Thursday, February 20, 2020
In 2012 I was retained to compare the handwriting of Earl Van Best, jr. with that of the Zodiac Killer. The Zodiac stalked the streets and parks of the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. The examination was done for the book “The Most Dangerous Animal of All.”
A result of the work performed on this examination was published in the book “The End of the Zodiac Mystery.” This book describes the methodology I used to conduct the handwriting comparison. Subsequent to the publication of both books in May, 2014 I learned the primary evidence used to compare against the handwriting of the Zodiac Killer was written by Edward Fliger, the minister who married Earl Van Best, jr in Reno, NV in 1962.
When Fliger’s tenure at the church in Reno was finished in 1964, he left the church, moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, divorced his wife, then changed his name to Edward Young.
The FX channel is presenting a four-part series based on “The Most Dangerous Animal of All.” The series starts on March 6, 2020. Last year the production crew came to our house and converted the dining room into a studio. The director, Kief Richardson, interviewed me about the handwriting comparison.
The book is a fascinating memoir of the investigation by Gary Stewart into his life history and attempt to prove his birth father was not the infamous Zodiac Killer. The more he tried to demonstrate his father was not the Zodiac, the more convinced he became that his father was the Zodiac.
The handwriting on the primary evidence, the marriage certificate issued for Gary’s birth parents is almost a perfect match with the writing of the Zodiac. The comparison sheets are included in the book “The End of the Zodiac Mystery.” Several were taken for use in the FX docuseries.
I wonder whether Fliger and Earl Van Best, Jr. worked together as the Zodiac Killer.
More information about “The End of the Zodiac Mystery” is on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/endofthezodiacmystery/?ref=bookmarks and at www.zodiacsolved.com.
About the Author: Michael Wakshull, president of Q9 Consulting, is a civil and criminal court-qualified forensic document examiner providing services throughout the U.S.A. and internationally. Cases include authentication of handwritten and computer-generated documents. Wakshull holds a Master of Science in technology management, a graduate school certificate in forensic document examination and has spoken at international forensics conferences including the World Congress of Forensics in China. He authors and presents document examination courses for minimum continuing legal education (MCLE). Wakshull is a member of the vice president of Scientific Association of Forensic Examiners, National Association of Document Examiners, past president of the San Diego Chapter of Forensic Expert Witness Association (FEWA), ASTM International, and a senior member of the American Society for Quality.
Mike has authored three books on the topic of forensic document examination.
As a National Speakers Association member, he is available to speak on these subjects.