Writer, researcher, and podcaster Michael Butterfield returns for Part 2 of our discussion on the Zodiac case. In this episode, we focus on the chilling attack at Lake Berryessa on September 27, 1969. The victims were college students Cecelia Shepard and Bryan Hartnell. While Bryan survived, Cecelia tragically succumbed to her injuries.

Michael walks us through the details of this attack and how it differed from the earlier shootings. We discuss what the killer’s behavior may reveal, and how it fits within the broader pattern of attacks attributed to the Zodiac.

Michael is the host of Zodiac: A to Z and the author of the upcoming book The Zodiac Killer: The Story of America’s Most Elusive Murderer, scheduled for release on May 6, 2025.

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Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

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Writer, researcher, and podcaster Michael Butterfield joins us to examine the series of murders attributed to the person who called himself the Zodiac. Michael has dedicated 30-plus years to investigating this case. In this episode, we discuss the earliest known attacks: the December 20, 1968, murders of Betty Lou Jensen and David Faraday on Lake Herman Road in Benicia, California, and the July 4, 1969, shooting of Darlene Ferrin and Michael Mageau at Blue Rock Springs Park in Vallejo, California. (Michael survived.)

You can listen to Michael's podcast, Zodiac: A to Z, a deep-dive series that methodically examines the Zodiac Killer case, exploring each suspect, clue, and theory with a focus on separating fact from speculation. Michael also has an upcoming book titled The Zodiac Killer: The Story of America's Most Elusive Murderer, scheduled for release on May 6, 2025.

You can follow The Consult on social media:

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Instagram

Facebook

For additional information and resources, please visit our episode website: https://www.truecrimeconsult.com/80-profiling-the-zodiac-killer-part-1/

Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon for early and ad-free episodes. Visit Patreon.com/theconsultpod to become a subscriber.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We answer listener questions about our analysis of the 1999 murder of Hae Min Lee.

You can follow The Consult on social media:

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For additional information and resources, please visit our episode website: https://www.truecrimeconsult.com/79-profiling-the-murderer-of-hae-min-lee-listener-questions/

Music “Light in the Basement” by John Hanske. Listen to more of John’s music on Spotify.

If you enjoyed this episode, consider supporting us on Patreon for early and ad-free episodes. Visit Patreon.com/theconsultpod to become a subscriber.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.