Has Zodiac Been Solved? Latest Clues and Theories in 2024

The Infamous Zodiac Killer: A Case That Still Haunts

It started in the late 1960s — a series of murders in Northern California, bizarre coded letters, taunting messages sent to the press, and a killer who signed as “Zodiac.” Nearly six decades later, the question still lingers: Has Zodiac been solved?

Let’s be clear from the jump — officially, no, the case remains unsolved. But oh boy, there have been theories, claims, and even some breakthroughs that almost flipped the table.

Who were the Zodiac’s known victims?

Five confirmed murders between 1968 and 1969:

• David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen (Dec '68)

• Darlene Ferrin and Mike Mageau (July '69)

• Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard (Sept '69)

• Paul Stine, a cab driver (Oct '69)

Mike Mageau and Bryan Hartnell survived their attacks, giving vital witness accounts — but even that wasn’t enough to pin someone definitively.

Breakthroughs in the Code: Was It Really Deciphered?

The 340 Cipher finally cracked?

In December 2020, a trio of amateur codebreakers — an Aussie, a Belgian, and an American — cracked the infamous “340 cipher.” That creepy message Zodiac sent to the SF Chronicle in 1969.

The decoded message didn’t reveal his name, unfortunately. It read:

“I hope you are having lots of fun in trying to catch me. … I am not afraid of the gas chamber...”

So yeah, he still wanted to play games. But this was huge — a code unsolved for over 50 years finally giving us something.

The Gary Francis Poste Theory

Case closed… or just a good story?

In 2021, a group called The Case Breakers announced that they identified Zodiac as Gary Francis Poste, a deceased Air Force veteran.

Evidence they claimed:

• Scars on his forehead matched police sketches

• Similar handwriting

• Alleged connection to an unsolved murder in Riverside

BUT… law enforcement said: hold your horses. The FBI and SFPD did not confirm this identification. No DNA. No definitive evidence.

So... maybe? But nothing “solved” in the legal sense.

Why is it still so hard to solve?

Lack of DNA, tech limits, and that era’s chaos

Here’s the frustrating part: the Zodiac killer often wore gloves, and he avoided leaving usable evidence. There are partial fingerprints and possible saliva traces on stamps, but that’s about it.

Also, we're talking about the late 60s and early 70s — before CCTV, digital forensics, or even proper coordination between police departments. The killer played the system, and it worked.

Plus, he might’ve stopped killing. Or maybe he was arrested for something else. Or died. That’s the thing — we don’t know.

Cultural Impact: Zodiac as a Myth

This case isn’t just a murder mystery anymore. It’s pop culture. It’s folklore. From the David Fincher movie to countless books and Reddit rabbit holes, people are obsessed.

And honestly, who wouldn’t be? A cryptic killer who taunted the police, made up his own nickname, and vanished like a ghost. It’s part crime, part horror, part enigma.

Personal rabbit hole moment…

Not gonna lie — one night I spent 6 hours on a Zodiac subreddit following a theory that involved old maps, lunar cycles, and the name “Zodiac” being an anagram. It turned out to be nothing. But I was hooked. And I’m not the only one.

Conclusion: No, but we’re closer than ever

So, has Zodiac been solved? Not exactly. Not in court. Not in the files. But we’ve decoded more, suspects have been named, and the trail — though cold — still gives off a faint warmth.

Maybe someday, new DNA tech will give us a name. Or maybe it’ll remain a riddle — a cipher with no solution.

Until then, the mystery lives on.

Is 165 cm normal for a 15 year old?

The predicted height for a female, based on your parents heights, is 155 to 165cm. Most 15 year old girls are nearly done growing. I was too. It's a very normal height for a girl.

Is 160 cm too tall for a 12 year old?

How Tall Should a 12 Year Old Be? We can only speak to national average heights here in North America, whereby, a 12 year old girl would be between 137 cm to 162 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/3 feet). A 12 year old boy should be between 137 cm to 160 cm tall (4-1/2 to 5-1/4 feet).

How tall is a average 15 year old?

Average Height to Weight for Teenage Boys - 13 to 20 Years

How to get taller at 18?

Staying physically active is even more essential from childhood to grow and improve overall health. But taking it up even in adulthood can help you add a few inches to your height. Strength-building exercises, yoga, jumping rope, and biking all can help to increase your flexibility and grow a few inches taller.

Is 5.7 a good height for a 15 year old boy?

Generally speaking, the average height for 15 year olds girls is 62.9 inches (or 159.7 cm). On the other hand, teen boys at the age of 15 have a much higher average height, which is 67.0 inches (or 170.1 cm).

Can you grow between 16 and 18?

Most girls stop growing taller by age 14 or 15. However, after their early teenage growth spurt, boys continue gaining height at a gradual pace until around 18. Note that some kids will stop growing earlier and others may keep growing a year or two more.

Can you grow 1 cm after 17?

Even with a healthy diet, most people's height won't increase after age 18 to 20. The graph below shows the rate of growth from birth to age 20. As you can see, the growth lines fall to zero between ages 18 and 20 ( 7 , 8 ). The reason why your height stops increasing is your bones, specifically your growth plates.