A Review of ‘Myth of the Zodiac Killer’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

MYTH OF THE ZODIAC KILLER -- "The Hoax Theory" Episode 101 -- Pictured: Zodiac Code -- (Photo by: PEACOCK)

One thing that we can all agree upon, is that modern society is deeply fascinated by true crime. In large part because we cannot understand what drives people to take part in it, and commit such heinous acts, but also because… how these men are brought to justice is fascinating, and sometimes we are captivated by these stories, because they aren’t brought to justice. Their crimes simply persist and hang over our heads and one case that captives us in that manner, is that of the Zodiac Killer. Whom for those unfamiliar, brought forth a reign of terror in the late 1960s and early 1970s through a series of killings and taunting letters that baffled police and scared the general public, only for this killer to disappear without a trace… and never get caught.
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Which has brought forth… a mythos about this killer really. The kind that has given rise to all kinds of theories about who the Zodiac Killer was, and how they escaped prosecution. But despite the fine work of various authors and forensic experts, and even the true crime sleuths that populate the world today, no one has been able to truly pin down who this man actually was and that has kept the mythos of this killer alive for nearly fifty years, and there is no end in sight regarding that. In fact, that myth and that legend is so persistent that there are people now, curious as to whether or not… there is more to this story. As though perhaps, what we think of the Zodiac Killer case is wrong to begin with and the focus is skewed, as evidenced by some new theories put forth in a new documentary that is streaming on Peacock, Myth of the Zodiac Killer.

Which is a documentary directed by Andrew Nock that deeply explores the work of one Thomas Horan. Who has outright speculated… that perhaps the real problem in closing this case is not that the Zodiac escaped captured and likely has passed into the great beyond… it is that… he never existed to begin with. And yes… you read that right, and that is what this documentary focuses upon, the data that could provide law enforcement with the reality that the Zodiac was nothing more than a series of copycat killings and that the criminals’ use of the identity of the Zodiac threw things off, and that… other evidence should be examined to properly prove this theory and to properly bring closure to the cases in question and well, that bold theory does indeed bring forth, one fascinating documentary.

One that takes the time to reflect upon every single murder related to the Zodiac case. To provide balanced coverage that explores both sides of the proverbial coin. Wherein we learn exactly what law enforcement discovered and dealt with while examining the clues, and the inconsistencies that Thomas Horan has discovered in the case. The kind that does at times, provide the viewer with a compelling argument against the Zodiac being the monster involved in such horrible slayings, alongside some fascinating commentary on who may have been keeping the myth of the Zodiac alive for years on end. All of which gives the audience a lot to think about regarding this case and whether or not real due diligence has taken place because of the mythos of the Zodiac. Since his spirit hangs heavy over these crimes from beginning to end. 

But what truly makes this documentary so special, and so worth your while, it what it wants to accomplish. For this isn’t some fringe theory documentary out to stir the pot and create chaos and sow doubt in the case. It’s a documentary… designed to really ask why this case hasn’t been solved yet, since it is still active in every town where these murders occurred. So, it gets us talking, it gets us thinking and it also points out… that there are family members and friends and eyewitnesses, some of whom speak for the first time ever regarding these cases here, searching for justice for the fallen. Searching for closure and hopefully this documentary does indeed motivate movement and progress regarding an age-old case that has indeed become larger than life. Courtesy of its thought-provoking challenge to law enforcement to perhaps approach this case from a different angle, to bring forth the justice promised so long ago.

‘Myth of the Zodiac Killer’ is streaming now on Peacock.  

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