Files

01:08:25 House-to-House Done Right: Dog Walkers, Curtain Twitchers, and Breakthroughs

01:13:33 Wrap-Up Banter & Sign-Off

You can buy the books mentioned in the podcast's by clicking the links below

Tom's Best Selling Book:

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Paperback Edition

Ruxton: The First Modern Murder Kindle Edition

Simon's Best Selling Book:

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